Student Accommodation

Birmingham

The Five Universities

Birmingham is one of the biggest cities in the UK, and with such a large student population it is no wonder that it is served by some of the finest higher education institutions outside of London. What this means is that there are universities and courses for every desire and need, and it helps to turn the city into one big student community, with plenty of student-friendly culture throughout.

University of Birmingham

A Russell Group university with a student population of over 40,000 students, the University of Birmingham is a massive institution and one of the UK’s original redbrick universities. It was the first civic university in England to welcome students from all backgrounds, and this ethos has survived to this day. The university is ranked 76th in the QS World University Rankings 2025, is among the world’s top 100 institutions, and has 11 Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and staff.

Birmingham City University

Spread throughout three campuses in the city, BCU is the second biggest university in Birmingham. It is a very popular choice with students who have grown up in the city, and is the perfect university to attend for those looking to broaden their personal horizons with educational opportunities and an excellent network of work placements within the city itself.

Aston University

This centrally located university is focused on work placements and helping students work towards being ready for a career post-graduation. A significant proportion of all students spend time on a work placement as part of their course, and Aston was one of the first universities in the country to offer placement years, doing so from as early as the 1950s. The university is ranked in the top 30 for graduate prospects in the Complete University Guide 2025, reflecting its outstanding reputation for employability.

Newman University

Located in the suburb of Bartley Green, Newman University has an ethos of inclusivity. Students here are provided with a strong level of support and challenged to maximise their potential, within a university that has a genuine sense of community and ambition for all.

University College Birmingham

Specialising in vocational subjects, University College Birmingham is home to courses such as business enterprise, tourism, hairdressing and beauty, and hospitality, to name just a few. There is the perfect combination of hands-on vocational training and in-class theory and coursework here.

With such fantastic higher education available in Birmingham, it is no wonder that it has become one of the most popular student cities in the UK. You will find plenty to see and do when living in your luxury Birmingham student accommodation, and receive a great education at the same time.

Eating Out in Birmingham

With such a rich history of culture from all parts of the world, Birmingham is a fantastic place to live if you love your food. From some of the finest curry houses in the land, to daily café hotspots to pick up a quick coffee and a light bite to eat at lunch, and everything else in between, you will find your perfect meal, whatever your taste buds, when living in our luxury student accommodation in Birmingham.

The Balti Triangle

Just to the south of the city centre, this is the area you have to go to if you are a fan of curry. Birmingham is known as the original home of the Balti, and you will discover some of the oldest and finest examples of curry houses anywhere in the country. It is a brilliant way to sample as many different curry houses as you want during your time living as a student in the city.

The Chinese Quarter

There are also some of the best examples of Chinese restaurants you will find anywhere in the UK, right here in the Chinese Quarter. For students on a budget, there is nothing better than finding a genuinely authentic and quality Chinese buffet restaurant, and there are plenty of welcoming examples of that here.

Food Market Scene

Around the country, the street food market scene has exploded in recent years, and Birmingham is no different. Digbeth Dining Club is a shining example, a multi-award-winning street food events operator founded in 2012 that has transformed the Midlands food landscape. Their weekly events at Spotlight on Lower Trinity Street run every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 4pm onwards, and they also run a summer touring programme across the wider Midlands region. It is well worth checking their website for the latest schedule when you arrive.

Eating on Campus

For many students, you will spend so much time on campus that you will be reliant on either what you take with you for lunch or what you can find close by when you have got an hour between lectures or a quick break. The University of Birmingham has over 30 cafes, bars, restaurants, a food court, and plenty of fast sandwich and takeaway spots on campus. You will never have to worry about going hungry during the day.

Student Friendly Prices

For proper budget eating without breaking the bank, there are a couple of standout options in Birmingham. Damascena is a much-loved Syrian coffee house on Temple Row West, where you can enjoy excellent Middle Eastern food including meze, flatbreads, and freshly brewed coffee at prices that will not break the bank. Purecraft Bar and Kitchen is a great place to sample a huge range of beers whilst munching on a wide and varied menu that uses ales and lagers as ingredients. For Indian street food in a vibrant atmosphere, Zindiya in Moseley is a firm favourite.

Nights Out

It does not matter what you are looking for in a night out, Birmingham has something for you to enjoy. From your luxury student accommodation in Birmingham, you can easily find your way to any type of night out you are looking for, from indie and rock nights to cheesy pop, dance music, or a trip to the Gay Village. Here are a few different nights out that might be of interest to you.

Snobs (Smallbrook Queensway)

Snobs is one of the busiest and most popular clubs for students in Birmingham. For those who love indie anthems and alternative classics, it is the place to be, with specific club nights on every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Big Wednesday is the longest-running student night in the city, and you can dance away to indie tunes, as well as some dubstep and hip-hop, whilst drinking cheap drinks.

Nightingale Club (Kent Street)

An iconic club in the heart of Birmingham’s Gay Village, the Nightingale Club is a much-loved LGBTQ+ friendly venue and one of the longest-running gay clubs in the country. With regular student offers and themed nights throughout the week, it is a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone.

Sugarsuite (Broad Street)

Sugarsuite on the Golden Mile is a very popular club all week, but especially on a Friday when it is known for playing hip-hop and RnB classics. With a great atmosphere and student-friendly promotions, it is a solid choice for a night on Broad Street.

Broad Street and the Golden Mile

With PRYZM having permanently closed in February 2024, the Golden Mile is evolving rapidly. There are plenty of alternatives already filling the gap, including Popworld, Mechu, Geisha, and Chameleon, all within easy walking distance of each other on and around Broad Street. Students are spoilt for choice, and the area remains one of the liveliest nightlife strips outside of London.

Live Music Venues

Birmingham has a history of great live music venues, and whether you are into catching the biggest names in pop and rock, or you are more attuned to what is going on underground, there are plenty of gig venues to keep you occupied. From smaller grassroots venues in Digbeth, right up to the O2 Academy on Bristol Road and the 21,000-capacity Utilita Arena Birmingham, there is something for everyone.

Stay Fit and Healthy

For a city as big as Birmingham, it is no surprise that it is sports mad. Whether you are looking to leave your comfortable and luxurious student accommodation in Birmingham to watch some top-level football, go for a jog or a hike, or join a University sports team, there is plenty to keep you active during your time living in the city as a student.

Football in the Midlands

Birmingham is definitely a football city, and when you count the easily reached surrounding areas in the Midlands, there are quite a few genuinely massive football clubs that you can travel to easily from your luxury student accommodation. Former European Champions Aston Villa play Premier League and Champions League football at Villa Park in 2025-26.

Birmingham City are back in the EFL Championship at St Andrew’s Knighthead Park after winning promotion from League One.

West Bromwich Albion are also in the Championship, making this a bumper season for quality football within easy reach of the city. Wolverhampton Wanderers have also regularly offered Premier League football nearby.

Cricket at Edgbaston

Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of 18 first-class county cricket clubs in England and Wales, and plays its home games at the fantastic Edgbaston. It is also the home of England Test matches, including the Ashes series against Australia, and regularly hosts T20 matches and One-Day internationals too.

Other Big Sporting Events

It is not just the big sports that you can find to watch when living in Birmingham. There is a wide range of top-level sporting events throughout the year, including the All England Open Badminton Championships, held annually at the Utilita Arena Birmingham, as well as the regular Great Birmingham Run, which takes in local and national competitors across the city streets.

University Sport

For some students living in our luxury student accommodation in Birmingham, however, there is more to life than just watching. Sport plays a massive part in many universities, and if you want to find a team sport to play to a competitive level, you can do so by competing against other universities in the BUCS league, or you can take up a new sport to be challenged, to stay fit, or just to have fun and make new friends.

The Great Outdoors

For such a big city, you will be surprised to hear that there is also plenty of outdoor activities to keep you entertained when living as a student in Birmingham. There is loads to see and do to keep you active, including mountain biking trails in Cannock Chase and Sandwell Valley, Sutton Park, Woodgate Valley, and Clent Hills for walking and hiking routes, Edgbaston Watersports for some fun on the water, and plenty of other choices depending on what you like to do.

Some Of The Best Places To Shop

A big, multi-cultural city with a thriving heartbeat, Birmingham is the perfect place to go shopping. Whether you are looking to splurge the cash as a treat for you or a loved one, want to find the independent stores to buy something a little quirky, or you just want to know where the big high street brand names are, you will find everything you want and need within close distance of your luxury Birmingham student apartment.

Bullring and Grand Central

Bullring and Grand Central together form the UK’s largest city centre based shopping complex, with over 200 stores combined and the iconic Selfridges as the centrepiece. Bullring is what most people think of when they think about shopping in Birmingham, and it is very easy to find. Whether you are after Zara, Sephora, M&S, Apple, Lego, or a flagship Selfridges, it is definitely the place to go if you want to get lost in shopping for a few hours. Grand Central, directly above New Street Station, adds a further 60 stores and the flagship John Lewis, making the whole complex one of the best shopping destinations in the country.

Jewellery Quarter

There are not many other places like the Jewellery Quarter in the UK. It is home to plenty of fantastic jewellery stores, as well as brilliant bars and restaurants and independents, over 100 in total. If you are looking for the perfect gift, the Jewellery Quarter is thought to be home to over 40% of the jewellery made in the UK. Even just to walk around it is a glorious treat for the eyes, home to over 200 listed buildings.

Interesting Arcades

As you would expect for a city as quirky and multi-cultural as Birmingham, there are also many interesting shopping arcades to get lost in, away from the hustle and bustle of the main shopping streets. Burlington Arcade, Piccadilly Arcade, and the Great Western Arcade are all great places to visit for interesting shops, whilst the Custard Factory is a creative and innovative spot in the digital district that is home to many quirky and adventurous pop-ups and independent businesses.

Great Independents

There are also some weird and wonderful independent retailers throughout the city. Whatever you are looking for, you will find it in Birmingham. Hard to Find Whisky does exactly what it says, as one of the largest whisky specialists in the country, whilst Nostalgia Comics is a great place for diehard nerds and geeks. Vincent Van Doodle sells pop-culture prints and gifts at a reasonable price, whilst Jam Jar Lights is the place for quirky lamps and one-of-a-kind lighting options.

Go Explore!

It is so hard to pin down just a few short examples of a good day or night out in Birmingham, or to narrow down one event that you should definitely go to. We have tried our best to offer a broad spectrum, but what we would say about Birmingham is that it is such a fantastic city that you will almost always find something to do, any day of the week, and whatever your interests are.

Star City

If you are after a day of fun with your friends, you can find Star City just a short bus ride from the city centre. It is a fantastic place to go to watch a film at the Vue cinema, which has 30 auditoriums and is the largest megaplex cinema in the UK. If you want to test your competitive streak, the huge bowling alley is also on-site, and you can finish off the day with some food and drink at one of the many bars and restaurants.

Art in Birmingham

There is a wealth of art and culture in Birmingham, and a great place to start is the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. While away a good few hours viewing some of the amazing exhibits here, starting in the wondrous domed Round Room. Located in an exquisite Art Deco Grade II listed building, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts is another example of some of the finest artists, whilst IKON Gallery is an internationally renowned gallery for contemporary art.

Cadbury World

We all love chocolate. Cadbury is a British institution like few others. Head down to Bournville where you can take a tour of the original Cadbury Factory and learn more about the techniques used to make chocolate throughout history, as well as sample some different Cadbury products. A chocolate lover’s dream.

National Sea Life Centre

Even though Birmingham is pretty landlocked, it is still home to the National Sea Life Centre. A million-litre underwater tank is home to over a thousand creatures, including seahorses, penguins, and giant turtles.

Seasonal Festivals

Like any major city, you can expect to find several exciting festivals throughout the year when living in our luxury Birmingham student accommodation. The Christmas markets are a beautiful time of year. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens hosts a popular outdoor cinema series each summer in partnership with Flatpack Festival, with films screened under the stars across the historic 15-acre site. Other annual festivals include the Birmingham Comedy Festival and the Birmingham International Dance Festival.