Russell Group

University College London — can you afford it?

London · 42,000 students · Est. 1826

£163.94/wk
Cheapest halls
+£468/mo
After halls
4 hrs/wk
Work to break even
93%
Graduate employment
27
Affordability score

The monthly maths

Maintenance loan (max — London rate)+£1,178
Cheapest halls (£163.94/wk × 4.33)−£710
After halls+£468
Transport (city avg)−£185
Food (estimate)−£200
Monthly balance-£177

Work hours to break even: 4 hrs/week at £12.21/hr

Annual shortfall: -£2,124

Over 3 years: -£6,372

Typical (median) room: -£934/mo if not in the cheapest option

Based on maximum loan. Calculate your actual loan →

Halls vs private in London

🏠 UCL halls

Cheapest£163.94/wk (£710/mo)
Median£338.49/wk (£1,467/mo)
Most expensive£455.71/wk (£1,975/mo)
BillsIncluded ✓
Contract40–51 weeks
Monthly surplus£468per month

🏢 Private rental in London

Average rent£1,200/month
Bills estimate+£180/mo
Total housing cost£1,380/mo
Contract12 months (summer risk)
BillsExtra ✗
Monthly deficit-£202per month

UCL by the numbers

Total students42,000
Undergraduates22,000
International students52%
Student:staff ratio11.2:1
Graduate employment93%
Average graduate salary£35,000
TypeRussell Group
Founded1826

Student numbers: HESA 2024/25. Graduate salary: SalaryDex data for London. Graduate salaries in London →

Notable UCL alumni

A
Alexander Graham Bell
Inventor of the telephone
→ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/alexander-graham-bell
M
Mahatma Gandhi
Indian independence leader
→ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/mahatma-gandhi

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Compare UCL with others

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What happens after UCL?

Newly qualified Software engineer in London
Entry gross: £35,000 · Take-home after rent: +£1,008/mo
Full salary breakdown →
Newly qualified Nurse (Band 5) in London
Entry gross: £30,959 · Take-home after rent: +£650/mo
Full salary breakdown →
Newly qualified Teacher in London
Entry gross: £31,650 · Take-home after rent: +£675/mo
Full salary breakdown →

Take-home estimates based on 2025/26 PAYE rates including student loan Plan 5 repayments.

Accommodation data source

Accommodation costs verified 2026-05-19 from University College London official accommodation page. Monthly costs use the formula: weekly rate × 39 contract weeks ÷ 9 academic months. Bills included in all quoted rates.

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