List of universities and higher education colleges in London

London has one of the largest concentrations of universities and higher education institutions in the world. It has 40 higher education institutions (not counting foreign Universities with London branches) and has a student population of more than 400,000. Among the institutions in London are some of the old and world-famous colleges that today make up the federal University of London, modern universities, as well as a number of smaller and often highly specialised universities and colleges. Additionally, over 45,000 

The Senate House, the headquarters of the federal University of London

students in over 180 countries follow the University of London External System, established in 1858.

Major universities

Imperial College entrance.

Key (lower numbers are better):

GUG: Guardian University Guide 2011 (published 2010)

TUG: Times Good University Guide 2011 (published 2010)

CUG: Complete University Guide 2011 (published 2010)

UoL: Part of the University of London

AMBA: accredited by AMBA

EQUIS: accredited by EQUIS

WORLD: ranking in QS/Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2009

Note: Birkbeck, University of London is excluded from most university rankings because the tables are based on full-time undergraduates, and Birkbeck only has part-time undergraduate students.

Imperial College entrance.

University	GUG	TUG	CUG	UoL	AMBA	EQUIS	WORLD
University of the Arts London	[21 of 35 - Specialist table]	86	70
Birkbeck, University of London	n/a	n/a	n/a
Brunel University	75	50	46				318=
City University, London	24	47	47				401 to 500
University of East London	117	111	113
Goldsmiths, University of London	58	52	57				361=
University of Greenwich	102	103	110
Imperial College London	7	3	3				5=
King's College London	25	16	13				23
Kingston University	98	92	84
London Metropolitan University	118	n/a	115
London School of Economics	8	5	5				67=
London South Bank University	114	113	113
Middlesex University	112	104	97
Queen Mary, University of London	46	36	39				164
Roehampton University	106	87	87
Royal Holloway, University of London	41	31	30				316
School of Oriental and African Studies	11	27	15				234=
St Mary's University College, Twickenham	86	n/a	n/a
Thames Valley University	77	106	95
University College London	5	7	5				4
University of Westminster	105	100	94

Specialised universities and higher education colleges

The following institutions offer British undergraduate and/or postgraduate degrees, but are usually specialised in one or two academic fields. All are listed as either Recognised or Listed institutions by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, meaning that they offer officially accredited British degrees:

Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (drama)

BPP University College of Professional Studies (business, law)

British College of Osteopathic Medicine (medical)

British School of Osteopathy (medical)

Central School of Speech and Drama (theatre)

Conservatoire for Dance and Drama (dance and drama) - made up of a range of institutions, those in London are Central School of Ballet, The Circus Space, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, London Contemporary Dance School, Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, and Royal Academy of Dramatic Art

Courtauld Institute of Art (history of art)

Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College

European Business School London

Greenwich School of Management (business, law)

Guildhall School of Music and Drama (music and drama)

Heythrop College (philosophy, theology)

Holborn College (business, law)

Institute of Cancer Research (medical research)

Institute of Education (postgraduate teacher education)

Islamic College for Advanced Studies

Kensington College of Business (business)

London Business School (postgraduate business school)

London City College

London College of Accountancy

London College of Business

London College of Management and Information Technology

London College of Professional Studies

London College of Traditional Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

London International College

London School of Commerce (postgraduate business school)

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (medical)

London School of Osteopathy

London School of Theology

London Studio Centre (dance)

Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts (drama)

Newham College of Further Education

Open University in London

Ravensbourne (broadcasting, fashion, design, postgraduate)

Regents Business School London

Royal Academy of Dance

Royal Academy of Music (music)

Royal College of Art (art and design)

Royal College of Music (music)

Royal College of Nursing (nursing)

Royal Veterinary College (veterinary)

SAE Institute

School of Advanced Studies (University of London) (research-led postgraduate specialisms)

School of Design London (Northumbria University) formerly the London Centre for Fashion Studies (fashion)

St George's, University of London (medical)

The School of Pharmacy, University of London (pharmacy)

Southwark College

Trinity Laban (music and dance) - made up of Trinity College of Music and Laban Contemporary Dance

Westminster Kingsway College

West End College London

Colleges which form the federal University of London are in italics

Foreign universities

A number of foreign university institutions operate in London without Royal Charters. Some are bona fide universities with their degrees validated by recognised accreditation bodies abroad or in the UK, while others are not validated at all or are validated by unrecognised accreditation agencies.

Many foreign universities run study-abroad programmes based in London, but these are often restricted to students who spend the majority of their degree studying at the university campus in their own country, and are not independent university campuses. Some of the colleges offering foreign degrees in London are listed below.

American InterContinental University

Hult International Business School

Notre Dame University

Regent's College, including:

Regent's Business School (undergraduate business school)

European Business School London (undergraduate & postgraduate business with languages)

Richmond, the American International University in London

Schiller International University

Proposed universities

As part of legacy plans for the 2012 Olympic Games, an international university is to be built in London’s Olympic Park. The new university will make use of the sporting facilities and high-tech communications infrastructure remaining after the Olympics, and will specialise in sport science, digital media and green technology.

It is likely that the new institution will either become a constituent college of the University of London (or else be run by one of the existing colleges), or another London institution such as Imperial College or the University of the Arts London. In addition, Loughborough and Bristol universities have expressed interest in running the institution’s sports science programmes.

There is also a strong possibility of co-operation with a foreign university, with both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Tsinghua University, Beijing being mentioned.

The institution itself will be established before the Games, although it is only expected to move to the Olympic park in about 2015. The Government is expected to provide a subsidy but it is hoped that the majority of funding will come from the private sector.

Additionally, St. Mary's University College, located in Twickenham, South-West London, aims to be awarded University status within the next few years.

See also 

London, 

Buses in London, 

London River Services, 

Cycling in London, 

Education in London, 

Tourism in London, 

Media in London, 

Economy of London, 

Transport in London,

(source:wikipedia)