Birmingham or Bristol for University

[Invertedwheelbarrow]

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.

If money is an issue, I think you'd have a better time in Birmingham. It's got a great music scene, good bars and restaurants, and I think it would attract a good mix of people. I went to Sussex uni, which is in Brighton. Most of the students were wealthy Londoners who not only looked down on pp like me from the Midlands, but a LOT of them went back home to London at weekends! Living in Brighton was grim as it was so expensive. I wish I'd gone to a Northern uni in hindsight.

Bristol every time.

Today, Brum is among the most tree rich cities on the planet and has more green space than any other European city at 8,000 acres. The UN has awarded us 'Tree City of the World' status every year since the scheme was launched in 2019 to recognise steps taken to monitor, protect and celebrate arboriculture.22 Nov 2024

A quick Google would have helped you @TizerorFizz , rather than posting utter tosh.

I think students who like 'big city' life - bands, going out at night etc - find Birmingham has a lot to offer. I think, as others have said, it will be possible to live more cheaply there. Suspect more cultural diversity both in student population and in city as a whole. Relatively easy to get more or less anywhere in the UK - so good in terms of visiting, being visited etc.

Partner has just done post-graduate degree there and was very positive re supervisors etc.

Historically Bristol seems to have had a dodgy reputation in terms of supporting students who have experienced poor mental health. Probably, of course, many people have a reasonably happy time there - but it's something that might be added into the equation.

Hey, what about the Villa? Aston Villa is in Birmingham. My DD lives in Bristol and it is a very expensive city to live in. Birmingham is cheaper and most students live in Selly Oak, which is close to the University. You need to visit both to get a feeling for it. This is important because you'll be living there for 3 years. University college Birmingham (not part of Birmingham University) offers £5k cost of living bursaries for many first year under graduate courses, if you think you'll struggle for money.

Im quoting info from the cathedral. It’s a huge built up city centre. However I’m not remotely bothered as I’m not going there. HS2 will make it a suburb of London.

What are the outcomes for graduates from your chosen course at each uni?

My partner works for one of the schools within the University of Birmingham so I could ask him for information, depending what subject are you hoping to study.

We went to Bristol to check out uni with Dd. She rapidly agreed with friends that had visited earlier that it seemed rough. Accommodation ropey and distant from uni buildings etc.
Birmingham is a great city, green campus set up and good transport links. Where do you live? Consider cost of travel home in the holidays.

@Whatwouldnanado No idea what you looked at, but like most universities, there’s lots of new accommodation at Bristol at a price. Plus many more traditional students like the older quad buildings at Stoke Bishop that have character. Fully catered means it’s easy to make friends Not everyone wants shiny new. It’s the friends you make that matter, not falling out of bed into lectures. My DD rapidly agreed with her friends that Bris was ideal and much higher ranked for her course and ultimately career prospects. This mattered more than 1 year in a hall of residence with a shared bathroom - the horror of it!

I was going to ask what subject as well. Birmingham isn't known for it's safety

Birmingham has always been a very solid choice, but Bristol has always been a more prestigious one.

Both excellent universities. Depending on your course you could also consider Nottingham or Southampton which are bigger and more diverse cities than Bristol, but aren’t as huge as Birmingham.

That wasn't the experience that my dc had.

By whom??

Disagree. Huge advantage is that nearly all students live in Selly Oak so lots of housing there is student housing. Much easier to find than in Bristol and you’ll be near all your friends. My son is in his sr one year and having a great time. I. Also a teacher, in Bristol. Birmingham is a very popular choice with lots of our 6th formers. Bristol is a great city and a different vibe - but yes - more expensive and much trickier to find accommodation.

If actually say they are fairly comparable when it comes to the roughness of off campus living, in fact Birmingham being cheaper overall for housing means you might actually be able to find a half decent place, not too far from campus and for an amount that doesn't swallow up your full maintenance loan (as in the £9k you get if low income!)

I live near Bristol and have lived in Birmingham so I think the best thing is to look at the course carefully as there will be differences and consider the accommodation issue - even an hour away from the campus rents in the Bristol area are crazy now, my dsd pays £600 each pcm in a commuter village, where I live it would be more like £800 if you could even find somewhere which is the biggest problem, lack of landlords renting to students when there's a large amount of young working adults who are a better option

@LAKnight

Neither is Bristol, you should see our local news. The cheaper areas of Bristol seem rough, needless to say, I don't live in the rough suburbs hence seem, it's more affluent transplants from London where I live

To be fair, the students in Bristol do find the accommodation for subsequent years though. The more handy properties can go early but students are not really competing with working adults. The student lets are for students and many landlords would not want students. It’s a different market. There is obviously some cross over with post grad students and young workers but where my DD lived, it was exclusively for students. As in many cities, there’s a variety of locations and prices.

I agree. So many students live in Selly it's practically an extension of campus. DS's house in his fourth year this year is closer to the university gym (5 minutes away) and all his lectures than his first year hall of residence and it's only costing him £425 a month. You will never have a problem finding accommodation close to campus in Birmingham and you won't have to pay through the nose for it. I think Birmingham is best of all worlds in many ways - a beautiful campus with every facility you could possibly need (top-class sports facilities, music, an art gallery, a fabulous library) within a big city with all the possibilities and opportunities that offers.

Bristol's bigger than Nottingham or Southampton though isn't it?

Sorry - I meant to quote this post

Absolutely right.

Bristol population just under 500,000. Nottingham is 329,000 and Southampton 256,000.

Bristol covers 110 sq km. Nottingham 75km and Southampton 50km.

so Bristol quite a lot bigger than the other two.

to be fair at the overall population level Nottingham is quite bit more diverse than either Bristol or Southampton. No huge difference between Bristol and Southampton.

Birmingham is of course bigger than all three combined 1.166m people in 268 sq km. and more diverse.

Hi yeah I would be studying politics and international relations, any help would be well appreciated thank you.

Also for people asking I would be ellidgibe for Max SFE and bursary at both which would be around 13k a year. I think that would be enough at either but obviously alot more easier at Birmingham.