Offering a leafy 26-acre campus in Edgbaston, just outside the bustling city of Birmingham, the UK’s first civic university, founded in 1900, has set its 21st-century sights on becoming a global top-50 university. A member of the research-intensive Russell Group, Birmingham has maintained its ranking — 22nd — in our main academic league table while Old Joe, said to be the world’s tallest freestanding clock tower, at 100m, now has competition from modern facilities that have sprung up as part of a ten-year, £600 million-plus campus overhaul.

What is the University of Birmingham’s reputation? 

Birmingham climbed to joint 80th in the QS World University Rankings 2025 (up from 84th in 2024) and 101st in Times Higher Education’s world list 2024 (a seven-place gain, year-on-year). The university achieved superb results in the national Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) and ranks tenth in our research quality index. Some of its best outcomes were in physics; Earth systems and environmental sciences; computer science; philosophy, theology and religious studies; sport and exercise sciences; public health, health services and primary care; social work and social policy; engineering; and law.

Birmingham came out of the latest Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023) rated silver overall, but gold for student outcomes – drawing praise from the TEF panel for its “tailored approaches that are highly effective in ensuring students succeed in and progress beyond their studies”. The TEF panel rated the student experience bronze, however, reflecting Birmingham’s poor showings in recent National Student Surveys (NSS). In our analysis of the latest results, the university has climbed three places for satisfaction with teaching quality (109th) and holds steady at 79= for the wider undergraduate experience. The university said: “Improvements to student experience are a priority for the university.” The £6 million invested in upgrading teaching spaces ahead of the 2024 academic year should help.

What degree courses have been discontinued and what new courses are available? 

In a reshuffle of the curriculum, railway engineering degrees have been withdrawn, as has nuclear science and nuclear engineering. New for 2024 are drama and film, drama and creative writing, and physics with medical physics. From 2025 there will also be courses in cultural and creative industries, liberal arts, arts and sciences, and natural sciences.

What are the University of Birmingham’s entry requirements – and my chances of getting in?

Birmingham attracted nearly 56,500 applications in 2023 and more than 7,000 new undergraduates were accepted onto courses (including almost 1,300 international students). Birmingham’s entry requirements start at BBB and go up to A*A*A. Contextual offers are typically one grade lower than standard and benefited fewer than 10 per cent of new entrants in 2023. About 10 per cent of the intake in 2023 entered through Pathways to Birmingham, a programme aimed at widening participation, with offers reduced by two grades. The university takes part in clearing, though only 4 per cent of the 2023 cohort gained places this way. 

What are the graduate prospects?

Birmingham graduates are in demand: the High Fliers Graduate Market 2024 report showed it to be the most targeted UK university by the largest number of top graduate employers. The university’s careers network brings more than 300 employers to campus each year, including organisations such as Lloyds Banking Group, Jaguar Land Rover and Goldman Sachs. Birmingham’s degree apprenticeship programme in computer science with digital technology is run in partnership with PwC — and at the last count there were 129 students enrolled on the earn-as-you-learn course.

In our analysis of the latest Graduate Outcomes survey recording the numbers in highly skilled work or further study after 15 months, Birmingham ranked 16th, a slight drop from 14= last year.

What is the University of Birmingham’s campus like?

Birmingham’s decade of development began in 2016 and many buildings are already in use — such as the energy-efficient student townhouses at Pritchatts Park. The Collaborative Teaching Laboratory for Stem subjects features wet, dry and e-labs with learning spaces for up to 1,200 students. The School of Engineering opened in 2021; the Molecular Sciences Building in 2023, providing extra facilities for the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences. Next door is a research centre of excellence in digital systems. Students who need a screen break can turn to the 12-acre Green Heart outdoor space in Edgbaston.

The Selly Oak campus, two miles from Edgbaston, hosts drama courses, and the BBC Drama Village offers student placements. 

Further afield, Birmingham became the first Russell Group university to launch an outpost in Dubai in 2018, and since then has opened a new purpose-built campus in the city state.

Everything you need to know about the University of Birmingham’s student life and wellbeing support

The UK’s second city is home to five universities and offers student-friendly nightlife by the bucketload. Birmingham’s rich cultural diversity is another of its big appeals. On campus you’ll find art, museums, rare books and archives, gardens and concert venues. In the city, many cultural resources offer free admission for students and there are opportunities to get involved through volunteering, talks and performances. 

Sport is also a big draw. The university was an official partner for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and students can use the exceptional facilities created to host hockey and squash events and training centres for swimmers and athletes. There are glass-backed squash courts, a 50m swimming pool, climbing wall and multipurpose arena, as well as acres of sports pitches and courts at Bournbrook and Metchley, less than a mile away. The Gillett Centre at Selly Oak has two gymnastics training rooms with sprung floors and the Tiverton gym in the student village has skiing and resistance machines.

To support students, there are wellbeing officers in every school. Services include UB Heard, a 24/7 online and telephone listening service, and Pause @UoB, a no-wait mental health and wellbeing drop-in service in partnership with the NHS and the Children’s Society.

What do the students say?

“You’re never far from galleries or concert halls at the University of Birmingham, and you don’t have to look further than campus to find them. The vibrant social life is a great part of the experience and something really valued at Birmingham. The Guild has 300+ student groups who host incredible events, including many faith and cultural groups, who offer safe spaces.”
Amira Campbell, guild of students president and music graduate

What about student accommodation at the University of Birmingham?

Rooms in halls are guaranteed for first-years who meet the criteria and a self-selection process allows students to pick their own room and post a biography.

How diverse and inclusive is the University of Birmingham?

Like other research-intensive universities, Birmingham tends to occupy the lower reaches of our social inclusion index, ranking 97th according to the latest published data. 

Everything you need to know about scholarships and bursaries at the University of Birmingham

About one fifth of 2023’s new students received one of Birmingham’s scholarships or bursaries. The most common is the £2,000 Chamberlain Award, given to those who meet the criteria for widening participation.