Birmingham City University
Natalja Gleirscher, WS 2024/25
Having previously spent an Erasmus semester in Limerick during my Bachelor’s degree, I sought another opportunity abroad during my Master’s – both experiences I can highly recommend. Wanting to explore a different part of the British Isles, I chose Birmingham City University as my first choice, as it was the only partner university in the UK for Master’s studies.
The pre-arrival phase required considerable effort, particularly in finalising the Online Learning Agreement (OLA), navigating BCU’s somewhat confusing module catalogue and deciding on accommodation. However, the effort paid off in the end. Personally, I found that receiving my timetable at BCU and making necessary adjustments was relatively easy. The Erasmus office on-site (similar to the team at home) was incredibly responsive, and everyone was extremely friendly and eager to help.
One of the key advantages of studying at BCU was the university's reserved accommodation for Erasmus students—though keep in mind to apply as early as possible, as there is a time limit! I stayed at The Heights, which was conveniently located just a 10-minute walk from the campus and 15 minutes from the city centre – hence, I rarely needed to take the bus. While the rooms were slightly old, they were well-equipped, and my overall living experience was very positive. I shared a flat with four friendly international flatmates, and having private bathrooms, along with access to a small gym, was a great advantage. Security was not as strict as in other accommodations, which can have both benefits and drawbacks. Generally, while the accommodation is not located in the nicest area, I felt safe, even when walking home in the evening from campus or the city centre. However, I do recommend using Uber if you ever feel unsafe—it is also really affordable. The one exception I want to mention was Bonfire Night (5th November), when the entire city was unusually chaotic, so it’s best to stay in if possible.
On campus, BCU’s International Team organised a well-structured welcome programme. They provided airport pickup and a two-week orientation filled with presentations and activities. Although some events were repetitive – and some were more useful than others - they helped in meeting new people. Especially in the beginning, social events such as pub quizzes/karaoke nights in the campus pub, played a crucial role in settling in. While some initiatives like the campus tours and 'language café' could have been better executed, they still provided opportunities to connect with others. Other than that BCU offers a ‘welcome fair’, which introduces their students to all available clubs and societies. There is a lot to choose from and I would recommend just giving everything a go during the try-out weeks. Besides joining some societies, I also joined the university’s gospel choir, which is open to both staff and students. We met up once a week and there was a great atmosphere for singing. We also performed twice towards the end of the semester – I highly recommend joining ‘BCU Voices’ for avid singers of all levels😊
Furthermore, the academic workload at BCU was more easily manageable compared to my home university in Innsbruck. I attended two courses, each lasting three hours per week. While weekly coursework and final assignments did require effort, the overall pressure was definitely lower, which had mostly to do with my professors being very approachable and supportive.
Birmingham, as the second-largest city in England, offers diverse leisure activities. I explored several cafes, pubs, museums, and my personal favourite, the city’s canal side paths (the nearer to the city centre, the more beautiful; also great for running during the day) and its various theatre productions (little hint: ATG Tickets offers student accounts). Yet, travelling outside of ‘Brum’ was a key highlight of my experience. I visited several destinations, including the Peak District, Bath, London, Liverpool, Warwick Castle, Oxford, York, and the Cotswolds – for the latter, some friends and I rented a car. I highly recommend going on group trips and starting them early as time really does pass way too quickly - heads up: expect random cancellations and delays from the British railways. Surprisingly, the weather remained pleasant until mid-November, with more sunshine than expected. This made the trips even more memorable. Aside from that, Birmingham’s festive atmosphere was remarkable, especially during Halloween and Christmas, with a large Christmas (German-inspired) market decorating the city centre.
Overall, my Erasmus experience at BCU was highly rewarding. I met wonderful people, made lifelong friends, explored different parts of the UK, and immersed myself in new experiences and in British culture. While Birmingham may not be the most picturesque city, it has a unique charm and offers numerous opportunities for personal growth. Beyond that, it is a great starting point for travelling around the UK.
Studying at the Heart of England
Laura Grabher-Meyer, WS 2024/25
When I received the information that I got accepted for studying abroad at Birmingham City University (BCU) for a semester, I got really excited and was very much looking forward to all of the new experiences that were awaiting me. However, I cannot deny that I was also nervous about the upcoming changes. In this report, I would like to give some insights into my time abroad and illustrate how valuable this experience was to me. In the best case, it will help future Erasmus+ students to counteract potential doubts concerning a semester abroad. :-)
The University
BCU is a great place for studying. The university buildings are quite modern, and there are many
individual study spaces. Especially at the beginning, it can be a bit tricky to find your way around, but there are always kind security guards to help you find the correct classroom. I also made very good experiences with the lecturers at BCU. They were incredibly courteous and happy to help with any question a student may have. The atmosphere in the classes was very
comfortable, and students were encouraged to participate but never put on the spot. The course system at Birmingham is, however, quite different from the one in Innsbruck. While I often took small courses with down to 2.5 ECTS at the University of Innsbruck, there were only large
modules of either 10 or 20 ECTS to choose from at BCU. Despite this being quite unusual to me, I could also see its advantage as it gave me much more time to specialise in a particular module.
The university itself also took a great effort to make sure international students got into contact with one another and could make new friends during their time abroad. In the first two weeks of my stay in Birmingham, the International Office at the university organised Welcome Weeks with many different activities taking place every day. While the activities themselves could
sometimes have been better organised, the main purpose of these events was fulfilled in that they provided the opportunity of getting in touch with other students from all around the world. I really appreciated these Welcome Weeks because they supported the process of settling in well in Birmingham.
The Accommodation
When looking for accommodation in England, it became clear to me quite soon that I wanted to choose the recommended university accommodation. Therefore, I applied to University Locks and received my letter of acceptance quite soon. From my current point of view, it was the best decision I could have made. At the Locks, I lived in a shared flat with six other girls, and I made friends with them soon. I enjoyed having a good balance between privacy and social time at the flat. I had my own bedroom and bathroom, but the kitchen became our social meeting point, which was perfect because it gave me a feeling of home within a completely new country.
The City
When people back home asked me how to describe Birmingham in one sentence, I always referred to it as a city of contrasts. My favourite place was quite unsurprisingly the City Centre. It is within a walkable distance from the University Locks, which is a great plus. It offers many cute cafés, pubs and restaurants which are worth being tried out. During the winter semester, it is particularly special because it becomes transformed into giant Christmas Markets in November,
proudly referred to as the German Markets. While they do indeed offer German food, such as Bratwurst, they also have a band playing live music almost all around the clock, which is less typical of Christmas Markets in Germany, I would argue. ;-) Regardless of their authenticity, the German Markets are a great meeting point, and they always managed to put me into a good
mood when walking through. While the City Centre is a place where I felt comfortable and safe, there are also some areas I would not recommend passing by on one’s own, especially not at night. To avoid uncomfortable situations, I can really recommend the Uber service, which is
perfectly well established in Birmingham. While I never use taxis back home, I really appreciated the opportunity to take an Uber in Birmingham from time to time.
Another contrast of the city relates to the variety of buildings in different architectural styles that can be found. At my favourite viewpoint – the Secret Garden at the Library of Birmingham –, you can see buildings from the 19th century close to modern multi-storey buildings. Quite contrasting are also the people who live in Birmingham in that they have many different cultural backgrounds. It is a truly international city, and I genuinely enjoyed that as I met a lot of open-
minded people, be it on a regular basis at my Pilates course or only in the form of a single conversation with a mother of two during a long train ride.
Speaking of train rides, one of the most important factors that render Birmingham an ideal place for an exchange semester is its location at the heart of England. My flatmates and I went on many trips to other parts of the country to make the most of our experience abroad and learn as much about the culture and countryside as possible. Despite the common prejudice about England being a rainy place, we were quite lucky with the weather and enjoyed many hours of sunshine in cities such as Bath, London, Oxford, Liverpool and Lincoln. One of my highlights was certainly the road trip around the Cotswolds, which is a truly beautiful region, especially when autumn presents itself in its most beautiful colours. Renting a car worked quite well, but it can get rather expensive, so we were glad that we went as a group of five – not only because it was more fun, but also because we could share the costs. If you are looking for a trip into nature, you may also choose Peak District, which can be reached by means of public transportation. In case you are interested in luxurious manor houses in the style of Jane Austen, you may combine your trip with visiting Chatsworth House, which is truly impressive.
To conclude my report, I can only say that I am incredibly happy and thankful that I was given the chance to spend a semester abroad in Birmingham. I would not want to miss any of the experiences I made and would encourage anyone who is still on the fence with their decision to take this wonderful opportunity. In case I can help with any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me!
Birmingham
Johanna Mariacher, SS 2024
My time at Birmingham City University (BCU) was a great experience that helped me learn new things and grow as a person. My ERASMUS stay was from January 2024 until June 2024. Although Birmingham was not my first choice, I definitely enjoyed my time and met many great people.
Birmingham is a big, lively city in the UK which offers many freetime activities, restaurants and bars. Also, the university organized activities, such as city tours and social events, which allowed me to make friends with both local and international students.
During my semester, I took several courses related to my major. The teachers encouraged us to participate and think critically. Nevertheless, the local students were unmotivated and absent a lot. I also faced some challenges at the beginning as it took several weeks until I got my timetable. Moreover, I had to change classes because they were not offered after all.
I lived at University Lock, which was costly but the majority of the ERASMUS students live there in shared flats, which was fun. Altogether, my Erasmus semester at Birmingham City University was an amazing experience. It improved my academic knowledge and helped me understand different cultures and meet people from all over the world. I would definitely do it again!
Birmingham
Christian Rainer, SS 2017
Although I had been at several places in the UK before, I never really intended to pay a visit to the official heart of England – Birmingham. I had always thought of Birmingham as an old, run-down, and heavily industrialized city. However, it was exactly these concerns that I easily learned to overcome during my Erasmus+ stay at Birmingham City University (BCU) from January until June 2017. With this brief report, I would like to point out all the wonderful advantages a stay abroad in Birmingham can have and why studying at BCU was one of the best choices I’ve made.
Getting started
Planning an Erasmus+ semester is said to be only about filling out forms, heading from one office to the next, and bearing in mind deadlines. I can say: yes, to a certain extent that is true! BUT: what is the effort you have to put into the organisation compared to the opportunity to spend half a semester in a foreign country, getting to know its people’s culture and language? So, do not worry too much about bureaucratic procedure, but instead always focus on the actual benefit you gain from it. It is definitely worth it!
Participating in the Erasmus+ programme, above all, means studying at a different university and attending courses (or modules). What made it difficult for me was that BCU does not provide an official “Vorlesungsverzeichnis” as, for instance, the University of Innsbruck, but only a list of all the “undergraduate modules” without any start or end date, room number, or staff notices (http://www.bcu.ac.uk/english/student-information/course-modules). The range of modules, however, is impressive. Not only can you choose modules in the fields of literature and linguistics, but also in drama, creative writing, or philosophy. Therefore, I highly recommend considering some of the modules that are not on offer in Innsbruck as you get to know new approaches to the study of the English language. Each module is worth 15 ECTS, so you simply pick the two you like best. Moreover, the staff at the School of English is excellent: very helpful, supportive, and always encouraging you to do your best. Finally, BCU also offers a wide range of extracurricular activities such as sport clubs, which makes it very easy to get in touch with other students.
Living in Birmingham
The majority of BCU students, especially in the 2nd or 3rd year, live in private accommodation outside the city centre. Positive aspect: the chances to live with ‘English’ students is way higher and prices are rather low (around 80-90 £ per week). Negative aspect: living outside the city centre means a 20-25-minute bus drive to BCU. That’s why I chose to live in halls in the city centre, which, to be honest, was rather expensive (120 £ per week) but provided me with everything I needed. Moreover, its central location enabled me to get to the university in five minutes, and even more important, to stay up late in town as there was no need for public transport back home.
Birmingham is a very vibrant, international, and multicultural city. With a population of more than 1.1 million people (40% under 25!), it is the second largest city after London and provides a home for people from all over the world. One short walk through the renovated, modern city centre shows you a beautiful mix of different ethnic groups, all of which live and work together in a spirit of mutual tolerance and respect. Moreover, also BCU is proud of Birmingham’s multicultural spirit and organises various events focussing on the cultural diversity of its students. Without doubt, it was this open-minded and future-oriented atmosphere that captivated me from the first day and changed my mind about Birmingham forever.
Of course, Erasmus is not only about studying, but, let’s be honest, also about partying, getting to know other people, and travelling. Frankly, Birmingham is the best place for all of these points. With its truly amazing (!) nightlife, it is so easy to spend fantastic nights together. There are plenty of different clubs, bars, and pubs throughout the whole city that suit everyone’s taste in music, and those who have been to the UK are aware that British people know how to party!
Located in the heart of England, Birmingham also represents the ideal starting point for various city trips. Be it London, Nottingham, or Liverpool - every larger city is within reach and easily accessible via public transport. Also, have a look at the “VIVA Trips Birmingham” homepage as they offer students cheap tickets for day trips to cities and other national attractions such as the Lake or Peak District.
In conclusion, I would like to encourage you not to miss the chance to apply for an Erasmus+ semester abroad. You will not only improve your language skills, but also increase your cultural awareness and broaden your personal horizon. The idea of Erasmus+ goes beyond studying abroad. It is more about bringing students together, about overcoming national boundaries, and living the true idea of the European Union. Be a part of that - you won’t regret it! If you have any questions, I am very happy to help! J