The University of London is a collegiate university in London, England. It was established by royal charter in 1836, as a degree-awarding examination board for students holding certificates in the arts, law, and medicine from University College London (founded in 1826 and housed in buildings in Bloomsbury, Camden) and King’s College London (founded in 1829 and housed in buildings on the Strand, Westminster). Today, the university consists of eighteen constituent colleges and nine research institutes in London.