A London institution founded in 1899, holding TEF Gold status and bringing over 20,000 students from 140 countries.

Location

When an institution evolves over decades, its geography reflects academic priorities. Kingston operates four sites throughout southwest London, each with distinct programs. Penrhyn Road, the main site in Kingston town, houses natural sciences, technical programs, and pharmacy—including the landmark Town House structure and the £20m John Galsworthy structure with modern lecture halls. Kingston Hill sits on a scenic slope bordering Richmond Park, home to the business school and education departments among woodlands. Knights Park by the Hogsmill River belongs to Art programs, while Roehampton Vale focuses on technical studies. A free shuttle connects these sites, which have seen £260m in upgrades over ten years—bringing a working wind tunnel, a UK Centre of Excellence in cybersecurity, and a VR space with brain activity sensors.

University Profile

Kingston University started as Kingston Technical Institute in 1899, though it gained official recognition in 1992. Since then, it’s grown into a research center with expanding international recognition. The latest Research Excellence Framework confirmed that 70% of its scholarly work reaches “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” levels. Today’s academic layout spans four faculties: Creative Arts; Business and Social Sciences; Health, Education, and Life Sciences; and Engineering, Computing, and Environment. The institution received TEF Gold in 2023 across all three areas—total score, student experience, and career results—jumping directly from Bronze and joining an elite group of 26 British universities that includes Oxford, Cambridge, Exeter, and Warwick.

Why Kingston University

Rather than relying solely on traditional prestige, this place focuses on real-world job skills. It ranks in the QS top-600 globally and THE top-400 for psychology (2025). Its business school holds recognition from AACSB, EPAS, and AMBA—a distinction fewer than 1% of business schools worldwide achieve. From 2025, all undergraduates participate in the Future Skills program, which develops problem-solving abilities, digital literacy, and adaptability valued by employers. Adobe, John Lewis, and Waitrose back the program, with 600+ students working on real business solutions. Professional accreditations from 15+ organizations (ACCA, CIMA, BPS, CIPD) exempt graduates from certain exams, while free language courses and exchange programs with grants are built into curricula.

Study Programs

Kingston’s academic portfolio covers finance, architecture, art and design, business, IT, economics, engineering, communications, law, psychology—from accounting and financial economics to urban design and online content. Kingston School of Art stands out for fashion industry focus, while its Fashion program ranked 4th in the Guardian University Guide 2025. Graduates work at Burberry, Calvin Klein, and Alexander McQueen or launch brands like Sophie Hulme and Joshua Kane.

Beyond conventional fields, the portfolio includes robotic engineering with artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital forensics, 3D design innovation, historic building protection, business psychology, forensic psychology, global law, writing and storytelling, and publishing. These programs meet current needs at the intersection of technology, creativity, and social sciences, putting Kingston ahead in hands-on training.