About Us

Since 1826, we have championed independent thought by attracting and nurturing the world's best minds. Our community of more than 51,000 students from 150 countries and over 16,000 staff pursue academic excellence, breaks boundaries, and makes a positive impact on real world problems. 

We are consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2010 – 2023) and are one of only a handful of institutions rated as having the strongest academic reputation and the broadest research impact. In the recent Research Excellence Framework, we came second in the UK for our Research Power 

We have a progressive and integrated approach to our teaching and research – championing innovation, creativity, and cross-disciplinary working. We teach our students how to think, not what to think, and see them as partners, collaborators, and contributors. We offer a multidisciplinary range of programmes, broadly grouped across our 11 Faculties including; Faculties of Arts and Humanities, Brain Sciences, Built Environment, Engineering Sciences, Laws, Life Sciences, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Medical Sciences, Population Health Sciences, Social and Historical Sciences, as well as the Institute of Education. 

For almost 200 years, we are proud to have opened higher education to students from a wide range of backgrounds and to change the way we create and share knowledge.  

We were one of the first in England to welcome women to university education and that courageous attitude and disruptive spirit is still alive today. We are UCL.