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University College London Partnership

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Program Overview

One of the world’s top ten universities and the oldest member of Britain’s Russell Group, UCL is known for research-based teaching and true city living. Highlights include a vibrant arts scene—witness the annual opera production and highly competitive studio arts at The Slade—plus new programs in global citizenship and international health.

Details at a Glance

Application deadline

Fall: March 1
Spring: Sept. 15
Academic Year: March 1

Minimum GPA

3.30

Credit load

16

Housing

Apartment/Flat, Residence Hall/Dormitory, Single Room Option

Instruction language

English

Language prerequisites

None

Visa required?

Not in most cases. Learn More.

Apply Now

Academics

Open UCL’s online course catalog to see a list of available courses.

Credit Conversion
At University College London, a full course load consists of 16 U.S. semester credit hours per semester or 32 U.S. semester credit hours per year. The number of courses you take depends on the credit value of the courses you select.

30 UCL credits = 8 U.S. semester credits
15 UCL credits = 4 U.S. semester credits

CHART Your Course
Find the classes you need fast with CHART. Our easy-to-use tool shows you classes recently taken by IFSA students.

Lab & Field Trip Fees
Please review syllabi and course materials when registering for direct-enroll classes. Certain classes may have a one-off lab or field trip fee disclosed in the syllabus or during the first meeting of the class. These fees are not included in your IFSA program fee. You will be responsible for these fees, whether they are billed and paid by IFSA or billed to you.

When you apply to study at UCL, you apply directly to one of their academic departments. Students take at least 50% of their classes from that department but are still welcome to request to take classes from other departments; students are encouraged to contact these departments directly to enquire about doing so. Please review the exceptions below carefully. If you have very specific study needs or require confirmation of module availability in advance, please contact your IFSA Enrollment Counselor as soon as you begin your application

Note that study abroad students at UCL may only enroll in FHEQ level 4, 5, or 6 classes. In selecting your classes, you should be aware of any prerequisites necessary to enroll.

  • Level 4 classes are introductory classes generally suitable for students with no previous undergraduate study in the subject. See exceptions in the department list below.
  • Level 5 classes are intermediate classes broadly equivalent to junior year classes in the U.S. Applicants should have taken at least 3-4 classes in the subject.
  • Level 6 classes are advanced classes equivalent to senior year or master’s classes in the U.S. Applicants should have taken at least 6-7 classes in the subject, and the subject should also be the student’s major.

The following academic units cannot accept study abroad students for Fall 2024:

  • Architecture
  • Arts and Sciences
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Law
  • Planning
  • Statistics

For Fall 2024, the following departments may have limited capacity for study abroad students. Applications from study abroad students received by the application deadline will be considered, but the number of places may be restricted. Decisions will not be made on a rolling basis for the following:

  • Archaeology
  • Biochemical Engineering
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Chemistry
  • Earth Sciences
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Electronic and Electrical Engineering
  • European and International Social and Political Studies
  • Fine Art
  • Geography
  • History
  • History and Politics of the Americas
  • Human Sciences
  • Infection and Immunity
  • Management
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Neuroscience
  • Philosophy
  • Phonetics and Linguistics
  • Political Science
  • Social Research Institute
  • Slavic and Eastern European Studies

The following departments have additional restrictions or requirements:

Biological Sciences & Biomedical Sciences
Theses departments requires a minimum 3.5 GPA to be considered.

Chemical Engineering
This department only accepts applications from full-year and spring-only students; fall-only students will not be considered.

Chemistry
This department requires a strong background of chemistry and mathematics classes. Students will not be able to take any classes with laboratory work if attending for one semester.

Economics
The department requires that applicants show via an official transcript that they have taken or are currently taking:

  • Calculus II or Advanced Mathematics
  • Intermediate Macroeconomics
  • Introduction to Statistics/Econometrics
  • Intermediate Microeconomics

Students must have an average of a B+ for these four classes to be considered.

Students who are not accepted directly into the Economics Department will be unable to take classes above Level 1 within this department. The Slavonic and East European Studies Department offers alternative economics classes.

Electronic and Electrical Engineering
This department only accepts applications from full-year and spring-only students; fall-only students will not be considered.

English
Students admitted to this department will be expected to either take all four modules in English, or three modules in English and one outside the department.

History of Art
This department admits only history of art majors. Fine art majors will not be considered.

Languages
The Center for Languages and International Education (CLIE) is not a department; therefore, students cannot apply to it. It is possible to take classes within this center, but that must be arranged upon arrival at UCL. Languages may also be studied via European Languages, Culture and Society (SELCS) and Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES), among other schools and departments.

Management
This department only accepts applications from full-year and spring-only students; fall-only students will not be considered.

Mathematics
This department only accepts applications from full-year and spring-only students; fall-only students will not be considered. Prerequisite knowledge will apply to all modules, across a range of breath and depth. Please consult the Mathematics Department Website to ascertain what is required for the module(s) you are interested in.

Neuroscience
This department requires a minimum 3.7 GPA to be considered. Access to Level 3 modules must be discussed with and approved by the Neuroscience Affiliate Tutor before arrival to UCL.

Physics & Astronomy
This department only accepts applications from full-year and spring-only students; fall-only students will not be considered.

Political Science
This department requires a minimum 3.5 GPA with a strong background of political science classes. Fall 2023 applicants are encouraged to choose an alternative department such as SSEES, European Social and Political Studies, The Americas, History, or Anthropology.

Social Sciences
This department only accepts applications from full-year and spring-only students; fall-only students will not be considered. It requires a minimum 3.5 GPA to be considered.

Statistical Sciences
This department only accepts applications from full-year and spring-only students; fall-only students will not be considered.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility

  • You must be at least 18 years of age. Students under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
  • You must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university.
  • You must have completed at least two (2) full-time years of study at your home institution before the beginning of the term.

Recommendation Letter
Your application to this program will require one (1) academic letter of recommendation.

 

TRANSCRIPT
Upon completion of your program, IFSA will send an official Butler University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your IFSA Student Portal. The transcript reflects classes taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost. See our Transcripts page for more information.

Excursions

Activities and excursions are designed to pull you into the communities you visit and encourage cultural connections of every kind. There’s no extra fee to participate in these optional outings—everything is included in your program fee.

Below are examples from previous terms; outings may be different for your program. We’ll make every effort to run them all, but sometimes things we can’t control, such as local regulations and health protocols, get in the way. As result, we cannot guarantee activities and excursions.

Activities

  • London Pandemics–Past and Present: This event will engage you with both an historic overview and a contemporary look at concepts of community health and global health, with a particular focus on London and the pandemic. You will attend a guest lecture at the IFSA London Flagship, followed by the John Snow Cholera Tour. This tour will take you to the nearby streets of Soho to visit important sites in the story of Dr. Snow and the cholera outbreak in 1854.
  • London Statue Walk: This walking tour includes stops at some of London’s most iconic statues as well as some of its most obscure, weaving in historical, cultural, literary, and political threads as it seeks to put the past into dialogue with the present.
  • Homelessness in London–A Dialogue: This event will explore the realities of homelessness in London from three perspectives. First, you will participate in a dialogue with guest speakers followed by a tour of Central London developed, curated, and delivered by vulnerably housed individuals through Unseen Tours.
Excursions
  • The Square Mile Tour: The City of London, also known as the Square Mile, is just over one mile of the capital city. But what a mile it is. The Square Mile is the oldest part of London, dating back to 43 A.D. when the Romans christened it Londinium. From St. Paul’s Cathedral to Borough Market, the Bank of England to Tower Bridge, this walking tour will give you an exclusive glimpse into the London of old and new.
  • London Graffiti and Street Art Tour: Get ready to experience the very best London has to offer in street art and graffiti during our urban street art adventure through the amazing painted streets of Shoreditch, East London and the surrounding areas. See work by some of the world’s most famous street artists including Banksy, Ben Eine, Obey, Roa, C215 and 100s more. We introduce you to all the various types of street art from street sculpture to stencils, wheat pastes and stickers. In addition to schooling you in graffiti art and explaining the different styles of lettering and techniques used in street art, the tour will really open your eyes to the graffiti/street art around you, as well as the meaning behind the graffiti.
  • Stonehenge and Bath Visit: Stonehenge has stood on Salisbury Plain for around 5,000 years and it’s still unknown how the prehistoric monument came to rest there! Make up your own mind during this visit and discover the fascinating theories behind these rocks. You’ll learn about Stonehenge from the fascinating exhibits and be able to enjoy a virtual sunrise as it rises over the prehistoric stones! Afterward, travel to the Roman city of Bath for a walking tour of this World Heritage city once home to Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Gainsborough, Lord Nelson, and Beau Nash. Then prepare to travel back 2,000 years to the Roman era with a visit to the Roman Baths.
  • Piers and Queers Brighton Trip: Since the 18th century Brighton has become a cosmopolitan place of recreation, escape, and freedom. A destination for people who didn’t conform. With an LGBTQ+ population now estimated at 15%, Brighton celebrated England’s first civil partnerships, and hosts the UK’s largest Pride event as well as Europe’s first Trans Pride, rightly earning its title as the LGBTQ+ Capital of Britain. Peers and Queers is a tour of Brighton from a lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer perspective, in a colorful 90-minute walk along the beach and historic city center taking in more than 200 years of history including Regency Dandies, 1950s lesbian and gay life, and political activism. Afterward, there’s time for a walk on the pier and fish and chips, just watch out for seagulls!
  • Windsor Castle and Eton College Tours: Take a full-day tour to the beautiful Berkshire towns of Windsor and Eton. Visit the king’s home at Windsor Castle which has more than 900 years of royal history and is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. After lunch it will be on to Eton, home of the world-famous Eton College founded in 1440. Eton has educated generations of British and foreign aristocracy and members of the Royal family including Princes William and Harry, and British Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and David Cameron.

Housing and Meals

Housing

Apartment/Flat, Residence Hall/Dormitory, Single Room Option

Meals

Self-Catering;Some Included

Details

Students live in centrally located flats (apartments) provided by IFSA or in housing provided by UCL. Housing at UCL is limited and several options include supplemental housing fees. While we do our best to accommodate preferences, tight housing often makes it difficult to match students with their top choices.  

UCL residence halls: UCL buildings with single bedrooms, shared bathrooms, and common gathering spaces. Students provide bedding and towels. 

  • Meals: Meal plans are mandatory, with breakfast and dinner Monday through Friday.  
  • Commute: The closest hall is a 5-minute walk from campus. The farthest is 15 minutes away via public transportation.  

UCL student flats (apartments): The university works with housing partners to provide furnished flats throughout central London. Shared flats generally house up to eight students. Some have single bedrooms and private bathrooms. Some have single bedrooms and shared bathrooms. Some have shared (double) bedrooms and shared bathrooms. Students provide bedding and towels. 

  • Meals: No meal plan. Students prepare or purchase meals. Each flat has a shared kitchen, generally with refrigerator, freezer, microwave, oven, and kettle. Some require students to purchase kitchenware.  
  • Commute: Some buildings are within easy walking distance; others require subway transit. All locations have public transportation nearby.  

Student flats provided by IFSA: Students live in central London in furnished flats (apartments) selected by IFSA, with IFSA students as flatmates.  

  • Living space: Many flats have single bedrooms and private bathrooms. Others have single bedrooms and shared baths; some have shared bedrooms and shared baths.  
    • Bedrooms include bed, desk, chair, wardrobe, and light for each student. 
    • Linens and towels are typically not provided.  
    • There’s comfortable space to cook, eat, socialize, and study either in your flat or in convenient common areas.  
  • Meals: Students cook or purchase their own meals. Flats include shared kitchens. Most are fully equipped; if not, kitchenware is easy to purchase nearby. Flatmates say cooking and eating together is a fun, social part of their day.   
  • Commute: Varies by location. Expect a 20- to 45-minute trip on foot and via the Tube (London’s subway). 

Lightfoot Hall is typical of IFSA-secured housing:  

  • Location: Chelsea, an upscale area known for beautiful architecture, galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and plentiful green space. Home of Chelsea Football.  
  • Commute: 30 to 35 minutes to UCL by Tube; 30 minutes to the IFSA Program Center in Mayfair.  
  • Double rooms: Two students share one bedroom and one bathroom. Rooms include two single beds, desks, chairs, wardrobes, and TV. Bed linens are provided. Take advantage of fully equipped kitchens and comfortable, shared spaces for studying and socializing. (Students might be placed in single bedrooms, which incurs an additional fee.) 
  • Meals: No meal plan. Students purchase meals or prepare food in shared kitchens.  
  • Other details: Unlimited Wi-Fi, staff and security on site 24/7. Laundry facilities on-site.   
  • Nearby: The Natural History Museum, King’s Road shopping, the Victoria & Albert Musuem, Battersea Park, Kensington Palace, the River Thames, and more. 

Dates and Fees

Term
Term begins
Term ends
Program costs
Application deadline
Fall 2024
September 18, 2024
December 14, 2024
$26,275
Passed
Academic Year 2024-2025
September 18, 2024
May 14, 2025
$61,880
Passed
Spring 2025
Early Jan. 2025
Mid-June 2025
$34,995 (estimated)
Sept. 15, 2024
Fall 2025
Late Sept. 2025
Mid-Dec. 2025
$26,275 (estimated)
March 1, 2025

Get Started

Jasmine Di Diego

Enrollment Counselor