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Campus life
There are plenty of ways to get involved in campus life once you arrive at Queen Mary. From socialising in one of the cafes, bars and food outlets on campus to joining one of the many clubs and societies or playing for one of our sports teams: all enable you to make new friends and add another dimension to your study abroad experience. The campus environment will give you every opportunity to become a fully integrated member of the Queen Mary student body.
Students’ Union
The Students' Union is run by and for Queen Mary students and you will automatically be a member when you join us allowing you to use their excellent range of facilities and services. The Union's gym, QMotion, offering state of the art fitness facilities and a wide range of exercise classes.
Clubs and Societies
The Students' Union runs numerous sports clubs and special interest group societies, ranging from rowing and football to belly dancing and Politics. Nearly all are free of charge or charge a nominal fee to join and offer you the chance to maintain an ongoing interest or to try something new while abroad. To find out more about what is available see the Sports and Societies pages. If you don't see what you are looking for don't be put off - as a Union member you can set up your own group!
Food Options
The following catering outlets can be found on campus.
The Curve – Restaurant including a Starbucks coffee shop.
The Ground – Coffee shop selling Costa coffee/deli located behind the library.
Muccis – Bar/restaurant located in library square.
The Drapers Arms – Bar serving food located in the main Students’ Union building.
Shops (Infusion and Village Shop) located in the Students’ Union and student village.
World Marche – Restaurant located in student village.
There are also a number of local supermarkets where you can do your daily or weekly shop (listed below).
Food can also be bought at the markets at Whitechapel (Mon - Sat 9am-5pm) or Roman Road (Tue - Thu, 9am-2pm, Sat 9am-4pm)
There are a number of places to eat in the surrounding area:
Roastars – Under Mile End bridge – coffee shop
Zahera – Indian restaurant under Mile End bridge
Golden Bird – Chinese restaurant under Mile End bridge
Nandos - Restaurant chain under Mile End bridge
New Globe – on Mile End Road across the canal – popular with students and locals
Matsu – Under Mile End bridge – good Japanese noodle and sushi restaurant
Fat Cats – Bar and diner at Bow Wharf
Jongleurs – Comedy club and bar at Bow Wharf
The Morgan Arms – Pub on Morgan Street – well worth finding
Royal Inn on the Park – North side of Victoria Park - good food, great place for an evening drink or Sunday lunch.
Fast food: various outlets located along Mile End Road
SHOPS IN THE LOCAL AREA
Supermarkets
Budgens; Under the Mile End bridge (opening hours 7am - 11pm, 7 days)
Co-op; Turn right out of the College towards Stepney Green tube (opening hours 7am - 11pm, 7 days)
Tescos; Turn right out of the College towards Stepney Green tube (opening hours 6am - 11pm, 7 days). A couple of hundred yards after the tube station.
Sainsbury’s; Turn right and take no. 25 bus or a ten minute walk. It’s next to Whitechapel tube station. (Opening hours Monday - Saturday 8am -10pm, Sunday 10am - 4pm)
Asda; Part of the Wal-Mart family’ located on the Isle of Dogs. The D6 bus from Mile End stops outside the store
Waitrose; Located at Canary Wharf. Opening hours Monday – Friday 8am – 9pm, Saturday 8.30am – 10pm, Sunday 12-6pm
Note that the prices at Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco are generally lower.
Meal Plans
Queen Mary Catering Services are offering meal vouchers for students who wish to pre-pay for breakfast and evening meals during week days.The scheme gives you the opportunity to pre-pay for breakfast and evening meals on weekdays from Monday 19 September to Friday 16 December/Monday 9 January to Friday 30 March and Monday 30 April to Friday 8 June (excluding bank holidays) - Breakfast Service: 8am to 10:30am and Evening Service 4pm to 7pm. There is also an option to pre-pay for just the evening meals package. The purchase of pre-paid vouchers represents a considerable saving over the walk in cash price.
The scheme offers you the chance to have a healthy alternative to the microwave meal or takeaway food. The scheme also offers a great way to meet new people in a relaxed and welcoming environment.
For further information and prices download our information leaflet.
Provide Volunteering
The Students' Union also operate the Provide volunteering programme. Through Provide you can find volunteering opportunities working with a wide variety of organisations and charities in the local area (Tower Hamlets) and all over London. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people in the wider community, adding a whole new dimension to your study abroad experience at Queen Mary.
Student Mentoring
Queen Mary operates a mentoring school which gives participants the opportunity to work as mentors in local schools and colleges. As a mentor, your role will be to help pupils develop a positive attitude to their learning, personal growth and development. Mentors get paid and usually work between two and four hours a week. For more information, please contact Roisin Hurst , Education Liaison Office (room E107), Queens’ Building.
Social Trips and Events
The Study Abroad office organises a number of trips and visits during the semester. In a typical semester we might organise visits to museums and galleries, walking tours and also attend a football match at one of London's grounds.
There are numerous social events on and off campus organised by the Queen Mary Students' Union who organise music and clubs nights both on and off campus.
Additional events and visits, open to all are Queen Mary students,including trips around the UK and to Europe can be found on the student events webpage.