London is a city where you can watch world-class tennis, stand in front of paintings by the greatest artists who ever lived, and see theatre that stays in your mind for years. If you want to study in London, you are choosing a city that never stops giving you new experiences.
This guide covers some of the best things to do in London for students, from tennis at Queen’s Club and Wimbledon, to art at the National Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum, to theatre in the West End. Whatever you love, London has something for you.
Tennis in London: Queen's Club and Wimbledon
If you love tennis, there is no better city in the world than London during the summer. Two of the most famous tennis events on the planet both happen here, just weeks apart. For students who want to study in London and also follow their passion for tennis, this is truly a dream.
Queen's Club Tennis: 6 June – 21 June
The Queen’s Club Championships is one of the most important grass-court tournaments in the world. It takes place every year at The Queen’s Club in West Kensington, and it is where the world’s best male players come to prepare for Wimbledon. The dates for 2025 are 6 June to 21 June.
If you study in London at Regent’s University London, which is based in the beautiful surroundings of Regent’s Park, you are living in one of the most well-connected parts of the city. Getting to Queen’s Club from central London is fast and easy by tube.
What makes Queen’s Club so special for students is that it is possible to get tickets more easily than Wimbledon. The atmosphere is close and personal. When you sit in the stands at Queen’s Club, you are not far from the players at all. You can see every shot, hear every sound, and really feel what high-level professional tennis looks like up close. This is something you simply cannot get from a television screen.
Students who study near Queen’s Club can also use the experience to improve their own game. Being close to top-level tennis, watching how the players move, how they think, how they handle pressure, is one of the best forms of education for any young tennis player. If you train tennis in your free time, being in London means you are at the centre of the world’s grass-court tennis season. You can watch the best players in the world and then go out and practice what you have seen.
Wimbledon: 29 June – 12 July
A few weeks later, the greatest tennis tournament in the world begins. Wimbledon runs from 29 June to 12 July, and it is one of those events that defines London. The All England Lawn Tennis Club, where Wimbledon is played, is located in SW19, close to University of Roehampton. Students who study at Roehampton are in an incredible position — Wimbledon is practically on their doorstep.
For a student who loves tennis and trains in their free time, studying near Wimbledon means you are at the very heart of the most famous tennis club in the world. Every summer, the area around Wimbledon comes alive with tennis fans from all over the globe. The energy is electric.
At Wimbledon, you may see Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner fighting for the title. You might even see living legends like Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer, two of the greatest players in tennis history. Wimbledon also attracts famous people from outside tennis, members of the royal family, including the Princess of Wales Catherine and Prince of Wales Wiliam, attend regularly. It is not just a tennis tournament. It is a cultural event, a London tradition, and an unforgettable experience.
For students who study in London, attending Wimbledon — even just once — is something you will remember your whole life.
Art in London: National Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum
London is one of the great art cities of the world. If you want to study art in London, you need inspiration, and London gives you inspiration everywhere you look. One of the best universities for art students is Goldsmiths, University of London, a world-famous institution that has produced some of the most important artists of the last fifty years.
The National Gallery
When you have a day off from studying, one of the best things to do in London is visit the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. Entry is free, and the collection is breathtaking. Walking through these rooms, you are surrounded by some of the most important paintings ever created.
For art students, the National Gallery is not just a nice day out. It is a classroom. When you stand in front of a real painting, not a photograph in a book, not an image on a screen, you see things you simply cannot see any other way. You see the brushstrokes. You see the texture. You feel the scale. After a visit to the National Gallery, you go back to your studio feeling full of new ideas.
Some of the works you can see at the National Gallery include:
Leonardo da Vinci: Leonardo is one of the greatest artists and thinkers who ever lived. At the National Gallery, you can see The Virgin of the Rocks, a mysterious and deeply beautiful painting that shows Leonardo’s genius for light, shadow, and human emotion. You can also see The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist, a large cartoon that shows his incredible skill with drawing.
Sandro Botticelli: Botticelli’s paintings are full of beauty and elegance. At the National Gallery, you can see Venus and Mars, a wonderful Renaissance work full of symbolism, and Mystic Nativity, one of the most unusual and personal paintings he ever created.
Vincent van Gogh: Van Gogh’s work needs no introduction. His painting Sunflowers at the National Gallery is one of the most famous paintings in the world. Seeing it in person is a completely different experience from any photograph. The yellow burns. The paint stands out from the canvas. It is alive in a way that photographs simply cannot capture. For any art student, standing in front of van Gogh’s Sunflowers is a moment that stays with you.
The National Gallery is one of the best free things to do in London, and for students who study art in London, it is essential.
The Victoria and Albert Museum
If you have already spent time at the National Gallery and want more, the next step is the Victoria and Albert Museum, known as the V&A, in South Kensington. The V&A is the world’s largest museum of art and design. It covers fashion, furniture, jewellery, ceramics, textiles, photography, and much more.
For art and design students, the V&A is an endless source of inspiration. The collections span centuries and continents. You can move from medieval European tapestries to Japanese samurai armour to twentieth-century fashion design all in one visit. The V&A is also known for its excellent temporary exhibitions, which bring new themes and new artists to the museum throughout the year.
If you study art in London, the V&A gives you a deeper understanding of how art and design connect to culture, history, and everyday life. It is one of the most inspiring things to do in London, and entry to the permanent collection is free.
Theatre in London: West End Performances
London’s West End is one of the greatest theatre destinations in the world. For students who want to understand British culture, and for students who dream of working in performance, London’s theatres offer experiences that are unlike anything else.
If you are studying acting or performance, perhaps at a university like the University of Westminster, going to the theatre regularly is part of your education. Watching great actors at work teaches you things that no classroom can. And in London, the standard of live performance is simply extraordinary.
The Woman in Black
One of the most iconic productions in London theatre is The Woman in Black, which has been running in the West End for decades. This famous ghost story is performed by just two actors, who play multiple roles throughout the show. The minimalist staging makes the tension even stronger, with almost nothing on stage, your imagination does all the work, and that makes it genuinely terrifying.
The Woman in Black is based on the novel by Susan Hill. It tells the story of a solicitor named Arthur Kipps who travels to a remote house to deal with the estate of a deceased client. While there, he encounters a mysterious woman dressed in black, and experiences events that change his life forever. The power of the show comes not from special effects, but from pure performance. Two actors fill an entire theatre with fear, suspense, and emotion.
For any student studying acting or performance, The Woman in Black is a masterclass in what theatre can do with almost nothing. It shows you the raw power of storytelling and performance. Watching two performers create an entire world on a nearly empty stage is something every acting student in London should experience.
The Witches
Another exceptional show that students in London should see is the stage adaptation of The Witches, based on Roald Dahl’s beloved story. What makes this production truly remarkable is the quality of the young performers. The children in this show deliver performances that are so skilled, so natural, and so full of energy that audiences are left completely astonished.
Watching young actors perform at this level is genuinely inspiring. If you are a student of performance arts, seeing talented young people on stage reminds you of why you fell in love with acting in the first place. It is a reminder that great performance has no age limit, and that talent and dedication can produce extraordinary results at any stage of life.
For students who want to understand British theatre culture, who want to study performance, or who simply want to see something unforgettable, these West End shows are among the very best things to do in London.
Study in London and Live the Full London Experience
London is not just a place to study. It is a place to grow, to be inspired, and to experience things that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Whether you are sitting in the stands at Queen’s Club watching world-class tennis, standing in front of van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the National Gallery, or watching two brilliant actors terrify an entire theatre in The Woman in Black. London gives you experiences that no other city can match.
The universities of London are among the best in the world. Whether you choose Regent’s University London, Goldsmiths, the University of Roehampton, the University of Westminster, you are not just choosing a degree. You are choosing a way of life.
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