Your news editors at Roar have compiled what they think are some of the most important aspects of King’s for new students to know about!
A – To start us off, A is for Aldwych, which is the street surrounding Bush House on Strand campus. Buses from all over the city stop at Aldwych, so it’s great to know for commutes to campus!
B – B is for Bush House, one of the most well-known buildings owned by KCL. The four wings of Bush House contain a number of seminar rooms and lecture halls, as well as specific areas such as the Media Suite and the Exchange. But, before it was purchased by KCL in 2015, Bush House housed the headquarters of the BBC World Service- notably, it was used for BBC broadcasts during the Second World War. Even before that, in 1929 Bush House was thought to be the most expensive building in the world.
C – C is for Chapter’s Café, a King’s venue in the Strand Building. Here you can pick up food and coffee between classes (we recommend the vegan barbeque Thai wrap), or meet friends on campus. The second floor has a range of comfortable seating for studying or hanging out. Situated next to Chapters is our other C mention, the College Chapel, which has been open since 1831. Regular services are held, and it is also open to visitors when not in use.
D – For D we have Denmark Hill, one of the campuses at King’s. It houses a number of Sciences institutes, including the Dental Institute. D is also for the Dover Castle, one of the most popular student bars among King’s students. Situated near Guy’s Campus, it’s a King’s classic for a student night out.
E – E is for the Exchange, which is a centre for the faculty of Social Science and Public Policy (although it’s open to anyone). Located on the first floor of the North-East wing of Bush House, the Exchange usually shows art and photography exhibits throughout the year, and is a nice study area.
F – F is for Franklin Wilkins Library, which is on Waterloo Campus. It has a variety of collections, most notably resources for nursery and midwifery students.
G – G is for Guys Campus, another one of the main campuses at King’s. Guy’s Campus is home to the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, as well as the Dental Institute. Also for G is Guy’s Bar, which hosts the infamous Sports Night on Wednesday nights. Guy’s Bar is located on Guy’s Campus.
H – H is for Holborn, which is the area of London where the Strand is located. Holborn tube is one of the best transport connections for getting to campus, and the area has a number of attractions for students.
I – I is for the ice skating at Somerset House. While not a specific KCL activity, the ice skating at Somerset House is an annual event enjoyed by staff and students every year around Christmas time. The close proximity to campus makes this a fun after-class activity!
J – For J we have Jobs at King’s, to let students know about the ways they can earn extra income through working at their university! Students have access to King’s CareerConnect on the KCL website. The career page has a number of ways to find internships, work placements, and part-time jobs working on campus.
K – K is for Keats, one of the most important things for King’s students to know about. Keats is the point of contact for all students at King’s for their courses. There you’ll find information about your classes, class readings, recorded lectures, and more. There are also a number of external modules you can sign up for by “Browsing Courses”, and you can access resources such as King’s Careers and Student Services Online through the “Services” tab.
L – Of course, L is for London: the international city which houses KCL and its students. The city is full of amazing attractions for everyone, whether you’re looking for clubs, concerts, restaurants, museums, or anything else you can think of. Explore as much as you can!
M – For M we have the Maughan, which is (in our opinion) the best library at KCL. Located on Chancery Lane near the Strand, the Maughan has study spaces, computer rooms, and books a huge range of Humanities, Science, and Law subjects. Also, during exam season it stays open 24/7 to accommodate late-night cram sessions.
N – N is for New Hunt’s House, one of the libraries on Guy’s Campus. New Hunt’s House extensively covers biomedical sciences, and is a great resource for students situated on Guy’s Campus. N is also for the KCL NHS Health Centre, which is located on the 5th floor of the South-East wing in Bush House. This is where international students will need to register with the NHS!
O – O is for opportunities at King’s, specifically for new students! Besides just your courses there is a huge number of student societies for you to join, each of which caters to different academic and extracurricular interests. This is the chance to try new hobbies and activities, or meet new people who also share the same interests as you. Also notable is the opportunity to take additional classes through the King’s Language Centre, if you’re looking to pick up a new language while in university.
P – For P we chose the iconic Pret. Along with a great coffee subscription (which could save you a lot of money if you’re a frequent coffeebuyer), Pret is also a highly frequented study space on Strand.
Q – Q is the QS World University Rankings, in which KCL scored 35th in the world in 2022.
R – R is for Roar, which, besides being one of the top student publications in the UK, is also a super fun extracurricular for aspiring journalists (or just anyone who wants to write an article!). Roar is always looking for new writing talent, so check us out online at roarnews.co.uk/contact or in person at the Media Suite on the 7th floor of the South-East wing in Bush House!
S – S is for Strand, one of the main campuses at King’s. Strand houses a number of faculties, including Arts and Humanities, and Social Science and Public Policy. It is also for two very frequented places in Strand: the Shack (KCLSU café and hang-out/study space) and Somerset House (apart from housing the Dickson Poon School of Law, it is one of the prettiest buildings in London and hosts in-and-outdoor art exhibitions).
T – Some students will already know about this, and others will not: T is for Turnitin, the platform in which you will submit most (if not all) of your assignments. T is also for St Thomas Hospital, one of the three GKT King’s hospitals and is located across the river from Parliament.
U – U is for the union shop, the place to get all of the KCL merch! If in need of a King’s hoodie or a Reggie the Lion stuffed toy, head over to Bush House South Wing.
V – V is for the Vault, the Strand campus bar. On Wednesdays it is filled up with the most athletic of students for sports night, but on other days it holds society events or club nights. Head on over for a pint after seminars for the complete King’s experience!
W – W is for Waterloo campus, which houses the Florence Nightingale Nursing and Midwifery faculty as well as Stamford Street Apartments, the Franklin Wilkins library and the James Clerk Maxwell building. W is also for the Watch House café, one of the cafés Strand if not in the whole of London. Head on over to the Somerset House location for a coffee and a pastry that will save even the gloomiest London morning.
X – X is for King’s Cross (also known as King’s X). If you ask a London passerby where King’s is, they might point you in the direction of this station, not our university; so beware of confusion! King’s X is also one of the main transport hubs in London where you can take the Eurostar to Paris if in need of an escape during reading week.
Y – Y is for year abroad! Many students embark on journeys all across the globe. Use your semester or full year abroad to experience what life in Sydney, Hong Kong, California, Paris, Chile or Bangalore is like (destinations and availability are course-dependent).
Z – And last of all, Z is for Zone 1, or what is commonly considered as central London. Here you will find most of the King’s campuses and accommodations among museums, busy shopping streets, wonderful restaurants and other marvels that only come from being in the heart of a city of London.
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