Richmond American University London

Richmond American University London (RAUL) is a private university established in 1972 in London, United Kingdom. It was founded by British educator Cyril Taylor on the site of the former Richmond Theological College, part of the University of London. Initially serving primarily as a study abroad centre for American students, Richmond developed into a full university awarding US degrees from the state of Delaware, accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

From 1996 until 2018, Richmond’s UK degrees were validated by the Open University. In 2018, the university was granted Taught Degree Awarding Powers (TDAP) by the UK Privy Council, allowing it to independently award UK degrees alongside US qualifications. This dual-degree system remains a distinctive feature of Richmond, with all students earning both US and UK degrees.

Richmond’s academic structure follows the American liberal arts model, offering four-year bachelor’s degrees with a broad curriculum that includes optional minors and required liberal arts courses. It also provides postgraduate taught degrees such as MBAs. The university has five academic departments: Richmond Business School, Communications and The Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, Science and Technology, and Liberal Arts.

The university’s main campus relocated in 2022 to Chiswick Business Park, London, providing modern facilities for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Additionally, Richmond maintains a specialist centre, Richmond International Academic and Soccer Academy (RIASA), in Leeds, focusing on sports management combined with football training.

Governed by a Board of Trustees, Richmond’s leadership includes President Phil Deans and Chair William Durden. The university serves approximately 1,100 students from over 100 countries, fostering a diverse international community.

Richmond American University London (RAUL) was founded in 1972 by Cyril Taylor, a British educator, social entrepreneur, and politician. The university began as Richmond College, The American College in London. It was established on the site of the former Richmond Theological College, part of the University of London, which had been founded in 1843 as a Methodist theological college. Prior to Richmond’s foundation, the American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS), chaired by Cyril Taylor, had used the college site for its London study abroad programmes. In 1972, AIFS purchased half of the 10-acre college site for £300,000, including the majority of the buildings and front lawns, with the intention of creating an American liberal arts college in London.

In 1978, Richmond opened a second campus in Kensington on St Albans Grove and Ansdell Street. This campus was used for third and fourth year students as well as the University’s US Study Abroad Programme. The Kensington campus later expanded in 1988 with a new facility on Young Street, which was officially opened by Diana, Princess of Wales.

During its early years, Richmond primarily served as a study abroad centre for American university students. This changed in 1981 when Richmond obtained a licence to award US undergraduate degrees from the Washington DC Board of Education, as well as formal accreditation from the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (now the Middle States Commission on Higher Education). Richmond began awarding US Associate of Arts (2-year) and Bachelor’s (4-year) degrees, and gradually expanded its academic offerings to include master’s level programmes.

In 1995, AIFS spun off Richmond as a non-profit educational institution. In 1996, Richmond entered into a partnership with the Open University in the UK, which validated its British degrees. This arrangement continued until 2018.

In 1998, Richmond inaugurated its first postgraduate degree, a Master of Business Administration (MBA). Over time, it developed a broad portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

A significant milestone was achieved in May 2018, when Richmond was granted Taught Degree Awarding Powers (TDAP) by the Privy Council. This enabled the university to award its own UK degrees, in addition to its US degrees. The first UK degrees awarded independently by Richmond were issued on 1 September 2018. Concurrently, Richmond registered with the UK government regulator, the Office for Students (OfS), in the approved category.

In December 2019, the university’s president, Lawrence Abeln, resigned following a complaint he filed with the Charity Commission against the Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation, which had been the university’s main financial backer. Financial difficulties resulting from this dispute led the university’s board of trustees to suspend student recruitment for the spring 2020 term.

In March 2020, Richmond signed a strategic partnership agreement with the China Education Group (CEG), a Hong Kong-based private higher education provider. This partnership aimed to expand Richmond’s international reach, offering students access to internships and exchange programmes across China and Australia, and to support the university’s long-term sustainability.

By late 2021, Richmond vacated most of its buildings in Kensington, retaining only a site on Kensington High Street. In summer 2022, the university relocated its main campus to a new facility in Chiswick Business Park. The move was intended to provide modern teaching spaces, updated facilities, and enhanced learning resources.

In spring 2023, the Kensington High Street location closed for student courses. Around the same time, the Richmond International Academic and Soccer Academy (RIASA), a specialist centre offering BA (Hons) degrees combining sports management with football training, moved to new academic and sports facilities at Weetwood Hall Estate in Leeds.

Richmond American University London offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes based on the American liberal arts education system. Undergraduate degrees typically follow a four-year structure, leading to a Bachelor’s degree. The curriculum includes major subjects alongside a choice of minors, allowing students to tailor their studies to their interests and career goals. During the first three years, students complete required liberal arts courses from a selection of sixteen options, which provide a broad academic foundation.

The university accepts transfer credits from recognised qualifications such as US Advanced Placement (AP) courses, UK A and AS Levels, and the International Baccalaureate, subject to grades and relevance to the Richmond programme. This system can enable some students to complete their degree in three years.

Richmond offers undergraduate degrees across five academic departments: Richmond Business School; Department of Communications and The Arts; Department of Social Sciences and Humanities; Department of Science and Technology; and Department of Liberal Arts. These departments cover a variety of fields including business administration, communications, arts, social sciences, psychology, sciences, and liberal arts subjects.

At the postgraduate level, Richmond provides one-year to eighteen-month taught degrees. These include Master of Business Administration (MBA) programmes and other business-related subjects. Postgraduate courses are designed to build specialised knowledge and skills relevant to professional and academic advancement.

In addition, the Richmond International Academic and Soccer Academy (RIASA), based in Leeds, offers degree programmes combining sports management with football training. These include Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degrees in International Sports Management with Men’s and Women’s Football.

Richmond American University London holds a distinctive position in global higher education rankings.

In the 2025 EduRank assessments, Richmond is positioned 149th in the United Kingdom and 5355th globally. The university's performance in specific academic disciplines includes rankings such as 4785th in History, 4919th in Law, and 5387th in Liberal Arts & Social Sciences .

The university has also been recognised in the 2024-2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings, where it is listed among the top 25 national liberal arts colleges in the United States. 

In terms of student experience and institutional resilience, Richmond has received notable accolades. In the 2024 WURI (World’s Universities with Real Impact) rankings, the university was awarded second place for Global Resilience, 54th for Social Responsibility, and 86th for Student Support and Engagement, among over 1,000 global higher education institutions .

As of the 2023–2024 academic year, Richmond American University London reports that 93% of its undergraduates secure permanent employment within six months of graduation. Graduates have been employed by notable organisations such as EY, KPMG, PwC, Bloomberg, BlackRock, UBS, Google, IBM, the House of Commons, US Homeland Security, Vice Media, NBC News, Al Jazeera, and Buzzfeed. 

Additionally, Richmond's liberal arts curriculum, which includes interdisciplinary studies and practical experience, equips graduates with the skills and knowledge sought after by employers.

• Welcome to Richmond American University London | Richmond American University London
• Richmond American University London | Wikipedia 
• Richmond, The American International University In London | Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• Richmond, The American University in London | GoStudyIn 
• Richmond American University London | Top Universities
• Richmond American University in London | Masters Portal 
• Richmond, The American International University in London | Peterson's