Senate House, the pale Art Deco tower in Bloomsbury, is the University of London's headquarters. The university is a federation of colleges such as UCL, King's College London, LSE and Queen Mary, and each admits its own students. Centrally, it runs the School of Advanced Study, a group of postgraduate research institutes in Bloomsbury, and a very large distance-learning programme. International students who come to London to study with the university itself usually join the School of Advanced Study.
Bloomsbury, London, United Kingdom
Official website: london.ac.uk
1836
Senate House, Bloomsbury
Federal university of independent colleges
School of Advanced Study
£18,000 – £26,000
International students, School of Advanced Study taught master's
£16,000 – £22,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on london.ac.uk before you apply.
MA Cultural, Intellectual and Visual History (Warburg Institute)
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
LLM Advanced Legislative Studies (IALS)
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
MA Understanding and Securing Human Rights
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
MA History of the Book
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
BSc Computer Science (online, no student visa)
Bachelors DegreeDuration
36 Months
Intake
Apr, Oct
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 87
Senate House Library, one of the UK's largest humanities libraries.
The Warburg Institute and its library of cultural history.
Distance-learning degrees studied all over the world.
School of Advanced Study graduates go on to PhDs, museums, archives, law and policy work.
Human rights graduates work for NGOs, international bodies and governments.
Graduates of on-campus master's can stay two years on the Graduate visa.
Undergrad
Online only
Postgrad
Rolling
Bloomsbury is London's university quarter, full of garden squares, the British Museum and the libraries of neighbouring colleges. Russell Square and Euston stations are a few minutes from Senate House.
Central London rent is very high, so most students live in halls or further out on the Tube. The university's intercollegiate halls are an option for postgraduates.
CAS from University of London
Proof of funds for fees and living costs
English test at B2 level or above
TB test certificate, if required
Immigration Health Surcharge payment
Valid passport with blank pages
School of Advanced Study master's accept applications from autumn until the summer before entry, but places are small. International students should apply by about April to leave time for the CAS and visa.
On-campus master's start in September. Online programmes usually have April and October starts.
You'll apply for a Student visa. University of London gives you a CAS number once your offer is unconditional and the deposit is paid. You can then apply online up to six months before the course starts, with bank evidence and the Immigration Health Surcharge.
The Warburg Institute's MA, the LLM in Advanced Legislative Studies, the human rights MA and the History of the Book MA are well known. They need a good bachelor's degree and IELTS 7.0. Online degrees are studied from home and don't lead to a visa.
The School of Advanced Study offers some studentships and institute bursaries for master's students, though few are reserved for international applicants. Online programmes sometimes run fee discounts.
