Institute of Cancer Research, University of London

London

Student life

We want our students to have a fulfilling and productive time at The Institute of Cancer Research, academically and in other aspects. In the 2021 Postgraduate Research Experience Survey, the ICR ranked top nationally for overall student experience.

In their responses, our students spoke positively about the ICR's open, supportive and collaborative research environment, as well as the opportunities it offers to develop skills and knowledge to build their research independence.

Building on consistently strong ratings, 2021 satisfaction rates were also high for supervision, showing that our supervisors and their wider teams are fulfilling their crucial roles in supporting students.

What's it like to live in South East?
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South East England is made up of nine counties, with popular student cities in Brighton & Hove, Oxford, Portsmouth, Reading, and Southampton.

The area sees plenty of sunshine and Brighton – the LGBTQ+ capital of the UK – is a student favourite, with tons of quirky shops, cafes, arts, nightlife and watersports.

Moving east into Kent, you'll find the charming towns of Whitstable, Broadstairs, and Margate – all bursting with literary history – plus the iconic landmarks of Dover’s white cliffs and Canterbury Cathedral.

London is an hour or two away for gigs, theatre trips and capital city adventures, while the country’s two largest airports – Heathrow and Gatwick – mean international journeys are easy to get started.

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What's it like to live in London?
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Spend your student years in one the world’s most cosmopolitan and fashionable cities, where the word ‘boredom’ doesn’t exist.

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Campus and facilities

The Institute of Cancer Research offers some exceptional academic and recreational facilities for students across its two London sites – in Chelsea and Sutton.

The Chelsea site is based in the heart of Central London and has excellent public transport links, with both South Kensington and Gloucester Road underground stations located very nearby.

Chelsea is home to the Breakthrough Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre and the Divisions of Breast Cancer Research, Cancer Biology and Structural Biology. Scientific facilities at the Chelsea site include the supercomputing, microscopy and mass spectrometry laboratories.

The Sutton site is close to the beautiful countryside of the North Downs, and has good transport links to Central London, with Belmont and Sutton stations close by.

Academic facilities at the Sutton site include chemistry labs, medical imaging equipment, microscopy labs, an extensive research library, and centres in which clinical trials are conducted.

Course locations