Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Birmingham is a classic redbrick on a big, green campus in Edgbaston, about three miles from the city centre. Almost every first year lives in one of three nearby accommodation villages, and the campus even has its own train station, so getting into town takes minutes. With 500-plus clubs and societies and a huge sports centre, there's plenty to fill your week.
It's a large university, with about 40,000 students, so you'll need to make the effort to find your people. Halls aren't the cheapest either: most en-suite rooms cost around £190 to £230 a week. If you want a proper campus feel with a big city on tap, it's a strong fit.
Known for
The University of Birmingham is 56th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 49.7, above 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 54 | Oxford Brookes University | 49.8 |
| 55 | Liverpool Hope University | 49.7 |
| 56 | University of Birmingham | 49.7 |
| 57 | University of Buckingham | 49.5 |
| 58 | Bangor University | 49.1 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
23rd of 124 · Balance Score 52.2
24th of 124 · Inclusion Score 71.5
30th of 124 · Social Score 60.7
32nd of 124 · Employability Score 38.1
32nd of 124 · Value Score 56.6
35th of 122 · Careers Score 37.6
37th of 124 · Societies Score 59.5
40th of 124 · Nightlife Score 55.3
63rd of 124 · Innovation Score 55.7
67th of 124 · Freshers Score 54.2
67th of 124 · Affordability Score 53.1
91st of 124 · Sustainability Score 42.5
94th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 43.3
102nd of 123 · Happiness Score 35.8
118th of 124 · Safety Score 21.2
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.
The University of Birmingham appears in 51 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Training 2026 table | 1st | of 10 | – |
| Artificial Intelligence | 21st | of 66 | 100 |
| Chemical Engineering | 11th | of 30 | 76 |
| Linguistics | 11th | of 27 | 62 |
| Statistics | 12th | of 27 | 64 |
| Computer Science | 46th | of 102 | 146 |
| Neuroscience | 12th | of 26 | 65 |
| Biotechnology | 5th | of 10 | 40 |
| Sociology | 43rd | of 86 | 131 |
| Business and Management | 60th | of 114 | 137 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Every student is automatically a member of the Guild of Students, the students' union, which says it supports more than 350 student groups (the university puts the total of clubs and societies at over 500). The Guild runs club nights, fairs and events, plus Joe's Bar. Sport is a big deal, with 62 clubs and a sports centre that has a 50m pool. Selly Oak, just off campus, is the student hub for food and nights out. The city centre is one stop away by train.
University halls cost £107–£321 per week (2026/27 undergraduate rooms, 42-week contracts) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
The university guarantees new undergraduates an opportunity to book a room in its accommodation, as long as you meet the terms of your offer, accept Birmingham as your firm choice on UCAS, and apply for accommodation by the Guarantee Scheme deadline. For September 2026 entry, applications opened on 1 December 2025 and the deadlines were 30 June 2026 for UK undergraduates and 31 July 2026 for international undergraduates. Those deadlines have now passed. Dates for 2027 entry hadn't been published when we checked.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maple Bank | The Vale Village | shared bathroom | £107/wk | The cheapest undergraduate option: £4,482 for 42 weeks. A version with the UoB Food Wallet (meal credit) costs £162 a week. |
| Tennis Court (Centre Court) | The Vale Village | shared bathroom | £137/wk | Eco-friendly block with solar panels, a courtyard and food planters. Other Tennis Court shared rooms are £149 a week. |
| Ashcroft | Pritchatts Park Village | shared bathroom | £147/wk | Landscaped grounds, a short walk from Metchley Park sports pitches and the Medical School. Low-carbon townhouses (shared with one other) are £188 a week. |
| Jarratt Hall | Selly Oak Village | en-suite | £189/wk | A big, social hall of about 700 students in Selly Oak. One of the cheaper en-suite options (£7,934 for 42 weeks). |
| Elgar Court | The Vale Village | en-suite | £200/wk | En-suite rooms in shared flats at The Vale, £8,377 for 42 weeks. |
| Shackleton Catered | The Vale Village | en-suite and studios (Food Wallet options) | £212/wk | Shared-bathroom rooms with Food Wallet from £212, en-suites with Food Wallet £255–£261, and the top of the UG range: studio apartments at £321 a week (£13,473). |
| Aitken Catered | The Vale Village | shared bathroom | £213/wk | Smaller community at The Vale. The price includes the UoB Food Wallet, the university's prepaid meal credit for campus outlets. |
| Chamberlain | The Vale Village | en-suite | £223/wk | Lakeside tower with modern en-suites. £278 a week with the Food Wallet. (Chamberlain studios are listed for postgraduates.) |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
The main student area, right next to campus and one stop from University station. Packed with shared houses, cafés and takeaways, and lively at night.
The streets between campus and Selly Oak's Bristol Road. Very studenty and handy for lectures.
A quieter area north of campus with its own high street.
Leafy and residential, close to campus. There's less student housing here, and it costs more.
Top tip
You can apply as soon as you hold an offer: applications for September 2026 opened on 1 December 2025. Apply before the Guarantee Scheme deadline (30 June for UK undergraduates in 2026) to keep your guarantee. For second year, the university's Student Living team gives free help with house hunting and has a Tenancy Agreement Checker.
University halls for 2026/27 run from £107 to £321 a week, all with bills, Wi-Fi and contents insurance included. Most en-suites cost about £190–£230. The university's money advice page budgets about £185–£210 a week for essentials in halls, or £174 in a private house, plus extra for travel and socialising. You'll also pay an advance rent payment of up to £550 to secure a room.
Getting around
The campus has its own railway station, University, on the Cross-City line. The university says the train from Birmingham New Street takes about 7–10 minutes, with at least four trains an hour. Selly Oak is one stop further, or about a 10-minute walk. Halls are within walking distance of campus. Buses run along the Bristol Road, and student bus passes are available.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
The University of Birmingham is 56th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 49.7. Its strongest results are for work-life balance (23rd), inclusion (24th), social life (30th).
In our 2027 subject rankings, the University of Birmingham places highest for Teacher Training (1st of 10). Across our awards, it also stands out for work-life balance.
Yes. Birmingham is one of the 24 Russell Group universities. It's also a founding member of Universitas 21, an international network of research universities.
Yes, if you meet the conditions. New undergraduates are guaranteed the chance to book a room if they meet their offer, make Birmingham their firm UCAS choice and apply by the Guarantee Scheme deadline. In 2026 that was 30 June for UK students and 31 July for international students.
For 2026/27, undergraduate rooms cost £107 to £321 a week on 42-week contracts. Shared-bathroom rooms start at £107 (Maple Bank), en-suites at about £189 (Jarratt Hall), and studios cost over £300. Bills, Wi-Fi and contents insurance are included.
Most live in one of three university villages close to campus: The Vale (lakeside, the biggest), Pritchatts Park (newer, low-carbon buildings) or Selly Oak. There are also partner halls, such as Battery Park and The Metalworks, in Selly Oak and Edgbaston.
Take the train. University station is on campus, and trains to Birmingham New Street take about 7–10 minutes. Buses also run along the Bristol Road into town.
Most second years move into shared houses in Selly Oak and Bournbrook, right next to campus. The university's Student Living team helps with house hunting, contracts and deposits, and has a Tenancy Agreement Checker.
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.
