Educational System

The London educational system is one of the finest in the world and has the largest student body when it is directly compared to any other British city. London schools can also boast an overseas student body that is one of the largest in the world.

The University of London is comprised of twelve institutes and nineteen colleges as well as an External System for distance-learning. With a student body exceeding 120,000 students this federal university is one of the largest in Europe and second only to the distance education Open University in the United Kingdom.

Although all of the schools and institutes are under the umbrella of the University of London, the schools themselves are more or less stand alone educational facilities with control over admissions and degree programmes. Until the 2007/2008 school year, graduates of any University of London school were awarded degrees from the University of London. It was in the 2007/2008 year that University College London, King’s College London, the London School of Economics and the Institute of Education began awarding their own degrees to graduates although they are still considered part of the University of London educational system.

One of the most prestigious London educational institutes under the University of London is without question the Royal Academy of Music. It is the oldest educational institute granting degrees in music in Britain and became part of the University of London in 1999. Founded by Lord Burghersh with aid from Nicolas Bochsa, a French composer and harpist, in 1822, King George IV granted the Academy Royal Charter in 1830. The Academy is also a registered charity under English law.

Offering an excellent Junior Academy for those under the age of 18 every Saturday, students of the senior Academy can receive degrees ranging from the LRAM diploma to a Ph.D. Located in Central London next to Regent Park, the Academy is an extremely desirable school for students who want to study music.

The William Booth College was founded as a memorial to William Booth who founded the Salvation Army. Its focus is on training and inspiring Salvation Army officers as well as youth workers and local church leaders to serve God’s purpose. Offering a wide variety of courses on a variety of subjects from mathematics and English to computer sciences, this London educational institute also offers funding for those that qualify. With a broad base of campuses and tutors available, the William Booth College is a great option for those without the means to go to a university, need basic university preparation courses or want to continue their education in their adult years.