London is the most popular city for US students to search for when looking at foreign study, according to a new survey. Google’s education team discovered that in generic searches, US students search for “universities in London” more often than any other city, putting the UK capital ahead of Paris, Berlin, Barcelona and Singapore.
There’s a magnetic pull for US students to a city like London. The shared language makes transition easier. It’s a global city and a place with plenty of attractions and well regarded international educational institutions. It’s also ideally located to travel to Europe.
An online industry has developed a design to cater for US students exploring the possibility of studying in the UK. Website offers guides and advice for those looking to attend a university in the capital. It says there are around 6,000 students from American studying undergraduate or postgraduate courses in London. The most popular subjects are politics, business, social sciences, design and combined studies. As part of their college courses, US students also have a “Study Abroad” option; 30,000 students every year choose London for the place they want to stay in during that part of their course.
The industry sites cater to this growing need, not only does it offer searches of relevant undergraduate and postgraduate courses but also provide an insight into living in the capital, how to apply and what to include, how to secure a visa and how to find a job in the UK.
The economic strength of London is one of the reasons the city’s Mayor, Boris Johnson, has highlighted for those students looking to study in the UK. London’s financial sector, creative and digital as well as professional services have returned to post recession figures suggesting that for those students looking for a successful entry point into the jobs markets the UK’s economic success and positivity is seen as an excellent starting point.
The draw to London isn’t simply from US students; there is a surge of international students in general coming to the UK capital as mentioned in an article by the Financial Times which talks about the sheer number of investment and infrastructure projects being undertaken by London’s major universities including LSE, Imperial College UCL and King’s College which receive the lion’s share of UK funding allocations. Building projects undertaken by the capital’s universities include the Olympic Park in Stratford and the former BBC World Services HQ which are multi-million pound developments designed to provide educational establishments with greater resources, bigger campuses and more accommodation for their swelling student numbers.
International students often pay higher tuition fees meaning they’re a vital income stream for universities. The President of UCL, Michael Arthur, has noted the “soaring” demand from international students who are attracted to London not simply because of the quality of its universities but also because of the city itself. With better resources, the university will be able to attract even more students and boost their levels of investment and spend.
Increasingly, international students are looking to alternative forms of accommodation to provide them with a place to stay in the capital. For many academics, professors and Post graduates, the appeal for a serviced apartments may well suit their needs. A quick Google Search for “serviced apartment student” provides a range of sites designed to help academics find serviced apartments to stay in rather than university accommodation. As a serviced apartment provider with locations across central London, Clarendon can see the attraction. A studio, one or two bedroom apartment in a secure and central locations like Goodge Street, Soho or Holborn is far preferable to a student accommodation or privately rented flat which won’t be of the same standard. For a foreign academic with a high value budget for accommodation a long term serviced apartment might prove to be the answer while also providing a city lifestyle. A serviced apartment provides weekly housekeeping and a larger living space as well as privacy. It’s self-contained and reduces the need for shared living.
As London becomes increasingly attractive to international students, the appeal for some might mean finding alternative accommodations other than traditional student digs due to the resources they have available. Serviced apartments provide a certain lifestyle within a central location while also providing long term security for those studying in the capital for fixed period of time.