🏅 QS World Rank #68
University of Birmingham — Full Profile & Ranking 2026
A founding ‘redbrick’ university with a Nobel-winning legacy — QS World Rankings 2027 (joint #68)
The University of Birmingham is a public research university in Birmingham, England, founded in 1900 — the first of England’s civic “redbrick” universities to receive a royal charter. In the QS World University Rankings 2027 (released June 2026), Birmingham rose eight places to joint 68th in the world, its highest position in a decade and its fourth consecutive year of improvement. Birmingham is particularly renowned for medicine and dentistry, chemical engineering, and physics — including the wartime invention of the cavity magnetron that made modern radar possible. This guide covers Birmingham’s faculties, undergraduate admission, tuition and scholarships, advice for applicants from Pakistan, and the questions prospective students ask most. Every figure is labelled with its year or source.
Birmingham Overview
Founded in 1900, Birmingham was the first of England’s civic “redbrick” universities — six major institutions founded in industrial cities before World War I — to receive a royal charter. Its Edgbaston campus is known for its iconic clock tower “Old Joe,” the tallest free-standing clock tower in the world, set in green parkland just three kilometres from Birmingham’s city centre. Birmingham is a founding member of the Russell Group and is particularly well known for medicine and dentistry, chemical engineering, and physics.
Birmingham Rankings — QS World University Rankings 2027
Birmingham is ranked joint 68th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, published by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) in June 2026 — up eight places from the previous edition, its highest position in a decade, and its fourth consecutive year of improvement (a rise of 23 places over that period). Birmingham is tied at 68th with fellow Russell Group institution the University of Warwick.
QS ranks universities using academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, student-to-faculty ratio, and measures of international faculty and students. This is a QS-specific result, not a universal ranking — Times Higher Education, U.S. News, and ARWU use different methods and can order the same universities differently. Birmingham also rose two places to 12th in the Complete University Guide 2027.
Source: University of Birmingham official news page, June 2026.
Colleges & Key Strengths
- Medicine & Dentistry — College of Medical and Dental Sciences, one of the UK’s most established medical schools
- Chemical Engineering — College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
- Physics — birthplace of the cavity magnetron, invented in 1940
- Business — Birmingham Business School
For the full list of colleges and degrees, see Birmingham’s official website.
Explore Related Guides & Rankings
Admission Requirements
Birmingham admission details below were checked in October 2026. Confirm them on Birmingham’s admissions site before applying.
Undergraduate Admissions
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Application Portal | UCAS, opening 1 October the year before entry |
| Standard Deadline | Mid-January of the entry year for September entry |
| Typical Offers | ABB to A*AA at A-Level, depending on course competitiveness |
| Medicine & Dentistry | Requires the UCAT admissions test and an interview in addition to academic grades |
| Application Fee | No separate Birmingham application fee; UCAS charges £28.50 per application cycle |
| English Requirement | IELTS (typically 6.5+) or an approved equivalent for applicants whose prior education was not in English |
Graduate Admissions
Postgraduate admission generally requires a 2:1 Bachelor’s degree or international equivalent; the main entry points are September and January, with the January postgraduate intake deadline typically in mid-December.
Official source: Birmingham Undergraduate Admissions.
Birmingham Acceptance Rate
Birmingham’s overall acceptance rate is commonly estimated at around 76%, based on third-party aggregated admissions data rather than a single official university figure. Medicine and Dentistry are considerably more competitive than the institutional average.
Figures are aggregated estimates; always check current entry requirements per course on Birmingham’s official admissions pages.
Practical Application Checklist
- Register and begin your UCAS application once it opens on 1 October the year before entry
- Submit by the mid-January standard deadline for September entry
- If applying to Medicine or Dentistry, prepare separately for the UCAT admissions test and interview
- Book an IELTS test early to meet the typical 6.5+ requirement
- Apply for the International Merit Scholarship alongside your UCAS application if eligible
- Plan for the full cost of attendance, including living costs in Birmingham
- Check UK student visa requirements for your nationality
- Verify every date, fee, and requirement on Birmingham’s official website before submitting
Tuition & Costs
International undergraduate tuition at Birmingham varies by course — roughly £25,000–47,000 per year, with Medicine and specialised programs at the top of that range. Birmingham publishes international fees by course rather than as a single flat figure.
Source: Birmingham’s international tuition fee schedule, cross-checked against third-party fee aggregators, October 2026. Always confirm the exact fee for your specific course on Birmingham’s official fees page.
Scholarships & Financial Aid
- International Merit Scholarship — up to £4,000 off tuition for high-achieving international students
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences awards — subject-specific scholarships for exceptional applicants
Scholarship terms, values, and eligibility change year to year — confirm current offerings on Birmingham’s scholarships page. Funding is not automatic or guaranteed for every applicant.
Birmingham for Pakistani Students
Pakistani applicants apply to Birmingham through UCAS, the same route used by domestic and other international applicants; there is no separate country-specific quota. Practical points:
- Intermediate/A-Level or equivalent results are assessed against Birmingham’s typical ABB–A*AA offer range
- IELTS and similar English tests are available in major Pakistani cities, including Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad
- Apply for the International Merit Scholarship alongside your UCAS application if eligible — this is assessed individually and is not guaranteed
- A UK student visa is required only after a formal offer; visa decisions are made solely by UK immigration authorities, not by Birmingham
- Applicants do not need a paid agent to apply — applications are submitted directly through UCAS
- Always verify current deadlines, fees, and requirements on Birmingham’s official website before applying
Campus & Student Life
- Birmingham’s Edgbaston campus features its iconic clock tower “Old Joe,” the tallest free-standing clock tower in the world
- Green parkland surroundings just three kilometres from Birmingham’s city centre
- Birmingham is a founding member of the Russell Group, alongside Leeds, Manchester, and Sheffield
- On-campus and nearby accommodation options are available for domestic and international students
Research & Career Opportunities
- Birmingham is a major research university with particular strength in medicine, chemical engineering, and physics
- The cavity magnetron, invented at Birmingham in 1940, was a pivotal contribution to Allied technology in World War II
- Birmingham does not guarantee employment, salary, or visa outcomes after graduation
Notable Alumni
- Sir Paul Nurse — Nobel laureate in Physiology/Medicine
- Neville Chamberlain — former UK Prime Minister
Contact & Location
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
Admissions email: admissions@bham.ac.uk
Official website: birmingham.ac.uk
Contact details can change year to year — check the official website for the most current information.
Frequently Asked Questions
The University of Birmingham holds joint 68th place globally in the QS World University Rankings 2027, its highest position in a decade.
Redbrick universities refer to six major civic English universities founded in industrial cities before World War I, of which Birmingham was the first to receive a royal charter.
Yes, Birmingham’s College of Medical and Dental Sciences is one of the UK’s most established medical schools, requiring the UCAT test for admission.
The cavity magnetron, which made modern radar possible, was invented at the University of Birmingham in 1940, a pivotal contribution to Allied technology in World War II.
Yes, Birmingham is a founding member of the Russell Group, an association of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities.
International undergraduate tuition is roughly £25,000-47,000 per year, varying by course, with Medicine and specialised programs at the higher end.
Yes. Pakistani applicants apply through UCAS like other international applicants; IELTS testing is available in major Pakistani cities.
Check Birmingham’s official admissions and fees pages, since deadlines, charges, and entry requirements are set annually and can change.
Compare Birmingham With Other Top Universities
Disclaimer: This page is based on the QS World University Rankings 2027, the University of Birmingham’s official admissions and fees pages, and other publicly available sources, last checked in October 2026. Fees, rankings, deadlines, and admission rules change, and no admission, funding, visa, or employment outcome is guaranteed. Always verify current details directly with the University of Birmingham before applying.