Postgraduate 2026 - West Midlands

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.

The campus at UoB is really lovely, lots of green space and amazing buildings. As it is a campus university, you get to know the university quickly, and this is nice as it can feel like a separate student bubble. As for the course I was doing: Digital Media and Communications (BA Hons), I found the teaching was sub-par and unprofessional in some instances. For example, during my first term, I had a module that was supposed to equip us with necessary skills for becoming a university student (seemingly helpful for integration into university academics), this was not the case though. The module lead would spend the whole workshop taking about extremely irrelevant subjects such as him not knowing there were showers on campus until recently (about half the workshop was wasted on him talking about this). Furthermore, in another module, the tutor opened the first session with us by stating that when she is reading us the powerpoint presentations, this is the first time she is reading them herself and that she doesn't make the slides. She would spend time in the lectures trying to understand what the presentation was saying as she herself was unfamiliar with the content - I found this extremely unprofessional and it really angered me that what was supposed to be an expert in her field was struggling with a powerpoint she was presenting, also the fact she openly told us she had not prepared for the lectures by reading the slides beforehand is honestly shocking and I deeply questioned what am I paying for?? I also found that some lecturers lacked passion for teaching and lacked in making these sessions engaging. I also think that the communication between different module tutors can be poor sometimes (specifically in terms of briefing for assignments). Despite this, the pastoral care and support at UOB is amazing; it's very easy to contact staff and arrange appointments with faculty members, etc. I found that Birmingham, as a city, is an extremely uninspiring place with no real heart to it. The accommodation at UoB isn't actually 'on campus' as it's about a 15-minute walk away to get to the top of campus - this is fine if you don't mind it, but it is something to consider if you'd rather have your campus be right on your doorstep. The nightlife scene in Birmingham is really not that great and far to get to as it's about a 45-minute walk from the Vale (first year) accommodation to Broad Street. Birmingham is also not that safe and doesn't feel welcoming as a city; in my opinion, it's a very cold atmosphere and not very pretty. All this eventually led to me leaving UoB mid-way through year 1, and I am extremely glad I did.

Campus is really one of the most beautiful in the country. I love everything about it, the uni and the course I can’t fault it

I love the campus and feel right at home, there is such a wide variety of modules and opportunities to volunteer and further my studies. Theres is such a mix of societies you can join to make the most of UoB

Love the campus.

I enjoy studying liberal arts at UoB because it allows me explores different subject modules each year. I’ve learnt to realise what I do enjoy and what I don’t enjoy in different subjects. This means that during my time at university, I’ve been able to pick up a range of skills - both analytical and creative - therefore I can adapt myself for my future career. You gain an interdisciplinary set of skills that you can apply in the workplace. It sometimes may feel a bit weird trying to explain to others what liberal arts is in the beginning but you get used to it. The library on campus is 24/7 during term time and even has group study spaces, silent spaces, rooms that you can book as well. This is quite the lifesaver for exam season or if you’ve left your assignment a bit late again! I went for an en-suite accommodation which was walking distance from campus. Most students move in student housing in Selly Oak in second year onwards where you have the retail park. Groceries are never a problem as you have Morrisons near Vale Village - Sainsbury’s, Aldi and Tesco near Selly Oak. Maintenance services in accommodation were very quick to repair anything - never had any major issues. The department guides you and provides support in helping you choose majors (if you choose to do so) and choosing modules if you have any questions. Most professors know what a liberal arts degree is so they are always open to helping you as well if you’ve never studied their subject before. Office hours are definitely underrated as they help you with any questions you have academically for individual assignments, group work or even presentations. The department have Wellbeing Officers and free events which you can attend. The University and Student Union have multiple wellbeing support pathways available to access as well. There is also welfare team for accommodation (ResLife Team) There are cost of living schemes in place at the student union including a community breakfast which offers free weekly breakfast for students, a free shuttle bus from campus to Selly express for safety and a community pantry which provides a free one off food parcel. There are scholarships and funding that you can apply for regardless whether you’re a home, international or a postgrad student. Accommodation costs are fixed - I recommend that the self catered options is cheaper and better to save money. Some accommodation sites can be expensive but there are some affordable ones. Day time events are great as there are ones from student societies, the student union, the department and the main university. This includes Welcome Week, UoB Xtra which takes place after exams and the artisan markets where there are monthly stalls from local markets on campus to explore. Christmas on campus is really fun as well as there is a ride. The city is quite big and there is lots to explore from gardens, to museums and art galleries and the infamous BullRing. You can also easily travel in and out to other cities such as attending Warwick races. Campus and city nightlight is quite active and there is absolutely no pressure to drink either at uni! There are also sober social events that take place in the evening. The student union takes a bit time to understand how to get around the different staircases but apart from them is very accessible for all students. They have over 350+ student societies to choose from and you can meet all of the societies during Welcome Week and they host free events during term. They host free accommodation social events as well to meet new people living in the same place as you. They offer part time flexible student roles across multiple departments which is great to apply for future career.

I love Selly Oak, and the community students feel it has. The campus is located only a short walk away. The campus itself is beautiful and a great environment to work in. If anything could be improved, reduced food and drink prices.