If you want to study medicine in London, picking the best medical school can seem like a daunting task. So, we have narrowed it down for you. Here’s a shortlist: Imperial College London, Queen Mary University of London, Kings College London (KCL), St George’s University of London and University College London (UCL).
Based right in the heart of central London, Imperial College was ranked 2nd globally in the QS World University Rankings® 2025. Imperial College’s reputation for excellent teaching and research see it consistently rated amongst the top 10 universities worldwide.
Imperial College has access to a huge range of NHS trusts, hosptials and clinics both in and outside London. So you’ll have access to a huge, diverse patient population and gain a great variety of clinical experience right from the very beginning. Plus it’s right in central London, putting you in the middle of the city.
Queen Mary University is a leading, global university based in the vibrant East End of London. Keeping true to its founding vision, Queen Mary is committed to broadening opportunities and improving lives locally, nationally and internationally. With staff and students from over 160 nationalities, it‘s one of the most diverse higher education institutions.
And students love it! The overall medicine rankings for 2026 place Queen Mary at 5th, behind Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial College, and Queen’s University Belfast
Globally, King’s performs strongly: ranked around QS World Top 40, THE World about number 35, and often in the top 7 in the UK overall across various global league tablesBecause of KCL’s global reputation for research excellence, you’ll have the world’s top clinical practitioners and researchers teaching you.
The KCL course integrates medical theory and teaching with practical experience and placements in London’s top hospitals including King’s, Guy’s and St Thomas’. Also, because the University has extensive Arts and Science programmes, you can choose to take an intercalated year to study another subject, in addition to your medical degree.
Keep in mind The Stay Club Kentish Town for affordable, fun student accommodation within a 3o minute commute of KCL.
St George’s University is dedicated to medical and health sciences education, training and research. Get a world-class multi-professional health sciences education through rigorous scientific research, clinical excellence, strong interpersonal skills and team-based work.
Your clinical experience will be at St George’s, a major London teaching hospital, in Tooting, one of South London’s coolest neighbourhoods. You’ll be in constant contact with highly skilled clinicians, scientists, and health and social care professionals. St George’s offers a strong relationship with healthcare providers throughout South London ensuring your course reflects all the latest clinical practices and that you get diverse clinical placement opportunities.
UCL is placed at 9th in the world, holding this position for the third consecutive year (2026). A Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from UCL is one of the most prestigious medical degrees in the world. Many UCL Medical School graduates have gone on to become high-profile figures and leaders of the medical profession across the globe.
UCL’s constantly updated, cutting edge curriculum is centred on key health problems, clinical presentations and patient pathways. Students have constant clinical contact throughout their studies with patients and doctors.
If you’re looking for great, reasonably priced student accomodation within just 20 minutes of UCL’s Royal Free Campus, Hampstead, check out The Stay Club in Camden.
Why Study Medicine in London?
Student Living
London has more international students than any other city in the world so there’s a huge, diverse student population. There is affordable rent if you know where to look, for example, check out The Stay Club, and there are special student deals to be found all over the place at restaurants, bars and live music events. London
Best Medical Schools
With so many of the UK’s top medical schools located in London, the clinical work and research being done in London is cutting edge, pushing the boundaries of science and technology. Studying medicine in London guarantees you will receive a first class education taught by world’s top doctors and professors.
Huge diversity of patients
London offers a huge diversity of patients. Find out firsthand just how much a patient’s culture and ethnicity influences how they experience illness, adhere to medical advice and respond to treatment. And you’ll be constantly learning about different cultures and ethnicities from interacting with your fellow medical students.
How to Work out the Best Medical University for You
When deciding which of London’s top medical schools will be the best fit for you, there are several important factors to take into account. Find out about each university’s approach, facilities and location of the campus to work out where you are going to have the best all round student experience.
Teaching Style
Different schools have different approaches. If you want regular teaching, problem-based learning is the one to choose. It’s taught by most Medical Schools, therefore standard practice. However, you might find yourself more drawn to more innovative case-based teaching. Only Oxford and Cambridge follow the traditional approach, where you learn the scientific theory first and move to clinical settings after a few years.
Check out the Facilities
Find out what the facilities are being offered by the Medical School you are interested in. Check out their clinical teaching facilities, find out how big is their library and where it is, do they offer other fun facilities like for sports and arts.
Campus Location
Before picking a Uni for your UCAS form, check out exactly where you’ll be attending lectures and doing your clinical placements. Some medical schools are separate to the main university campus (usually because they have their own separate libraries).
Closing Thoughts
Once you have worked out exactly where you want to study medicine in London, the next step is to work out where you are going to live. The Stay Club offers three great locations: Camden, Kentish Town and North Acton, with affordable, well-equipped single studios and double suites. If you need advice on which location would suit you best, don’t hesitate to contact us at The Stay Club.
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