From our cutting-edge research to our global connections, find out why you should choose King's.

*Times Higher Education's Global Employability University Ranking 2022

King's College London was founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829. When the University of London was established in 1836, King's became one of its two founding colleges. While remaining part of the University of London, King's has enjoyed financial and academic autonomy since 1994. Since 2008, King's has awarded its own degrees.

Once you graduate from King’s you will automatically become a member of our 200,000-strong global alumni network, including over 57,000 international alumni. You’ll also have the opportunity to network with King’s alumni in London to advance your career while studying here with

Our alumni, staff and students continue to make headlines today with discoveries, inventions and distinctions. Find out more about our notable alumni.

Opportunities to network with King’s alumni in London and to advance your career while studying include:

• Careers mentoring

• Alumni professional development events

• Insider tips on how to change careers

• Subject-specific dinners and events

Visit our Alumni webpages to find out more.

Our community

• Undergraduate: Around 20,000
• Postgraduate: Around 15,000
• Over 185 countries are represented on campus across our community from students to staff
• More than 18,000 international students
• Around 9,500 academic, research and support staff across King’s.

Voted the world’s best student city by QS Best Student Cities 2023, London is an integral part of the King’s experience with four of our five campuses beside the River Thames. Take a tour of our campuses online.

Find out more about what London has to offer.

Internationalism flows through every area of King’s from the formal links created through the Global Institutes, partner universities and study abroad programmes to the informal friendships that grow out of our diverse student, staff and alumni populations.

With over 150 partner institutions, King’s also connects you to the world. Studying abroad for a semester, a year or a summer is a unique opportunity to expand your personal and academic horizons; preparing you for the global stage, and boosting your employability.

European partners:

• Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
• University of Stuttgart, Germany
• Karolinska Institute, Sweden
• ESSEC Business School, France
• Paris Sorbonne University, France

Global partners:

• University of California, San Francisco, USA
• University of Hong Kong
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
• Renmin University of China
• University of São Paulo, Brazil
• National University of Singapore

Visit the study abroad pages for information on which departments offer study abroad for undergraduate and postgraduate students and the benefits to you.

Joint PhD and master’s programmes

King’s offers an increasing number of Joint PhDs with its international partners.

These programmes see research students being supervised by academics in both universities throughout their studies. Students have a ‘home’ and ‘partner’ university and are subject to the regulations and practices of the home university but apply to both and register with both. If they are successful, they receive a joint PhD issued by both institutions.

Spending up to half of the three year programme in another university exposes students to two different research cultures and traditions, and improves the cultural competence of candidates, positioning them well for employment in an increasingly globalised labour market.

For those wishing to pursue an academic career working in two different countries provides international academic referees and also knowledge of two distinct academic recruitment markets.

Joint supervision also means access to two sets of complimentary academic expertise.

Careers & Employability

King’s Careers & Employability helps you prepare for your future. Our dedicated team will support you to identify a valuable career path through interactive online resources, careers appointments, events, and more, ensuring employers see the value in both your King's qualification and other strengths.

You will also gain exclusive access to a range of digital tools including our vacancy board, podcasts, labour market insights, and AI-driven CV checking and assessment simulations. We offer impartial advice and support to all King’s students, researchers, and recent alumni to help you navigate your next steps and achieve lifelong success.

Internships

An internship or meaningful work experiences, are an excellent way to focus your career ideas, while also enabling you apply the knowledge gained from your studies, develop your professional network and enhance your employability .We equip students to action their own meaningful work through a variety of online tools, networks and events alongside our own curated co-curricular programmes which are available to a range of students - from work shadowing to summer internships across a range of industries, and specific support for under-represented groups.

A number of our Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught programmes, also have the option to gain academic credit through the completion of an internship as part of an accredited internship module within their programme. You also have access to gain other experiences through our Insights and King's Edge Programmes. 

King's College London connects with people and organisations throughout London and across the globe – from government, business and industry to charities, sport and culture.

Studying at King's brings you many opportunities to benefit from these links on your chosen degree course, in the networks and contacts you make, through special events and invited guests.

Arts & Sciences

Our connections with leading cultural, arts and science organisations provide you with real opportunities to enhance your career and enrich your life experiences.

Science:

• Ford Motor Company Ltd
• Unilever Research Ltd
• Yasakawa Electric Co
• BP
• Science Museum

Culture and arts:

• Crafts Council
• National Theatre 
• The Roundhouse
• Royal Opera House
• Southbank Centre

Active recruitment:

• Proctor & Gamble
• KPMG
• Deloitte
• Ernst & Young
• Magic Circle law firms

Internships:

• International Centre for Security Analysis
• DEFRA
• BP
• AstraZeneca
• Environmental Agency
• Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
• Commission for Racial Equality
• Shelter
• London Development Agency
• Cabinet Office
• Water Research Institute, Ghana
• Institute for Public Policy Research

Business links:

• AE Systems
• Credit Suisse
• The Shadow Robot Company
• Fios genomics
• Deloitte

Useful links:

• Cultural Institute
• Science Gallery at King's
• King's Policy Institute
• King's Professional & Executive Development