King's College London

King's College London, often called King's or KCL, is a public research university in London, England. It was founded in 1829 by royal charter under the support of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, it became one of the first two colleges of the University of London, making it one of the oldest universities in England.

Over the years, King's grew through many mergers, adding schools and institutes like Queen Elizabeth College and the Institute of Psychiatry. Today, it has five main campuses in London, including the historic Strand Campus and others near the Thames River. The university is organized into nine faculties with many departments and research centers.

King's is very well known for its work in medical research and education. It is the largest center in Europe for graduate medical studies and has the world's first nursing school. The university is part of important groups like the Russell Group and works closely with other leading research centers. In 2024, King Charles III reaffirmed his support as the university's royal patron. Many famous people, including Nobel Prize winners and leaders from around the world, have studied or worked at King's.

History

Main article: History of King's College London

Foundation

King's College was founded in 1829. It was named to honor King George IV. The college started because there was a debate about another school called "London University," which wanted to teach people without focusing on religion. King's College was created to keep traditional values.

19th century

King's College opened its doors in 1831. It had two parts: one for older students and one for younger students called King's College School. The school grew quickly and moved to a new place in 1897.

20th century

During World War II, the college buildings were used to help keep the city safe. Famous scientists worked at King's and helped discover the structure of DNA.

21st century

In 2006, King's got the right to give its own degrees. In 2019, it became officially recognized as a university but still stays part of the University of London. In 2026, plans were announced to merge with another university, which would make it one of the largest universities in the UK.

Campus

King's College London has five main campuses in central London. The largest is on the Strand in the City of Westminster, which includes Bush House. The Waterloo Campus is nearby on the southern side of the River Thames. The Guy's Campus, which focuses on science, is close to London Bridge. St. Thomas' Campus is in Lambeth, and the Denmark Hill Campus is in Southwark.

The Strand Campus is the original home of King's. It features the historic King's Building, built in 1831, and includes many important buildings for studying arts, law, sciences, and more. The Guy's Campus is next to The Shard and Guy's Hospital, and it focuses on life sciences and medicine. The Waterloo Campus has large buildings for nursing, social sciences, and dental studies. St Thomas' Campus is at St Thomas' Hospital and includes a museum. The Denmark Hill Campus houses important research facilities.

Organisation and administration

Governance

King's College London has a special role called "President and Principal of the University." This person is in charge of making sure the university runs well and achieves its goals. The current leader uses the title "Vice-Chancellor and President." There are also other important leaders who help manage different areas like education, research, and finances.

The council is the main group that governs King's College London. It has up to 20 members, including students, staff, and outside members. The council makes big decisions for the university.

The academic board is another important group. It is responsible for the teaching, learning, and research at the university. The board includes many professors, staff, and students who help make decisions about academic matters.

Faculties and departments

In the past, King's College London had five main departments. Today, it has nine faculties, including arts and humanities, business, dentistry, law, life sciences and medicine, natural sciences, nursing, psychiatry, and social science.

Faculty of arts and humanities

This faculty is located in central London and works with many cultural places like Shakespeare's Globe and the Royal Academy of Music. It was formed in 1989 by combining arts, music, and theology.

Faculty of dentistry, oral and craniofacial sciences

This faculty focuses on dental health and care. It started in 1799 and has grown over time by combining different dental schools.

Faculty of life sciences and medicine

This faculty was created in 2014 by combining medicine and biomedical sciences. It includes schools for medical education and bioscience education.

Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience

This institute studies mental health and brain diseases. It was originally established in 1924 and joined King's College London in 1997.

Dickson Poon School of Law

Law has been taught at King's since 1831. The law school includes many research centers for studying different legal topics.

Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences

This faculty includes departments for chemistry, engineering, informatics, mathematics, and physics. Teaching in these subjects has a long history at King's.

Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care

This faculty was founded by Florence Nightingale in 1860. It trains nurses and midwives and also does research in nursing and palliative care.

Faculty of social science and public policy

This faculty includes schools for politics, education, global affairs, and security studies. It also has a unique department for war studies.

King's Business School

King's Business School was established in 1989 and became a faculty in 2017. It has received top ratings for its programs.

Finances

In 2024, King's College London had a total income of over one billion pounds. This comes from student fees, government grants, research funding, investments, and donations. The university also has significant endowments and assets.

Coat of arms

The university's coat of arms features symbols from its history and traditions. The current design was officially granted in 1995 and includes elements from mergers with other colleges.

Affiliations and partnerships

King's College London is part of many important groups and partnerships. It is one of the founding colleges of the University of London and a member of the Russell Group of research universities. The university also works closely with hospitals and other universities around the world for research and education.

Academic profile

Admissions

In the 2024/25 school year, King's College London had 40,870 students. This included 23,200 students studying for their first degrees and 17,670 students studying for higher degrees. The school is known for being very selective, with most students having very good grades from their earlier schooling.

Teaching

The school year at King's starts in late September and ends in early June. Different departments have different schedules, but most follow either a two-part or three-part year.

Graduation

Graduation events happen two times a year, in January and again in June or July. Most events are held at a big hall near the school's Waterloo Campus. Medical students graduate at a special church nearby.

Research

In 2023/24, the school spent about £256.9 million on research. This money came from government grants, companies, charities, and other sources around the world.

Medicine

King's is one of the biggest places in Europe for learning about health care. It has hospitals and special schools for dentists, nurses, and doctors. The school also does important research to help find new medical treatments.

Libraries

The Maughan Library is the biggest library at King's. It has many books and special collections, including very old and rare items. There are also many smaller libraries around the school, each with books for different subjects.

Museums, galleries and collections

King's has two museums that are not open to the public. The Gordon Museum has many medical items, and the Museum of Life Sciences has old science and medicine collections. There is also a free science centre on the school’s campus where anyone can visit exhibitions and events.

Reputation and ranking

King's College London is very well known around the world. It often ranks near the top in many subjects, like health studies, law, and psychology. Many big companies look for graduates from King's because they know the students are well trained and ready to work.

Student life

Students' union

King's College London Union Society began in 1873. It was reorganized in 1905 to include common rooms, student clubs, and entertainment. By 1908, it took over the athletics club and other social activities, becoming the students' union.

Today, as King's College London Students' Union (KCLSU), it offers many activities and services. These include over 50 sports clubs, more than 300 activity groups, and bars and cafes.

Reggie the Lion is the official mascot of the students' union. There are four Reggies in total. The original is displayed at the Union's Bush House base. A papier-mâché Reggie is outside the Great Hall, and another guards the entrance of a common room. A small sterling silver Reggie is used at graduation ceremonies.

Student media

KCLSU Student Media won an award in 2014 and was among the top three student media in the country.

Roar News is a newspaper for students at King's, owned and funded by KCLSU. It is independent and has a popular website read worldwide. In 2014, it won several awards.

KCL Radio, the radio station of KCLSU, began in 2009 as a podcast producer. It started live broadcasting in 2011 and now offers over 45 hours of live programming each week. The station includes news, music, entertainment, debate, sports, and live performances.

Other student media groups include the King's College London Film Society, student television station KingsTV, and the photographic society KCLSU PhotoSoc.

Sports

There are over 60 sports clubs at King's, many competing in the University of London and British Universities & Colleges leagues.

The annual Macadam Cup, named after a KCL alumnus, is a competition between King's and the Guy's, King's and St. Thomas' School of Medicine. It has been held since 2005.

King's Sport, a partnership between King's College London and KCLSU, manages all sports activities and facilities. It runs fitness centers and sports grounds in different locations.

Societies and organisations

In addition to sports clubs, King's College London Students' Union has around 300 other societies and groups for various activities.

Student-led think tank

After student demonstrations in 2010, King's students founded London's first student-led think tank, King's Think Tank. With over 2000 members, it is the largest in Europe. The group organizes lectures and discussions on policy issues and helps students share ideas with politicians and others. Each May, it publishes a journal of policy recommendations called The Spectrum.

Music

King's has many music groups, including a cappella ensembles, orchestras, choirs, and jazz societies. The Choir of King's College London regularly appears on radio and makes recordings.

All the King's Men, an all-male a cappella group, won a competition in 2012.

Rivalry with University College London

Competition between King's and University College London is strong. In the early 1900s, their rivalry focused on mascots. University College had a wooden Highlander, while King's had a giant beer bottle. Later, King's introduced Reggie the Lion, who debuted in 1923. Today, the rivalry is mostly friendly, centered around sports and mascot activities.

Rivalry with the London School of Economics

In December 2005, students from the London School of Economics caused damage to King's. The LSE Students' Union later apologized and agreed to pay for repairs.

Student residences

King's has 14 halls of residence in central London. The university guarantees housing for new students who apply by certain dates. There is also a scheme for affordable housing.

The Champion Hill residence has been empty since 2020 due to fire safety concerns. Work is being done to refurbish it.

A new residence in Battersea opened in September 2024, with 452 rooms, some of which are affordable.

Notable people

See also: List of alumni of King's College London and List of Nobel laureates by university affiliation

Many famous people have studied or worked at King's College London. In science, alumni include Peter Higgs, who won a Nobel Prize for his work on the Higgs boson, and Sir Michael Houghton, who won a Nobel Prize in Medicine. Other well-known alumni are writer Virginia Woolf, musician John Deacon from the band Queen, and actor Greer Garson.

The university has also educated leaders from around the world, including heads of state and government from countries like Cyprus, Jordan, and the Seychelles. Famous teachers at King's include James Clerk Maxwell, known for his work in physics, and Joseph Lister, who helped make surgery safer.

See also: Category:Academics of King's College London

In popular culture

Film and television settings

King's College London's beautiful buildings have been used in many movies and TV shows. The main entrance was used to show old London in the movie The Importance of Being Earnest from 2002. The East Wing appeared in films like Wilde and The Duchess.

The Maughan Library has been a popular spot for filming. It was used in movies such as Johnny English, The Imitation Game, and V for Vendetta. A scene from the Netflix movie Enola Holmes was also filmed at the library's gate.

Part of Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code was set in the library's Round Reading Room, though the movie was not filmed there.

In 1979, the Greenwood Theatre at Guy's Medical School (now King's GKT Medical School) was the first home of the BBC's Question Time programme. In 2018, Question Time returned there for the last show hosted by David Dimbleby.