About UCL
Basic Information & Contact Details
UCL was established in 1826 to make higher education accessible to those traditionally left out. In 1878, it broke barriers by becoming the first university in England to admit women on equal footing with men.
Nestled in central London, UCL is part of the University of London and a proud member of the Russell Group. It boasts around 850 professors and more than 6,000 academic and research staff.
The university is organized into 11 faculties:
- Arts and Humanities
- Built Environment
- Brain Sciences
- Engineering
- Institute of Education
- Laws
- Life Sciences
- Mathematical and Physical Sciences
- Medical Sciences
- Population Health Sciences
- Social and Historical Sciences
UCL has a rich legacy of groundbreaking discoveries, with 29 Nobel Prizes awarded to its students and staff. Among them is William Ramsay, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1904 for identifying the noble gases.
The university’s academic excellence is further highlighted by:
- 53 Fellows of the Royal Society
- 51 Fellows of the British Academy
- 15 Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering
- 117 Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences
With nearly 36,000 students, UCL has one of the UK’s largest postgraduate communities—about 52% of its students are pursuing advanced degrees.
The student body is incredibly diverse, with learners from around 150 countries making up over a third of the total population.
UCL was also the first British university to set up a campus in Doha, Qatar, focusing on cultural heritage studies. It also has a presence in Adelaide, Australia, housing institutes for space science and energy policy.
Notable alumni include:
- Film director Derek Jarman
- Writer Lynne Truss
- Baroness Patricia Scotland (the UK’s first female Attorney General)
- Marie Stopes (founder of Britain’s first family planning clinic)
The university’s Latin motto means: “Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward.”
Rankings
Check out UCL’s performance in different rankings:
World University Rankings 2025
- Overall: 22nd
Subject Rankings (2025)
- Arts & Humanities: 7th
- Business & Economics: 22nd
- Clinical & Health: 8th
- Computer Science: 34th
- Education: 10th
- Engineering: 48th
- Law: 10th
- Life Sciences: 20th
- Physical Sciences: 38th
- Psychology: 6th
- Social Sciences: 14th
World University Rankings 2025 – Breakdown
- Overall Score: 87.7
- Teaching: 77.6
- Research Environment: 86.2
- Research Quality: 98.4
- Industry: 74.9
- International Outlook: 97.7
(Ranking trends from 2016 to 2025 show consistent performance.)
Impact Rankings (2022)
- Overall: 101-200th
- No Poverty: 201-300th
- Zero Hunger: 101-200th
- Good Health & Wellbeing: 43rd
- Quality Education: 301-400th
- Gender Equality: 86th
- Clean Water & Sanitation: 94th
- Affordable & Clean Energy: 77th
- Decent Work & Economic Growth: 201-300th
- Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure: 101-200th
- Reduced Inequalities: 26th
- Sustainable Cities & Communities: 51st
- Responsible Consumption & Production: 27th
- Climate Action: 48th
- Life Below Water: 101-200th
- Life on Land: 64th
- Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions: 37th
- Partnership for the Goals: 201-300th
(Note: Precise ranks are shown for top institutions; others have banded rankings.)
Discover Similar Universities
Here are some other universities you might find interesting:
- Newcastle University (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK) – Founded in 1963
- University of Glasgow (Glasgow, UK) – Established in 1451
- University of Liverpool (London, UK) – Founded in 1881
- University of East Anglia (Norwich, UK) – Founded in 1963
- Queen’s University Belfast (Belfast, UK) – Established in 1845
Key Student Statistics
- Gender Ratio: 60% Female, 40% Male
- International Students: 61%
- Students per Staff: 11.1
- Total Students: 41,935
Jobs You Might Be Interested In
Looking for opportunities? Here are some relevant roles:
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Subjects Taught at UCL
Here’s a glimpse of UCL’s academic offerings:
- Computer Science (34th)
- Medicine & Dentistry (8th)
- Business & Economics (22nd)
- Arts & Humanities (7th)
- Psychology (6th)
- Life Sciences (20th)
- Physical Sciences (38th)
- Law (10th)
- Engineering (48th)
- Social Sciences (14th)
- Education (10th)