Kingston University

Overview

Kingston University is an inclusive and vibrant university, recognised for its excellent teaching, ranks highly in the world’s list of young universities and has several UK-leading courses. Located in a beautiful riverside area of south-west London, Kingston University offers all the excitement of central London in a relaxed town environment.

Multicultural London is the perfect setting for building your global business network. As a result, Kingston is a truly global and cosmopolitan university. Of its nearly 19,000 students, approximately 4,000 are international, coming from more than 140 countries.

Kingston offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, several of which are rated the best in the country by The Guardian University Guide 2024. In 2023, Kingston University’s commitment to high-quality teaching was recognised with a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Gold award. Kingston University is also a top global destination for fashion studies, and its Fashion programme is one of the only two programmes in the UK to have received the maximum possible ‘Badges of Excellence’ from the leading influencer website Business of Fashion.

Kingston University’s teaching has been recognised as outstanding by winning The Guardian University Award 2017 for teaching excellence. Courses are also brought to life by interactive learning facilities such as the Bloomberg trading room, the flight simulator, an in-built hospital ward and a music recording studio.

Services for International Students

Kingston University is truly global and cosmopolitan; of nearly 19,000 students in total, approximately 4,000 are international and from more than 140 countries.

Kingston has a dedicated Visa and Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) team and, when you begin your studies here, the Information Centres provide key support services on matters such as accommodation, money advice, disability support, student funds, wellbeing and more. All students can access the support on offer. Kingston has a proven track record of improving students’ employability, having regularly been ranked as the number one UK higher education institution for graduate start-up companies.

Most of Kingston's undergraduate and postgraduate courses offer a 12-month work placement opportunity or a Study Abroad option. As a student, you can attend free employability and career workshops, and job and employers’ fairs available throughout the year. In addition, their Careers and Employability team also offer support up to 2 years after you graduate.

Ranking

• 97th in the Times University Guide 2025
• 60th in the Guardian University Guide 2025
• 601-610 in the QS World University Rankings 2025
• Top 10 London University (Guardian University Guide 2025)
• Teaching Excellence Framework Gold Award 2023

In REF2021, almost a quarter of Kingston’s research, 23 per cent, was rated world-leading (4*), compared to 16 per cent in REF 2014, with the University also ranking fifth out of 14 University Alliance institutions in the overall tables.

Accommodation

Kingston prioritises all new first-year undergraduate students who have firmly accepted their offer of study. Kingston University has six halls of residence, all located on the university campus or around the town centre. University-owned halls of residence consist of single private rooms, with a kitchen shared between 2-9 students, with most rooms having an en-suite.

Some students decide to live independently in the local area rather than in residence halls. Kingston’s dedicated accommodation team is available to offer advice and guidance in securing private accommodation, from single rooms and lodgings to full house and flat shares.

A free university bus helps students get around the different campuses, halls and the town centre.

Location

Kingston University is located in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, a busy, attractive riverside town, only 30 minutes from central London by train. With its mix of markets, museums, cafes, pubs and clubs, Kingston town centre has something for everyone. You’ll find plenty to eat, see, drink and do here.

While Kingston is on the doorstep of central London, there is also easy access to the beautiful local countryside. Kingston is a very short distance to Richmond Park and Hampton Court Palace and has a history dating back to Anglo-Saxon times.

As well as being a fantastic place to make your home, Kingston's excellent transport links make commuting simple from further afield, too. With two mainline train stations, a network of bus routes, and major motorways close by, there are so many ways to reach Kingston from London and the rest of the country. And if you're travelling by air, both Gatwick and Heathrow international airports are easily accessible from Kingston by both road and public transport.

Alumni

• Ben Barnes (Actor)
• Eric Clapton (Guitarist)
• Fiona Banner (Artist)
• Ratheesan Yoganathan (Businessman, chairman of Lebara Group)