MA International Law, Ethics and Politics

University of Birmingham

The university campus is beautiful, but parking nearby can be difficult. The campus has its own train station, which is unique in England, and the train to the city is cheap. The University of Birmingham often schedules teaching sessions in different locations and at varying times each week. This can be great if you like exploring the whole campus, but it’s harder if you prefer consistency and familiarity. There are lots of food outlets on campus, but they tend to be overpriced, not very good, and surprisingly not very sustainable (they mostly use disposable dishes). There are, however, microwaves and hot water machines that students can use. The library and its services are excellent. The central Aston Webb building is also stunning and really makes you proud to be a student here.

I really like the faculty and the facilities that are given to international students. I appreciate the help with the funding and even the numerous online open weeks where they explained about the wonderful opportunities that are given to students and how we can make best use of the exposure given to us.

The best part of studying at the University of Birmingham is the balance between strong academics and genuine student support. The teaching is research-led and encourages critical thinking, and there are many opportunities beyond lectures, such as research roles, pro bono work, and employability-focused activities. As an international student, I also really value the inclusive and diverse environment, which makes it easy to settle in and feel part of the community. Because the university is quite large, it can sometimes take a bit of time to navigate all the opportunities available, especially at the beginning. However, once you become familiar with the systems and take initiative, there is a lot of support and guidance available.

I love the community and diversity here, even far from home, I feel like I can find food and people that I grew up with. I love the small town feel near the university and the convenience of also having easy transport to the city areas. The campus itself is gorgeous red-brick and I feel like the facilities are so nice, from modern seminar rooms to stunning vintage feel lecture theatres.

The University of Birmingham is a great place to study as it is a representative university where there are students across the world studying different subjects and this makes me feel included. The sense of community is further strengthened with the myriads of societies that are in place, such as the Islamic Society and the sports society, which not only educates you, but inspires you to make change for the better. It enables you to connect with individuals who study the same course as you to implement the study buddy method and this helps you to revise and consolidate knowledge. It not only gives you confidence, but gives you moral support and can reassure you that you are not alone. Furthermore, the library and the teaching and learning building have the most useful resources that can ensure that you thrive during your time at the University. For example, with the use of Find it @ Bham, you are able to access numerous journal articles and books, which have strengthened my knowledge and helped me become intricate within applications and my studies. However, in order to study effectively, it is vital that students are given differing facilities that are specific towards their needs. For example, there are a lack of prayer rooms within each building. This can lead to a lot of time wasted for students to find a place to pray and this can also cause them to lose out on studying. To improve, if the university places a prayer room in each building or floor, then this can save time for students to worry about praying and they can pray in ease.