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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Original poster

Birmingham or Bristol for University

102 replies

Invertedwheelbarrow · 21/02/2025 07:38

Hi I'm 18 looking at unis to go too and these are my top two option. Bristol seems a more chilled out city that I could walk around and its very pretty, the only problem is that it's incredibly expensive. Birmingham is actually alot better then I thought and just seems like a cheaper manchester without the football, the campus is also lovely and I got a better vibe from the general student population. I can't decide which one to pick as they both have aspects I love, if it wasn't for the money I might be leaning more towards Bristol but Birmingham seems like a smarter choice. Any advice on how either city is to live would be well appreciated.

OP posts:

Roystonv · 21/02/2025 07:52

Campus in Birmingham probably fine, living off campus not so good. Bluntly it is rough and a big change for anyone not used to big city living. My dd experienced unpleasant approaches from men quite a lot.
Can your preference in course guide you or how they are viewed by employers. Which sort of place do you live in/are used atm. Any useful reviews. Easy/cheap access to family and friends

TheGirlWhoLived · 21/02/2025 07:53

I’d go Bristol, nicer uni, nicer city by far, nicer nightlife, closer to beach

ApolloandDaphne · 21/02/2025 08:11

My DD went to Bristol and loved it. Some of the residences are quite far out but still walkable into town. It is pretty expensive for accommodation. don't know anything about Birmingham.

Pinkissmart · 21/02/2025 08:16

What would you like to study?
Have you had offers from both? If so, well done!!!
If so, can you attend the offer holders days? If you are struggling to afford to get there, then get in touch with them to ask if there is any assistance.

They are both good universities, so really go to the place you like the most.

Pinkissmart · 21/02/2025 08:19

Also- have you checked to see if the uni offer any bursaries?
Have you used the loan calculator to see how much you could get? Are your parents helping?

Sorry to pepper you with questions!

manaka · 21/02/2025 08:23

Maybe look at Nottingham which has a beautiful campus and is cheaper to live in than Bristol.

PerfectRice · 21/02/2025 08:25

Pros and cons to both and my DC went to both.
Bristol a nice city overall but has its rough parts like any city. Accommodation extremely expensive once you're out of halls.
Speaking of halls, not sure if they've remedied this but when my DS went there was a risk of getting Newport, Wales (an hour away!) for your first year halls...
Bristol not a campus uni as you know.
Birmingham has a really lovely campus - and 2nd and 3rd years mostly live in Selly Oak which is very close and absolutely fine.
Of course the city has grim parts as it's a big industrial city but you don't have to go to those parts!
Both super unis - Bristol higher on league tables generally but Birmingham excellent too.
Good luck - you have two super choices!

TizerorFizz · 21/02/2025 13:17

My DD went to Bristol. Cannot really compare with Birmingham as we don’t know anyone who has been. However @Invertedwheelbarrow , you don’t say what course. What job do you want? Eg if it’s Law, definitely Bristol. So look at course rankings.

Regarding being a student in Bristol, DD was at a Stoke Bishop hall and buses to the university are provided. I don’t think many walked and never walk back after a night out! In subsequent years, yes it’s expensive, but that’s because many student houses are near the university in a very expensive attractive area. Everything a student could want is there and DD was 10 mins walk from her faculty. There’s cafes and it’s a lovely place to live. It comes at a price. Further out from the university is a bit cheaper. I suspect Birmingham is similar in that regard.

As a city, I think Bristol is more compact and has a better feel to it. Birmingham has better concert venues but fewer parks and open spaces. As a student though, you might not care.

bzarda · 21/02/2025 13:20

I went to Bristol and even though it's an absolutely gorgeous city, it's really hard to go to when you are not massively wealthy. 90% of people on my course/people I lived with were privately educated and had massive budgets from their parents for going out, accommodation etc. and I found it difficult to keep up. That being said, it has opened so many doors for me since I graduated.

crazycrofter · 21/02/2025 13:29

I know Birmingham well; I don't think it has fewer parks and open spaces than Bristol @TizerorFizz - the campus itself, where the accommodation is, is a vast green area, with a lake. Next door is Winterbourne House and Gardens. The Botanical Gardens are beautiful and within walking distance of the uni accommodation and of course there's Canon Hill Park, next to Edgbaston cricket ground, which is massive. You can take a train from the university station out to Barnt Green (15-20 mins) which is at the foot of the Lickey Hills. We spent lots of time walking there during lockdown.

I don't think the student area, Selly Oak, is particularly worse than student areas in other cities - my dd is in Nottingham and it's similar there. But Selly Oak is much close to the uni than the equivalent in Nottingham, for example.

poetryandwine · 21/02/2025 13:34

Hi, OP -

I am a former admissions tutor and I think paying attention to your intuition is very important, though by no means the only factor.

I like them both. I expected to love Bristol because I love the SW, instead I merely like it. I did not expect to like B’ham and I liked it very much. As you say, the campus is lovely and the students seem happy and friendly.

This matters very much to your experience.

As @TizerorFizz says, the rankings in your subject matter, also. Bristol for Law, B’ham for CS almost without further thought. For most subjects the difference probably won’t be that stark so this aspect won’t matter so much.

I also agree with PP that if you gave a chance to attend Offer Holder Days, they are more useful than Visiting Days and Interview Days. You should have a chance to address your concerns and conduct more in depth conversations.

It is an exciting time. Best wishes

TizerorFizz · 21/02/2025 13:34

I was really making the open space comment about the centre where the space around the cathedral is the lung of that area. I agree students are not necessarily in the centre of any city but in Bristol they might be. In all honesty I would consider the course between these two @crazycrofter and what op wants to do afterwards. I think Bristol has more London based students than Birmingham and that could be important too.

crazycrofter · 21/02/2025 13:37

Yes, if OP likes both then they need to look at the courses in more detail. And possibly the cost of living, if that might be a deciding factor.

TizerorFizz · 21/02/2025 15:01

Op is concerned about cost, but at times a certain course and opportunities afterwards, outweigh costs.

Gardendiary · 21/02/2025 15:07

Birmingham uni campus is great and there are lovely parts of that side of the city as a pp has mentioned. Selly Oak is a bit run down as many student area are and inevitably in a big city there will be a certain amount of problems.
I wouldn’t choose Bristol because I keep hearing about students having a nightmare with accommodation. Also think a pp is right about it having a v.wealthy contingent.
However academically they are both excellent so you probably can’t go wrong from that perspective.

MarchingFrogs · 21/02/2025 15:52

Both DS1 and DD did their first degrees at Birmingham and I would concur with everything that @crazycrofter has to say about both the university campus and the city.

DS1 did a masters elsewhere - Bristol, as it happens - but is now back in Birmingham

DD is also currently doing a masters elsewhere, but is considering moving back to Birmingham, either to do a PhD, or to work.

I love Bristol, and would happily live there, but I say that as a fully fledged adult with the wherewithal to provide myself (and DH) with somewhere to live to our liking and maintain a reasonable lifestyle. If living costs are a significant factor and there is little or nothing to choose between courses, then I would almost certainly choose Birmingham.

OurFlagMeansAfternoonTea · 21/02/2025 15:57

My son is at Bristol. He loves it, but it is very expensive and he'd find it very difficult without his trust fund from his grandparents. His flatmates also have parents paying for accommodation/fees etc.

TizerorFizz · 21/02/2025 16:10

@OurFlagMeansAfternoonTea Most parents do contribute to student expenses. The loan is never enough more or less anywhere unless it’s a cheap area and student gets full loan. Then they might get a bursary too. So check out bursaries but anyone with a trust fund from grandparents is rich by most standards.

Horror stories always make the news but of course most students are happy at both these unis. Anyone who is in clearing or insurance might not get the accommodation they want at Bristol but it’s not unique in this.

FiveFoxes · 21/02/2025 16:13

My experience is only of open days, but Bristol seemed very activist-y which makes it the perfect choice if you're a student that wants to change the world. It's also very much part of the city, so I think would be good if you want to be part of everything.

Birmingham is completely a green campus and doesn't feel like you're in a city. It seemed very nurturing as a University, so for both those reasons I think it would suit the quieter student, although I guess there is still easy access to a massive city. Birmingham has a clock tower and it's own train station.

Piggywaspushed · 21/02/2025 16:24

My DS is at Birmingham and has had a good experience. Its a lovely campus and his teaching has been excellent in his department.

In second year nearly everyone lives in Selly Oak. DS has had no issues but I appreciate some have. I think Bristol and Birmingham students probably are at similar risk of crime. They're big cities.

Birmingham has brilliant music and sports facilities if those are your thing.

Bristol possibly has the edge reputation wise but that's possibly partly because people look down on big, industrial cities like Birmingham but it has excellent employment stats. Bristol is very expensive in general. My DS was never drawn to Bristol, so it's different strokes.

I think this one is perhaps subject dependent.

Piggywaspushed · 21/02/2025 16:25

Ps I don't think Brum is at all like Manchester!

Piggywaspushed · 21/02/2025 16:26

Meant to mention the train links are excellent. Train station at the uni and in Selly.

Boodahh · 21/02/2025 16:29

Birmingham. Nice campus, nice city. Lots to do there. A student area ( Selly Oak) that's v near to the uni, plus other areas with student rentals that are a bit further but not too far.

Piggywaspushed · 21/02/2025 16:30

Crazy, DS does the Cannon Hill Park run every week!

LittleBigHead · 21/02/2025 16:32

What's your subject?

Birmingham really isn't as bad as all that as a city to live in (I taught at the university for about a decade). Lots of stuff going on & a bit more down to earth than Bristol, frankly.

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