KCL Campus Differences: What You Need to Know About King's College London Locations

When people talk about King's College London, a major university in central London with multiple campuses, each serving different academic focuses and student experiences. Also known as KCL, it’s not one single campus — it’s a network of distinct locations across the city, each with its own rhythm, vibe, and purpose. If you’re thinking about studying here, or just curious why some students swear by Strand while others never leave Guy’s, you’re not alone. The differences aren’t just about geography — they shape your daily life, who you meet, and even how you study.

Take the Strand Campus, the historic heart of KCL, located along the Thames near Covent Garden and the City. Also known as the main campus, it’s where you’ll find law, humanities, and business students. The buildings are old, grand, and full of character — think marble staircases and Victorian arches. It’s the most touristy spot, but also the most social. You’ll bump into people from every department here, and the cafes buzz from morning till late. This is where the university’s public face lives. Then there’s the Guy’s Campus, a hub for medical, dental, and health sciences, built around a hospital complex in Southwark. Also known as the medical campus, it’s quieter, more clinical, and smells faintly of coffee and disinfectant. If you’re studying medicine or nursing, this is your world — labs, lecture halls, and hospital wards are all steps away. The student body here is intense, focused, and often exhausted. You won’t find many tourists here, but you’ll find the most serious learners. And then there’s Waterloo Campus, a modern, glass-and-steel zone near the South Bank, home to engineering, math, and some social sciences. Also known as the tech campus, it’s sleek, functional, and packed with labs and computer rooms. It feels more like a corporate research center than a traditional university. Students here are often buried in code or data, and the walk to the Tube is longer, but the coffee is better. Each campus has its own library, its own canteen, its own crowd. You might think you’re just moving between buildings, but you’re really switching cultures.

Don’t forget the smaller ones — the Denmark Hill Campus for health sciences, or the St Thomas’ Campus, right next to the London Eye, where nursing and midwifery students train in a real hospital. None of these places feel the same. Your timetable decides where you spend most of your time, but your experience? That’s shaped by the campus itself. If you’re choosing a course, don’t just look at the syllabus — look at the map. Where will you be five days a week? Will you be in a 19th-century lecture hall or a glass-walled lab? Will you grab lunch near a market or next to a hospital entrance? Those details matter more than you think.

Below, you’ll find real stories and guides from students who’ve lived these differences — from navigating the Tube between Guy’s and Waterloo, to finding the quietest study spots at Strand, to surviving finals week at Denmark Hill. No fluff. Just what it’s actually like.