The UK's second biggest city, Birmingham has loads to offer students. Read on to learn all about the student experience in this amazing city.
Updated: 16 Jun 2026
Birmingham is found in the West Midlands and is the second biggest city in the UK. Due to its size, it’s become an exciting, multicultural hub for industry, trade and commerce. This makes it a great place to be a student due to all the networks and opportunities this brings. The city also has more canals than Venice!
Birmingham has four unis and is a popular place for students. If you’re still deciding where to study, we’ve put together the ultimate student guide to the city where you’ll find out about transport, student costs and nightlife in Birmingham.
No matter what you’re into, there’s plenty to do in Birmingham. The Bullring is the city’s major shopping destination with over 150 stores, many offering student discounts. The Custard Factory is the heart of the city’s buzzing creative quarter, set in 15 acres of restored Victorian factories. Hundreds of artists, shops, restaurants and galleries live here, so it’s the perfect place for some vintage shopping, yummy food or to soak up some culture.
NEXT: Check out our list of the top 10 student things to do in Birmingham.
Birmingham is a massive city and really popular with students, meaning there’s a huge range of events and club nights catering to all tastes. The city boasts unique intimate gig venues like the Sunflower Lounge, as well as the Utilita Arena which hosts huge concerts.
If you’re into drinking and dancing all night long, XOYO Birmingham is one of the city’s biggest clubs playing a variety of music, world class DJs and live performances. Or if sitting back with a pint is more your thing, check out the Canal House for relaxing by the fire in winter or out on the deck on those warm summer evenings.
Most of the unis in Birmingham offer accommodation in halls of residence for undergraduate students. The price depends on your university and the type of room you’re looking for. For example, at Birmingham City University, you can expect to pay from £120 to £180 per week for a bedroom with a shared bathroom, or you can get an en-suite from £171 per week. Aston University offers self-contained apartments of five to seven en-suite rooms, where you’ll pay around £175 a week.
Private rental accommodation is available throughout the city. You could rent a one-bedroom apartment in the centre of Birmingham for around £1,050 a month, or rent a room in a shared house for about £580 a month. It can be much cheaper to live outside the city centre, and you could find a studio flat for about £160 or a room for about £400 a month.
University halls usually include all utility bills in the cost, but if you’re renting privately you’ll need to budget an extra £90 each month. This is on top of your rent to pay for things like electric, gas and wifi. If you rent by yourself, these costs could be an extra £150.
Birmingham is the UK’s second largest city after London, and thankfully it has an extensive public transport service to help you get around. The city has three main train stations, New Street, Moor Street and Snow Hill, and you can get direct trains to places like London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Cardiff. Getting to London can cost as little as £6.40 each way if you book in advance.
There are a number of local train stations too, with single journeys typically costing around £3. Remember to get an annual 16-25 railcard. This costs £35 but gives you 1/3 off your tickets, so even if you don’t use the train every day you’ll soon make your money back and start saving over the year. You can also get a three year 16-25 railcard for £80.
The West Midlands Metro is the city’s tram network, and has 30 stops between Birmingham and Wolverhampton. There are also lots of buses running in the city and across the West Midlands. Or, if you’re looking to go further afield, Birmingham Airport is just 15 miles from the city centre and has flights throughout Europe and internationally.
Despite being such a huge city, Birmingham is still a lot more affordable than London and much of the South of England. It’s been suggested by the University of Birmingham that students should budget about £200 a month for food shopping, although of course this depends on where you shop. You can find low-cost supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl, as well as lots of fruit and veg markets offering food at bargain prices. You can expect to pay about £1.37 for a loaf of bread, £3 for a dozen eggs, £1.80 for a kilogram of rice and £1.20 for a kilogram of potatoes.
Remember you’ll also need to budget for other expenses during your studies in Birmingham. The exact amount will depend on your personal lifestyle, but you could be spending about £25 a month for laundry, £20 a month for toiletries and £15 each month for course materials like books. On average, students spend about £30 a month on clothes and accessories, but you could spend less by browsing charity shops and apps like Depop.
Another positive for the city being so big is how multicultural it is. There is a huge range of international cuisines to try. You can get a meal at an inexpensive restaurant for about £16, with cheaper takeaways and cafes available all over the city. A weekly budget of £50 should cover nights out, depending where you go! The average pint of beer is £5, but if you keep an eye out for student deals you’ll be able to have a night out that won’t break the bank. Many venues have free entries or two for one drinks deals.
NEXT: See our detailed cost of living breakdown for students in Birmingham here.
Birmingham has four universities and a student population of over 65,000. Whatever type of undergraduate experience you’re looking for, you’re sure to find a uni that ticks all your boxes in Birmingham.
The University of Birmingham has an outstanding reputation for research and is part of the esteemed Russell Group. It has a strong history of innovation, and has pioneered allergy vaccines and conducted leading clinical trials. Newman University is known for its high student satisfaction. It’s based in a quiet, rural area outside the city which gives students a calm and tranquil learning environment. Aston University is set in the heart of the city, meaning students are immersed from day one in an exciting and fast paced environment with industry links on their doorstep.
Find out more about all the unis in Birmingham:
NEXT: Take a look at which unis in Birmingham come out on top for different student-focused criteria here.
Still unsure? Book onto an open day to visit a uni in person or virtually to help make your decision. You can also take a look at more reasons to study in Birmingham.
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