Royal Holloway - RHUL (reviews)

From a distance, Royal Holloway looks like Hogwarts’ effortlessly glamorous cousin. The Founders Building is all red brick, turrets, and drama, the kind of architecture that convinces you you’re about to have a life changing academic experience before you’ve even stepped inside. Then you do step inside.

The magic fades quickly in the seminar rooms and lecture halls, where harsh white lighting and narrow corridors reign supreme. There is something uniquely humbling about power walking to a lecture while carrying a bag heavy enough to alter your posture, squeezed through corridors that feel actively hostile to students with books.

Still, the campus has its charms. The cats are undeniably adorable, lounging in libraries, sunbathing like they pay rent, at least until you witness one mid hunt at night, at which point the whimsy is replaced by a strong urge to never emotionally recover.

What Royal Holloway gets right, though, is its people. There’s a genuine sense of community here: familiar faces on the way to lectures, quick chats in the library, shared eye contact during the daily mission to find a free seat. It’s comforting in a quiet, understated way.

Royal Holloway might not sustain its Hogwarts illusion indoors, but between the beauty, the chaos, and the community, it gives you something arguably better: a place that feels lived in, slightly absurd, and oddly grounding.

I went to Royal Holloway a while ago, 20 years ago in fact. Gosh…it hurts to say that. It was an amazing experience – meeting new people, living independently, learning and planning your own development. Founders is truly a lovely sight for sore eyes, as princely as you see in the pictures. The campus would have changed since I was there, but likely not enough to diminish the natural beauty it possesses. The professors seem to care intently about students and the university was full of students who actually want to learn. Win-Win

Although it was difficult travelling abroad and stepping into adult life independently, Royal Holloway has helped ease that transition by lifting part of the weight by giving me an opportunity I didn’t even know I had, an international year 1 in computer science!
Encouraging me to work harder and strive to become a better learner, with supportive coaches and approachable teachers!

However, It is pricey though and it is the one part I wished changed, even if the university building is breathtaking. Other than that im proud to say I have been able to progress to year 2 and excited to see where this journey leads to.

Royal Holloway is a beautiful and peaceful campus with a strong academic vibe. Studying Economics and Management has been solid — the course is well-structured, and lecturers are supportive. The social life isn’t wild, but there’s a close-knit community feel. Being just 40 mins from London is a big plus. Great uni if you want balance between focus and freedom.