Homestay near UAL
Host families near each of the six UAL colleges, with your own room, meals if you want them, and bills included.
University of the Arts London is six colleges in six parts of London, from King’s Cross to Wimbledon. Where a homestay makes sense depends on your college, so this page takes them one by one. A homestay gives you your own room in a family home, breakfast or dinner included if you want them, and bills included.
The figures come from our own data: where our host families live and how long their journey to each college takes on public transport.
Our host families near each UAL college
Central Saint Martins
35+ homes within 45 minutes of Granary Square, King’s Cross. Typical journey about 40 minutes. Mostly Waltham Forest, Haringey, Islington, Hackney and Brent.
London College of Communication
35+ homes within 45 minutes of Elephant and Castle. Typical journey about 40 minutes. Mostly Lambeth and Wandsworth, with some in Lewisham.
London College of Fashion
20+ homes within 45 minutes of East Bank, Stratford. Typical journey under 40 minutes. Mostly Waltham Forest, Hackney, Redbridge and Newham.
Chelsea College of Arts
About 15 homes within 45 minutes of Pimlico. Mostly Lambeth and Wandsworth, on or near the Victoria line.
Camberwell College of Arts
About 15 homes within 45 minutes of Camberwell. Most are in Lambeth, with a few in Lewisham and Southwark.
Wimbledon College of Arts
About 10 homes within 45 minutes, in Wandsworth, Lambeth and Merton. Most of our host families are further away, so tell us early.
Central Saint Martins and London College of Communication have the most homes nearby. For Chelsea, Camberwell and Wimbledon we have fewer, so the earlier you apply, the more choice you’ll have. Very few homes are within 30 minutes of any UAL college, so plan on 35 to 45 minutes door to door. Our London location guides describe what living in each area is like.
Journey times are TfL door-to-door times from each college to each host’s home on a weekday. We show areas and counts only: we never publish where a host family lives.
Getting to your college
- Central Saint Martins: King’s Cross St Pancras has six Tube lines. The Victoria line runs straight in from Walthamstow and Tottenham, and the Northern and Piccadilly lines from Islington and Haringey.
- London College of Communication: Elephant and Castle is on the Northern and Bakerloo lines. The Northern line runs straight up from Clapham, Balham and Tooting.
- London College of Fashion: Stratford has the Central, Jubilee and Elizabeth lines, the DLR and the Overground, which suits homes across east London.
- Chelsea College of Arts: Pimlico is on the Victoria line, one stop from Vauxhall and a few from Brixton.
- Camberwell College of Arts: mostly buses, with Denmark Hill station a short walk away.
- Wimbledon College of Arts: near South Wimbledon (Northern line) and Wimbledon station (District line, trams and trains).
If you’re a full-time student aged 18 or over, apply for a 18+ Student Oyster photocard. It takes 30% off Travelcards and bus passes.
Homestay or UAL halls: what it costs
Homestay near your UAL college
- Price: Superior homes (Zones 2/3) from £245 a week, Standard homes (Zone 3+) from £205. Homes near Stratford are more often Standard.
- Meals: breakfast included. Half board (breakfast and dinner) is £35 a week more, or choose self-catering.
- Bills and Wi-Fi: included.
- Length: the dates you need, whether a term, a year or a few weeks.
- Journey: 35 to 45 minutes for most homes, plus a Travelcard.
UAL halls, 2026–27
- Price: from £166 a week for a shared twin room to £429 for a studio, with most single rooms between about £240 and £400 (UAL’s halls).
- Meals: self-catered.
- Bills and Wi-Fi: included.
- Length: a fixed contract, from 38 to 50 weeks depending on the hall.
- Journey: depends on the hall. Some are close to your college, others are not.
A homestay often wins on price once you count food, and on flexibility if you’re here for one term, a foundation year or an exchange, or didn’t get a hall place. UAL’s prices change each year, so check its page for the room you’re comparing. Our full prices are on the prices page.
From an exchange student
“I came across London Homestays by chance while looking for accommodation, and honestly, so far, nothing to complain about! Impeccable service, very serious, attentive and very professional! You choose the family that best meets your expectations from a list of several families that might suit you, then you just pay and they take care of the rest!”
Florian, France · Google review, translated from French
How booking works
Tell us your UAL college, your dates and your meal plan, and we match you with a host family that suits you and the journey. You get your host’s details before you arrive. We assess every home before its first placement, and our team is there during your stay, with an out-of-hours number for emergencies. Read more about how we check our host families, or see homestays for university students in London in general.
Find a homestay near your UAL college
Questions from UAL students
Which UAL college is easiest to reach from a homestay?
Central Saint Martins at King’s Cross and London College of Communication at Elephant and Castle. Both have more than 35 of our host families within 45 minutes. We have fewer homes near Chelsea, Camberwell and Wimbledon, so apply early if you’re at one of those.
I’m doing a foundation year or a short course. Can I book a homestay?
Yes. You book the dates you need, whether that’s a term, a full year or a few weeks, with no 38- to 50-week contract.
Can I find a homestay within walking distance of my college?
Rarely. Very few of our host families live within 30 minutes of any UAL college. Most are 35 to 45 minutes away by Tube, bus or train, which is a normal commute for London students.
Is London Homestays part of UAL?
No. We are an independent homestay provider, registered with the British Council since 2009, and you book with us directly.
In their words...
“We have been working with London Homestays since 2011. With their support, we have managed to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction. We strongly recommend London Homestays to anyone who’s looking for quality, reliability and exceptional customer service.”
Alex Fernandes, Accommodation & Visa Compliance Manager, Malvern House London
“Having worked with them since 2013, I can state that London Homestays have always taken care to match our students with suitable host families. They have a very friendly yet professional approach to their work. Our students have enjoyed staying at their homestays. Overall, students say that their host families are attentive and welcoming.”
Carl Roberton, Principal, Stafford House School of English
“We at Burlington School have worked with London Homestays since 2014, and I professionally know the team since 2009 when I worked for another company in the education and accommodation industry. Having had the opportunity to work with London Homestays since the company started operations in London, all of the enquiries have been dealt with in a dedicated and timely manner, the team members are customer-oriented and always provide an exceptional accommodation experience to our students. I have no hesitation to recommend London Homestays as excellent accommodation providers and business partners.”
Eliane Tomasi, Accommodation & Welfare Officer, Burlington School
“We have placed students with London Homestays for over ten years. The host families suit what our students actually need, and when something comes up during the stay, it gets sorted quickly rather than passed between people. They make everything very easy, with detailed host profiles showing transport links to our school, and a thorough matching process. Our office always knows where a student is and who to call. Happy to recommend.”
Ewa Pietreniuk, Head of Partnerships, Speak Up London
“We partnered with London Homestays to help us verify and assess homestay hosts we were recruiting for our international students in Glasgow. Their expertise in vetting hosts to British Council standards gave us real confidence in the quality and safety of the accommodation we were able to offer. The team were professional, responsive and a pleasure to work with throughout. We would highly recommend London Homestays to other colleges and universities looking for a knowledgeable and reliable accommodation partner.”
Lucia Murray-Rapuano, Global Skills Development Manager, City of Glasgow College
“Cooperation with London Homestays is always great! We highly appreciate proactive approach and effort to ensure the best possible services for our groups. We always had a great clean accommodation, friendly family and smart local organisers. Students of our groups were satisfied and they enjoyed staying in London very much. We would like to recommend this agency. The whole team is very kind.”
Miroslava Foltýnová, Owner, CK Bus Tours.
“We offer internships in London to European students and looked for a reliable partner to provide accommodation to our candidates. We have been very happy with the services provided by London Homestays, as have our candidates, as they have always received quickly information on families, the possibility to book a room in a short delay and also a good quality of families. I would recommend without any doubt this agency. The team is very professional, efficient and friendly :). We hope to send new trainees soon!”
Stéphanie Frassanito, Program Manager, Work Overseas
“Our school from the Czech Republic has had great experiences with London Homestays. The host families were generally welcoming, kind, and accommodating. The service provided by the coordinator Kate O’Connor and other admin staff is second to none.”
Kate Powers, Vice Principal for English Studies, Sunny Canadian International School
It was an amazing experience, I’ve found a new home where I feel as comfortable as I do in my own home!
Laura, student from France: Homestay booking in Zone 2
“When my children went off to university and got married, my husband and I were empty nesters rattling around. We have an empty bedroom and I quite enjoy keeping it fresh for new students who come to stay with us both short and long term. Invariably, they show us a lot of respect. Coming to London to study or to work as interns is a big adventure for them and I enjoy settling them in and seeing them flourish. Some return or recommend to their friends to come and stay with us. London Homestays are a great organisation to deal with – good at communicating and highly ethical.”
Cathy, Homestay host in Colindale, London
“My first student has just left to return home and I have thoroughly enjoyed hosting her. It has been a lovely experience for me to help her with her English and learn about her Japanese culture.
I was nervous and apprehensive at first but it was so worthwhile and I look forward to continue hosting in the future. It has given me a boost knowing that I can give someone an opportunity that they may not have been able to afford without using London Homestays”
Audrey, Homestay host in Tooting, London
My homestay host Debra transformed my stay into the most amazing experience of my whole life!
Florian, student from Belgium: Homestay booking in Zone 3“London Homestays has been an excellent accommodation partner for our students. The team is always helpful, responsive and highly professional. They consistently match students with the right hosts based on individual requirements, ensuring a positive and comfortable homestay experience.”
Ellie Fordham, Student Services Manager, Stafford House
My homestay host is a lovely lady, she was very helpful and genuine. London Homestays offer an excellent, fast service and quality accommodation. I would definitely recommend to my friends!
Shelaine, student from Canada: Homestay booking in Zone 2
Daphne was a really nice and welcoming host, I really enjoyed my stay with her and her family. Thank you London Homestays for connecting me with her!
Ben, researcher from USA: Superior homestay booking
My stay with my host family makes my time at UK much more fun and exciting! Life is happening!
Bao, student from China: Homestay booking in Zone 4+
“Really, we are very happy with our room at the residence. James in the residences team has helped us with all aspects of our booking and we would like to say, big thank you from the bottom of our hearts!”
Dmitriy and Maria, two students from Russia: Residence booking
“I felt completely at ease and very comfortable with my host! She was really kind…many thanks!”
Doris, student from Italy: Superior homestay in Zone 2
“Shanghai Chelsea International Consulting (SCIC) has worked with Home from Home many times and they have provided a very professional service.”
Chan Sen, Director at Shanghai Chelsea International Consulting
“I highly recommend London Homestays! We have been working with them for a while now, and their professionalism and the quality of their homestays have always been exceptional. One of the homestays we collaborated with was so impressive that we even shared it on our YouTube channel to give our students a glimpse of the warm and welcoming environment they can expect. Thank you, London Homestays, for providing such amazing services. We look forward to continuing our partnership!”
Tuba Akca, Owner at Tubik Academy
The London Homestays portal is amazing. You can manage availability, update photos, and see when you’ve been paid — something I’m always chasing the other agencies. Can’t recommend it highly enough!
Sharon, host in Finchley“I have been a host for London Homestays for over 8 years. The team is professional, friendly and always quick to respond. They do a great job matching students with hosts and making the whole process smooth and straightforward. The students I’ve hosted have been respectful and lovely to have in my home. I would happily recommend London Homestays to anyone considering becoming a host.”
Sarah-Jayne, Walthamstow — host since 2018
“London Homestays are very pleasant and put you at ease.”
Pat & Clyde, hosts in Tooting, London“The team — especially James and Ellie — were incredibly responsive, patient and kind. They answered all my questions and checked with hosts about everything from commute times to where I’d store my bicycle. They even sent a Chinese translation of their first email. I felt truly welcomed.”
Ruoxi, student from China
