Welcome King’s Freshers! As a new student at King’s, you have probably clicked onto this post hoping to make some sense of the myriad of buildings sprawled across London. Fear not – we've got you covered with this guide to our campuses. Each campus has its own vibe and plenty of spots to chill, study and hang out. Let’s dive in! 

 

Strand Campus 

Strand Campus, right in the heart of London along the River Thames, is one of KCL's oldest and most iconic spots. It’s home to the Arts & Humanities, Law, Social Science & Public Policy faculties, and the King’s Business School. 

Key Buildings and Facilities 

• King's Building: The historic centrepiece of the campus. Head to the 7th floor for a great view of the river! 

• Maughan Library: A stunning library in a former public records office, perfect for some serious study time. It even has a 700-year old chapel you can visit! 

• Bush House: Recently revamped, it’s a hub for student activities with modern study spaces, cafes, and its own GP. 

 Hangout Spots 

• The Vault: A cool student bar in the basement of Bush House, great for meeting friends or unwinding after lectures. 

• Somerset House Courtyard: Just next door, a lovely place to relax, especially when the fountains are on in summer, or the ice rink is up in winter. 

• Chapters Cafe: In King’s building. Equipped with booths and lots of space for you to sprawl out with your computer in between classes 

• Roots Plant Based Cafe: 8th Floor of Bush House South Wing. A fully vegan cafe on the 8th Floor of Bush House that is lesser used than some of the other food outlets, meaning you can stay there all day and not feel bad for taking up lots of space. Plus, in the summertime there is a rooftop terrace that overlooks the river and all of the iconic buildings central London has to offer! 

• The Shack: KCLSU’s resident cafe at Strand Campus. There’s always something going on here, whether it is a vintage clothes sale or a plant sale! Plus the cafe has some of the best brownies in London. You can visit the Shack on the ground floor of South East wing of Bush House. 

• The Meadow: on the 8th Floor of Bush House South-East wing. Equipped with bean bags, a microwave, fridge, water cooler and kettles (everything you could possibly need with an amazing view!) 

For a list of food outlets and places you can eat on Strand Campus, take a look at the university’s guide here. There are so many other hangout spots you can visit, so make sure to explore to find hidden places to chillout! 

 

• The Lower Loft: A quiet place in Bush House South East Wing (7th Floor) to focus, complete with microwaves and kettles. 

• Spots between lecture theatres and seminar rooms in Bush House: Many of the common areas in between classrooms have booths you can set up and study in. These are super convenient if you are waiting for a class! 

• The Maughan Library: The library’s 11 floors provide a variety of different spaces for you to study 

• Any of the cafes: If you prefer a more informal study space, it’s very common for students to sit in one of the cafe’s on campus to work there 

 

Guy's Campus 

Overview 

Located near London Bridge, Guy’s Campus is the heart of health sciences at King’s, home to the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine and the Dental Institute. 

Key Buildings and Facilities 

• Guy's Hospital: One of the largest teaching hospitals in the UK. 

• Hodgkin Building: Central for lectures and seminars. 

• New Hunt’s House: Home to the library and a cafe. 

• Henriette Raphael Building: Houses several food outlets and another cafe.  

Hangout Spots 

• The Shed: A cosy café with great coffee and snacks, perfect for breaks between classes. 

• Guy's Bar: The on-campus bar, a favourite for socialising and events. 

• Guy’s Colonnade courtyard: an outside green spot for you to sit and chill with a book or on your phone. 

• Every Tuesday the Quad turns into a food lover’s paradise with the Farmers Market! Get your taste buds ready for artisan pastas, sizzling paellas and mouthwatering cakes. 

Study Spaces 

• New Hunt’s House Library: Popular for study sessions with plenty of seating options. 

• Wills Library in Hodgkin Building: Offers a quieter, more vintage study environment. 

• Shepherd's House: Shepherd's House is home to several computer labs and study spaces. If you’re studying nursing or dentistry, you'll find specialised skills labs here that are purpose-built for your training. 

 

Waterloo Campus

Just across the river from the Strand, the Waterloo Campus focuses on health and life sciences, including nursing and midwifery, and is home to the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care. 

Key Buildings and Facilities 

• Franklin-Wilkins Building: The main hub with lecture theatres, seminar rooms, and study spaces. 

• James Clerk Maxwell Building: Additional classrooms and science facilities.  

Hangout and study Spots 

Waterloo Campus is a bit smaller than some of the others we have mentioned, but not to worry! You should be able to find seating dotted about the campus, as well as in the Bytes Cafe inside Franklin Wilkins Building. For studying, check out the library in FWB! 

  

Denmark Hill Campus 

Overview 

Located in South London, Denmark Hill is primarily dedicated to the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) and the faculties of medicine and dentistry. 

Key Buildings and Facilities 

• Main Building: Central to IoPPN, with various research facilities and study spaces. 

• Weston Education Centre: Home to lecture theatres, seminar rooms, and a library. 

• Maudsley Hospital: A leading psychiatric hospital linked with IoPPN. 

• King’s College Hospital: Another hospital linked to King’s, where you may be sent for placements 

Hangout and Study Spots 

• The IoPPN Café: A great spot for coffee and catching up with friends. 

• WEC Restuarant: This Weston Education Centre cafeteria is buzzing around lunchtime, and is a great place to meet others who are based on Denmark Hill Campus. 

• KCLSU Hubs: This lesser known spot has plenty of comfy seats for you to chill out. There is also a ping pong table free to use for all students! 

 

Conclusion  

Each of King's College London's campuses offers a unique experience and a ton of resources to support your academic journey. Get to know the key buildings, find your favourite hangout spots, and enjoy everything KCL has to offer. Happy exploring and welcome to King’s!