Facilities and Accommodations


P_Martini

Recognizing that this may be a somewhat superficial concern, I would like to know what the facilities are like at UK law faculties. I would be most interested in the facilities at King's, UCL, LSE and Edinburgh. I would also be interested to know the best options for accommodations in London (and Edinburgh) and what current/former students are doing or wish they had done. Your help is very much appreciated.

Thanks,
P. Martini

Recognizing that this may be a somewhat superficial concern, I would like to know what the facilities are like at UK law faculties. I would be most interested in the facilities at King's, UCL, LSE and Edinburgh. I would also be interested to know the best options for accommodations in London (and Edinburgh) and what current/former students are doing or wish they had done. Your help is very much appreciated.

Thanks,
P. Martini
quote
dl

I can tell you about King's and UCL. UCL has a dedicated law school - Bentham Hall. It is a pretty decent facility and has a small cafeteria in the basement and a really nice Moot Court room. Although King's technically has a law school building (which is part of the Strand campus), it is pretty run down. There are some classrooms in the basement, however, the majority of law classes are taught in the main Strand Building. They are doing some renovation work to the Strand, so some classrooms are pretty nice. Others are not so nice. The King's law school building is primarily dedicated to faculty and administrative offices.

As for accomodations, if you plan to look for private housing, start early. To get a flat in central london, expect to pay at least 150 Pounds per week, but more likely around 200 Pounds per week (if you choose to live by yourself). Otherwise, campus housing is also an option. For King's, Great Dover Street and Stamford are facilities where you get your own room and washroom, but share a kitchen. The other residences share washrooms among several flatmates. For proximity to the law school, your best bet for King's is to get Stamford - it is right across the Waterloo Bridge. Great Dover Street is 2 miles away, but is easily accessible by either walking or taking the Northern Line and then connecting to the Circle or District Line.

I can tell you about King's and UCL. UCL has a dedicated law school - Bentham Hall. It is a pretty decent facility and has a small cafeteria in the basement and a really nice Moot Court room. Although King's technically has a law school building (which is part of the Strand campus), it is pretty run down. There are some classrooms in the basement, however, the majority of law classes are taught in the main Strand Building. They are doing some renovation work to the Strand, so some classrooms are pretty nice. Others are not so nice. The King's law school building is primarily dedicated to faculty and administrative offices.

As for accomodations, if you plan to look for private housing, start early. To get a flat in central london, expect to pay at least 150 Pounds per week, but more likely around 200 Pounds per week (if you choose to live by yourself). Otherwise, campus housing is also an option. For King's, Great Dover Street and Stamford are facilities where you get your own room and washroom, but share a kitchen. The other residences share washrooms among several flatmates. For proximity to the law school, your best bet for King's is to get Stamford - it is right across the Waterloo Bridge. Great Dover Street is 2 miles away, but is easily accessible by either walking or taking the Northern Line and then connecting to the Circle or District Line.
quote
P_Martini

dl-
Thanks for the information. It's actually the reverse of what I expected. King's seems to advertise the renovation program on their website, whereas UCL has almost no information I can find on their facilities. I am leaning towards UCL or LSE currently.

Anyone have any general advice on LSE, or any recommendations for UCL accommodations?

Anyone trying to decide between King's, UCL and LSE?

PMartini

dl-
Thanks for the information. It's actually the reverse of what I expected. King's seems to advertise the renovation program on their website, whereas UCL has almost no information I can find on their facilities. I am leaning towards UCL or LSE currently.

Anyone have any general advice on LSE, or any recommendations for UCL accommodations?

Anyone trying to decide between King's, UCL and LSE?

PMartini
quote
Johnson

I live in an UCL student accommodation. I pay £83 per week for an equipped single room with a washbasin. I share the bathrooms and the kitchen with other students but they are cleaned every day by a cleaner.

Before obtaining a student accommodation, I looked for an apartment/house to share. If you want something decent, you have to pay a lot or to be very far away from the University.

Regarding LSE, be aware that it cannot guarantee you a student accommodation even if you apply early. Allocations are based on a lottery system.

I live in an UCL student accommodation. I pay £83 per week for an equipped single room with a washbasin. I share the bathrooms and the kitchen with other students but they are cleaned every day by a cleaner.

Before obtaining a student accommodation, I looked for an apartment/house to share. If you want something decent, you have to pay a lot or to be very far away from the University.

Regarding LSE, be aware that it cannot guarantee you a student accommodation even if you apply early. Allocations are based on a lottery system.
quote
FleurDuMal

dl-
Thanks for the information. It's actually the reverse of what I expected. King's seems to advertise the renovation program on their website, whereas UCL has almost no information I can find on their facilities. I am leaning towards UCL or LSE currently.

Anyone have any general advice on LSE, or any recommendations for UCL accommodations?

Anyone trying to decide between King's, UCL and LSE?

PMartini


Well, I'm currently deciding between LSE and King's, though I've pretty much decided on LSE. Given that I've been a LLB student at King's for 2 and a half years now, that probably sounds like some veiled criticism, but I can promise you it's not. I've really enjoyed my time at King's and will be sad to leave.

Here's my honest assessment of the facilities at KCL. First, accommodation. I was in the Brian Creamer House in my first year. It is much the dark horse of the KCL halls as no one seems to apply to it. Instead everyone applies to Stamford St and Great Dover St. But BCH was ideal for me. It was central, it was small, it was self-catering, it was very clean and all for a price MUCH lower than Stamford and Great Dover. However, it was very basic - no bar or entertainment facilities. Although I think post-grads can apply to BCH, if not, literally next door to it is the post-grad house (the name of which escapes me). I have a friend there (who was in BCH with me in first year) and she says its just as nice.

Right, the campus facilities. To start off, the Law School itself is shoddy. It's actually housed in the original building of the university - so it is literally a house that as subsequently been built around. And boy does it show. But don't let that put you off. In three years, I've had one lesson in there back in first year. There are only two class rooms in the Law School, which are in the basement, but these are hardly ever used (if used at all anymore). The only time you'll venture into the Law School is to pick up mail or to go see a tutor.

Onto more positive things, the Strand building has been redeveloped and was only opened this year. It is a huge improvement - and considering my first two years were marred by constant building noises, I'm bloody glad! The new classrooms in the redeveloped part are very impressive - large, spacious and bright, looking onto the courtyard and Somerset House. They have kept the 19th century exterior and simply renovated everything inside. Also part of the innovation is a very good cafeteria and study area.

Finally, the library. Ask any King's student the best part about King's, and 90% will say the library (Maugdon Library, that is). Not necessarily for its collection of books (which is no better nor worse than any other university library I guess), but for the study environment. Again, this is an old, beautiful building that King's have completely renovated the inside. Whatever I say probably won't do it justice, so if you can try and get down there and have a look around yourself.

All in all, if you'd asked a King's student a few years ago what they thought of the facilities at King's, they would probably have been quite negative. Their King's experience was probably defined by constant building works all over the university. However, those building works have ceased and have been a tremendous success - and luckily they finished just in time for me to enjoy them in my last year. You could do much worse than take advantage of them yourself.

<blockquote>dl-
Thanks for the information. It's actually the reverse of what I expected. King's seems to advertise the renovation program on their website, whereas UCL has almost no information I can find on their facilities. I am leaning towards UCL or LSE currently.

Anyone have any general advice on LSE, or any recommendations for UCL accommodations?

Anyone trying to decide between King's, UCL and LSE?

PMartini</blockquote>

Well, I'm currently deciding between LSE and King's, though I've pretty much decided on LSE. Given that I've been a LLB student at King's for 2 and a half years now, that probably sounds like some veiled criticism, but I can promise you it's not. I've really enjoyed my time at King's and will be sad to leave.

Here's my honest assessment of the facilities at KCL. First, accommodation. I was in the Brian Creamer House in my first year. It is much the dark horse of the KCL halls as no one seems to apply to it. Instead everyone applies to Stamford St and Great Dover St. But BCH was ideal for me. It was central, it was small, it was self-catering, it was very clean and all for a price MUCH lower than Stamford and Great Dover. However, it was very basic - no bar or entertainment facilities. Although I think post-grads can apply to BCH, if not, literally next door to it is the post-grad house (the name of which escapes me). I have a friend there (who was in BCH with me in first year) and she says its just as nice.

Right, the campus facilities. To start off, the Law School itself is shoddy. It's actually housed in the original building of the university - so it is literally a house that as subsequently been built around. And boy does it show. But don't let that put you off. In three years, I've had one lesson in there back in first year. There are only two class rooms in the Law School, which are in the basement, but these are hardly ever used (if used at all anymore). The only time you'll venture into the Law School is to pick up mail or to go see a tutor.

Onto more positive things, the Strand building has been redeveloped and was only opened this year. It is a huge improvement - and considering my first two years were marred by constant building noises, I'm bloody glad! The new classrooms in the redeveloped part are very impressive - large, spacious and bright, looking onto the courtyard and Somerset House. They have kept the 19th century exterior and simply renovated everything inside. Also part of the innovation is a very good cafeteria and study area.

Finally, the library. Ask any King's student the best part about King's, and 90% will say the library (Maugdon Library, that is). Not necessarily for its collection of books (which is no better nor worse than any other university library I guess), but for the study environment. Again, this is an old, beautiful building that King's have completely renovated the inside. Whatever I say probably won't do it justice, so if you can try and get down there and have a look around yourself.

All in all, if you'd asked a King's student a few years ago what they thought of the facilities at King's, they would probably have been quite negative. Their King's experience was probably defined by constant building works all over the university. However, those building works have ceased and have been a tremendous success - and luckily they finished just in time for me to enjoy them in my last year. You could do much worse than take advantage of them yourself.
quote
P_Martini

FleurDuMal-

Not sure if I will be able to see King's before making my decision . . . London is very inaccessible for me (geographically and financially). Having been classed as an overseas student (North America) for fees purposes, your information is tremendously useful to get a sense of what these law schools are like. Thanks. It's good to know King's is a good option.

Good luck with your decision. I am leaning towards LSE at the moment also, mostly for its North American reputation. Anyone have any information on LSE's facilities (other than the fact that accommodations don't seem to be guaranteed)?

PMartini

FleurDuMal-

Not sure if I will be able to see King's before making my decision . . . London is very inaccessible for me (geographically and financially). Having been classed as an overseas student (North America) for fees purposes, your information is tremendously useful to get a sense of what these law schools are like. Thanks. It's good to know King's is a good option.

Good luck with your decision. I am leaning towards LSE at the moment also, mostly for its North American reputation. Anyone have any information on LSE's facilities (other than the fact that accommodations don't seem to be guaranteed)?

PMartini
quote
fknandrew

Hi P Martini.

Those three are also my top choices for an LLM. LSE does seem to have the best international reputation, even here in Asia, but UCL seems to do well in the rankings. I have not ventured into accomodation issues yet as I am still in the application stage. The info provided in this thread are valuable nonetheless. I never knew housing could be that expensive. I would pay here a month what it would cost a week there!

Hi P Martini.

Those three are also my top choices for an LLM. LSE does seem to have the best international reputation, even here in Asia, but UCL seems to do well in the rankings. I have not ventured into accomodation issues yet as I am still in the application stage. The info provided in this thread are valuable nonetheless. I never knew housing could be that expensive. I would pay here a month what it would cost a week there!
quote
P_Martini

To those who are attending LSE presently and those who have received an offer and are at least considering accepting it: Any advice on LSE accommodations? Your help would be appreciated greatly.

P. Martini

To those who are attending LSE presently and those who have received an offer and are at least considering accepting it: Any advice on LSE accommodations? Your help would be appreciated greatly.

P. Martini
quote

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