All the UK universities that starred as filming locations in movies over the years

A surprising amount of UK university campuses have been used to film blockbusters, and it’s not just Oxford and Cambridge. You might recognise a few movies which used UK uni campuses for filming, as some of them used really iconic spots. However some might surprise you.

So, whether you’re a student at one of these unis or just love a bit of cinematic trivia, here’s a rundown of all the times UK university campuses have had their 15 minutes of fame.

University College London

If there’s one director who knows UCL inside and out, it’s Christopher Nolan because he actually studied there. So it makes sense he’d use it for multiple scenes across his films.

The Gustave Tuck Lecture Theatre and UCL’s Front Quad pop up in The Dark Knight Trilogy, and the same lecture theatre appears again in Inception. If you’ve ever sat in a lecture wondering why the room feels strangely familiar, it might be because it’s also hosted Batman.

University of Oxford

Oxford’s reputation for prestige extends far beyond academia, it’s a filmmaker’s dream. Emerald Fennell, herself an alumna of the uni, shot a large chunk of Saltburn in the city. Oxford students even lent their actual rooms for the filming of Felix and Oliver’s dorms to keep things authentic. Radcliffe Square and colleges like Magdalen, St Hugh’s and Brasenose also feature.

It’s not the only time Oxford’s made it to the big screen. Harry Potter fans will know Christ Church College as a setting for several key scenes across the film series, with filming also taking place in Duke Humphrey’s Library and New College.

In Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, a young Donna gives her iconic graduation speech in New College before bursting into song.

When Wonka was filming in Oxford in 2022, students lost their minds after spotting Timothee Chalamet in full top hat attire outside the Bodleian Library. The production also shot scenes around the Sheldonian Theatre and Radcliffe Camera.

The Riot Club, inspired by the notorious Bullingdon Club, was partly filmed on location across the uni’s historic grounds, even though interiors were shot elsewhere.

Swansea University

You might not expect it, but Havoc, a gritty Netflix crime film starring Tom Hardy and Forest Whitaker, was all filmed in Wales, with Swansea University’s Bay Campus featuring in several key scenes.

A major traffic jam sequence was filmed on the Bay Campus (with a bit of visual effects magic afterwards), and some interior scenes were also shot there, including parts of the fishing shack. Not bad for a uni better known for beachfront views than blockbuster chaos.

Imperial College London

You probably wouldn’t clock it straight away, but Kingsman: The Secret Service briefly used Imperial’s South Kensington campus during a pretty dramatic scene.

Specifically, the Royal School of Mines building makes a cameo when Colin Firth’s character confronts Professor Arnold just before his very unfortunate head explosion. Classic spy film stuff.

University of York

In Mad to Be Normal, David Tennant takes on the role of controversial psychiatrist R.D. Laing and parts of the film were shot on York’s campus. Heslington Hall and the lecture theatre in the department of theatre, film and television are featured. Loads of students and staff even featured as extras in full 1960s costume or helped as part of the crew. Talk about immersive learning.

University of Cambridge

Given how central Cambridge is to his life story, it’s fitting that Steven Hawking’s biopic, The Theory of Everything, was filmed right on campus. The university’s stunning buildings provide a backdrop to the drama, and Eddie Redmayne even went on to win an Oscar for the role.

University of St Andrews

Never Let Me Go, the dystopian drama starring Carey Mulligan, was partly shot at the University of St Andrews. The Andrew Melville Hall, a student residence, appeared as the fictional Dover Recovery Centre.

 movies filmed on UK uni campuses

King’s College London

If you’ve ever studied in the Maughan Library, the uni’s main research library, you may have walked the same paths as Rowan Atkinson and Millie Bobby Brown.

Johnny English filmed there back in 2003, using the location for shots of the Tower of London. In 2020, exterior shots of the library were featured in Enola Holmes.

University of Greenwich

Out of all the movies filmed on UK uni campuses, Greenwich might be the most film famous uni campus in the entire country. The Old Royal Naval College has served as a backdrop for so many blockbusters that all it needs now is an Oscar.

From Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, where Jack Sparrow made yet another chaotic escape down the central avenue, to Thor: The Dark World’s epic spaceship crash, this place has seen it all.

Christopher Nolan returned here for The Dark Knight Rises too, but this time disguised the college grounds as a cafe in Florence.

Other big names include Skyfall, Les Miserables, Disney’s live action version of Cinderella, The King’s Speech, both Sherlock Holmes films, Now You See Me 2, and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

Even Four Weddings and a Funeral, What a Girl Wants, Garfield 2, and The Young Victoria filmed here. Basically, if something looks vaguely regal or historic, chances are it was shot at Greenwich.

Royal Holloway, University of London

The dramatic Founder’s Building at Royal Holloway made an appearance in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Thor visits Dr. Erik Selvig there while trying to piece together his visions. Honestly, with that architecture, it’s a surprise more superhero movies haven’t popped by.

So be sure to keep an eye out next time you’re on campus because you never know who you could bump into. If the only thing that could drag you to the library is the hope of a film crew then this is your nudge. Just make sure you’re photo ready.

Featured image via YouTube