University College Birmingham is a public institute, and a member of the very prestigious University of Birmingham, England. It earned its status as a full university as recently as 2012, and has coveted its name as one of the best universities in the UK ever since. The university has a total enrolment of around 7,500 students out of which 4,435 are undergraduates and 495 are graduate students. With a global community of more than 1400 international students, over 60 countries are represented at UCB campus, and the college has an acceptance rate between 80-90%.
Besides industry-leading academic courses, UCB also offers vocational courses like hospitality and culinary arts, hairdressing and beauty, tourism, business enterprise, marketing, business management, accounting, finance, etc. Admissions at UCB take place twice a year in January and September intakes. The institute has also garnered a name for its industry links with top employers, and the highest salary observed is 66,000 EUR. UCB has invested 130 million EUR towards providing the latest facilities and resources for its students
University College Birmingham Rankings
- 81th, in 2020 QS World University Rankings
- 146th, across the country in late 2019.
- 4185th, globally based on Art and Technical courses.
Highlights
| Type of University | Public |
| Number of Undergraduate Students | 4,435 |
| Number of Postgraduate Students | 495 |
| Percentage of International Students | 40% |
| Annual Acceptance Rate | 80-90% |
| Basic Tuition Fee for International Undergraduate Students | 12,500 EUR |
| Basic Tuition Fee for International Graduate Students | 13,500 EUR |
| Employment Rate | 83.2% |
| Application fees | 20 GBP |
| Official Website | https://www.ucb.ac.uk/ |
University College Birmingham Campus
UCB has six campuses within walking distance from the Birmingham city centre. These six campuses are in the busiest centre of the city’s business and hotel district, thus ensuring that there is no scarcity of job opportunities for students at University College Birmingham. The institute has invested 130 million GBP over the last five years for new campuses, equipment and resources to vastly improve the overall student experience at UCB.
- UCB features a digital creative studio to provide hands-on experience to aspiring online creators for producing quality podcasts, promotional videos and livestream content for social media.
- The Financial Training Suite provides practical training for students on business, finances and accounting courses, and is one of the largest among all UK universities.
- The University has its own learning spaces to offer students an ideal learning environment with quiet areas for individual work and break-out spaces for meet-ups, among other facilities.
- The library offers thousands of print and digital resources to help students during their courses, as well qualified library professionals and research specialists to be consulted for additional guidance.
- Students have access to high-tech computer facilities throughout the campus, along with self-study laptop areas.
- The campuses have their own gyms and sports facilities to help students stay fit during their stay at UCB
- A number of clubs and societies operate on-campus, providing students the opportunity to play football in a university league, practice pole fitness, plan eco events, watch movies with friends, etc.
University College Birmingham Residence
International students are generally encouraged to apply for on-campus accommodation at UCB residence halls as early as possible. The residence halls provide high quality accommodation that is affordable and designed to provide the comfortable home experience students tend to crave for while studying abroad. Birmingham is a bustling city with a vibrant nightlife and an abundance of places for international students to visit in their free time, all of it being easily accessible due to the ideal location of the campuses at the centre of the city.
- The residence hall rooms are fully furnished and provide utilities such as free wi-fi, heating, fitted wardrobe, desk, chair, shelves, notice boards, complimentary insurance, etc.
- The Maltings, one of the residence halls, features a canal-side view even though the campus is located at the centre of the city. It houses upto 827 study bedrooms within 809 en-suite rooms, and 18 rooms with shared bedrooms. Most of the flats house around six to nine residents.
- Certain floors are designed to accommodate students with special needs.
Given below is the cost of residence at UCB:
| The Maltings room type | Weekly rent (in EUR) |
|---|---|
| Standard | 115 |
| En-suite | 126 |
| Twin | 179 |
To be eligible for accommodations at UCB, international students need to meet the following requirements:
- Students must have sent a firm acceptance of an unconditional offered at UCB
- Paid the tuition deposit
- Completed the residence agreement and deposit of 100 GBP by the offer deadline (September 20)
University College Birmingham Programs
UCB offers several courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level for international students. Most of the degree courses are accredited by the University of Warwick and University of Birmingham, which are internationally recognised universities that rank near the top globally.
Given below are some top programs offered at UCB:
| Course | Fees (in EUR) |
|---|---|
| MSc Hospitality with Tourism Management | 13,500 |
| MSc Finance and Accounting | 13,500 |
| MSc Aviation Management | 13,500 |
| BA (Hons) Culinary Arts Management | 12,500 |
| BA (Hons) Business Management | 12,500 |
University College Birmingham Application Process
Students should apply for programs at UCB as early as possible, so as to get their seats reserved if they are eligible. Applications are processed on a rolling admission basis and final decisions are taken within four to six weeks after receiving a complete application.
Application Portal: UCAS web portal
Application fee:
- Single course: 20 GBP
- Combined courses: 25 GBP
Application Deadline: January 15
General Admission Requirements:
- Academic transcripts
- Work experience
- Letter of recommendation
- Sample work (course-based short composition)
- Verified visa
English Language Proficiency Test Scores
International applicants from India can use their board exam scores for English (minimum 60%) as proof of English language proficiency.
The test scores accepted at UCB are given below:
| Test | Score requirement at UG level courses | Score requirement at PG level courses |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL IBT | 72 | 72 |
| IELTS | 6.0 and above (with no band less than 5.5) | 6.5 and above (with no element less than 6.0) |
University College Birmingham Cost of Attendance
For international students, studying at the University College Birmingham might incur several expenses in the UK that they need to be prepared for with adequate financial planning. The information given below regarding certain expected expenses can help to that end, and help students arrive at a budget.
Given below is the estimated cost incurred:
| Program | Fee (in EUR) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Programmes | 12,500 (per year) |
| BA (Hons) Accelerated | 15,000 |
| BA (Hons) (Online) | 5,500 |
| Postgraduate Programmes | 13,500 |
| Living Expenses | 850 |
University College Birmingham Scholarships
UCB offers a range of support to international students to encourage them to access the programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This is made possible through scholarships, and different forms of financial assistance, as well as other benefits.
Given below are some scholarships offered by UCB:
| Scholarship | Amount (in EUR) |
|---|---|
| International Academic Excellence Scholarship | Upto 1000 GBP off of the total tuition fees for one year |
| International Sporting Excellence Scholarship | Upto 1500 GBP over 3 years |
Also check Scholarships in the UK
University College Birmingham Alumni
Being a registered alumni at UCB can qualify one for a host of alumni services and benefits offered by the institution. The UCB has a list of 1000 industry partnerships with reputed business and organisations, which the alumni can have access to using the UCB portal. This helps freshly graduated alumni to improve their CV, and come in contact with potential recruiters from all around the world.
Some notable alumni at UCB include:
- Katie Garrett, protégé of royal wedding cake maker Fiona Cairns
- John Daniel, Youth residential support worker
- Steph Harrison, Award-winning make-up artist and TV star
- James Whiting, Founder of The Skinny Food Company
- Garima Poddar, Indian celebrity chef
University College Birmingham Placements
UCB is one of the largest providers of placements in the UK, with tutors helping students to obtain relevant work experiences to complement their academic studies and to develop appropriate skills.
Here are the jobs most commonly available for graduates from UCB:
| Job | Average annual salary (in EUR) |
|---|---|
| Lecturer | 37,164 |
| Tutor | 22000 - 33000 |
| Director | 59000 - 64000 |
| Mentoring Officer | 22000 - 24000 |
University College Birmingham makes education in the UK affordable for international students, while still offering them the latest equipment and resources they will need through their courses. The campus is ideally located with a beautiful view at the centre of the city of Birmingham, ensuring that all the students’ needs are properly accessible. The college has proved to be most attractive for students globally because of its worldwide industry links with over 1,000 employers, which benefits the students’ career prospects massively. Study abroad candidates are widely accepted at the college and have even received huge returns, the average salary at UCB being 35,000 EUR.
FAQs
Ques. Can I get temporary housing at UCB for one semester?
Housing at UCB residence halls is based on contracts usually lasting for 42 weeks. Only a small number of rooms can be offered for only one semester. These are reserved for Erasmus students completing their studies in January or for students going on, or returning from a work placement.
Ques. Are all the UCB residence halls available for international students?
Of the several residence halls, only the Maltings residence hall is currently operating as usual, with the rest of the residence halls remaining closed because of the pandemic situation
Ques. How to get a visa for studying at UCB?
To apply for a student visa, you will need to complete the application form (available at gov.uk website) and book an appointment at your nearest visa application centre and submit the necessary documentation
Ques. Is there an application fee for accommodations at UCB?
International students are required to have paid the tuition deposit of 4500 GBP to be offered housing in the residence halls of UCB. To confirm their acceptance of the offer, signed contracts must be sent with a non-refundable deposit of 100 GBP.
