AWARDWINNING UNIVERSITY SUPPORT As voted by students FREE £5,000 COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE Terms and conditions apply, visit the website for details For new UK full-time undergraduate students starting in 2026
3 2 AWARD-WINNING STUDENT SUPPORT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM Whatever help you need, our award-winning support teams are committed to giving you the advice, skills and practical tools to discover your full potential, all while helping to look after your health and wellbeing. This guide is a snapshot of the support on offer, but there’s always more - we are always listening to students and responding to your needs. WE HAVE AN OPEN DOOR POLICY THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSITY This means that all staff are available to guide and support you on your journey at University College Birmingham. You are welcome to walk into any department and ask for help – please do take us up on this offer, we are here for you. 90% SATISFACTION Quality of student support WHATEVER HELP YOU NEED 4 ACADEMIC SUPPORT 6 HEALTH AND WELLBEING SUPPORT 8 FINANCIAL SUPPORT 10 EMPLOYABILITY AND CAREERS SUPPORT 12 DISABILITY AND NEURODIVERSITY SUPPORT 14 GUILD OF STUDENTS CONTENTS
5 4 AWARD-WINNING STUDENT SUPPORT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM OUR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT TEAM ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU DURING YOUR UNIVERSITY LIFE They ensure you have a single point of contact to discuss any issues you may be having while studying. The team work to improve communication between students, academic staff and support services and provide you with advice, guidance and support so you can focus on your studies. All our first year undergraduate students have access to a success coach, who can provide advice and guidance, address your concerns and co-create achievable goals, so that you don’t feel overwhelmed when you join us. ACADEMIC SUPPORT Your first priority during your time with us will be your academic progress. Dedicated personal tutor as your first point of contact Weekly one-to-one appointments with academic librarians, who can guide you through referencing and research for your assignments A dedicated Centre for Academic Skills and English (CASE) team to support you with developing your academic skills and improving coursework and exam outcomes Weekly one-to-one appointments with academic development tutors, who help you structure assignments and develop your presentation skills Online support via our Assignment Life Cycle. This includes a huge range of resources designed to help you develop your academic, research, referencing and presentation skills Weekly Graduate Advantage sessions, where we get experts to speak to you about how to stand out - from polishing your presentation skills to top careers in your field Regular workshops to help you develop your academic skills – e.g. paraphrasing, listening skills, academic reading, referencing and more One-to-one ‘Maths and Stats’ support, including costing calculations, algebra, pivot tables, statistical analysis and more Free access to Grammarly Premium, which will help you proofread your work A mentoring scheme which helps develop your academic knowledge and skills, as well as aiding your career development and enhancing personal growth Digital resources to help you develop your academic skills online Over 30,000 print books available for loan and over 60,000,000 online digital resources such as eBooks, journals, reports, statistics and more Attending the Academic Skills Centre to have a oneto-one support session with an Academic Librarian and an Academic Development Tutor has increased my module marks over the course of my degree study. They identify my areas for improvement and help me with my research and referencing skills, as well as improve my academic writing through learning how to be more critical and evaluative. Waqas Second year degree student
7 6 AWARD-WINNING STUDENT SUPPORT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM DID YOU KNOW WE HAVE A LANGUAGE CLUB This is designed to help our students improve their English in an informal setting. It is also an opportunity for both international and UK students to meet students from all over the world and learn their language, history and culture. HEALTH AND WELLBEING We recognise that good health and wellbeing are fundamental for effective study and a positive student experience. That is why we have a free and confidential health and wellbeing service, which is open to everyone and includes: I’m someone who just needs to know there’s a safety net and with the counselling services, I knew I had enough support. I also had great relationships with supportive lecturers who I could open up to too. My confidence started to grow. If I did have a particularly anxious day, I knew I they were on hand to help me through. Eleanor Bakery and Patisserie Technology BSc (Hons) A Student Assistance Programme, which provides 24/7 access to trained counsellors, financial or legal advice and much more. It includes an app, which has lots of free help and support, including mindfulness activities, wellbeing trackers and the ability to have text chat or video calls with a counsellor. We are one of just a few universities with a nurse on site. The best thing is, there is no need to make an appointment! The nurse can help with various medical needs, including general health advice, practical health checks, contraception advice, one-off non-prescription analgesics and treatments of cuts, burns, scalds and other minor injuries. Our free and confidential counselling service provides you with support to gain a better understanding of your thoughts and feelings, enabling you to make changes. Counselling is non-judgemental and you will be listened to rather than told what to do. Our mental health and wellbeing advisers support students who are experiencing mental health difficulties or emotional or psychological distress. We can provide practical support, help you develop coping strategies and assist you in accessing external mental health and welfare services. Our knowledgeable team provide a wealth of resources and can signpost you to local and national services – just ask. TALK TO US ABOUT ANY PROBLEM, BIG OR SMALL ucb.ac.uk/health-wellbeing
9 8 AWARD-WINNING STUDENT SUPPORT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM DIGITAL AWARD Our Digital Award is also available for university students who have joined us directly from our college or sixth form. This award entitles eligible students to £280 towards the purchase of a laptop or tablet from the Kick-Start website. FINANCIAL SUPPORT Financial support available to you will depend on your circumstances. You may be entitled to support with your living costs, childcare and more – we have staff who can help and advise you. Kick-Start has been hugely beneficial for me. The money helps take away some of the cost-of-living stress. I always wake up excited to go into university. Shanice Sports Therapy BSc (Hons) RECEIVE UP TO £800 EVERY YEAR JUST FOR STUDYING WITH US All new UK students who start their full-time undergraduate course with us for the first time are eligible for the Kick-Start scheme. Students studying a full-taught year will get £300 of credit at the start of the year. If you are a UK student with a household income of below £25,000, you will be entitled to a further £500 at the start of your second semester. You can use the funds on anything related to your course – some students spend it on their course equipment, others use it on food in our catering outlets – the choice is yours. For full eligibility information and further details, please visit our website. IT PAYS TO STAY If you join our university from our college, you will receive a free laptop. If you progress from an undergraduate course to postgraduate studies, you will receive a discount off your fees. This discount is increased if you achieved a first class honours degree in your undergraduate course. We also offer a Master’s Internship bursary, which enables students to work for the University in exchange for having their postgraduate tuition fee waived. For further details, see the Scholarship and Waivers section of our website. COST OF LIVING SUPPORT We understand that it’s difficult to make ends meet at the moment and we’re doing our bit to help you. For example, we offer free breakfast, fruit and soup for all students. Our Guild of Students has also been campaigning to help students and set up ‘leave what you can, take what you need’ boxes across campus for students in need. Finally, we know that even with all the support we offer, times are still tough for students right now. While we can’t help everybody, we do have funding set aside for students who are in need of emergency financial help. Speak to our Student Services team, who will be able to help. FREE £5,000 COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE Terms and conditions apply, visit the website for details For new UK full-time undergraduate students starting in 2026
11 10 AWARD-WINNING STUDENT SUPPORT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM DID YOU KNOW, OVER 100 OF OUR STUDENTS WORK FOR THE UNIVERSITY! Our in-house employment agency, Unitemps, helps students find part-time work that fits around their timetable, helping them earn extra cash while improving their employability skills at the same time. Many of those students end up working for the University after they graduate and kick-start successful careers. HIRED EMPLOYABILITY AND CAREERS SUPPORT HIRED, our department for careers, placements and employability, is here to help you to stand out as a graduate when you complete your studies. We support your journey at University College Birmingham throughout your studies and beyond. The HIRED team helped me prepare for an interview at Midland Health. Going into the interview, I felt very calm and at ease and was able to answer all the questions asked. I was offered the job as an aesthetic practitioner! I’m super excited to start working at Midland Health and I really appreciate the help from HIRED in securing the role. Amanda Aesthetics FdA CAREER MANAGEMENT You will have access to a whole range of online tools and resources to help with setting your career goals and develop the skills you need to stand out to employers. We regularly deliver workshops and presentations to help you master CV writing, interview techniques, LinkedIn, networking and much more. PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES Employers seek out graduates who already have industry experience. Our subject-specific Employability Tutors are on hand to guide you before, during and after your work experience or placement, offering advice on the type of roles available, suggesting employers to suit you and helping prepare you for your time in industry. ACCESS TO EMPLOYERS It is important that you have the opportunity to network with employers, from small local firms to international corporations. We have employers on campus throughout the academic year, with whom you can discuss vacancies and placement opportunities. We hold a large careers fair once a year and employers also attend lectures and industrybased conferences for students. EMPLOYER PLACEMENTS We have helped students secure work placements with hundreds of employers across the sectors, including: DISNEY INTERNATIONAL THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD WEST MIDLANDS POLICE BRITISH AIRWAYS GMI CONSTRUCTION THE CELTIC COLLECTION COLINS AEROSPACE UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS BIRMINGHAM THE ALEXANDRA THEATRE BIRMINGHAM JUMEIRAH HOTELS AND RESORTS BUSY BEES NURSERIES MANDARIN ORIENTAL HOTEL GROUP HELPING YOU START YOUR BUSINESS To further accelerate your journey, our Startup Programme provides a structured development pathway to sharpen your entrepreneurial skills, culminating in a PitchFest competition, where you can showcase your vision to a panel of experts for the chance to secure vital funding support to kickstart your venture. ALUMNI SUPPORT We’re invested in your journey, even when you’re no longer studying with us. As an alumni, you're entitled to receive ongoing careers support and access to our resources up to 5 years post graduation.
13 12 AWARD-WINNING STUDENT SUPPORT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM DID YOU KNOW, YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR DISABLED STUDENTS’ ALLOWANCE (DSA) DISABILITY AND NEURODIVERSITY SUPPORT I access support from university because of my ADHD diagnosis. I have accommodations made in class, access to one-to-one support, if I need it, and the disability team assist me when I’ve asked for help. This is a big part of me and my journey. I have struggled most of my life and never really understood why. Through support from the University, I’ve achieved what many would have thought impossible. Holly Nursing degree apprentice Support for students who disclose a disability, health condition or mental health condition starts from application. If you have shared information about your disability, you will be contacted by a member of the Disability and Neurodiversity Support team to discuss your specific needs and additional support requirements. You can also contact us at DNSupport@ucb.ac.uk We can offer you an orientation or transition visit prior to starting your studies to support you in familiarising yourself with our campuses and finding your way around. Depending on your needs, you may be entitled to: Support plan meetings and/or discussion of needs for class, exams and assignments One-to-one sessions with specialist support tutors (if not receiving support via DSA) Specialist equipment Screeners for dyslexia (please note: this does not constitute a formal diagnosis) Personal Evacuation Plans and lift passes Support with accessing lectures, such as access to lecture materials in advance or handouts in an alternative format Alternative methods of assessment to ensure equitable access based on specific needs Digital recorders and assistive technologies to record lectures DISABLED STUDENTS’ ALLOWANCE In addition to the support we offer, you may be eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) to help cover the cost of any additional support you may need to access, such as assistive technology, specialist study skills tutor and other disability-related costs associated with studying. When applying for DSA, you will be required to complete an application form and submit evidence of your additional needs. You don’t need to speak to us before applying, but we can help you if you have questions and need assistance.
15 14 AWARD-WINNING STUDENT SUPPORT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM GUILD OF STUDENTS WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK We would like all students to be able to engage in every aspect of life at University College Birmingham. Bus money, a good night’s sleep, food in your stomach – we know that you can’t engage in your studies unless your basic needs are met. The Guild can signpost you to services that you need and work with you to create student-centred approaches to tackling issues. FIND YOUR PEOPLE We want you to feel part of a real community at University College Birmingham because we know that this is the single best indicator of success for students. The Guild has a huge range of societies and clubs you can join, including our liberation societies like the LGBTQ+, trans, parents and carers and disability networks, or our interest societies including sports, arts, cultural, liberation and course-specific societies. But the Guild goes beyond setting up societies and organising events – they work to ensure that every student has a friend that they made here. You can find the Guild of Students in our Moss House campus SHAPE YOUR LIFE Finally, the Guild works with our students to help shape their lives, the world around them and achieve their personal best. You can improve your confidence and contribute to a better tomorrow by getting involved in campaigns organised by the Guild. If you don’t want to get involved, that’s fine – you’re still likely to benefit from the work that they’re doing. For example, the Guild recently ran a ‘cost of living’ campaign, called for free public transport for students in the region and joined forces with other student unions to demand a ban on gender conversion therapy. The Guild also has dedicated academic, liberation and sustainability reps. ucbguildofstudents GuildOfStudentsUCB ucbguild.co.uk As soon as you enrol at University College Birmingham, you automatically become a member of the Guild. Run by students, for students, the Guild is your students’ union and the home of student life at University College Birmingham. The Guild is always here for you. You can lean on us and pick our brains on all sorts of subjects, and we can also help you find your people. Kunal Chavan Equalities and Wellbeing Officer DID YOU KNOW, THE GUILD CAN SIGNPOST YOU TO SERVICES THAT YOU NEED AND WORK WITH YOU TO CREATE STUDENTCENTRED APPROACHES TO TACKLING ISSUES
Summer Row, Birmingham B3 1JB 0121 232 4300 / 0121 604 1000 ucb.ac.uk marketing@ucb.ac.uk
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