South London College has its campus along Arklow Road in the eastern end of South London. For its academic reputation and integrity as a business, the school received a place among the finalists in the 2010 HSBC Bank South London Business awards. The college offers a variety of vocational diploma programs for international and students who are UK residents, including dental, nursing, business information systems, business management and travel and tourism. Classes begin four times per year and last for one to four years depending on the course of study.
International students can receive assistance finding local housing through South London College. The school pairs visiting students with families in the local area who provide room and board. Other off-campus housing is also available, such as shared or single rooms in flats or small houses. The school does not offer scholarships of any kind and accepts only checks or electronic drafts to cover costs. Credit cards are not taken.
The campus of Goldsmiths College runs along Lewisham Way in the eastern section of South London. The school is a unit of the University of London and serves as home to more than 5,700 undergraduate and 3,100 graduate students, according to its website, as of October 2010. The college ranked ninth in the United Kingdom on its scores for research in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (the most recent as of 2010), a mandatory rating activity required of all British post-secondary institutions.
Goldsmiths awards undergraduate and graduate degrees through 15 different academic departments, including computer science, drama, media and communications, politics and psychology. The college has international students in residence from more than 110 countries. On-campus housing is available, and international students can receive medical care through the college while abroad. Goldsmiths organizes regular weekend travel trips throughout the United Kingdom, allowing international students to gain a feel for the country and for the city of London. Scholarships and low-income grants are available for qualified UK residents and international students. The college also participates in student loan programs.
London Community College is a vocational / technical school on Arklow Road in the New Cross area of South London. The school opened in 2001 and had provided training for 10,000 students, as of October 2010, according to its website. The school offers certificate programs in information technology and business. In addition to its career programs, the college also features classes in English and mathematics to help students prepare for admission to a traditional four-year, post-secondary institution. A number of classes are also available online. Classes typically last less than one year.
London Community College does not offer any type of special programs for international students but will admit students who are not residents of the United Kingdom. The college does not provide housing assistance, and it does not participate in financial aid programs.