Payal Garg Review at University Of Birmingham [BIRMINGHAM UNI], Birmingham | Collegedunia

My dream university - Birmingham Experience

10.0
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Academic
10.0
Accommodation
10.0
Faculty
10.0
Infrastructure
10.0
Social Life
10.0
Placement
10.0

Student's Snapshots

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Payal Garg
Reviewed on Jun 4, 2025(Enrolled 2024)

Scholarship Received

University of Birmingham India Outstanding Achievement Scholarship. 
3,000

Course Curriculum

10

  • It is a moderate-level study with interesting matters and topics (law). It also includes practical knowledge, which is done through court visits and competitions.
  • The positive aspect is that it is not boring and engages one completely and the negative one is the massive amount of reading one has to complete, including the seminar reading, which is way too much.
  • Number of classes varies from 1 to 6 on different days, which is not good. The timings are mostly 11 am and after that, only Friday has got 9 am lectures.
  • Average number of students in my batch is 400.
  • There are a lot of Indians in my course, with an estimate of about 100.

Admission Experience

  • I applied to 5 universities, which are as follows:
    • University of Birmingham (Admitted)
    • University of Manchester (Shortlisted)
    • University of Sheffield (Shortlisted)
    • University of Nottingham (Shortlisted)
    • University of Warwick (Rejected)
  • I had a lower predicted score than the requirement of the university. The university expected me to score 95+ but my predicted grades were 88 and I scored 93.
  • The decision for choosing the University of Birmingham for pursuing my Law degree was one of the most difficult ones. From choosing to apply to different universities by completing a thorough application to waiting for the university’s response. I selected this University because I wanted to study at a university whose degree would be valid and respected in India, as I want to return to India after completing my studies and practice as a lawyer in India. So, it is one of the universities whose law degree is recognised by the Bar Council of India. Moreover, it has a CEPLER (Centre for Employability, Professional Legal Education and Research), which opens doors to gain various skills and experiences along with studies. The strongest point about selecting this university is that it is classified as a Russell group university in the UK.
  • I applied for the September Intake. Majority of students come and start their course in September so it makes the biggest cohort each September. It is the time when a large number of freshers come and join the campus.
  • The whole admission process took nearly 6 months. The application deadline was the first week of January, with the offers made until February and the acceptance to be made till the dates mentioned in the offer letter (as these vary). Submission of results in May (if received early or later, may change). Confirmation letter (CAS) received in June.

Faculty

10

  • There are 5 to 6 main members of faculty for each module other than the seminar leads. Seminar groups are divided with a maximum of 15 students, which allows better communication with teachers.
  • Teachers had prepared presentation slides in advance, which are posted before the lectures and they make use of them while giving lectures. No, the entire content taught is not sufficient. One needs to do extra reading for better results.
  • No, there is no such facility but the careers network team helps students with finding jobs.
  • I admire my student experience officer, Hannah, the most because she is the person whom I found to be cheerful every time I met her, and the way she treats everyone is really exceptional. The guidance she provides is outstanding and is very helpful.

Campus Life

10

  • My university has a total of 2 campuses.
    • 1. Edgbaston Campus: It is the main campus of the university, located in Edgbaston, Birmingham.
    • 2. Selly Oak Campus: It is next to Edgbaston Campus in Selly Oak village, which is nearest to the market and shopping centres.
    • Fact: I live in Selly Oak.
  • There are many facilities available on campus. There’s a big library with separate rooms that can be booked for group studies and has a cafe and printing machines. There are playgrounds for various sports like tennis, basketball, and football. The University provides free sports sessions for students that can be booked via the app. There’s also a swimming pool on the campus itself. Medical facilities are provided at the Guild of Students for free.
  • The major festivals celebrated on campus are Christmas and Easter, where students are provided gifts. Other than that cultural events are organised by different student societies which make them feel at home and celebrate festivals away from home.

Part Time Jobs

  • Mostly these positions are available for postgraduate students or final-year undergraduate students. There are a lot of students engaged in this role. Most of those are the seminar leads who conduct seminars for first-year and second-year undergrads.
  • Pay ranges vary from £12/hr to £15/hr.
  • There are variety of jobs available for students that involves working in cafes, food outlets, guild members, cleaning assistants, etc.
  • Maximum hours of work allowed are 20 hours per week for any international student.
  • Securing a part-time job depends on how strong your application looks. There is competition in every area.
  • It depends on the job they are doing. Many students do the flyer distribution job, which is approx. £40-£45 for 3 hours. It is much easier for postgraduate students to get a part-time job during studies. Most of the jobs require prior work experience, which usually undergrad students don’t have if they go immediately to pursue their studies abroad after completing their 12th class. The process involves completing an application and providing a CV, which may further be followed by an in-person interview. If the students complete the above steps, he/she is asked to confirm joining.

Placement

10

  • Graduate students are the most preferred ones for any company or firm, as they can work full-time and have gained clear and good knowledge of the subject area they want to work in. This percentage would be more than 50%.
  • After graduation, the job salaries are quite higher, which vary from £10,000 to £20,000 according to their work field.
  • There are a lot of ways to get a job, which include online portals, the university’s career network team, and any internships in collaboration with the university.
  • I have no info regarding the placement experience of any current batchmate, but I heard from a person who had graduated 2 years back and he has got a training contract to work with Clyde & Co., which is a dream for most students, including me. He said that networking opportunities are the best to gain experience and go further to achieve contracts from companies and firms.
  • The major companies are Clyde & Co., Linklaters, Clifford Chance, Slaughter & May, Freshfields, Hogan Lovells, and Herbert Smith Freehills.

Accommodation

Off Campus
10

  • I opted for on-campus accommodation. Directly applied it through the University. Monthly rent is £870 and it includes an en-suite room with a shared kitchen.
  • I did not face any challenges while doing so because the university guarantees accommodation for freshers.
  • I would recommend choosing accommodation near the university to be productive and active.
  • My accommodation is a 5-minute walking distance from the campus. There is not any particular place where Indian students stay. Students are widely spread at different places.

Exams

  • There was no compulsory exam for taking admission but it may be different for other courses.
  • It needs to check individually for different courses.
  • Statement of purpose is required while making an application, along with an LOR and a predicted scorecard (if needed). Later on, after the whole process, a VISA and a passport are also required.
  • No, there was no interview conducted.

Fees

  • My first year fees was £23,640 along with £8,932
  • Accommodation fees for a 44-week period. Any other charges for groceries are not included. The fees may change each year so the university gives information about it each year.
  • The fees are charged yearly or in installments. Students can choose different methods according to their convenience.
  • My monthly expenses go around £900, which includes my accommodation fees, transportation and other expenses.

Scholarship

  • Yes, I received one scholarship. It was the University of Birmingham India Outstanding Achievement Scholarship. To apply for it, you have to write a letter stating why you should be awarded the scholarship and then a decision is made by the university. I received a £3,000 scholarship.
  • Yes, many students in my course got the scholarships. Universities offer a large number of scholarships for different levels of study and categorise them as per the countries.
  • A large number of students (in thousands) receive scholarships each year. The least amount awarded is £1,000.