London South Bank University

London South Bank University (LSBU) is a public university in London. It traces its origins to the Borough Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1892, gained university status in 1992 and adopted its current name in 2003. The main campus is in Southwark, close to Elephant and Castle and within easy reach of central London, and the university also operates a campus in Croydon and a facility in Havering for health programmes.

LSBU has around 15,500 students and organises its teaching into seven schools: Applied Sciences; Arts and Creative Industries; Built Environment and Architecture; Business; Engineering; Health and Social Care; and Law and Social Sciences. The university has a strongly vocational and technical focus, with established provision in engineering, the built environment, nursing and allied health. It holds a Silver rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework, awarded in both 2017 and 2023, and has been recognised for its enterprise activity, including being named Entrepreneurial University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards. A large proportion of its students are Londoners and mature learners.

Information for International Students

LSBU has over 2,000 international students from more than 130 countries. An international team supports applicants through the Student visa process, including the issue of a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), and provides a Student Visa Application Guide along with advice on visa conditions such as attendance and permitted working hours.

For students who need to improve their English, online pre-sessional English courses of 6, 12 or 16 weeks are delivered with OI Digital Institute. These courses bring students to the level typically required for LSBU degrees, which is IELTS 6.0 for undergraduate study and 6.5 for most postgraduate courses.

Pathway study is available through OnCampus London South Bank, operated by Cambridge Education Group and based on the LSBU campus. It offers an Undergraduate Foundation Programme in business, humanities and social sciences, and engineering and physical sciences, with guaranteed progression to the first year of a degree on successful completion, as well as an International Year One leading to the second year. An International Welcome Week is held for new students, and pre-arrival guidance covers travel from airports. Graduates may be eligible for the UK Graduate Route after completing their studies.