On 11 November 1823, around 2000 people flocked to the Crown and Anchor Tavern on the Strand to witness Dr George Birkbeck and his supporters, including Jeremy Bentham, JC Hobhouse MP and H Brougham MP, discuss education for the working men of London.
This foundation meant that, for the first time, artisans and craftsmen could learn about science, art and economics.
There are 5 academic schools and we offer more than 80 undergraduate degree programmes and over 250 postgraduate programmes.
Accounting, Business Studies, Marketing, Computing, Information Technology, Web Technologies.
Arts and Humanities, English, Film and Media, History of Art, Curating, Journalism and Media, Culture.
Archaeology, Classics, Psychosocial Studies, Social Sciences, Contemporary History and Politics.
Psychology, Business Psychology, Biomedicine, Geology, Chemical and Molecular Biology, Planetary Science and Astronomy.
Criminology and Criminal Justice, Law
Birkbeck’s research informs public policy, achieves scientific advances, supports the economy, promotes culture and the arts, and makes a positive impact on society.
All our academic staff members are based in Departments or Institutes within our Schools, providing them with a network of colleagues. Linking across these bases are interdisciplinary Centres and Institutes recognised by the College. These encourage research with thematic foci and/ or methodological approaches that cannot be contained within any single discipline or department, particularly by offering opportunities for researchers from different Departments to come together for debate and co-work.
Birkbeck Talent is an innovative recruitment service dedicated to matching your unique skillset with exciting internships and roles with London's top employers.
We are committed to helping you make the most of your Birkbeck experience, by helping you gain relevant work experience to launch your prestigious and fulfilling career.
Following a successful pilot year, we are now making the service available to all Birkbeck students. You can sign up with Birkbeck Talent and view all of our live roles on your My Birkbeck Profile. Contact us to find out more about how we can help you to find new, meaningful roles during and after your studies.
Students can take advantage of a wide variety of support services, including application advice, personal tours, orientation events, visa advising, learning support and skills training, English language support, library, Computing and IT, Students’ Union, accommodation, Careers, Counselling, Finance, Health, Volunteering and Wellbeing services.
There are several options for you to choose from when it comes to where you would like to live while you are studying at Birkbeck. While the majority of our students decide to live in private accommodation, we also have places available in University of London intercollegiate halls and an agreement with UNITE, a specialist provider of student accommodation, which entitles full-time Birkbeck students to apply for places within their halls of residence.
International students are guaranteed space in University of London Halls of Residence if they apply before June. Other accommodation options include private student housing and flat-shares.
The Library is housed across 5 floors of our main Birkbeck building overlooking Torrington Square. The library website provides a gateway to almost 25,000 electronic journals, e-books and databases.
Birkbeck eLibrary provides access to:
We have a full range of computing facilities to support you in your academic work, including:
Birkbeck subscribes to the Gower Street Practice, and all students may use the health centre there. Students living in central London can register with the doctors for full NHS General Practitioner services, but other students can also benefit from some of their services.
The Gower Street Practice offers psychotherapy and cognitive behavior therapy, and is experienced in helping students.
Our main campus in Bloomsbury, WC1, is a lively student-centred area that’s home to a number of other universities and colleges of the University of London, including University College London and the School of Oriental and African Studies. Across the city in east London, we offer courses at University Square in Stratford, ideal if you live and work in that part of London.Both campuses offer all the facilities you need and are well-served by public transport, making it easy to get to and from college
The University of London has high-quality facilities for most sports and currently has over 4000 students regularly competing in intercollegiate sports leagues across London.
Right next door to Birkbeck at Student Central, you can use the Energybase’s 60-station gymnasium and 33-metre swimming pool or join some of the 50 fitness classes held every week.
If you are more of a spectator, in London you can visit some of the most iconic sporting arenas in the world such as Wembley Stadium, Wimbledon tennis club, Lord’s Cricket Ground or Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, among the famous footballing homes in London.
Birkbeck Students’ Union promotes welfare issues, represents students’ interests on College committees and provides social activities via events and societies. All students are automatically members, although you can opt out if you wish.
Facilities and services include student representation and advocacy, a student bar with regular entertainments, clubs and societies, a shop selling light snacks and drinks, stationery and Birkbeck-branded items.
In addition, the University of London (ULU) is right next door to Birkbeck’s main building and students can access ULU’s excellent sports and social facilities, including a large indoor swimming pool.Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
By TopUniversities
Climbed 34 places compared to 2026
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 408 | 388 | 354 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 28 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 923 | 884 | 912 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 301 | 301 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 801 | 801 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Based on 42 reviews
Studying at Birkbeck, University of London has been a really positive experience so far. One thing I truly appreciate is how strong their communication is, everything is always clearly explained and sent on time via email, so you never feel lost or unsupported. The staff are genuinely caring and check in with students throughout the term. I�ve even had calls during the semester just to ask how I�m getting on and whether I need any help, which made a big difference. The lecturers are approachable and knowledgeable. Studying in central London is another major advantage, as it offers access to great experiences and professional opportunities alongside university. Overall, Birkbeck offers a supportive environment, helpful lecturers and a welcoming community, especially for students building their confidence and starting their academic journey.
As a student at Birkbeck, University of London, I have had a great experience in the lecture room. The class sizes are small, allowing for more personalized attention from professors and fostering a sense of community among students. The professors are highly knowledgeable and passionate about their subjects, making the lectures engaging and thought-provoking. The diversity of perspectives and ideas within the lecture room has also enhanced my learning experience and broadened my understanding of different topics. Overall, the lecture room at Birkbeck has been a stimulating and enriching environment for my academic growth.
You can reach your greatest potential at Birkbeck, University of London! Our instructors are subject-matter experts who deftly weave intricate concepts into engrossing stories that captivate and leave you wanting more. They employ interesting and useful teaching techniques to make their subjects come to life because they genuinely care about their students' success. They make certain that everyone is engaged and understanding the subject matter. You will be in the center of a thriving intellectual and cultural center thanks to our central London location. It's the perfect environment for academic achievement and sincere assistance.
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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