|
|
| PROGRAM TERMS | Fall, Spring, or Academic Year |
| CLASS STANDING | Sophomore, Junior, Senior |
| DEADLINE TO APPLY |
Waitlist for AY 12-13 & Fall 12 Spring 2013: October 15, 2012 |
| FEES | Programs costs can be found here |
| FINANCIAL AID | Yes |
| GPA | 3.0 |
| LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION |
English |
Limited spaces are available; plan as early as possible.
University Information
The University of Birmingham is located in England's second largest city located in the West Midlands and "heart" of England.
Founded in 1900, Birmingham represented a new model for higher education. This was England’s first civic university, where students from all religions and backgrounds were accepted on an equal basis.
Birmingham has continued to be a university unafraid to do things a little differently, and in response to the challenges of the day. It was a founder member of the National Union of Students and the first university in the country to:
The University of Birmingham has welcomed international students since 1900. Today they have one of the largest international student communities in the UK with over 4,000 students from more than 150 countries worldwide.
Location Information
The University of Birmingham, based in the centre of the UK; has a vibrant and lively academic community. You cannot fail to be inspired by the campus which is rich in heritage and beauty, set in a leafy green site with a wealth of amenities and attractions. The campus is built on a 276 acre park land with beautiful red brick buildings.
Birmingham's population is over 1 million people and lies in the borough of the West Midlands and is 110 North West of London. Birmingham is a young city with 53% of the population being 35 or under. The University of Birmingham has an undergraduate population of over 17,000 students and 8,700 graduate students.
Rejuvenated and reinvented, 21st century Birmingham buzzes with a big-city vibe, locals have known about it for years, but now the wider world is getting wise to the vibrant cultural mix of this youthful metropolis.
These days Birmingham's city scape is decidedly easy on the eye: it takes in Victorian civic grandeur and the super modern in just a few metres. A rich history of invention and innovation continues. Former factories are being transformed into multimedia enclaves; while in the Jewelry Quarter, traditional trades sparkle with new life.
Courses Available
Students coming to the University of Birmingham now have access to one of the widest ranges of courses available at any UK institution. Providing students meet the pre-requisite requirements, they’ll be able to select courses across disciplines to develop an academic programme that is suitable for their level, interests and subject requirements.
At the University of Birmingham a degree is called a "course" and a course is called a "module".
Students can take modules from the following subjects: Arts and Law, Engineering and Physical Sciences, Life and Environmental Sciences, Medical and Dental Sciences, and Social Sciences.
Students will be assessed to ensure they have the necessary pre-requisites to study the module.
Students normally take 120 credits per year and 60 credits per semester and each module is worth 10 or 20 credits.
Students can view courses and subjects here. Modules can be viewed here. The University of Birmingham suggests this guideline for international students when choosing modules.
Academic Credit
Modules are measured in European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits. Students wishing to study for a full year may take a maximum of 120 credits (20 Birmingham credits= 10 ECTS), students applying for half a year may take up to 60 credits. A maximum of 40 credits (2 modules) may be taken in the English Department.
20 credit modules are equal to 5 UMD credits and 10 credit modules are equal to 3 UMD credits.
This is an exchange program where UMD students study at the University of Birmingham (UB) and UB students study at UMD. This means that there are limited spaces available each year depending on the balance between the two institutions. Interested students are encouraged to contact the IEO program advisor to discuss eligibility and availability.
Degree seeking students at any University of Minnesota campus who have completed one full year of study prior to the beginning of the exchange are eligible. For some areas of study, students should have completed substantial upper division course work.
Tentative acceptance will be issued by IEO. Final acceptance will be issued by the University of Birmingham.
Costs
IEO tries to keep program costs as similar to those of attending UMD as possible. The program cost for the 2011-2012 academic year per semester to attend the University of Birmingham can be found here.
Fluctuating currency exchange rates may increase or decrease the cost of your international experience. Financial aid may be applied toward the cost of exchange programs. There are several study abroad scholarships for University of Minnesota students and the IEO application and links to other scholarships are available on the IEO website.
Deadlines & Dates
Deadlines to apply to this program occur during the semester prior to studying abroad. The deadline to begin study in the fall is March 15 and to begin study in the spring is October 15.
Fall semester at the University of Birmingham, including arrival and orientation, runs from approximately mid-September until the beginning of December with a 4 week winter break.
Spring semester, including arrival and orientation, typically runs from early January until mid June with a four week semester break in April.
Fall semester or full academic year
UMD Deadline to apply: March 15
Fall arrival dates: mid-September
Fall orientation dates: mid-end September
Fall semester at the University of Birmingham: September/October - beginning of December
Spring semester
UMD Deadline to apply: October 15
Spring arrival dates: mid-January
Spring orientation dates: mid-January
Spring semester: mid to end of January - early June
For more information on deadlines to apply, click here
For more information on the academic calendar at University of Birmingham, click here.
Orientation
At least one pre-departure orientation and one on-site orientation will be held for students participating in this program. Pre-departure
orientation will include information about financial aid, course transfers, international health insurance, student visa, travel tips and a handbook for participants to reference. On-site orientation will be organized by the International Office at the University of Birmingham.
Housing
Accommodation at the University of Birmingham is similar to apartments at UMD. Student accommodation at the University of Birmingham will allow students to enjoy their new-found independence in safe, welcoming and sociable surroundings.
In each "village" there is accommodation offering a self-catered option (kitchen and cooking facilities provided). At the Vale students are also able to take advantage of a Meal Plan|. If you opt for Meal Plan accommodation, your meals are provided from Monday to Friday during term time.
Once students are accepted to the University of Birmingham, they will be able to apply for on campus accommodation.
Students can find information on accommodation and fees here.
What's Next?
Before applying, it is a good idea to follow the steps under steps to studying abroad. The IEO website also provides information on financing, health & safety and other important information to consider when choosing to study abroad. When ready to apply, students must complete the online application and attach the required accompanying materials (unofficial transcript and essay). At the time of application, students will be billed a non-refundable $50 application fee to their student account.
Applying for a U.K. student visa
All international students studying in the U.K. for any length of time will need to obtain a student visa 3 months prior to departure. U.K. visa advice and instructions can be found on the University of Birmingham's web site.
Thank you to the University of Birmingham, the UKBA, and Wikipedia for providing information for this website.
University of Minnesota Campuses
![[Skip Navigation]](/base/extras/spacer.gif)
to IEO
Exchange at The University of Birmingham