London Metropolitan University - Student View

Result of a recent merger (London Guildhall and North London universities) and the individual atmospheres of the two remain; but students come together in the Union and through sport and societies.

University mirrors London - a melting pot of cultures and ideas. These all merge in Islington, the location of North Campus, while the City Campus straddles the cultural divide between the City of London and the East End.

University is diverse and non-traditional with a laid-back and friendly atmosphere. Largest in London, with some 32,000 students over both campuses, half from black/ethnic minorities and large numbers of mature and international students (8% are non-EU).

City Campus sites in the City (including the business school) and Whitechapel (including well-regarded Sir John Cass departments of art, design and technology).

North Campus is based in Islington with five sites on Holloway Road, one overlooking Highbury Fields. Staff are generally helpful, lecturers good and workloads reasonable. Large, flexible modular programme of study is popular and successful.

Very large union-run student support service (over 100 volunteer mentors and 2000 participating students at city campus alone), combined with a strong welfare service ensures students always have somewhere to turn. The Sub Bar and Rocket (nightclubs), two smaller bars (one refurbished by design students) in the city and a non-smoking coffee bar at North Campus, plus several (healthy!) diners and some shops are all run by Campus Services. Union also has an online radio station, MetSU and a regular newspaper.

Strong societies include afro-caribbean, law, LGB and Islamic. Excellent opportunities to participate in sports (regardless of gender, ability etc) through clubs like karate, mountaineering and field sports, as well as successful hockey, football and basketball teams.

Ents include quizzes, acoustic nights, live acts and society parties; the excellent Rocket complex also hosts events for the public; main student events on Wednesday night at both campuses. Huge range of local entertainment, from watching sport in East End locals and sipping cocktails in the City, to relaxing in stylish bars in Angel or listening to live music in Camden. Local museums, markets (including Petticoat Lane), art galleries, a plethora of different food outlets and places of historic or sporting interest - Arsenal is right on the doorstep of North Campus and West Ham and Tottenham are close; and one City Campus site overlooks the Tower of London.