London South Bank University (LSBU) is a public university in Elephant and Castle, London. It is based in the London Borough of Southwark, near the South Bank of the River Thames, from which it takes its name. Founded in 1892 as the Borough Polytechnic Institute, it achieved university status in 1992 under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992.
In September 2003, the university underwent its most recent name change to become London South Bank University (LSBU) and has since opened several new centres including the School of Health and Social Care, the Centre for Efficient and Renewable Energy in Buildings (CEREB), a new Student Centre, an Enterprise Centre, and a new media centre Elephant Studios. The university has 16,840 students and 1,700 staff.
In November 2016, the university was named the Entrepreneurial University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards. In the inaugural 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework, London South Bank University was awarded a Silver rating and maintained the rating in the 2023 assessment.
Local Community Integrity
Moving to a new city can be daunting. Based on official Government data, here is the demographic reality of the tight-knit neighbourhood immediately surrounding South West.
Community Safety1/10
Relative safety and crime rates
GP & Healthcare Access3/10
Proximity and access to local GPs
Air Quality6/10
Local air quality and emissions
Housing Quality3/10
Condition of local housing stock
Economic Health4/10
Local income and poverty levels
Overall Deprivation3/10
UK Indices of Multiple Deprivation
*Data represents the Lower Super Output Area (LSOA) indices immediately contiguous to the campus perimeter.
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What Students Say
★★★★★
The curriculum is highly engaging. An impressive 71% of students found this course to be consistently intellectually stimulating.
★★★★☆
Marking and assessment is viewed as largely fair, with 57% of cohorts agreeing exams and essays were graded appropriately.
★★★★★
Academic support is accessible; 64% of students stated good advice was readily available when evaluating their module options.
★★★★☆
Course organization structure is perfectly solid. Over 71% say the timetables were well-organized and running smoothly.
★★★★★
The community feel here is incredible. 92% of students agreed that they truly feel part of a community of staff and students.
★★★★★
The Students' Union does a massive amount of work here. 57% of us feel they effectively represent our academic interests.
Student Living Costs
London
Est. Annual Total
£13,800
*Based on NatWest Student Index
Monthly Breakdown£1,150
Rent£850
Groceries£150
Bills & Transport£150
Average Pint£6.50
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