University of London

The University of London is a federal research university located in London, England. As of March 2020, it had 17 member institutions, three central academic bodies, more than 50 thousand distance learning external students, and 178,735 campus-based internal students, making it the largest university by number of students in the United Kingdom. The University of London was established by royal charter in 1836, as a degree-awarding examination board for students holding certificates from University College London, King's College London and other such institutions in the UK. It moved to a federal structure in 1900. For most practical purposes, ranging from admissions to funding, the member institutions operate on an independent basis, with many awarding their own degrees whilst remaining in the federal university.