Max Rayne House is a UCL postgraduate hall of residence at 109 Camden Road, London NW1 9HZ. It has 269 single rooms and one one-bedroom flat, and it is part of a larger UCL accommodation site that holds five connected buildings, all sharing the same Camden Road entrance and reception. If you are a postgraduate student moving to London for UCL, this is one of the most affordable purpose-built halls the university offers.

There is a detail almost every other guide skips, and it matters when you apply: Max Rayne House is postgraduate-only, and the wider 109 Camden Road site is shared with four other buildings, some for undergraduates and some catered. This guide walks you through what the building actually is, what you get for each room tier, how to apply, and how to decide whether it suits you.

Max Rayne House at a glance

The 109 Camden Road site, explained

This is the part that confuses applicants and that most other guides fail to explain clearly. The address "109 Camden Road" is a single UCL accommodation site, and Max Rayne House is one of five buildings that share it. The full list is:

Ann Stephenson House, Denys Holland House, Ifor Evans Hall, Max Rayne House and Neil Sharp House.

You check in for Max Rayne House at the Ifor Evans Hall reception, since there is no separate reception in the Max Rayne building itself. The five buildings share facilities like the laundry room, common rooms, the computer room and games tables, so day-to-day life is more communal than the single building's name suggests. The practical takeaway: when you apply, do not just pick "Max Rayne" because the name appears top of the list. Look at what each building in the complex offers, because some are mixed catered or open to undergraduates, and the difference affects who your neighbours are and what your rent includes.

Rooms and what you actually get

Max Rayne is self-catered, which means there are no meal plans. Each flat shares a kitchen and bathroom facilities, and your monthly rent covers utilities, internet and use of the communal spaces.

Three room tiers are typical here, and they are worth comparing rather than just picking the cheapest.

A standard shared-bathroom single room is the entry-level option. You get a private bedroom of around 10.45 square metres with a shared kitchen and bathrooms split across the flat. This is where the lowest rents in central London for UCL halls sit, and it is the most popular choice for postgraduates who want to keep costs down.

A larger shared-bathroom single is a step up in size, with otherwise the same setup. Worth a look if you spend a lot of time in your room or you are moving in with a desk-bound research timetable.

The one-bedroom apartment is the only self-contained option in the building, with a private bathroom. It costs significantly more, but if you are coming with a partner, doing a doctorate, or you simply need separation from communal living, it can be the difference between a productive year and a difficult one.

Real prices for 2026/27

For the 2026/27 academic year, advertised prices have started at £153 per week for the smaller shared-bathroom single, around £184 per week for the larger shared-bathroom room, and from £357 per week for the one-bedroom apartment with private bathroom. Tenancies run 51 weeks, which is a full-year contract from late September. Rent is all-inclusive of bills.

A sensible comparison point: £153 per week in central London for a UCL-managed room is genuinely competitive. Many private postgrad rooms within walking distance of UCL run £250 to £400 per week before bills. The catch is shared bathrooms and a non-en-suite setup, which is the trade-off you accept for the price.

Always confirm the current figures on UCL's own accommodation page before you apply, since fees update each cycle.

Who can live at Max Rayne House?

Max Rayne House is reserved for postgraduates. If you are starting an undergraduate degree at UCL, this is not the building for you, although other halls at 109 Camden Road accept undergraduates. The single-room layout, self-catered setup and longer 51-week contracts are tailored to the rhythm of postgraduate study, where you are likely to be in London across summer to finish a dissertation rather than going home in June.

UCL gives priority to international students, students with disabilities and care leavers in its allocation, and the application process is via UCL's accommodation portal rather than through any external booking site.

Amenities and shared facilities

The site has the practical extras you would expect of a 270-room postgraduate hall. Inside, you have a laundry room with washing machines and dryers, common rooms, lifts, bike storage, an iron and ironing board, vending machines and games tables. The computer room sits within Ifor Evans Hall and is open to Max Rayne residents through the shared site. There is 24-hour security with card access, and the reception desk accepts parcels during opening hours.

It is a functional setup rather than a luxury one. There is no on-site gym or cinema room, which is normal for UCL halls but worth knowing if you have come from advertising for newer private student blocks.

Location and getting to UCL

Camden Town is around six minutes on foot from Max Rayne House, which gives you the Northern line direct to UCL's main Bloomsbury campus in roughly ten to twelve minutes door to door. Camden Road Overground station is the same distance away and useful for crossing the city east to west. The 29 and 253 buses stop outside the door, which is handy in the rain.

Day to day, you have one of the most genuinely interesting parts of central London on your doorstep. Camden Market, the canal, Regent's Park to the south and the live music scene give postgrads doing long research days somewhere to decompress. The honest counterpoint: Camden Road is a main road, the area is busy at weekends, and noise is a real consideration when picking a room within the building.

Pros and cons

Pros

• One of the cheapest UCL postgraduate halls in central London
• All bills included, with a 51-week contract that covers summer
• Strong location for both UCL and Camden's social and cultural scene
• Shared site with four other UCL halls means a built-in community
• 24-hour security and a staffed reception via Ifor Evans

Cons

• Postgrads only, so no option for undergraduates
• Shared bathrooms at the cheaper tiers, not en-suite
• Camden Road is a busy main road, so room choice within the building matters
• No on-site gym or premium-style facilities
• Demand is high and rooms allocate quickly

How to apply

You apply through UCL's accommodation system after accepting your offer. The order of preference you set matters, since UCL allocates by priority and demand. If Max Rayne House is your first choice for the price and you do not need en-suite, list it high and apply early in the cycle. UCL offers postgraduates 51-week places, and the 2025/26 tenancy ran from 20 September 2025 to 12 September 2026, which is the pattern to expect for 2026/27.

Max Rayne House versus the rest of UCL accommodation

If you want catering included, look at Ifor Evans Hall in the same complex, which offers catered options and accepts undergraduates and postgraduates. If you want a more central Bloomsbury postcode at the cost of higher rent, look at UCL halls closer to the main Gower Street campus. If you want a private en-suite or a studio, the Max Rayne apartment is one option, otherwise you are usually looking at private purpose-built student accommodation nearby. The right choice depends on three honest variables: budget, whether you can live with a shared bathroom, and how much you care about being walking-distance to campus.

What if you cannot get a place at Max Rayne House?

The 269 rooms fill quickly, and UCL cannot place every postgraduate in its own halls. If you miss out, focus your search on Camden, Kentish Town, Bloomsbury and King's Cross, since these areas give you a sensible commute to the main UCL campus by tube or on foot, and are where most reasonable postgrad rentals sit.

In short

Max Rayne House is one of the most affordable postgraduate halls UCL offers, in a genuinely good central London location and within a larger UCL site that gives you a built-in community of fellow students. Just go in knowing what you are signing up for: postgrads only, shared bathrooms unless you take the apartment, and a busy main road outside. For the price and the postcode, it is one of the strongest options on the UCL list.

Read Also: Low-Cost Universities in UK for International Students 2026

FAQs

What is Max Rayne House?

Max Rayne House is a UCL postgraduate hall of residence at 109 Camden Road, London NW1 9HZ, with 269 single rooms and one one-bedroom flat, on a shared site with four other UCL buildings.

Is Max Rayne House for undergraduates?

No. Max Rayne House is reserved for postgraduate students. Undergraduates at UCL can apply to other halls on the same 109 Camden Road site, such as Ifor Evans Hall.

How much does Max Rayne House cost?

For 2026/27, advertised rooms have started at around £153 per week for a smaller shared-bathroom single, around £184 for a larger shared-bathroom room, and from £357 for the one-bedroom apartment with private bathroom. Confirm current rates on UCL's site.

Where is Max Rayne House?

At 109 Camden Road, London NW1 9HZ. The closest tube is Camden Town on the Northern line, about a 6-minute walk away, and Camden Road Overground station is the same distance.

Is Max Rayne House catered?

No, it is self-catered. If you want a catered option on the same UCL site, Ifor Evans Hall offers catered places.

Who can live at Max Rayne House?

UCL postgraduate students. UCL allocates rooms through its own accommodation system and gives priority to international students, students with disabilities and care leavers.

Is Max Rayne House en-suite?

The cheaper tiers are shared-bathroom rooms, not en-suite. The one-bedroom apartment has its own private bathroom but costs significantly more.

How do I apply for Max Rayne House?

Apply through UCL's accommodation portal after you accept your offer. Apply early and list the hall high in your preferences, since the 269 rooms fill quickly.