London, the capital of the UK and one of the largest cities in the world, has been ranked the best city for students. The rankings were issued by the QS higher education data analysts who annually choose the top city for students. In previous years, the first place belonged to Paris and Montreal. The ratings depend on several factors: the number of top universities in the city, the local jobs market, the diversity of the culture and the quality of life. About 50,000 students offer their views on the matter by giving their vote in the survey. Let's see why London is first on the list, and then we will mention a few other cities.
Because it is one of the biggest cities worldwide, and because it has a history for being one of the main cites for Culture, London has a lot to offer to students who are interested in cultural events such as concerts, art exhibitions, museums, theaters, restaurants, etc. It also has some of the best educational institutions, including Imperial College, University College London, the London School of Economics and King's College.
One of the main reasons for its high rating is because London is an international city that takes pride in its diversity. This feature is attractive to students because they come to study from all around the world without feeling excluded. Despite its first place status, London got low scores on cost of living and affordability. In spite of the high cost of living for students, it is still a great place to live, especially if you are a student who wants to make it in life.
The second place belongs to Tokyo, the capital city of Japan. Tokyo scored high for desirability of living, which includes safety, pollution, and quality of living. The most desirable city to live in is Toronto, Canada ,which is in front of Tokyo and Amsterdam. Maybe Tokyo does not boast a high diversity like London, but it offers other features which students find appealing. One of the most striking things about Tokyo is the low levels of crime, which is one of the main reasons why students want to live there.
Like London, Tokyo has a lot to offer in terms of culture. There are a large number of museums in the city. There is the Tokyo National Museum, which is one of the largest in the country. Other museums include the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, the Edo-Tokyo Museum in Sumida and others. In terms of affordability, Tokyo has similar scores to London, but that does not discourage students from living there.
The USA does not have any cities in the top ten this year, but Boston and New York are included in the list of top 30 cities. Other cities in the top ten include the German cities Berlin and Munich, Paris, which was first on the list in previous years, and a few other cities in Europe and Asia. The most affordable city on the list was Budapest, the capital of Hungary (the Paris of Eastern Europe). Melbourne deserves an honorable mention, because every year it straddles among the first few places.
A separate study done by the QS suggests that the quality most overseas students look for in universities is the quality of teaching, and whether university locations were seen as "welcoming". In another survey done on 67,000 students, 39% of European students thought that because of "Brexit," they were less willing to go and study in the UK. It is feared that "Brexit" will make studying in the UK even more expensive and unwelcoming.
