Labelled as the UK’s second city, it is hard not to see why Birmingham is so popular among students. It holds a wide array of shops and eateries all over the city. It has funky places for bowling, golf, and cinemas. There are museums, a stunning canal, multiple concert and event arenas, sporting grounds and a botanical garden. It also has a multitude of picturesque walking spaces.
Birmingham is located in the West Midlands, and thanks to the extensive New Street station, it is a great location for being accessible to anywhere in the UK. The city is very much a student city, with Birmingham holding five universities: University of Birmingham (mine), Birmingham City University, Aston University, Newman University and University College Birmingham. It is renowned for its social life too with plenty of clubs, bars and pubs. There is so much for students to do too with their friends in the city centre—you can never truly be bored here.
I chose to go to Birmingham for University as it offers so many places to visit and explore, with beautiful parks and outside spaces that you might not expect that much in a big city. There are great transport links within the city and it is a fairly cheap city to live in as a student. This guide should help you learn more about Birmingham and what you can do here, whether you are just wanting to visit the city on a day out or for a weekend, or if you’re a new student here or a prospective student!
Top things to do
- Take a shopping trip to the Bullring shopping centre where you’ll find a host of shops to cater for everyone.
- Head to Victoria Square to take in the picturesque sight of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the water features. The Museum and Art Gallery is free to enter and is a great place to learn more about the city—plus, it will only take up 1-2 hours of your day.
- Walk along the canals at Brindley Place. Birmingham has 35 miles of canals, which is said to be more than Venice. Brindley Place is a great area to walk around and explore the canals, and you will be able to see the Utilita Arena, National Sea Life Centre and plenty of restaurants and cocktail bars.
- Visit the plants and birds at the Botanical Gardens. Wild peacocks roam the gardens outside and you can explore the exotic tropical plant life that makes a great day out with family or friends. There is lots of space for having a picnic and there is a cafe there too.
- Go to the Jewellery Quarter to take a look at some hidden museums, independent pubs, restaurants and boutiques here.
- The NEC and Resorts World area is only a 10-minute train from New Street. See a concert at the Resorts World arena, go to an event at the NEC, or take a walk around Pendigo Lake before going shopping, bowling or out for some food at the Resorts World complex.
- Spend a day at Cadbury World to try some of the famous chocolate.
- Spend an evening in Digbeth at Ghetto Golf for some quirky mini golf fun and then head to one of the many cocktail bars and pubs that Digbeth and the Custard Factory have to offer.
Food and drink
Birmingham has to be one of the most diverse places to eat and drink with hundreds of different places to try. Even going into my final year of university here, there are still so many cafes and restaurants that I want to try out – it sometimes doesn’t help when new places are arriving every month too!
Here are some of my personal favourite places to go for food, but if you want to have a look at the wide array of food options, check out the Visit Birmingham Food page.
- The Alchemist, Brindley place – expect magical chemistry cocktails and mouth-watering burgers.
- Vietnamese Street Kitchen, Bullring – serving big bowls of meat, noodles or rice, and vegetables, alongside soft, delicious bao buns.
- Aluna, The Mailbox – serving quirky cocktails and creamy veggie-filled curries.
- The Vegan Kitchen, Great Western Arcade – the perfect place to visit for veggies and vegans, for an enormous menu of various burgers, hot dogs and loaded fries.
- The Plough, Harborne – serving pizzas and pub classics, this is the place to go if you want to go somewhere outside the city centre for a relaxing meal out.
Top tips for students to know: mistakes to avoid
- If you are into drinking, always book in advance and choose a time when you can get ‘2 for 1’ cocktails!
- Try to not go out at night alone—I’d recommend trying to walk home from your campus or from a night out with your friend.
- There are so many different areas in Birmingham other than the city centre to explore! There is Harborne, Edgbaston, Bourneville, and Mosely that are all interesting and exciting places away from the centre.
- You can get student tickets for the bus for £1 for a journey!
- Lots of shops and restaurants do 10% off for students so make sure to check this so you can save as much money as possible.
- Don’t just go to drinking events; make sure you explore other events in the city and make the most of all Birmingham has to offer.
Money savings tips
- Try to shop as cheaply as possible; there is an Aldi in Selly Oak if you’re a UoB student.
- As mentioned above, bus tickets and train tickets are really cheap in and around the city and take advantage of walking if you can.
- Remember student deals. You can go to Cadbury world for £10 as a student at the moment, and many places offer discounts to students.
- Go to Harborne for reasonably priced charity shops to save money on clothes and donate your money to a good cause.
- Go out drinking at the cheapest times to save money if you are a student who likes to go out clubbing or to the pub.
Words and photos by Cara Scott
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