City St George's, University of London - London

Sharfan Chowdhury

I had a very pleasant experience at City University of London; the campus was relatively scenic as far as London universities go and the staff are mostly helpful.

The exterior architecture is great, having a stark contrast between the relics of older architecture nearby the new and modern feats of construction; I strongly believe that there is metaphorical value in this: City is a university that strives to change for the better but also holds its long-held values till this day.

The students are generally welcoming and are respectful of the local surroundings of the university.

I would highly recommend this university to other London university students!

Vincent Brown

I had a pretty poor experience with my module: some awful lecturers, unclear and vague requirements for assignments, and overall very unprofessional. Did not feel like a postgraduate level of education.
It gets an extra star because it's close to some nice pubs.

Duviesworld

I don’t even know how to word this, but for a school to wait for an international student to uproot their entire life and travel to attend their university just for me to get there and tell me that they in fact don’t have any of the info they needed from me which is ludicrous because you all accepted my application, processed my loan and even sent an email apologizing for the late response regarding my visa. After speaking with an advisor about what is going on, the lack of empathy and sense of urgency on the schools behalf was a slap in the face and heart breaking. I’ve traveled over 4,500 miles, gave up my apartment here in the US, resigned from my job, and spent nearly $4,000 to get to and from London just for them to tell me I cannot attend law school this year and that they would “consider” me for the next school year which is also a slap in the face. I was definitely excited about attending law school here and getting to explore Europe on an academic level but this was very very unprofessional, insensitive and just low class of this university. Although law school is still in the near future me, i can assure you that City did not even come close to making the list on prospective law school i would attend or even recommend anyone attend. Please disregard the one star this school deserves a -0

imran akhtar

A multi sited university campus based in the city area of London. Attended for an open day. The multiple sites revolve around a central green area and have interlinked walkways between each site. A semi modern site with a 5 level library but clean and presentable inside. Has approx 3 tube stations near by but approx 10min walk to each. Nice place

Anastasia Kozyr

I have no complaints about the studies and the university itself. But the people who work in the coffee shops etc. are terrible. A barista literally snatched my card out of my hands when their terminal wasn't working and I was trying to pay, was rude to me, and left me to blame that the terminal wasn't working. They didn't respond to my comments to return it, only after the same rude response did they return my card to me. When I asked if the coffee they gave me later had alternative milk, they brushed me off. Disgusting.

K W

During term time there is constant staff protests at this university distributing local residents, this has been happening for the past few years. There’s must be frequent disruption to students education whilst the staff protest, I would advise any potential future students to be aware of this

Ana

International Student Registration Process

As an incoming international student at City, University of London, I feel compelled to share my observations regarding the preliminary registration process. Please note that this review is focused specifically on the initial stages of registration and does not reflect my overall experience with the university.

Communication Challenges:

One of the most significant hurdles I’ve encountered is the difficulty in contacting representatives from departments dealing with funding, student loans, and tuition for international students. Despite multiple attempts, I have been unable to reach anyone via phone, and the switchboard operators have been unable to assist effectively. This lack of direct communication has made the process of finalising my transition to the UK overwhelmingly stressful.

Response Times:

When emails are sent, students are advised to wait 5 to 10 business days for a response. Unfortunately, responses received are often insufficient, requiring further clarification and additional waiting time. This cycle of waiting and uncertainty has been particularly frustrating given the approaching start of the academic term.

Registration Timing:

We are nearing the start of the academic year, and yet critical registration issues remain unresolved. The process, which began in early August, has not seen the necessary progress, with less than two weeks until term starts. This delay is concerning, especially considering the high stakes and expenses involved for international students.

Suggestions for Improvement:

1. Enhanced Communication Channels: It would be beneficial for the university to improve their communication channels. This could include having dedicated staff to handle international student inquiries during peak registration periods.

2. Increased Staffing: Given the volume of enquiries during registration, additional support staff could help manage the workload and ensure that responses are timely and accurate.

3. Streamlined Processes: Simplifying and expediting the registration process could alleviate stress and help international students transition more smoothly into their new academic environment.

Whilst this review reflects only the initial stages of my experience, it is crucial for prospective international students to be aware that patience will be necessary during the registration process. It is my hope that the university considers these observations to improve the process for future students. Despite these challenges, I remain hopeful for a positive overall experience at City, University of London.

Christopher Lewis

My experience is related to being a postgrad research student. I have previously studied at 3 other universities prior. My student learning experience has massively been disrupted by constant redevelopments every year. For a long time refurbishments have caused extremely loud drilling (including over exam seasons), making many 'learning' spaces completely unusable. Sometimes, whole sections of the library have been closed too. Also, within some of their assistive technology rooms, the doors sometimes do not work when you tap the ID, meaning you are stuck there. This is a huge safety concern should there be a fire and you are disabled.

There is also an ongoing mice problem, which adds to the disappointment as it raises many health and safety concerns and also how this hasn’t been addressed after 2 years.

I have additionally had consistent IT difficulties with computers across campus over the last year. Either they freeze or are very slow, don’t work or I have difficulty signing on. I have reported these instances each time, however the problems soon return a month or two later. I don't understand how this can be an ongoing problem at a university. I wish they would invest more into resources here and bring in better computers.

I also would say training opportunities have been satisfactory, but nothing great. As a postgrad though, looking to gain skills and opportunities to progress my career I would expect more from City University as what has been on offer over the years, as it has been limited compared to other universities.

Investing and caring more into how students learn best, the actual student experience, professional and academic development opportunities, I believe all outweigh more than constantly renovating buildings for long periods every year and having poor IT systems. It appears spending is more focused on external than internal (students).

I’m left disappointed and dissatisfied with my experience as a PhD student at City, and I hope things improve for prospective students.