Living in London
Our neighbourhood
One of the greatest benefits of living in London as an art history student is the opportunity to visit so many world-class museums and galleries, as well as historical sites such as Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Throughout London, students have access to museums and galleries holding art and artefacts from the ancient to the contemporary including the V&A, the Tates, the British Museum and, of course, The Courtauld itself. The central location of our campus ensures we remain by London’s Museum Mile, offering students easy access to a wealth of museums, galleries, and libraries including the British Library, the British Museum and The National Gallery.
As well as the big, famous institutions, London is also home to many amazing smaller museums such as The Estorick Collection in Canonbury and The John Soane Museum in Holborn. Over the three years of your degree, you’ll have plenty of time to explore across London and get to grips with its vibrant cultural scene.
Entertainment
London is home to hundreds of music venues, theatres, bars, and clubs, providing you with endless opportunities for entertainment and a lively nightlife. Equally, its cafes, restaurants, shops, and parks are all great places to meet with friends or visit alone. Many places offer student discounts, so your budget doesn’t have to be extensive for you to have a great time living in London.
Here are a few suggestions by our students:
- BFI Southbank (£3 cinema tickets for under 25-year-olds)
- Curzon Cinemas (free membership for under 25-year-olds)
- The ICA (offers a free ‘Young Westminster’ Membership)
- Student Art Pass (yearly pass offering reduced or free entry to museums and exhibitions)
- The Barbican Centre (tickets to exhibitions and events from £5 with ‘Young Barbican’)
- Tate (A Tate Collective account provides £5 exhibition tickets and other benefits for 16–25-year-olds)
- The Royal Opera House (£25 tickets with a free ‘Young ROH’ account)
Transport
While most halls of residence and teaching facilities are within walking distance, London is a large city, and you will often find yourself needing to travel around quickly. In their second and third years, most students choose to move into privately rented accommodation which could be further away from campus.
As a student, you are eligible to receive 30% off Travelcards for travel throughout London with a Student Oyster Card. Purchasing a Travelcard means that you can travel as often as you like with the zones for which you have purchased your Travelcard. If you do not plan to travel afield often, it may be more cost effective to use pay-as-you-go and top up when travel is necessary. By combining a Railcard with your Oyster Card, you can receive 34% off pay-as-you-go services on the Tube, Overground, Trams, and the Elizabeth Line making individual journeys cheaper. There is more general information on the TfL website.
Please note that student Oyster cards cannot be obtained until after you enrol at The Courtauld, as your application is checked by the institution.
Cross-UK Travel
You may also choose to use your time in London as an opportunity to travel to other destinations in the UK, taking advantage of the train connections across the country. Popular tourist destinations such as Oxford, Cambridge and Brighton are all accessible from London in under two hours. If you think you may be travelling outside of London frequently then it may be worthwhile purchasing a 16-25 Railcard or a 26-30 Railcard, which costs £30/year and offers 30% discount on train travel across the UK.
If you are over 30 and a full-time student, you are still eligible for a railcard, but you will need to bring a hard copy of the application form to us for certification.
Prices are correct as of August 2022. Please note that we have no affiliation with external providers listed, and there are alternatives.
