The boyfriend of City University student Sabita Thanwani has admitted killing her, but denied it was murder.
Maher Maaroufe, 23, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Ms Thanwani, 19, at her university accommodation in central London.
The prosecution indicated that the plea was acceptable to the Crown and Maaroufe will not face trial for her murder.
The plea was entered on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Emergency services were alerted after a neighbour heard screams coming from Ms Thanwani’s room early on March 19 last year.
Her attacker tried to get into another room before leaving the building in Sebastian Street, Clerkenwell, it was claimed.
Police found Ms Thanwani with a serious neck injury lying under blankets and a duvet on the floor.
She was pronounced dead at the scene at 6am.
A post-mortem examination gave the cause of her death as sharp force trauma to the neck.
Maaroufe was found by police asleep under a tarpaulin in a garden shed.
He allegedly head-butted a police officer while being arrested.
On Friday, Maaroufe appeared at the Old Bailey via video link from Broadmoor hospital for a plea hearing.
He pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denied Ms Thanwani’s murder.
He also pleaded guilty to a charge of assault by beating an emergency worker.
The defendant, of no fixed address, was assisted by an Arabic interpreter and was remanded back into custody.
Ms Thanwani’s family were in court and the sentencing was adjourned to September.
