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Student life at LCF

Group of diverse young adults interacting cheerfully while selecting snacks at a modern self-service café counter. The display features baskets filled with colorful packaged treats, fresh apples, muffins, and granola bars. One woman in a beige sweater enthusiastically points at an item, while others smile and look on, creating a vibrant atmosphere of community and casual social engagement. Industrial-style ceiling ducts and modern lighting enhance the urban café aesthetic.
Group of diverse young adults interacting cheerfully while selecting snacks at a modern self-service café counter. The display features baskets filled with colorful packaged treats, fresh apples, muffins, and granola bars. One woman in a beige sweater enthusiastically points at an item, while others smile and look on, creating a vibrant atmosphere of community and casual social engagement. Industrial-style ceiling ducts and modern lighting enhance the urban café aesthetic.
Students at East Banks in the 10th floor Canteen. Photography by Paul Cochrane.

London College of Fashion (LCF), UAL is an open, welcoming community where students and staff come together with a shared passion and understanding of the impact fashion can have. With over 5,500 students from more than 100 countries, our community is full of diverse cultures, backgrounds and perspectives. So, no matter who you are or where you're from, you’ll be welcome.

Studying at university is a big step, but at LCF we want to make it an unforgettable experience. Throughout your studies, we’ll challenge you to push yourself, create exciting, powerful work and carve out your path into your future career in the fashion industry.

London is a city full of variety and character, and studying here gives you the chance to explore a place rich in history, culture, and new experiences. Whether you're sightseeing along the River Thames, sampling the city’s buzzing live music scene, or enjoying the vibrant food culture, there's always something to do.

From our home at East Bank, the UK’s newest cultural quarter at the heart of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, we’re forging partnerships, opening up opportunities, and creating connections with east London’s schools, community and industry.

Students sitting in LCF's East Bank canteen on the 10th floor. Photography by Paul Cochrane.
A student adjusting a holographic green and blue jacket on a gray mannequin inside a modern design studio or fashion workspace. The room features organized storage bins, sewing tools, fabric racks with garments covered in plastic, and minimalist wooden and metal furniture. The scene highlights the creative process of garment fitting and apparel construction in a professional studio environment.
Tejaswini Sood, MA Fashion Futures student in the Digital Learning Lab, LCF. Photography by Ben Turner.
Exhibition space featuring a Royal Enfield motorcycle and a red and white racing jacket on a mannequin, both displayed against a vivid red wall. The motorcycle has a custom blue, orange, and black design, while the jacket prominently displays
Fashioning Frequencies Exhibition at East Bank. Photography by Mitsi Moulson.

Enhancing your studies

Life in the classroom will look different for each student, depending on their course and area of study. However, whatever path you choose, you’ll have access to facilities designed to enhance your learning and support your creative development. Each course has its own structure for contact hours, which may include lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops, practical demonstrations, or talks from industry professionals. Outside of these scheduled sessions, you’ll be expected to work independently, developing projects individually or in groups, while making use of our facilities and the expertise of our Specialist Technicians to bring your ideas to life.

Collaboration is central to the fashion industry, and your studies will reflect that. You'll be encouraged and challenged to work with fellow students, both within your course and across the wider College, helping you develop teamwork skills and experience the way real fashion projects operate. By sharing ideas and working together, you’ll shape not only your own work but also inspire the creative work of those around you.

Outside the classroom

Your university experience shouldn’t begin and end in the classroom, and at LCF we want to give you an unforgettable time. Welcome Week marks the beginning of your journey with us, where you'll be introduced to everything that makes LCF unique. You’ll connect with students from across the College and form a community of future fashion experts that could last well beyond your time here. Don’t be nervous; everyone is in the same position, so get stuck in!

At East Bank, we’re lucky to have a Cultural Programme of events, digital experiences and exhibitions that are open to all students and the public, giving you valuable inspiration right on your doorstep. Throughout the building, you'll find a range of social spaces designed to help you connect, build community, and feel a sense of belonging with your peers. Student Hubs are on floors 4, 6 and 8 at our East Bank campus with kitchen facilities, seating and amazing views of London. Our Canteen on the 10th floor turns into a bar in the evening, making it the perfect place to relax after a day of studies, and Benugo Café on the ground floor is great for a quick coffee and a catch-up.

Modern urban landscape featuring the University of the Arts London (UAL) campus building in Stratford, with prominent signage from the BBC and Sadler’s Wells Theatre. The tall UAL structure is clad in glass and concrete with large grid-style windows, while adjacent buildings include the BBC studio with black and white logo panels and the angular brick facade of Sadler’s Wells East theatre. The architectural setting includes a wide pedestrian plaza, tiered steps, landscaping with trees, and surrounding high-rise apartment buildings. The distant skyline features construction cranes and the curved roof of the London Aquatics Centre.
East Bank. Photography by Paul Cochrane.
Varsity 2025, Mixed Volleyball. Photography by Arts SU.

Stratford

East Bank sits on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the site of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics in Stratford, east London. The area has seen significant regeneration over the last few years and is now a bustling area home to world-class music, cultural events and a wealth of leisure facilities. Our home at East Bank is opposite Stratford Waterfront, and we are surrounded by green spaces, allowing you to take a walk or a bike ride (or even a pedalo!) to get outside and experience a different side of London.

Our neighbours include BBC Music Studios, V&A East, and Sadler’s Wells East - offering rich cultural experiences and exciting opportunities for collaboration as part of your student journey. Just a short walk from East Bank, you’ll find restaurants, cinemas, cafés and bars, sports facilities, bowling alleys, and Westfield Stratford City, home to over 200 high street shops (don’t forget to check out our student discounts). We're also only a riverside stroll away from vibrant Hackney, and with excellent transport links, exploring everything London has to offer is easy.

Arts Students' Union

As a student at LCF, you’ll automatically be a member of the Arts Students’ Union (or Arts SU for short). This organisation is separate from the University and is there to enhance your time with us and support you. They run a range of events and activities throughout the year, from creative workshops to fundraising and showcases to cultural celebrations. Engaging with Arts SU is a great way to meet like-minded people, try out new activities, and make even more friends.

Play a sport or want to try something new? Arts SU runs a range of sports clubs with everything from hockey and rugby to surfing and jiu jitsu on offer. You don’t need to have any experience to get involved and try something that might become your new obsession. If sport isn’t your thing, they also run a number of academic, cultural, political, faith and environmental societies. There’s something for everyone, from the Taylor Swift Society to the Animanga Society. If you really can’t find something you want to get involved in, the Arts SU can help you set up your own society or even Buddy up!

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