Life on campus

There is more to being a student at King's than formal academic learning. From chill out spots to gyms, cafes to bars with games and sports nights, there are a range of opportunities to meet new people, get active and grab some food and drink to relax in between lectures. 

Every student at King's is automatically a member of KCLSU - a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. KCLSU offers four fantastic venues to meet with friends, chill out and relax, and have some great food and drink. Did you know that students own the Union venues? Meaning anything you spend goes back into the pockets of students and into services for you and your peers.

Both Strand and Guy’s campuses are home to KCLSU’s cafes and bars. The Shack, (@theshack_kclsu) at Strand’s Bush House, and The Shed (@theshed_kclsu) on Guy’s campus both serve hot and cold drinks, including delicious coffee, sandwiches and paninispastries and their signature brownies that are home made in a sustainable fashion from a local supplier. They also have gluten free, vegetarian and vegan snacks on the menu, so there’s plenty to choose from!

On the lower ground floor of Bush House, you will find The Vault, a Union bar that operates as a restaurant during the day, offering hot food including their Box’d lunches and their renowned curly fries. There is also the KCLSU Saver Menu for students who are mindfully budgeting and still wanting to enjoy a meal out. The newly refurbished Guy’s Bar is located on the floor below The Shed over at Guy’s campus was established in 1882, making it our oldest student bar, restaurant and night club. You can expect a wide variety of events at the bars, from games like quizzes, and bingo to international events, club nights and sports nights.

When you just need a quiet break, head to The Meadow on the 8th floor of Bush House South East Wing and the IoPPN building on Denmark Hill campus. The Meadow is full of comfortable beanbags where you can have some well-earned rest, while at Denmark Hill there is a TV for plugging in your console to play games. There are also several free water refill points and microwaves on campus to keep you hydrated and to heat your own food with ease

To find out more about venues on different campuses, please visit the KCLSU website and intranet pages.

King’s Food are proud to be one of the leading food and drink providers in the university catering industry, operating 20 outlets across four campuses. Our chefs come from all over the world with 33 different nationalities, bringing an unparalleled range of flavours and cooking styles.

We are a fairtrade accredited university and are proud that our chefs were awarded an 80% Food Made Good Rating by the Sustainable Restaurant Association.

Outlets serve breakfast, lunch and all the snacks you need in-between and offer a wide range of food choices, including halal, gluten free and vegan options. On Strand Campus, they actually have a 100% plant-based café, Roots, situated on the 8th floor of Bush House centre block, and Beyond Meat specials at The Terrace café in Macadam Building.

Want to experience King’s Food at home? Check out the team’s own recipe book. From breakfast to dinner, the book features student favourites and recipes from our chefs inspired by their own hometowns from across the globe.

For the next few months, you can enjoy different events and special offers such as Veganuary, Chinese New Year and even National Hot Chocolate Day!

There are also a range of opportunities to engage with King’s Food team. To keep updated with upcoming events and promotions, follow their socials on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. 

King's Sport & Wellness offers students a range of opportunities to get involved in sport and physical activity.

They run two campus gyms at Strand and London Bridge, as well as a Centre that offers holistic wellness workshops and health consultations at Waterloo. They also offer a social and recreational activity programme called BeActive, offering over 50 sessions a week during term time.

Get points and rewards for being active with their free app King’s Move. You can then redeem your points for rewards such as a hot drink from King’s Food, a King’s Sport & Wellness day pass or a King’s Move hoody.

Plus, they offer a free online platform Les Mills+ that provides content ranging from meditation to HIIT. 

Sign up to their mailing list to get exclusive membership offers straight to your inbox and connect with the team on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to stay informed about exclusive events and much more.

The Chaplaincy is an inclusive, welcoming resource for all King’s students, of all faiths and none. Chaplains are public figures in the university, working to support you and your wellbeing by offering pastoral support, prayer and opportunities throughout the academic year.

There is a Chaplaincy on every campus and King's has two historic chapels, the College Chapel on Strand Campus and the Chapel of Thomas Guy on Guy's Campus. There are also rooms for prayer and reflection on each campus. 

If you would like to make an appointment with your individual campus chaplains, please visit the Chaplaincy webpages or email chaplaincy@kcl.ac.uk.

Recharge your batteries in the Maughan Library with the Wellbeing Room, located in room 2.24. The space has comfy bean bags for you to take a break, relax your mind and find new inspiration.