Studying at the Ravensbourne University places you in one of London’s most dynamic communities, located right next to the O2 Arena and at the doorstep of Central London on the well-placed Greenwich Peninsula.
On Student.com we offer graduate and postgraduate accommodation close to Ravensbourne University London. Enjoy living in an affordable modern apartment at a stylish residence in one of London’s coolest, most energetic areas.
Need more information on the university accommodation we offer? We are always just a phone call or a live chat text away. Get in touch and you’ll have all your questions answered by our helpful booking consultants!
Where is Ravensbourne University London located?
As an innovative creative institution, Ravensbourne University could not be better placed. Located in the vibrant, cosmopolitan city of London, the university places its students in a bustling metropolis of art, music, food, and everything in between.
Home to students from across the globe, London is an inspiring place to study. Steeped in culture and history, London is a hub for fashion, technology, and creativity.
Located on Penrose Way, on the vibrant Greenwich Peninsula in South East London, Ravensbourne is at the heart of that creativity. The Greenwich Peninsula is one of London’s newest digital communities and sits next door to the world-famous O2 Arena, and is also close to Tech City, the capital’s fast-growing media and technology hub.
This stretch of London riverside has gone from marshy bog-land to a thriving public space that attracts creative talent from around the globe. Now, the peninsula is filled with creative businesses, a 1.9 mile art trail, restaurants, cafes, hotels, and entertainment complexes.
Greenwich gems
O2 Arena
The O2 Arena is one of the world’s most popular entertainment venues. Commonly known simply as the O2, the multi-purpose indoor arena is home to the world’s most popular music, entertainment, and sport.
With the O2, there are more things to do for Ravensbourne students right at your doorstep than you’ll have time to do. Right next to your campus are opportunities to see some of the world’s leading musicians and comedians, and watch some of the most exciting sports and music events.
A generous 20% student discount on a huge range of restaurants awaits, from vegan burgers in By Chloe to Nando’s, Ask, Byron, and more. There is also a discount village that features retailers, including Ted Baker, Joy, Lindt, and Guess.
The Tide
Also on the university’s doorstep is The Tide, London’s first-ever elevated riverside linear park.
This 1-mile plus swirl of raised, landscaped walkways and sunken parks runs from the Peninsula Square and along the riverside. Said to be longer than the High Line in New York, The Tide is lined with native trees, grasses, and wildflowers.
Enjoy a sunbath on one of the wooden sun loungers between classes or wander in one of the parks and sit and watch the world go by.
Flooded with bright lights, the peninsula is ideal to get some creative inspiration. Marvel in the ingenuity of Damien Hurst’s Mermaid sculpture and work from a host of other artists, including a sculpted redhead, giant serpents, and more.
Transportation
Just a 15-minute tube ride from the heart of bustling central London, the area is also supported by excellent transport links. Tube stations are within a five minutes’ walk from the university, while Stratford International station is also close.
Studying at Ravensbourne University
A digital media and design university, Ravensbourne University London is the definitive destination for studying the latest innovative digital media and design courses in the United Kingdom.
This is partly down to its outstanding facilities, unrivalled location, and high calibre of its teaching. The university was rewarded for its outstanding teaching with the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Silver Award. It was in the top 20 in the European Union and the top 10 in the UK for Art & Design of the 2022 QS World University Rankings by Subject.
Creative courses
The courses offered by the institution are some of the most exciting and innovative in the country.
Ravensbourne offers courses in music production for media and sound design, television and broadcasting, interactive product design, fashion, architecture and environment design, animation, graphic design, and moving images.
Its academic program is a perfect indication of how much of a specialist, industry-focused university Ravensbourne is. The range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses offered are designed to meet a range of creative interests, helping its students to transform their passions into real-world skills.
Expert staff and industry connections
The university’s academic staff are highly regarded academics, many of them experts with years of experience working for industry powerhouses, including Walt Disney Studios, Vogue, and the BBC.
The university collaborates with the creative and digital industries to equip its students with the practical skills they need to kick-start their careers and better excel in the workplace.
It’s commended for its practice-based approach to learning through activities such as innovative industry projects, which regularly appear in the media. In 2020, Ravensbourne was featured in Forbes for an interactive online game it created to showcase its graduates’ collection. It has also appeared in other major newspapers, including The Telegraph, The Big Issue, and Jisc.
A diverse university
Ravensbourne is as diverse as the city it occupies, and the industries it partners with.
The university gladly welcomes students from all over the world. With students from over 100 different nationalities enrolled, it’s renowned for its commitment to recruiting from a diverse range of backgrounds.
The university remains united by a strong desire to change the world through creativity and innovation. It’s that openness, big ambitions, a strong reputation, plus high graduate employment rates that make Ravensbourne University such an enticing draw for international students.
Employability
A high percentage of Ravensbourne graduates are in employment or further study within six months of graduating. Many of them become leading professionals in the creative industry thanks to its extensive industry partnerships. The university maintains close working relationships with industry leaders, paving the way for access to a wealth of work placement opportunities for its students.
Notable alumni
Ravensbourne has a strong track record in producing top creative talent that makes waves across their professions, including music legend David Bowie, fashion designer Stella McCartney, 2012 Olympic torch designer Jay Osgerby, and Simon Egan and Gareth Unwin, producers of the Oscar-winning film The King’s Speech.
Award-winning facilities
Ravensbourne’s purpose-built campus offers excellent digital resources, providing a state-of-the-art environment for learning. Swathed in a mosaic of 28,000 gleaming tiles, the campus is a standout on the Greenwich Peninsula. Bold, unique, stylish, and built for 21st-century learning, it perfectly encapsulates what Ravensbourne is about.
Ravensbourne University London student life
Ravensbourne University London is a community that is bursting with creativity. It’s where like-minded people connect, ideas collide, and disciplines combine to inspire brave creativity.
The university has put several support mechanisms in place to ensure students have the best academic and social experience.
Students’ Union
The Ravensbourne Students’ Union (RSU) is the voice of the students representing them on all matters affecting their education and personal life.
The union is run by students, for students, and promotes general student welfare, coordinates a busy calendar full of social, cultural, and athletic activities and events, and even negotiates discounts and offers with local retailers on students’ behalf.
With campaigns such as Go Green Week, Fairtrade Fortnight, Children in Need, Freshers’ celebrations, Sports Relief, and Mental Health Day, expect plenty of on and off-campus events throughout each school year.
Clubs and Societies
Meet like-minded people through the union’s wide range of clubs and societies, including the Christian Union, LGBT+ Society, Film Society, Fencing Society, Asian Society, Latin Society, Trust in Dance, Product Design, and Beauty Society.
Health and wellbeing
At Ravensbourne, you’ll get support with everything you need to overcome any struggle you might encounter during your time at the university. If you do, reach out to dedicated teams such as the Student Counsellor Service for free, expert and confidential help.
Paid student jobs
If you want to earn some cash during your uni years, Ravensbourne offers paid job opportunities within the university. Tap into the university’s jobs portal, careers fair, or the student ambassador programme to find part-time work.
Tailored careers service
Ravensbourne prides itself on its industry connections and on preparing its students for successful careers. The university’s tailored careers service provides its students with all the tools they need to excel in their professional careers. Each area of study has a dedicated student liaison officer that will provide career advice.
Off-campus
With the O2 just a few minutes from Ravensbourne, you won’t have to go far off campus for some fun time.
From scaling the dizzying heights of Up at the O2, where you can walk on the O2’s roof, to the new trampoline park, there’s always something to do close to campus.
The Indigo hosts some of the biggest club nights and gigs in London. Enjoy up to 70% off your favourite brands at the Icon Outlet.
For a fascinating time capsule into the history and importance of Greenwich, visit the National Maritime Museum, Royal Observatory Greenwich, or the Peter Harrison Planetarium.
And when it’s time to venture further afield, Central London is just 15 minutes away via the London Underground.
History of Ravensbourne University London
Ravensbourne University was established in 1962 when the Bromley College of Art (founded in 1878) merged with the Beckenham School of Art and the Sidcup School of Art. After the merger, the new institution was named the Ravensbourne College of Art and Design and it started offering higher-level courses in the 1960s.
During the 1970s, it was amongst the earliest institutions to be approved by the then Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) to convert the traditional Diploma programmes in Art and Design into honours degrees.
In 1965, the college moved to Rookery Lane in Bromley Common. Later, as the college expanded, the institution moved most of its operations to a purpose-built building on 18 acres of private parkland on Walden Road in Chislehurst in 1975.
The college was renamed Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication after cutting the Fine Art course due to the National Advisory Body for Local Authority Higher Education’s demand for a 10% cut in higher education spending across the sector in 1983.
In April 1989, Ravensbourne became a Higher Education Corporation. Three years later, following the demise of the CNAA, Ravensbourne entered into a validating partnership with the Royal College of Art, which ceased when the Royal College of Art withdrew from offering collaborative provisions.
In 1996, the college was recognised as an affiliate College of the University of Sussex and was re-recognised in 2002. Between 2009 and 2012, Ravensbourne’s undergraduate and postgraduate courses were validated by City University, London. The University of the Arts London then became the validating partner In June 2013.
Ravensbourne was then granted the right to award its own degrees in August 2017 before gaining full university status in 2018 and becoming Ravensbourne University London.
In 2019, Ravensbourne began validating courses at the City and Guilds of London Art School.
Frequently asked questions about private university accommodation near Ravensbourne University London
How can I book student accommodation near Ravensbourne University London on Student.com?
You can book a student accommodation near Ravensbourne University London on our website in a very simple way. You can use our search filters and map feature to pick the student residence you like the most from our many options. After making your choice, go to the property page by clicking ‘View rooms’.
On the property page you’ll need to choose the type of room you’d like to live in. When you’ve chosen, click ‘Enquire’ or ‘Book Now.’ You’ll then be asked to leave your contact details and one of our booking consultants will contact you shortly. They’ll answer any questions you may still have and take you through the next steps of the booking process when you’re ready to book.
Why should I book private student accommodation rather than live in Ravensbourne University halls?
Ravensbourne University London does not have its own halls, so if you’ll be studying at Ravensbourne, you’ll need to find private accommodation.
That’s not bad news though, as private accommodation has many benefits over university halls. One of the most notable benefits is that you can choose your room type freely. While at uni halls of residence you’ll typically have to share a room with a flatmate, with private accommodation you can freely choose between shared or private rooms.
Another great benefit is that you can choose to live in any part of London you want. Whether you want to live right next to your campus in Greenwich, in the city centre, or any other part of the city, we have options available all over London.
Many modern purpose-built student accommodations (PBSAs) also have excellent amenities on offer for the students who live there. So when you book private student housing, you can end up living in a place with things like its own in-house gym, cinema room, games room and dedicated study spaces.
What are the different room types you offer?
Our student accommodation in London has three different types of rooms you can choose from:
Shared Room – This room type accommodates two people in the same bedroom. Bathrooms, kitchens, and other facilities are also shared.
Private Room – In this room type you get a private bedroom. Depending on the property and the exact room you choose, your bathroom may be either private or shared. Other facilities are shared with tenants from other rooms.
Entire Place – This is a fully self-contained studio property with fully private facilities. You’ll have your own bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette and won’t have to share anything. The perfect choice if you love your privacy!
Do you offer accommodation for international students and exchange students?
Absolutely! As long as you are a full-time student, you can book any student accommodation listed on Student.com.
Are bills included in the rent?
This depends on the property. In London most of the properties we list have all bills included, but this isn’t always the case. You can look for properties that have bills included by using the filters at the top of this page.
You can also see what bills, if any, are included at each housing option at that property’s property page by clicking on ‘View rooms’.
Are the apartments fully furnished?
About 80% of the apartments we currently list in London are rented furnished. You can find the furnished apartments by selecting the filter ‘Furnished available’.
Can I see the property before moving in?
Many of our London properties have an excellent array of photos, videos and even virtual tours on the property pages, so even if you can’t see the property before moving in, you can still get a good idea of what your new home will look like.
However, if you feel more comfortable seeing the place before moving in, and you can get to London before your move-in date, you can always contact us and our booking consultants will be happy to arrange a viewing for you!