King’s College London ranks 16th in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2027 and 37th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2027. Most degrees ask for A*AA at A level, and international undergraduate fees for 2027/28 run from £30,750 to £60,200 a year. It is a Russell Group university spread across five campuses in central London.
- Location
- five campuses in central London: Strand, Waterloo, Guy’s, St Thomas’ and Denmark Hill
- Type
- a Russell Group university and a founding college of the University of London
- Ranking
- 16th of 130 in the UK (Complete University Guide 2027), 37th in the world (QS 2027)
- Typical offer
- A*AA for most degrees, A*A*A for Computer Science and Mathematics, AAA for International Relations, History and War Studies
- IELTS
- 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each element for most degrees, 6.5 overall for Computer Science, Mathematics and Biomedical Science
- International fee
- £30,750 to £60,200 a year for 2027/28, rising each year of study
Reviewed by Dr Elizabeth Adey for 2027 entry · Uni Direct team, 2026
Source: Complete University Guide 2027, QS World University Rankings 2027 and King’s course pages for 2027/28.
Where is King’s College London, and what is it like?
King’s is not one campus but five, strung along the Thames and further south. The Strand is its historic centre, in the middle of London, with Waterloo close by. Guy’s and St Thomas’ are the two hospital campuses south of the river, and Denmark Hill lies further south again. Which one you spend your degree on depends on your faculty, so check yours. See how it compares with the other top universities in London.
King’s has more than 25,000 students, about 32% of them international, taught through nine faculties across the five sites.
If a big city on your doorstep matters more than a single campus community. King’s suits you well. If you want a quad and one student union to belong to. Five addresses across London may feel scattered.
Is King’s College London a good university?
Yes. King’s College London is 37th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and 16th in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2027. Eighteen of its subjects sit in the UK top ten, including Law, Economics, Politics, Dentistry and Business and Management. It publishes something very few universities do: five years of applications, offers and acceptances for every course, split between UK and non-UK applicants.
| Measure | King’s | Table |
|---|---|---|
| Overall UK ranking | 16th of 130 | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Research quality | 8th in the UK | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Graduate prospects | 85% (85.1 of 100), 8th | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Student satisfaction | 77% (3.07 of 4), 112th | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| World ranking | 37th | QS World University Rankings 2027 |
Source: Complete University Guide 2027 and QS World University Rankings 2027, read 5 September 2026.
King’s own history pages record that it was founded by royal charter in 1829, and that it became one of the two founding colleges of the University of London in 1836. It is a Russell Group university, and the Complete University Guide names it among the group’s members. Its one weak measure is student satisfaction, a long way below its overall position, and that gap is worth knowing before you apply.
King’s often sits behind UCL and the London School of Economics in a family’s thinking. If you are comparing the three, our guides to UCL and the London School of Economics are on the same guide to the best UK universities.
Courses King’s College London is best known for
King’s is known for Law, Medicine and Dentistry, War Studies and International Relations, and the social sciences taught through the Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy. The Dickson Poon School of Law and King’s Business School both draw large numbers of applicants. King’s Economics, Business Management and Accounting and Finance degrees are among the most applied-to courses at King’s.
Eighteen King’s subjects sit in the UK top ten in the Complete University Guide 2027. Accounting and Finance is 4th, and Law, Economics, Politics, Business and Management, Dentistry, Philosophy and Music are inside the top ten too. Medicine and Dentistry are taught through the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine and carry very few overseas places each year, so treat them as one option among several rather than your only plan.
King’s College London entry requirements
King’s sets a standard offer, an International Baccalaureate score and an English language band on every course page. It does not use UCAS tariff points. Most degrees ask for A*AA or 38 IB points. Computer Science and Mathematics ask for A*A*A or 39 points, and International Relations, History, War Studies and Biomedical Science ask for AAA or 36 points.
Entry requirements for 2027 entry
A level
International Baccalaureate
English language band
Source: King’s College London course pages, entry requirements for September 2027 entry, and its undergraduate English language requirements page, read 5 September 2026.
King’s does not accept General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills or Global Perspectives as one of your three A levels, and it does not consider the Extended Project Qualification. Law also needs you to take the LNAT by 31 December, and Medicine and Dentistry need you to take the UCAT. Other routes are covered in our guide to studying in the UK without IELTS.
King’s College London acceptance rate
King’s College London does not publish an acceptance rate for the university as a whole. Its own admissions statistics give the applications and offers for every undergraduate course instead, for five UCAS cycles, split between UK and non-UK applicants. The table below carries the courses international applicants ask about most, for the 2024 cycle.
| Course | Applications | Offers | Offer rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dentistry BDS | 155 | 16 | 10% |
| Business Management BSc | 2,861 | 383 | 13% |
| Medicine MBBS | 829 | 153 | 18% |
| Law LLB | 1,779 | 648 | 36% |
| Economics BSc | 1,559 | 659 | 42% |
| Computer Science BSc | 1,322 | 611 | 46% |
| International Relations BA | 786 | 441 | 56% |
| History BA | 193 | 156 | 81% |
Source: King’s College London, admissions statistics by faculty, 2024 UCAS cycle, read 5 September 2026. King’s publishes the applications and offers; the offer rate divides one by the other.
The gap between UK and non-UK applicants is widest on the LLB among these courses: a non-UK applicant faced a 36% offer rate in 2024 against 10% for a UK applicant on the same course. King’s splits its data by where you live rather than by the fee you pay. Business Management and Dentistry are the two hardest courses in the table for a non-UK applicant. History and International Relations are the most open, though both still ask for AAA.
How much does King’s College London cost?
Your international tuition fee at King’s depends on your course rather than your faculty, and it is set to rise every year of the degree. For 2027/28 it runs from £30,750 a year for History to £60,200 for Medicine. Every international undergraduate pays a £2,000 deposit against the first year’s fee on accepting an unconditional offer.
What a year at King’s costs an international student
Source: King’s College London course pages for 2027/28 entry and its residences listing, read 5 September 2026. GOV.UK for the visa figures, read 24 September 2026.
King’s accommodation guarantee covers first year students, so plan to rent privately after that, and budget for food, travel and London life on top of the fee and the rent. You can compare this with other universities in our guides to the cost of living for international students and the cheapest universities in the UK.
The visa figures come from GOV.UK, which is the only authority on the Student visa rules. We explain the published rules, and we pass individual visa questions to the partners we work with. Our student visa guide sets out the steps.
King’s College London scholarships for international students
King’s runs a funding database rather than one headline scholarship for overseas undergraduates. Its fees and funding pages direct applicants to search the database by subject and level for the awards open in a given year. The awards change annually and are checked at the point of application rather than promised in advance.
Source: King’s College London undergraduate fees and funding and student funding pages, read 5 September 2026.
How do I apply to King’s College London?
Apply through UCAS
You apply to King’s through UCAS, and the main deadline for 2027 entry is 13 January.
Medicine and Dentistry
Medicine and Dentistry have an earlier deadline, 15 October, three months ahead of everyone else, and both need you to sit the UCAT.
Law
Law needs you to sit the LNAT by 31 December.
Help with your King’s application
We can help you with your application to King’s, from choosing your courses to writing your personal statement and meeting your deadline. If you are not sure yet whether King’s is right for you, we can talk it through with you first.
Students tell us the quick replies made the biggest difference.
King’s is the London university I most often have to argue for, because families arrive with UCL and the London School of Economics in their heads and treat King’s as the safety choice. Its own data says otherwise. A non-UK applicant to Business Management faced a 13% offer rate in 2024, and to Medicine 18%. Neither is a safety margin. Economics and International Relations are the better bet: a non-UK applicant with the grades had a better than one in three chance of an offer in both. Choose the course before the name, find out which of the five campuses teaches it, and then decide.
Frequently asked questions about King’s College London
Is King’s College London a good university?
By every published measure, yes. It is 16th in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2027, with 18 subjects in the top ten and research quality 8th. It is 37th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2027. Its one weak measure is student satisfaction, 112th in the same UK table.
Is King’s College London in the Russell Group?
Yes. King’s is a Russell Group university, and the Complete University Guide names it among the group’s members. Its own history pages record financial and academic autonomy since 1994 and its own degrees awarded since 2008, while it remains part of the University of London. Our page on Russell Group and non Russell Group universities covers what membership means.
How hard is it to get into King’s College London?
It depends on the course far more than the university. King’s own admissions statistics for the 2024 cycle show non-UK offer rates from 10% for Dentistry and 13% for Business Management to 81% for History. The LLB sits in between, at 36% for non-UK applicants and 10% for UK applicants on the same course.
When was King’s College London founded?
King’s own history pages record that it was founded by royal charter in 1829. When the University of London was established in 1836, King’s became one of its two founding colleges, and it has awarded its own degrees since 2008.
How many students are at King’s College London?
The Complete University Guide puts King’s above 25,000 students, about 32% of them international. King’s teaches through nine faculties across its five London campuses.
Is King’s College London a campus university?
No. King’s teaches on five sites in London: the Strand and Waterloo in the centre, Guy’s and St Thomas’ south of the river, and Denmark Hill further south. Check which campus your course is taught on before you choose where to live.
Is King’s College London or UCL better?
Neither, as a whole; it depends on the department. The Complete University Guide 2027 places UCL 13th and King’s 16th in the UK, and QS places them joint 8th and 37th in the world. Both publish admissions data, so compare the offer rate and the department ranking for your own course side by side.
Can international students study medicine or dentistry at King’s College London?
Yes, and the door is narrow. In the 2024 cycle non-UK applicants to Medicine received an 18% offer rate and to Dentistry 10%, both needing A*AA or 38 IB points and the UCAT. Every accepted international undergraduate pays a £2,000 deposit against the first year’s fee.
The next step
Tell us your grades and the King’s courses you are considering, and we will tell you where you stand.
Our guide on how to study in the UK covers the steps from choosing a course to arriving, and our guide to studying in the UK covers what every university here has in common.
You may also want to compare King’s with UCL, the London School of Economics, the University of Warwick, Imperial College London and City St George’s. Our guides to the best law universities in the UK and the top business schools in the UK both name King’s alongside its rivals. Or for a free consultation, contact us now.
Sources: King’s College London admissions statistics by faculty, 2020 to 2024 UCAS cycles · King’s course, entry requirements, English language, tuition fee and funding pages · King’s residences listing · King’s own history, visit and faculties pages, read 24 September 2026. Also Complete University Guide 2027 · QS World University Rankings 2027 · GOV.UK Student visa and immigration health surcharge, read 24 September 2026. Other figures read 5 September 2026.
Next review: when King’s publishes its 2025 UCAS cycle admissions statistics, and before 13 January 2027.