Royal Holloway, University of London

Royal Holloway has a proud history of being at the forefront of social change. It was one of the first places in the UK where women could access higher education, and today, it continues to transform lives and respond to global challenges by building on its platform of fantastic research, education, and civic engagement.

Students who choose to study at Royal Holloway receive outstanding teaching from world-leading experts, who take the time to get to know each individual and help them develop their passions. The university's research-infused curriculum ensures students have the chance to get involved in discoveries that are creating real-world change today.

Courses cover arts, business, humanities, law, and sciences. The university consistently ranks among the UK's leading universities for both teaching and research, with 88 per cent of its research rated as world-leading or internationally excellent in the latest REF (2021). This puts them in the top 25 per cent of UK universities overall. Many departments were ranked top 20 in the 2025 The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, Complete University Guide and The Guardian University Guide.

Royal Holloway has two locations, both with a strong international community. A close-knit campus in Surrey that's just a 40-minute train from London, and a vibrant base in the heart of central London.

It's not all about studying. The university provides career support from day one, and opportunities to gain skills and experiences graduates can take into the workplace.

Royal Holloway also offers many scholarships and bursaries, ranging from means-tested opportunities to automatic tuition fee reductions for those coming from certain countries.

Brave from its beginnings, Royal Holloway has been opening up university education to those who didn't think they belonged and asking the difficult questions for over 170 years. It's here for what matters – to society and the world, and most importantly, to its students.

At Royal Holloway, students are taught by passionate experts in their field through a combination of large group lectures, small class seminars, workshops, practical classes, and field trips. The university also cultivates partnerships that link them with local and global industries and culture, meaning that students' education is enhanced with real working experiences. Plus, degrees are flexible, so students can make the most of all the learning opportunities on offer, including work placements, study abroad or volunteering.

Royal Holloway is well-recognised for its high-quality teaching. It was awarded Silver in the Teaching Excellence Framework 2023. This shows Royal Holloway provides high-quality experiences and facilities that significantly challenge and support students in their studies. The relationship between Royal Holloway's research and research-informed teaching was ranked as outstanding, meaning students directly benefit from the university's excellent research activity.

Many departments were ranked top 20 in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025, the Complete University Guide 2025 and The Guardian University Guide 2025.

Royal Holloway has 23 academic departments. These are:

• Biological Sciences
• Business and Management
• Classics
• Computer Science
• Drama, Theatre and Dance
• Earth Sciences
• Economics
• Electronic Engineering
• English
• Geography
• Health Studies
• History
• Information Security
• Languages, Literatures and Cultures
• Law and Criminology
• Mathematics
• Media Arts
• Music
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Politics and International Relations
• Psychology
• Social Work

The university offers both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. At undergraduate level, courses are three or four years, and may include an integrated year abroad or year in business. All students can add an additional placement year. Undergraduate degrees on offer are:

• Bachelor of Arts (BA)
• Bachelor of Engineering (BEng)
• Bachelor of Law (LLB)
• Bachelor of Music (BMus)
• Bachelor of Science (BSc)
• Bachelor of Science (Economics) (BSc Economics)

Many degrees are also available with a foundation year.

Royal Holloway offers postgraduate degrees in most academic departments, either as a taught or research master's degree. Shorter postgraduate diplomas are offered in some areas and PhD degrees are also available.

Students come from many different countries to study at Royal Holloway, which accepts a wide range of qualifications. Every applicant is assessed on their individual merits, although there are minimum qualifications.

Applicants for undergraduate courses should apply via UCAS and check the university website for the most up-to-date information on course and country-specific entry requirements. Applicants for postgraduate programmes should apply via the Royal Holloway Applicant Portal, but check the website for full details.

For those who are applying from outside the UK and want to fully immerse themselves in UK university life, an international foundation year might be a pathway to consider. It prepares students for the first year of their chosen undergraduate degree at Royal Holloway. It's a fast-paced, three-term foundation programme specifically designed for international students interested in beginning their international education journey.

As most courses are taught in English, international applicants need to demonstrate English proficiency before joining. The university accepts the following English language tests:

• IELTS
• TOEFL iBT
• PTE
• Cambridge ESOL
• OCTOE
• Duolingo English Test
• Other accepted equivalents

English language proficiency score requirements differ depending on the course. For those who don't meet the required scores, the university offers an English Language Preparation Programme.

Accommodation

Choice is key when it comes to accommodation on Royal Holloway's Egham campus. Students can select between modern townhouse or traditional room options in the historic Founder's Building. Shared and en-suite bathrooms are available.The university website contains a full list of options, at a range of prices to suit different budgets.

Accommodation guarantee: all international undergraduate and postgraduate-taught students studying on the Egham campus are guaranteed a place in halls (if they firmly accept their university offer and apply for accommodation by the deadlines).

Accommodation costs on the Egham campus range from GBP 96 - GBP 245 per week for undergraduate students and GBP 120 - GBP 232 per week for postgraduate students for 2025/26 entry.

Royal Holloway's London campus is in the heart of Bloomsbury, an area packed with museums, libraries, shops, pubs and cafes. It's an exciting place to live, and the university has some rooms available for postgraduate students via the University of London's Intercollegiate halls of residence. Costs range from GBP 203 – GBP 424 per week for 2025/26 entry.

Social

Being campus-based means everything that students need is right where they need it. From libraries to supermarkets, to coffee shops, it's all on site. It's safe, it's green, and, most importantly, it will quickly feel like home.

The students' union has a well-deserved reputation for being one of the best in the UK. From musical theatre and debating to comics and cats, there's something for everyone with a great range of clubs and societies to join and an array of live entertainment from top bands and comedy acts to cabaret, film nights, and themed socials.

The Egham campus is regularly voted as one of the safest in the UK, and for those who like to stay active, there's a sports centre offering gym membership and general fitness and exercise classes. There are also loads of recreational and competitive sports clubs.

Royal Holloway offers a great range of scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities in the form of cash awards or tuition fee reductions, helping students make the most of their time at university. Most scholarships require an application, but some are awarded automatically if students meet certain criteria.

The university offers many scholarships to support international students. For example, the International Postgraduate Scholarship 2025 offers a tuition fee reduction of GBP 4,000 and the India and Pakistan Postgraduate Scholarships 2025 offer tuition fee reductions of GBP 6,000 for Master's students.

There are also many course-specific and competitive scholarships available, giving hard working and motivated students the opportunity to subsidise the cost of their degree through their university work. Prospective students are encouraged to visit the website for full details.

Royal Holloway is always developing its Egham campus to create modern facilities that complement its rich history and Grade I-listed Founder's Building.

Brand new, state-of-the-art recording studios give students the chance to learn production techniques in a professional level facility. They're integral to the exciting new BA Music and Sound Design for Film, TV and Interactive Media. Students on this course get expert teaching and opportunities from both the music and media arts departments. They'll have the chance to work with the next generation of filmmakers and media creatives, design soundtracks for a range of media projects, and leave Royal Holloway with industry-ready skills.

In 2024, the university opened a new virtual production facility, Futures Studio, which offers students and creative technology businesses a space to innovate, showcase their work and collaborate with industry experts and world-class researchers. The studio is packed with cutting-edge equipment including a virtual production environment and a next generation audio system. The studio is powered by Royal Holloway's partnership with Disguise, which is behind world-leading visual experiences including live events for Taylor Swift, Adele, Beyonce and Massive Attack.