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Did you know that London is home to more than 400,000 uni students? You may be thinking: doesn’t that get a bit crowded? Well, according to online tutoring platform Edumentors, yes. Yes it does. In fact, it reckons that two London universities are among the most overcrowded in the entire world.
Edumentors study is based on the number of students, faculty and staff relative to the university’s campus size. It says that ‘unlike traditional rankings that focus on academics or funding, this study raises important questions about how limited space affects access to resources, study areas, and student well-being’.
All that number crunching led to the conclusion that University College London (UCL) and Imperial College London are two of the most densely populated institutions in the world. Good luck securing a library spot!
With the highest academic staff count among the ranked institutions, UCL was ranked sixth busiest with a population density of 67,995 staff and students per sqkm. Imperial placed tenth with 30,381 people per sqkm.
A spokesperson for Edumentors said: ‘Overcrowded campuses aren’t just about packed lecture halls—they shape every part of student life. Finding a quiet study spot gets harder, common areas feel cramped, and stress levels rise. When space is limited, managing resources well becomes essential. Universities need to adapt, making sure students have the room to learn, connect, and thrive.’
Find out which other UK unis are the most packed on the planet here. We should note that the study doesn’t take into account upwardly-built space or design – an undeniably crucial factor when considering how many students can be accommodated on a campus.
Time Out reached out to Edumentor for further comment.
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