The complete guide to Birmingham’s universities
Keen on a move to the UK's second city for your studies? Great choice: from major global institutions to smaller schools specialising in vocational education, Birmingham boasts a huge range of universities – the hard part is knowing where to pick!
That’s why we’ve profiled all five of Birmingham’s major universities, along with several other degree-level options, so that you can make the right call on where to study. Sounds good? Let’s jump in!
Map of Birmingham's universities
University of Birmingham
The biggest and most prestigious of Birmingham’s universities, the University of Birmingham (UoB) is a standout choice for many students – it's part of the prestigious Russell Group and has a beautiful red-brick campus that’s brimming with charm.
Based a few miles south of the city centre in leafy Edgbaston, the main campus has a mix of modern facilities like the Main Library and Sport & Fitness Centre, along with historic sites like ‘Old Joe’ – the tallest freestanding clock tower in the world!
The university is made up of five main colleges, each comprising various schools, and collectively offering more than 350 undergraduate courses and over 600 master's programmes:
College of Arts and Law
College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
College of Life and Environmental Sciences
College of Medicine and Health
College of Social Sciences
The student life here is buzzing; the Guild of Students runs loads of events and is transformed into a nightclub every Wednesday for Sports Night and on Saturdays for FAB – so you don’t even need to leave campus for a big night out!
There are more than 300 societies to get involved in, ranging from sports clubs and cultural associations to debate teams and other interest groups. The surrounding area of Selly Oak – where many students live – has all the usual amenities, while the city centre is just a 10-minute train ride away from UoB’s dedicated station.
The university performs well across the board, but it’s especially well known for engineering, medicine, sports science and the arts. Employment prospects are also really strong, with most students landing a job within six months of graduating!
Locations: Edgbaston, Selly Oak
UK ranking: #12
International ranking: #80
Source: QS World University Rankings
Aston University
Based just a short walk from the city centre, Aston University is another top university with ultra-modern facilities, excellent employment outcomes and a more streamlined study offering than UoB.
The campus consists of just a single, self-contained site – it's a real green haven right in the middle of Birmingham, mixing city-centre convenience with the community feel of a traditional campus university.
Aston offers over 200 undergraduate and postgraduate courses, covering pretty much all subjects outside of the arts and humanities. Its core academic structure consists of three main colleges:
College of Business and Social Sciences
College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
College of Health and Life Sciences
The business school has a really strong reputation, with its courses in marketing and business management ranking among the top 100 globally. Other areas of expertise include computer science, engineering and health sciences.
What makes Aston special is its focus on employability – most undergraduate courses have the option of a paid placement year. It’s a key reason why the university consistently ranks among the best in the UK for job prospects.
The campus is always lively with the Students’ Union running regular events like quiz nights and themed parties. There’s also a thriving international community with overseas students making up close to a third of the overall population.
Locations: City centre
UK ranking: #44
International ranking: #423
Source: QS World University Rankings
Birmingham City University
Home to over 30,000 students, Birmingham City University (BCU) is the second-largest university in Birmingham. It’s mostly spread across two main campuses – one in the city centre, the other in Edgbaston – but has other facilities dotted around the city.
Like Aston, there’s a strong emphasis on practical skills with placement opportunities offered through the university’s extensive partner network, which includes major global corporations like Microsoft and Jaguar Land Rover.
The study offering is broad, with over 150 undergraduate courses and more than 120 master’s programmes to pick from. These courses are collectively managed by four main faculties:
Faculty of Arts, Design and Media
Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences
Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment
Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences
At a subject level, BCU performs best in music, media studies, art, engineering and architecture. It’s also got some amazing training facilities like the Parkside Building and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Student life is vibrant with the Eagle & Ball hosting regular student events like quizzes and karaoke nights. And when you want to get out and explore the city, you’ve got many of Birmingham’s top attractions right on your doorstep!
As well as offering excellent connections to local businesses, BCU also has a strong track record of helping students and alumni launch their own start-ups – ideal for those with entrepreneurial ambitions.
Locations: City centre, Edgbaston, Bournville, Digbeth, Jewellery Quarter, Perry Barr
UK ranking: #80
International ranking: #1001-1200
Source: QS World University Rankings
University College Birmingham
Specialising in vocational education, University College Birmingham (UCB) offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, higher-level apprenticeships and ‘top-up’ courses that allow you to upgrade existing qualifications into a full degree.
The course catalogue covers numerous subject areas, with travel and tourism, beauty therapy, culinary arts and business management among the most popular. Three schools make up the core structure of the university:
Business School
School of Engineering, Digital and Sustainability
School of Health, Life Sciences and Education
UCB has several sites spread throughout Birmingham’s city centre, so you’ll always be close to the action. The university has invested heavily in its training facilities, which include an award-winning restaurant and a professional treatment clinic.
Courses are very hands-on – you'll be creating real products, serving real customers and solving real problems from day one. UCB also has excellent industry partnerships, meaning many courses include a paid work placement year.
Locations: Jewellery Quarter, city centre
UK ranking: N/A
International ranking: N/A
Birmingham Newman University
Based in Barley Green, about 8 miles from the city centre, Birmingham Newman University serves as the city’s smallest university. It’s home to around 3,000 students and has an intimate, suburban campus, giving it a close-knit community feel.
Newman is best known for its teacher training programmes, but also offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in areas like humanities, business and health science. It’s organised into two core faculties:
Student life is more relaxed than at the larger universities – and while it's not a party university, there's still plenty to do. The Students’ Union hosts regular events and there’s a bus stop right outside, which gets you to the city centre in 45 minutes.
The campus is compact but has everything you need: modern teaching facilities, a library and a sports centre – all set in beautiful green surroundings. So, if you hate large lecture theatres and prefer small class sizes, Newman could be the one for you.
Locations: Bartley Green
UK ranking: N/A
International ranking: N/A
Other universities in Birmingham
Haven’t found what you’re looking for? There are several other options beyond the main universities in Birmingham where you can pursue specific career paths and alternative study formats that may be a better fit.
Ulster University
Ulster University – Northern Ireland’s biggest university – has several campuses across the UK, including a satellite location in Birmingham from which it delivers a range of pre-master's and postgraduate programmes.
The Birmingham campus focuses specifically on marketing and international business. It’s based just off Colmore Row, Birmingham's main business district, so ideally placed for studying these subjects.
University of Law
If you’re set on a law degree, you can't do much better than the University of Law. This specialist law school has several sites across the UK, with its Birmingham campus based in the Jewellery Quarter, just a short walk from the city centre.
Courses are often taught by qualified lawyers and draw on real-world elements of the industry. The school also has strong ties with many of the world’s top law firms, so it’s great for networking and career opportunities.
Arden University
Is flexibility your priority? Arden University offers a mix of blended and online learning – ideal for those needing to balance study with other commitments – across a range of subject areas and qualification levels.
Arden has two locations in Birmingham's city centre from which it delivers its blended study programmes, giving you the opportunity for contact time with tutors and access to top-class learning facilities.
BIMM University
Dubbed ‘a university for the creative industries’, BIMM University offers an extensive range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees across the fields of music, film, performing arts and creative technologies.
Appropriately placed in Digbeth, Birmingham’s creative quarter, the Birmingham branch focuses specifically on music, with courses covering everything from production and performance to management and marketing.
Birmingham Metropolitan College
Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet) primarily focuses on A-levels, but it also offers various higher-level apprenticeships, professional courses and degree-level programmes – all at more affordable prices than traditional universities.
BMet’s strengths lie in vocational areas like digital technology, engineering, healthcare and creative arts. It also works closely with employers to shape its courses, so you know you’ll be picking up skills that are going to benefit you in your career.
Birmingham: a university city
From historic red-brick universities to specialist schools and vocational providers, Birmingham’s universities truly cater to everyone. It’s no surprise, then, that the city is such an attractive choice for students of all interests and aspirations.
Now that you know all about its universities, why not check out our guide on the best you’re looking for somewhere to stay, browse our range of student accommodation in Birmingham!
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Frequently asked questions
There are five institutions with full university status based in Birmingham: University of Birmingham, Aston University, Birmingham City University, University College Birmingham and Birmingham Newman University. Beyond these, several universities have secondary campuses in Birmingham, while various other providers offer degree-level programmes.
Birmingham’s ‘best’ university depends on who you ask. University of Birmingham is the most prestigious, while Aston University boasts strong graduate employment rates. Birmingham City University and University College Birmingham both have excellent vocational courses, with Birmingham Newman University known for teacher training.
Birmingham has lots of great options for international students, with the city in general a very welcoming place for newcomers. University of Birmingham and Aston University both have a large international student population and plenty of dedicated support services, while Birmingham City University and University College Birmingham are also popular.
