Royal Holloway, University of London

For more than 170 years, Royal Holloway has had the courage and conviction to think differently. The university was founded by two social pioneers to provide education for women, and it continues to challenge conventions today.

Its staff and students are passionate about learning and sharing knowledge in both established and emerging areas. Students are empowered to transform lives through inclusive education, an active and close-knit community, and local and global partnerships.

Royal Holloway has two campuses, one in 135-acres of beautiful parkland in Surrey, and the other in central London. The university offers a wide range of subjects covering arts, humanities, business, science and law, with degrees available at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Royal Holloway is a research-intensive university which sits in the top 25 percent of UK universities for its research (Times Higher Education, Research Excellence Framework 2021) with 88 percent of its research classed as world-leading or internationally excellent (Times Higher Education, Research Excellence Framework 2021). It is ranked 29^th in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024), and is home to around 11,800 students, with over a fifth international students (2023 figures).

The university's Egham campus is frequently listed as one of the world's most beautiful, and it is also a safe place to study in a low-crime area. It is 19 miles from central London and 7 miles from Heathrow Airport. The Central London Campus, based in the heart of Bloomsbury, runs a number of the university's postgraduate courses and students at both campuses have access to University of London facilities, including Senate House Library.

There is a strong international community with students and academics from countries all over the world forming a diverse, warm and supportive community. There are over 95,000 alumni members across 164 countries who studied at Royal Holloway.

Royal Holloway is well-renowned and recognised for its high teaching quality, which complements its excellent research credentials. The university was awarded a Silver award in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 which means it provides very high-quality experiences and facilities that ensure all students are significantly challenged and supported in their studies.

Academic departments are made up of professors, teaching fellows, post-doctoral researchers, and PhD students, all passionate about sharing their knowledge. Students are taught by enthusiastic experts in their field through a combination of large-group lectures, small class seminars, workshops, practical classes, and field trips.

The university offers flexibility within degrees so students can make the most of what Royal Holloway has to offer, including the opportunity to take a placement to work, study abroad or volunteer.

Royal Holloway is made up of 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.

The university also offers postgraduate degrees in most academic departments, either as a taught or research master's. Some shorter postgraduate diplomas are offered in some areas. PhD degrees are also available.

Each degree has individual entry requirements, and the university accepts a range of international qualifications from applicants.

If applicants don't meet the necessary entry requirements of their chosen undergraduate or postgraduate degree, they can opt for an international foundation degree through the university's international study centre. Upon completion of a foundation course, students can progress onto their chosen degree.

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
• Other accepted equivalents

English language proficiency score requirements differ depending on the course applied for.

If applicants don't meet the required English proficiency scores, they can complete an English language programme run by the university's international study centre.

Accommodation

There is plenty of choice of accommodation on the Egham campus, from rooms in the Founder's Building, to shared townhouses in the modern George Eliot Halls. Other on-campus accommodation includes shared flats, with en-suite bathrooms. Students can choose between catered or non-catered halls.

New undergraduate and international postgraduate taught students are guaranteed accommodation if they apply by the deadline.

Accommodation costs range from GBP 125 - GBP 196 a week for undergraduate students and GBP 119 - GBP 187 a week for postgraduate (2023 entry prices).

For students at the Central London Campus, there are a limited number of rooms available via an intercollegiate system.

Academic

The library has a comprehensive collection of texts and plenty of study space for silent or group work. It opens 24/7 at busy times. The Egham campus also includes a functioning MRI scanner in the psychology department, recording studios and virtual reality equipment within media arts, a mock court room in law and an observatory in the physics department. The Central London campus has modern seminar rooms as well as breakout areas and common rooms.

Social

There are over 100 clubs and societies covering a wide range of interests, giving students a chance to meet like-minded friends and gain new experiences. Sports clubs offer competitive and recreational opportunities. Students are also encouraged to try out new activities with ‘Give it a Go' sessions.

The university's Egham campus has several bars and cafes, as well as the students' union which hosts at least two events a week. There is also a non-denominational chapel, a picture gallery with original Victorian art, a Muslim prayer room and a shop. The sports centre offers world-class floodlit outdoor pitches and courts, a multi-use sports hall, 60-station fitness suite, aerobics area, eight tennis courts, five netball courts, two grass football pitches, and personal training and fitness classes.

The university works hard to promote fair access to education, allocating a significant volume of resources each year to ensure that all students have the opportunity to pursue a Royal Holloway education. The university offers a range of scholarships, discounts and bursaries for international students at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Students need to hold an offer to study at Royal Holloway to be able to apply.

Other financial awards are given for achievement and are based on grades and/or a scholarship application.

For full details about current opportunities and how to apply, prospective students can visit the Royal Holloway website.

Royal Holloway continues to develop its Egham campus with modern facilities, which complement its rich history and Grade I-listed Founder's Building. Recent additions include the Emily Wilding Davison Building, which contains the state-of-the arts library and student services centre, and the Beatrice Shilling Building, purpose built to provide an inspiring space for electronic engineering as well as further modern study space and technical areas.

In 2023 the university's new Omnidrome Research and Innovation Centre opened, a hub for world-leading research, innovation, education and knowledge exchange for air, land, and water-based drones, robotics and autonomous vehicles.

Royal Holloway has also introduced Storyfutures, in partnership with the National Film and Television School. Storyfutures is all about placing innovative storytelling at the heart of the next generation of immersive technologies and experiences and develops cutting-edge research and development and training programmes to upskill the UK creative workforce.

The university has also recently been announced as the lead partner for a national lab for research and development (R&D) in creative technology, ensuring the UK's screen and performance industries have the research infrastructure and skills to compete globally.