Guildhall School of Music & Drama - Student Life

Housing: 40 School flats in halls, 3 minutes' walk away, with refectory, rehearsal/performance spaces and (cheap) SU bar. Otherwise houseshares; always pricey but Stratford and (trendy) Hackney offer some cheaper options. Don't expect a palace.

Eats: Canteen under Sundial Court, top quality food at competitive prices.

Drink: GSub bar.

Nightlife: Whole of London easily accessible. Numerous events in SU; nightclubs Fluid and Fabric are 10 minutes' walk, and number of late-night bars. Barbican Arts Centre (next door), and many other London arts venues have student discounts on cinema, theatre and concert tickets.

Sports: Swimming pool and sports facilities at City University.

Travel: Close to Moorgate and Liverpool Street tube stations.

Jobs: SU, Welfare Department and Music Assistant collate work offers.

Financial help: College funds, very good and pretty quick for cases of serious need (help usually conditional on taking part-time employment, course permitting). Guildhall Trust offers some bursaries.

Informal name: GSMD, or just Guildhall to arts bods.

Past students: Eileen Atkins, Fred Astaire, Claire Bloom, Geraint Evans, Joseph Fiennes, James Galway, Max Jaffa, Damian Lewis, Tasmin Little, Benjamin Luxon. Alastair McGowan, Ewan McGregor, Julia MacKenzie, George Martin, Dudley Moore, Jacqueline du Pre, Fay Ripley, Peter Skellern, Mollie Sugden, Bryn Terfel, Anne Sofie von Otter.