Why choose Ravensbourne?
We are delighted that you are considering studying at Ravensbourne, as we offer a fantastic opportunity for international students looking to develop their careers in the global creative industries.
About us
We are a leading higher education institution in London with a world-class reputation in digital media and design. We are industry accredited and a Skillset Media Academy. We are also a member of the British Council’s Education UK Partnership and the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA).
Our reputation is enhanced by the many industry awards our students win and our strong track record in graduate employability. We have excellent industry links, work-based opportunities and careers support which ensure over 90% of our graduates go straight into jobs every year.
We have facilities that are second to none: high end production suites, an HD Television studio, 2D and 3D print and fabrication. We are also positioned in a prime location very close to central London, which enables us to make the most of our strong links with the capital’s digital media, broadcasting and design companies.
And we have an excellent support system in place for our international students, including an International Student Advisory Service, an International Student Orientation Programme and specialised English Language Support tutors. Between them they can advise students on employability, accommodation, English language support, course content, and much more.
Campus Location
We are right at the heart of Greenwich Peninsula on the Thames riverside and next door to the world’s most popular music venue The O2.
Housed in an award-winning new building, we are closely linked to the new digital enterprise centre in our neighbouring building Mitre Passage, a rapidly growing new community of digital businesses. Many Ravensbourne students collaborate with these digital businesses looking for first class talent in digital media and design.
Greenwich Peninsula has shops, restaurants, bars, parks and healthcare facilities, many of which attract student discounts of up to 50%.
Studying at Ravensbourne also gives you the opportunity to live in London, one of the world’s most vibrant cities and the heart of the creative industries sector, providing access to many academic and practical opportunities.
Why study in London?
London is a world class city and it is no surprise that each year more international students choose the UK capital city over any other city as their home from home. As well as unrivalled professional opportunities, London offers students an exciting social life and the opportunity to build a network of friends from around the world.
There are so many events and attractions in London you should never tire of things to do. Museums, shops, parks, markets…however you like to spend your time, you’ll find somewhere to do it in the capital.
With more than 270 nationalities living here, London is also one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world. You can enjoy cuisine from pretty much any corner of the globe – often on the same street – as well as take part in annual international celebrations such as Diwali and Chinese New Year.
London is also excellently located with high-speed rail links to Paris and Brussels while many other destinations are just a short flight away.
Some of London’s top tourist attractions
Shakespeare’s Globe
Located on the south bank of the river Thames, Shakespeare’s Globe is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, an Elizabethan playhouse. It holds regular performances of Shakespeare’s works.
London Eye
Enjoy a bird’s eye view of the city from one of the pods on the gigantic Ferris Wheel on the south bank of the river Thames. Private capsules are also available.
Parks
One of the best things about living in London is the huge amount of green space. London has eight royal parks including Greenwich Park, the oldest royal park and nearest park to Ravensbourne. There are also many squares and open spaces.
Tate Modern
Housed in the former Bankside Power Station, Tate Modern contains the national collection of British art from 1500 to the present day. It also holds temporary exhibitions throughout the year.
The British Library
One of the world’s largest and best known libraries, the British Library has over 150 million items. Its extensive collection includes manuscripts, maps, papers and magazines.
The British Museum
Located in St. Pancras, the British Museum has one of the world’s largest collections of human history and culture. Highlights include the Rosetta Stone – a tablet of black rock which is seen as holding the key to understanding Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Tower of London
The Tower of London is a historic castle on the north bank of the river and home of the famous Crown Jewels.
Natural History Museum
One of three large museums in South Kensington, the Natural History Museum is a huge collection of life and earth science specimens, particularly known for its dinosaur display.
Some of London’s best spots for shopping
Oxford Street
London’s best known shopping street has approximately 300 stores and stretches one and half miles from March Arch to Tottenham Court Road on the central line. It is home to a number of department stores including most famously Selfridges.
Westfield Stratford City
Europe’s largest shopping mall is located just a few stops away from Ravensbourne in Stratford. This huge retail space has more than 260 shops as well as bars and restaurants and is open until 9pm most evenings.
Markets
London has numerous and varied markets to choose from, both indoor and outdoor. Some of the more famous ones are Columbia Flower Market, Portobello Market (antiques), Borough Market (fruit and vegetable), Camden Market (arts, crafts, vintage clothing) and Covent Garden (arts and crafts).
Things to do in London under £5
London is an expensive city, but there are still lots of things you can do on a low budget. Here are a few suggestions:
Visit a museum
Many of London’s fantastic museums and art galleries are absolutely free including the British Museum, the National History, the Tate Modern, the National Gallery, and the National Portrait Gallery.
Check out the markets
Living in London isn’t complete without a regular trip to one of the capital’s many markets. Popular ones include: Columbia Flower Market, Portobello Market (antiques), Borough Market (fruit and vegetable), Camden Market and Spitalfields Market.
Walk along the river
On a nice day, there is little to beat strolling along the River Thames and enjoying a picnic or maybe stopping at a pub for a drink. A popular route is by the South Bank which takes in many of London’s best known landmarks.
Spend a day at one of the parks
London is rightly famous for its beautiful, green parks. Go for a walk, hire a boat, check out a gallery, have a picnic, read a book…the possibilities are endless.
Enjoy a cream tea
Take part in one of England’s oldest traditions, a cream tea. One of the nicest places to go in Greenwich is the tea room of the Greenwich Fan Museum.
Get a bird’s eye view of the city
If the weather is good, grab your camera and head for one of London’s vantage viewing points to see the city in all its splendour. Popular locations include the Royal Observatory in Greenwich and Primrose Hill. Or pay a bit more and enjoy the vista from the comfort of one of London’s new Cable Cars which leave from North Greenwich and run over the river Thames to Royal Docks.
Visit Buckingham Palace
Witness the famous ‘Changing of the Guard’ which takes place most days outside the palace at 11.30.
Go on a River Cruise
Enjoy a trip on the River Thames on the Thames Clipper boat service, which using your Ravensbourne discount will cost only a couple of pounds.
Visit a city farm
Despite its resolutely urban edge, London does have its rural side with a number of city farms scattered around the city. Two of the nearest ones to Ravensbourne are Spitalfields City Farm and Hackney City Farm.
Enjoy a concert
The historic church St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square holds regular free lunchtime concerts.
London for design and architecture students
In addition to the legacy buildings from the London 2012 Olympic Games, the capital has plenty for design and architecture students to keep them busy.
Places of interest include the Design Museum which, established by Terence Conran, is focused on contemporary design and has various exhibitions and projects.
Another museum of note is the Geffrye Museum which contains collections of furniture, textiles and paintings in a series of period rooms dating from 1600 to the present day.
Also of interest is New London Architecture, which, housed at The Building Centre, has a year-round programme of conferences, talks, round-table discussions and exhibitions.
Exhibitions are also held throughout the year at the Royal Institute of British Architects building alongside talks, seminars and conferences.
The annual Open House London event, whereby over 700 of the capital’s most amazing buildings and spaces open their doors for free each year, is another date for your diary.
London for fashion students
For fashion lovers, there is no better place to be based than London. Not only do most of the world’s top fashion houses have a base here offering the potential for incredible work placements, but London is also home to twice yearly London Fashion Week.
Another important diary date for fashion students is Graduate Fashion Week, an industry attended event which gives students the opportunity to display their own talent
For those interested in the history of fashion, London has a dedicated Fashion and Textile Museum located in Bermondsey. Founded by British designer Zandra Rhodes, the museum has permanent collections as well as temporary exhibitions about fashion, textile and jewellery.
Also likely to be of interest is the Dress Collection at the London Museum. It has over 24,000 items dating from the Tudor period to the present day.
For further inspiration, other fashion capitals Paris and Milan are both just a couple of hours away.
London for sound and broadcast students
London is the centre of UK broadcast, web, television, sound and film industries offering numerous media internship opportunities. It also has more live music venues than anywhere else in the UK and the best club scene in Europe.
Attractions include the British Music Experience at The O2, an interactive museum with sound on display from over the past 60 years, the British Film Institute, and hundreds of cinemas and theatres.
Meanwhile, a couple of annual events worth going to are Plasa, the event for entertainment and installation technology, and BVE, the event for production services and content management. The Science Museum also holds various temporary mini music and sound expositions.
There are also numerous animation and sound mini conferences held around London which are great opportunities for networking. Updates on these events are posted on the Eventbrite website.
Useful links
Visit London
Study London
Time Out Guide
What our students say…
Cheng-Chieh Hung, Taiwan
BA Hons Interior Design Environment Architectures
“I like London so much. There are so many museums. I love studying here.”
Lidija Osmanovski, Serbia
MA Environment Design
“I originally came to London to study a BA in interior design and technology. I liked living in London so much that I didn’t want to leave after graduating.”
Natalia Kouneli, Greece
MA Moving Image
“I was attracted to studying in the UK as the English market is the biggest in the world and there is so much to learn from the industry in London.”
Open Days
Open Days offer you the chance to see and meet us first hand. You’ll experience welcome and subject talks; student support sessions including advice on finance and accommodation; student showcases; tours of our outstanding facilities, and the chance to meet our staff and students.
After an Open Day, you will leave us equipped with everything you need to know about Ravensbourne. For dates and how to book your place in Autumn 2012 please visit the Open Days section.
Our Alumni
Ravensbourne alumni are some of the biggest names in the creative industries. They include:
- Fashion designers: Stella McCartney, Bruce Oldfield, Emma Hill (Mulberry) and Camilla Staerk
- Film directors/producers: Simon Hilton, Peter James, Louise Rea, Gareth Unwin and Simon Egan (The King’s Speech)
- Designers: Russell Pinch, Jay Osgerby (designer – London 2012 Olympic torch)
- Artists: Jake and Dinos Chapman
