Our Guild of Students was the first in the country to introduce student mentors to help ‘freshers’ (first-year students) settle into their university accommodation. Every student in University residences has a trained student mentor who visits every week or two to offer support and useful welfare information. Mentors are also available on-call from 6.00pm–8.00am during term-time. Mentors can be undergraduate, postgraduate, international or home students, and are paid for the work they do.
Visit the student mentors page on the Guild of Students website for further information.
The Guild’s Advice and Representation Centre (ARC) is a professional, student advice service, which focuses on helping you with common problems such as financial, academic, housing, and immigration issues that you may face during your time at the University. Students can drop into the centre for a chat in a safe, relaxed environment.
The ARC also has an online service via which professional advisors can respond to individual queries or concerns.
www.guildofstudents.com/thearc
We strongly recommend that you register with a local doctor and dentist whilst you are studying here. The NHS website can help you find medical practices and dentists. Select either 'GP' or 'dentist' using your accommodation post code or alternatively the University of Birmingham (B15 2TT).
If you have a disability, including specific learning difficulties, our Disability and Learning Support Services can help you get the maximum benefit from University life. We positively encourage you to tell us if you are disabled so that we can better support you.
Services include:
Please note that the main campus is very large and hilly in places. All new buildings are designed for easy access, but some older buildings vary in accessibility. In 2008, the University completed an accessibility audit of both its campuses, and a detailed mobility map is available for students and visitors (email: disability@bham.ac.uk).
People with mobility impairments are particularly encouraged to visit before applying. If you have a mental health condition such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia or psychosis, support is available from the Mental Health Advisory Service. Contact them at mentalhealth@bham.ac.uk or see www.as.bham.ac.uk/mentalhealth.
Tel: +44 (0)121 414 5130
Email: disability@bham.ac.uk
Email: learning-support@contacts.bham.ac.uk
Visit: www.as.bham.ac.uk/disability
Birmingham has its roots in a tradition of religious tolerance. The principle of people from all faiths and cultures learning with each other and from each other remains central to University life today.
St Francis Hall, the University chaplaincy, offers a place where students of all faiths, or those interested in world religions, can meet for worship, an informal chat in the Oasis Lounge, or to see a chaplain for spiritual or religious advice and pastoral conselling. Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist chaplains are all based or have contact details available here. In addition, the chaplaincy is home to numerous student-led faith groups and societies hosted by the Guild.
Tel: +44 (0)121 414 7000/1
www.bham.ac.uk/chaplaincy
For students with young children, the University provides two day nurseries offering a high standard of care and experience. Both are open five days a week for 51 weeks of the year, with opening times to fit around your academic life.
A team of professional counsellors is on hand to help our students overcome emotional or psychological difficulties while they are at University, and learn how to deal with personal difficulties more effectively in their future lives. The service is free and confidential.
Tel: +44 (0)121 414 5130
www.as.bham.ac.uk/counselling
The Student Funding Office (SFO) manages both University and external funding for students, including government support schemes, bursaries, central scholarships, prizes and the Access to Learning Fund. The office also provides financial support and advice to applicants, parents and students.
Tel: +44 (0)121 414 7391
Email: financialsupport@bham.ac.uk
Visit: www.as.bham.ac.uk/study/support/finance
The Student Charter has been developed by the University and the Guild of Students to set out the general principles of the partnership between the University and its students.
