Welcome to the University of the Third Age in London

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE

IN LONDON….

….is a group of retired men and women who meet together to study a wide range of subjects in premises in Hampstead Old Town Hall, Haverstock Hill, London on Monday to Friday during term time. There are currently over 140 study groups on offer. All are run by members. No one is paid to teach, and we have no paid office staff.

We are not a university in the modern sense of a body which awards degrees, but in the original sense of a community of people engaged in learning - and learning from each other.

We offer no examinations, certificates or degrees: we study for the pleasure of learning, and the leaders of our groups are called "co-ordinators" rather than teachers or lecturers, because learning is seen as a co-operative process.

We are one of well over 700 U3As throughout the country and like them we are autonomous. We receive no government or local authority grant: we are entirely self-financing. We make our own rules and regulations and are responsible to no higher authority. There is also a national organisation called the Third Age Trust which represents the U3A movement in the UK and provides support, advice and a wide range of services to new and existing U3As.

Once you have paid the annual fee there are no other charges except for some special events. You can attend any study group you wish and the Monday talks without further payment. The only limitation is that some groups may become full, in which case you may put your name on a waiting list.

Our address is

The University of the Third

Age In London,

Hampstead Town Hall,

213, Haverstock Hill,

London NW3 4QP

(we are roughly a 2 minute walk from Belsize Park Tube station).

Our terms for 2008-9 run as follows:-

Autumn:

22 September to 12 December

Spring:

5 January to 3 April

Summer:

27 April to 17 July

(There are no half-term holidays)

Also - see the page on "Coming Events" for what happens in the Easter and Summer breaks.