Courses

Autumn or Spring Semester students take 2 units (16 U.S. credits). Academic Year students take 32 US credits.

• Please review your courses with your academic or study abroad advisor to ensure they will transfer back to your home school and that you are following your home school’s policies.
• Please be flexible – we can’t guarantee specific courses. If your participation in the program depends on a particular course, be sure to make a note on your online course form.

Course Restrictions

General GPA requirement is 3.3, but the following departments require a 3.5:

• Biological Sciences
• Biomedical Sciences
• Economics
• Management
• Political Science and International Relations
• Social Sciences

Some departments are not open to fall-only or spring-only students. The term availability will be listed in the “Key Information” section on each individual department's subject availability page.

The following departments are not available to study abroad students: Architecture; Arts and Sciences [note: this is an interdisciplinary department, not all Arts and Sciences disciplines]; Biomedical Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Computer Science; Law; Planning; Statistical Science. 

The following departments are typically only available to students enrolling for the full academic year or spring-only: Centre for Languages and International Education; Electronic and Electronic Engineering; Management; Mathematics; Social Science.

The following departments have limited capacity (students can apply to these departments, but cannot take classes in them unless admitted): Archaeology; Biochemical Engineering; Biological Sciences; Biomedical Sciences; Chemistry; Earth Sciences; Economics; Education Electronic and Electrical Engineering; European and International Social and Political Studies; Fine Art; Geography; History; History and Politics of the Americas; Human Sciences; Infection and Immunity; Management; Mechanical Engineering; Neuroscience; Philosophy; Phonetics and Linguistics; Political Science; Social Research Institute; SSEES

note: please refer to limited capacity department information for the 2024-2025 academic year on the UCL Study Options website for more details.

Choosing Your Courses

Courses open to study abroad (affiliate) students are listed by subject on the UCL Study Abroad website.

When selecting courses, it is important to pay attention to prerequisites and course levels: 

• Year 1 Courses - Introductory, No background required
• Year 2 Courses - Sophomore and Junior level. Will need some background (at least 2-4 prior courses in the subject), plus satisfy relevant pre-requisites
• Year 3 Courses - Senior, Advanced. Will need significant prior knowledge (at least 5-6 prior courses in the subject, plus satisfy relevant pre-requisites).  You can only take year 3 modules if you have a very strong background in the subject.

Refer to the credit translation scale below:

Admitting Departments

Each affiliate (study abroad) student at UCL is accepted into one department as their admitting department. This is considered your main area of study for administrative purposes. Students should plan to apply to one department only and list one alternate department for admission. 

• Students are required to take 50% (2) of their classes in that department.
• Third and/or fourth classes may be selected from other departments (some exceptions apply).

Departmental Notes

English

• To take English classes you must apply and be admitted into the English department.
• If English is your only admitting department, you may take all four courses in English, or three courses in English and one outside the department. 
• If accepted into English and one other department only, you will take two courses in English.
• If interested in literature classes but cannot apply to English, consider European Cultural Studies or area studies departments.

Economics

• If not accepted into Economics, you will be limited to 1000-level (Level 1) classes.
• To enroll in 2000 or 3000 level economics courses, you must apply to Economics as primary or secondary admitting department. Entry criteria is available on the UCL website.
• You may find available higher-level economics courses in the Slavonic and East European Studies.
• Students are expected to have an overall grade (GPA) of A- or better across their studies, and a B+ minimum in the following four subjects: Intermediate Microeconomics, Intermediate Macroeconomics, Intermediate Calculus, Introductory Statistics/Econometrics 

History of Art

• Level 1 Courses numbered HART1401-1701 are open to non-majors. Students not admitted to History of Art may take one of these courses per semester.
• All other History of Art courses are only open to students who are majoring or minoring in History of Art and who are accepted into the History of Art department.

Slade School of Art

• This is a continuous independent studio programme supported by tutorials and seminars. If admitted, students must take all courses within Slade.
• In addition to their studio work, students will attend courses in history and theory of art. The Slade also organises a series of Contemporary Art Lectures featuring distinguished speakers from both the UK and overseas.
• Applicants must choose one of three concentrations: Painting, Sculpture, and Fine Art Media (including photography, print, film, video, sound, and electronic media). Note your area of focus on the course selection form.
• Submit a portfolio of at least 15 non-returnable slides of recent artwork. The portfolio may be in the form of a CD, slides, printed matter, or a DVD.

Bartlett School

• Architecture students submit a portfolio of at least 15 non-returnable slides of recent work in the subject area. The portfolio may be in the form of a CD, slides, printed matter, or a DVD.
• Architecture and Project Management courses are only available to students for a full academic year. 

Enrollment Process 

University College London does not pre-register any students for any classes. UCL will review your course preferences listed on your application, but you will register for classes only when you arrive on campus.

• On your online course form, make sure to list at least one alternate course for every course you select, totaling at least 8-10 courses per semester. List your choices and alternates in order of preference.
• Supplemental course fees may apply - see below.

Miscellaneous/Fees

UCL Fees Explained

UCL fees are determined by each academic department. For ease of reference, we have grouped these below. Students will be assigned a supplemental course fee if they enroll in an academic department within Groups 2-6 as their sole department of admission, or in the case of students enrolled in two departments, as their first or primary department of admission.

Included in program base fee:

Group 1
Departments include: English, European Social and Political Studies, Greek and Latin, Hebrew and Jewish Studies, Philosophy, European Languages Culture and Society, Phonetics and Linguistics, Institute of Education, Law, Mathematics, History and Philosophy of Science, Economics, History, History of Art, Political Science and International Relations, School of Slavonic and East European Studies 

*Departments below have varying supplemental fees

Group 2
Departments include: History and Politics of the Americas

Group 3
Departments include: Arts and Sciences, Social Sciences, Population Health, Institute for Global Health

Group 4
Departments include: Slade School, Psychology, Architectural and Interdisciplinary Studies, Bartlett, Bartlett (Planning Studies), Construction and Project Management, Biological Sciences, Molecular Biosciences, Neurosciences, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Infection and Immunity, Anthropology, Geography, Archaeology, Biomedical Sciences

Group 5
Departments include: Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Management, Physics and Astronomy, Statistics

*If you’re unsure which fee group applies to you, please contact your Program Advisor. For supplemental fee estimates, select “More Info” under the Fees & Scholarship Details heading.

Supplemental fees will be added to student accounts after registration at UCL takes place. Supplemental fee billing may differ for students from home schools with direct billing arrangements. Contact Student Financial Services at 1-866-927-2234 x2948 if you have questions.

Grade Scale

The following information is vetted and provided by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) on the Electronic Database for Global Education (EDGE).

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COPYRIGHT AACRAO EDGE.