Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Aston is a mid-sized university on a single, compact campus right in the middle of Birmingham. Halls, lecture theatres, the Students' Union, a sports centre with a pool and a Tesco are all a few minutes' walk apart, and the city centre is five to ten minutes away. It's known for careers focus: every undergraduate degree offers a placement year or an internship.
New undergraduates are guaranteed an en-suite room on campus, from £144 a week for 2027/28. On the flip side, the campus is small and urban, with not much green space, and the social scene leans on the city rather than a big campus union.
Known for
Aston University is 72nd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 46.5, below the UK median of 48.5. Our rankings are built around the student experience, combining employability, freshers experience, happiness, nightlife, sustainability, inclusion, innovation and societies. That means big research names don’t automatically top the table. See how we score universities.
Marker shows the UK median across all ranked universities.
| Rank | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | St Mary's University, Twickenham | 46.9 |
| 71 | University of Gloucestershire | 46.7 |
| 72 | Aston University | 46.5 |
| 73 | University College London | 46.3 |
| 74 | Canterbury Christ Church University | 46.2 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
29th of 124 · Employability Score 38.7
31st of 124 · Value Score 56.7
33rd of 122 · Careers Score 38.4
36th of 124 · Balance Score 48.1
59th of 124 · Freshers Score 55.5
59th of 124 · Affordability Score 55.1
67th of 124 · Social Score 48.9
70th of 124 · Innovation Score 54.7
82nd of 124 · Societies Score 45.9
82nd of 123 · Happiness Score 42.6
84th of 124 · Sustainability Score 44.7
85th of 124 · Nightlife Score 41.9
85th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 46.7
89th of 124 · Inclusion Score 49.3
112th of 124 · Safety Score 23
Birmingham as a student city
Ranked 64th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 44.3.
Aston University appears in 27 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy | 15th | of 32 | 72 |
| Supply Chain Management | 6th | of 12 | 37 |
| Criminology | 47th | of 94 | 120 |
| Quantity Surveying | 18th | of 35 | 78 |
| Nursing | 44th | of 85 | 117 |
| Psychology | 57th | of 108 | 125 |
| English Language and Literature | 29th | of 54 | 90 |
| Mathematics | 33rd | of 61 | 93 |
| Biomedical Science | 51st | of 93 | 103 |
| Biochemistry | 33rd | of 60 | 95 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economics | 47th | of 85 | 110 |
| Product Design | 24th | of 43 | 79 |
| Robotics | 18th | of 32 | 72 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 38th | of 66 | 78 |
| Business and Management | 69th | of 114 | 118 |
| Computer Science | 62nd | of 102 | 117 |
| Marketing | 54th | of 88 | 97 |
| Optometry | 8th | of 13 | 39 |
| Sociology | 54th | of 86 | 110 |
| Law | 62nd | of 97 | 101 |
| Electrical Engineering | 43rd | of 67 | 83 |
| International Relations | 46th | of 71 | 82 |
| Neuroscience | 17th | of 26 | 55 |
| Civil Engineering | 39th | of 58 | 75 |
| Human Resource Management | 40th | of 58 | 77 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 55th | of 77 | 93 |
| Politics | 58th | of 78 | 70 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Aston's campus life is compact and convenient. Aston Students' Union has over 135 clubs, societies and student groups, plus a bar and regular events, all a short walk from halls. The on-campus Woodcock Sports Centre has a gym, studios, courts and Birmingham's oldest working swimming pool, and outdoor pitches are at the Recreation Centre in Great Barr. Birmingham itself is the main draw: big gig venues like the O2 Academy, huge shopping at the Bullring and a food scene with the most Michelin stars outside London.
University halls cost £144–£155 per week (2027/28 new undergraduate rooms, 44-week contracts, bills included). For comparison, 2026/27 undergraduate rooms were £160–£178.35. (2027/28 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
Aston guarantees a room in Aston Student Village (on-campus, managed by Unite Students) to new full-time undergraduates for their first year, if Aston is their UCAS firm choice, they've applied through the online portal (there's no application deadline), and they firmly accept an unconditional offer by the date set in the policy (11 September for 2026/27 entry). Insurance and Clearing applicants are welcome, and Aston says it guarantees accommodation to Clearing applicants for September 2027. Rooms are for individuals only: there's no couple or family housing on campus.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Watt | Aston Student Village (city-centre campus) | en-suite (7-bed flat, single bed) | £144/wk | Mostly for first-year undergraduates. Premium One en-suite rooms in 7-bed flats, 44-week contract. 2026/27 price was £160. |
| William Murdoch | Aston Student Village (city-centre campus) | en-suite (5-bed flat, small double bed) | £155/wk | Mixed undergraduate and postgraduate. Premium Two en-suite rooms are larger, in 5-bed flats. 44-week contract; 2026/27 price was £178.35. |
| Mary Sturge | Aston Student Village (city-centre campus) | en-suite (5- and 7-bed flats) | £160/wk | Listed for returning undergraduates in 2026/27 (7-bed £160, 5-bed £178.35 a week, 44 weeks). |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Lots of private purpose-built student blocks within walking distance of campus. Convenient, but usually pricier.
Characterful area with bars and independent shops, about a 15–20-minute walk from campus.
Birmingham's creative, nightlife-heavy quarter, south-east of the centre.
Birmingham's biggest student-house area, mainly University of Birmingham students. Cheaper shared houses, but a train or bus ride from Aston.
Top tip
Registration for September 2027 opens in January 2027 on the Aston accommodation portal; you'll need your nine-digit Aston student ID, not your UCAS number. Guaranteed room offers are usually sent within three working days. You then book with Unite Students, pay a £250 advance fee (deducted from your first instalment) and need a guarantor over 25 (who doesn't have to live in the UK). For private housing later, try the Students' Union's Aston Student Homes service.
Aston's campus rooms are all en-suite and bills-inclusive. For 2027/28, new undergraduates pay £144 a week in a 7-bed flat or £155 in a 5-bed flat, on 44-week contracts (about £6,340–£6,820 a year). You'll also need a £250 advance fee and a guarantor. Birmingham is cheaper than London, and student bus passes keep travel costs down. The university doesn't publish an overall living-cost estimate that I could verify.
Getting around
Everything on campus is a short walk, and the city centre, Bullring and New Street station are about 5 to 10 minutes away on foot. Birmingham has a big bus, train and tram network. A National Express West Midlands adult single is £3, and a student 4-week ticket for all nBus operators is £56. Birmingham Airport has over 130 direct routes.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Aston University is 72nd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 46.5. Its strongest results are for employability (29th), value for money (31st), career prospects (33rd).
Yes, if you meet the conditions. New full-time undergraduates who have Aston as their firm choice, apply through the accommodation portal and firmly accept an unconditional offer by the deadline in the allocation policy are guaranteed a room in Aston Student Village. There's no deadline to apply for accommodation, and Aston says Clearing applicants for September 2027 are guaranteed too.
For September 2027, new undergraduates pay £144 a week for an en-suite room in a 7-bed flat or £155 a week in a 5-bed flat, on a 44-week contract. Bills, wifi and basic contents insurance are included. You pay a £250 advance fee when you book, which comes off your first rent instalment.
Aston Student Village is run with Unite Students. You apply through Aston's portal, then book and pay rent through Unite Students. Day-to-day issues are reported through the Unite Students app or the Aston Student Village reception. You need a guarantor aged over 25.
Yes. Aston has a single campus in the heart of Birmingham. The university says the city centre and shops are an easy 5 to 10 minute walk away, and lecture theatres, the Students' Union and the sports centre are about two minutes from halls.
Not all, but every Aston undergraduate course includes the opportunity to gain real-world experience, either through a placement year between your second and third years or through a clinical or industry internship. The Careers and Placements team helps you find one.
No. Rent is paid to Unite Students, normally in one, three or four instalments for home students, and one or three for international students. Monthly payments aren't an option, so plan your student loan payments with that in mind.
About this guide. Rankings data comes from the Unifresher Rankings 2027 (methodology). Facts, hall prices and costs come from the university and official sources listed below. Last updated 23 October 2026.
