We understand the importance of feeling at home in your accommodation, particularly when you are getting used to an unfamiliar environment and meeting new people.
One of the particular attractions of the University of Birmingham is that we have a wide range of purpose-built accommodation on campus. This is guaranteed for all new international undergraduate and postgraduate students who firmly accept an offer to study at Birmingham and return the accommodation application form by the due date.
This guarantee is subject to the following conditions:
Many international students choose to stay on campus because of the ease that this allows you – it is close to your lecture halls, it can be arranged before you arrive, and you have the benefit of mentors in halls of residence, who will check on your welfare whilst you stay there.
Our accommodation includes traditional halls of residence where meals are provided for you in a communal dining room and self-catering flats where small groups of students live together and cook for themselves. We will also try and place students in single sex accommodation where requested. All of the accommodation is furnished and centrally heated.
The various apartments and flats have different facilities (eg, shared bathrooms or en suite facilities) and letting periods. Information on accommodation possibilities is sent out to all candidates who receive an offer to study at the University. We also have a small number of flats and houses available for couples and students with families.
Further information
More information on the different accommodation options available at the University can be found on the Housing Services website at www.has.bham.ac.uk/studentaccom.
Further advice is available in the University accommodation section of the International Student’s Advisory Service website.
If you intend to bring your family with you to Birmingham, we advise you to come to the University by yourself initially and send for your family once you have found suitable accommodation.
You can find out more information at www.as.bham.ac.uk/study/support/international.
The residential areas surrounding the University campus provide an alternative option for many students. The areas of Selly Oak and Harborne are popular areas for shared private housing.
We can provide help and assistance to you when looking for private housing. If you are not able to arrange housing before you arrive here, you can stay in a hotel until you have arranged a house. Our Housing Services have launched a new service which enables you to search for private housing before you arrive, www.birminghamstudentpad.co.uk.
House hunting week
Housing Services also arrange a house hunting week in advance of term starting, so if you choose to live in private accommodation, you can be helped to find somewhere to live if you have not already done so before you arrive.
The dates for this year are 13-16 September 2009.
Further advice is available in the Private accommodation section of the International Student’s Advisory Service website.
www.housing.bham.ac.uk
A General Guide to Accommodation (PDF, 1.38MB, opens in new window)
To view this PDF file you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, you can download it from the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.
