If you are planning to become a student at Birmingham, tuition fees and living costs are the main areas to consider when allocating your finances.
Accommodation forms a large proportion of your budget, therefore, you should choose a residence carefully which suits your financial circumstances. More information about the cost of University-owned accommodation can be found via Living.
If you are an international student, you should ensure you have enough funds to cover your tuition fees and living costs for the duration of your course before applying for a visa. If you cannot provide an official letter from a sponsor stating they will cover all of your fees and living costs, you must be able to prove you have access to sufficient funds yourself. For more information, please visit the UKCISA website.
One-off initial costs
The following are a number of initial one-off costs you may need to pay up front:
| One-off initial costs | Amount (£) |
| University-owned halls pre-payment | £550 |
| Private shared house deposit | Usually a month's rent in advance |
| Bedding pack (single/double)* | £30-40 |
| Insurance** | £80 |
| Police Registration*** | £34 |
| TV Licence | £145.50 |
* Bedding packs are available to purchase from your Accommodation site office
**Basic possessions insurance is included in all University-owned accommodation
***For international students, this might be a condition of your visa
Essential costs
The following are a number of essential weekly costs to be factored into your budget to cover basic living needs (based over a 42 week academic session):
| Essential Living Costs | Catered Halls | Self Catered Halls | Private House |
| Rent | £156 | £123 | £80 |
| Gas & Electric | Included | Included | £8 |
| Water | Included | Included | £3 |
| Food | Included | £50 | £50 |
| Toiletries | £2 | £2 | £2 |
| Laundry | £5 | £5 | £5 |
| Weekly Total | £163 | £180 | £148 |
| Annual Total | £6,846 | £7,560 | £6,216 |
Variable costs
The following costs are variable and the weekly amount may depend on your available budget and individual circumstances:
| Variable Living Costs | Average cost per week |
| Course costs | £18 |
| Travel | £20 |
| Social/Memberships | £50 |
| Clothing | £10 |
| Internet* | £5 |
| Mobile Phone | £2 |
| Weekly Total | £105 |
| Annual Total | £4,410 |
*Wi-fi connection is included in the cost of University-owned accommodation
