Birmingham City University

Undergraduate (UK applicants)

Applications for September 2027 entry are made through UCAS from 1 September 2026. Key dates: 13 January 2027 UCAS application deadline (6pm, including references); 25 February 2027 UCAS Extra opens; 30 June 2027 last date for 2027 applications, after which applications go into Clearing; 2 July 2027 Clearing opens. Some full-time courses also start in January 2027.

Entry requirements vary by course and are set on each course page. The minimum GCSE pass accepted is grade 4 (grade C under the old system). T Level applicants usually need a Merit with grade B in the core component for degree entry, or a Pass with grade C in the core for foundation year entry, in a subject aligned to the course. Engineering courses require A Level Maths (Physics or Chemistry also accepted), and a pass in the practical element of science A Levels is required. Many art and design courses ask for a digital portfolio, and courses in Education, Social Work, Nursing and Midwifery and the Allied Health Professions have their own application guidance; some courses use interviews or auditions. Advanced entry to year two or three is possible for students transferring from another institution.

International undergraduate

International students can apply directly to the university online, through an official in-country representative, or through UCAS. Applications need scanned certificates and transcripts, evidence of English, a one-page statement of purpose and a passport valid for at least six months from the course start; a reference may be requested after a gap of five years or more. Applicants under 18 need written parental consent and, where parents are outside the UK, a UK guardian. Students who do not meet direct entry requirements can take a foundation programme at BCU or one-, two- or three-semester pathway programmes at Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC), which has three intakes a year.

English language

For most courses the requirement is IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with no band below 5.5; some courses require more. Other accepted tests include TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic (not PTE Academic Online), Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency, LanguageCert Academic, Trinity ISE, OET and the university’s own BCU English Proficiency Test (BCU EPT); results are generally valid for two years. Pre-sessional English courses are available for students who need to raise their level.

Postgraduate taught

Most postgraduate courses are applied for directly through the course page. Applicants need copies of prior certificates and two references (one academic, one employer); conditional offers can be made before graduation. The recommended dates to apply are Friday 17 July for September starts and Friday 4 December for January starts, and some courses such as MSc Social Work, MSc Dietetics, MSc Speech and Language Therapy and MSc Physiotherapy have fixed deadlines. International applicants who completed their studies more than two years ago should include a CV. PGCE applications go through UCAS Teacher Training.

Research degrees

PhD, DBA and EdD applicants submit a research proposal and qualifications through the online portal; the Doctoral Research College checks supervision capacity and suitable candidates are invited to interview. International research applicants need IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 or equivalent, and may need an ATAS certificate.

Visa and deposits

Self-funded international students must pay 50% of the tuition fee before receiving their CAS.

The university has two main campuses and several specialist sites across Birmingham.

• City Centre Campus (Eastside, B4 7BD): eight buildings. Curzon Building houses business, law, social sciences and English, with psychology labs, a mock courtroom and the City Trading Room; Parkside Building houses arts, design and media and Parkside Media House; Millennium Point houses engineering and built environment and some computing facilities; STEAMhouse (Belmont Row), a £70 million building in the former Belmont Bicycle Works, hosts computing and digital technology; the £12 million Benjamin Zephaniah Building houses the Department of Education; plus the Joseph Priestley Building and the Research Hub.
• City South Campus (Westbourne Road, Edgbaston, B15 3TN): Seacole Building, Bevan House and Harborne Road; health professions, nursing and midwifery, life sciences and social work, with a mock operating theatre, hospital wards, a birthing room, a virtual radiotherapy suite, a microbiology lab, simulated home environments, a library and a café.
• Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (200 Jennens Road, B4 7XR): £57 million teaching and performance building for music.
• Ruskin Hall (Linden Road, Bournville, B30 1JX): Grade II listed home of acting, with studios for teaching and rehearsals; further acting and applied theatre studios at RBC Digbeth and Stage Management at Heneage Street.
• School of Art (Margaret Street, B3 3BX): Grade I listed Venetian Gothic building with workshops, a specialist arts library and exhibition space.
• School of Jewellery (Vittoria Street, B1 3PA): in the Jewellery Quarter.
• Alexander Stadium (Perry Barr, B42 2LR): sport and exercise science laboratories in the East and West stands.
• Doug Ellis Sports Centre (Aldridge Road, Perry Barr, B42 2TP): £7 million leisure facility with a fitness suite, sports hall and workout studios, also used for some PE teacher-training sessions.

Accommodation: first-year students are guaranteed accommodation in partner halls such as Hamstead Campus, Beech Gardens, Queen’s Hospital Close, The Heights, University Locks, Lakeside, Bentley House, The Old Fire Station and Staniforth House, with 2026/27 weekly costs from £120 to £210 and bills included.