Quick summary (updated for 2026/27): The University of Birmingham’s welcome week runs 21 to 25 September 2026, with autumn term from 28 September. Birmingham City University (BCU) teaching starts on 21 September 2026 after welcome week in the week of 14 September, and University College Birmingham’s induction runs 21 to 25 September. Selly Oak and Bournbrook are where most University of Birmingham students live, while BCU and Aston students mostly live in and around the city centre. The busiest moving windows are September, late June into July, and late January. You can get a time-based estimate for the move on our Birmingham man and van page.
Birmingham is one of the UK’s big student cities, with five universities spread from Edgbaston to the city centre and out to Bartley Green. Whether you’re moving into halls for your first year, shifting to a shared house in Selly Oak, or coming back for a postgraduate course, this guide covers the 2026/27 term dates, where students live, and the practical side of moving day.
Birmingham’s universities and where they are
Where your university is decides most of the rest: which areas make sense to live in, how you’ll get to lectures, and when the busy moving weekends fall.
University of Birmingham
The main campus is in Edgbaston, south-west of the city centre, and it has its own station, University, on the Cross-City Line. The new station buildings opened to passengers in January 2024, according to the West Midlands Combined Authority. Most students live in Selly Oak, Bournbrook or Harborne, all close to campus.
Birmingham City University (BCU)
BCU’s City Centre Campus is in Eastside, near Millennium Point, with other sites around the city. Students tend to live in purpose-built accommodation in the city centre or nearby areas like Digbeth.
Aston University
Aston has a compact campus in the city centre, so most of its students live in city centre accommodation or close by. It’s known for its business school and engineering courses.
University College Birmingham (UCB)
UCB specialises in vocational courses such as hospitality, culinary arts and business, and its sites are close to the city centre. Many of its students live centrally.
Newman University
Newman is in Bartley Green, on the south-west edge of the city. Some students commute, and others live in areas like Selly Oak or Harborne and get the bus out.
Term dates 2026/27
Term dates decide when students move in and out, which is when vans get booked up and streets fill with parked cars. Always check your own course, because some programmes run to different calendars.
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham academic year dates for 2026/27 are:
- Welcome: 21 to 25 September 2026
- Autumn term: 28 September to 11 December 2026
- Spring term: 11 January to 26 March 2027
- Summer term: 26 April to 25 June 2027
Dates may differ for professional and postgraduate programmes.
Birmingham City University
According to BCU’s 2026/27 term dates:
- International arrivals: week of 7 September 2026
- Welcome week: week of 14 September 2026
- Semester 1 teaching: 21 September to 11 December 2026
- Winter vacation: 21 December 2026 to 3 January 2027
- Semester 2 teaching: 25 January to 30 April 2027, with the Easter vacation from 29 March to 11 April 2027
- Semester 3 teaching: 24 May to 13 August 2027
BCU notes that its calendars can be updated, so check the page before you plan around a date.
University College Birmingham
UCB’s university term dates for 2026/27 are:
- Accommodation move-in: 5 September 2026
- Enrolment: 14 to 25 September 2026
- Induction: 21 to 25 September 2026
- Semester 1: 28 September 2026 to 15 January 2027
- Semester 2: 15 February to 21 May 2027
Nursing programmes follow different dates.
Aston University and Newman University
Aston’s welcome week page has the September 2026 arrival events, including Welcome Fest on 14 September. Newman publishes its course dates on its semester and term dates page, and many of them were still to be confirmed at the time of writing, so check with your department.
Where students live in Birmingham
Selly Oak
Selly Oak is the classic Birmingham student area, just south of the University of Birmingham campus. It’s mostly Victorian terraces converted into shared student houses, with plenty of takeaways, pubs and Selly Oak railway station close by. It’s lively in term time and much quieter in summer. Many student tenancies start in July, which is why so many houses change hands in the same few weeks.
Bournbrook
Bournbrook sits next to Selly Oak and is just as close to the University of Birmingham, with similar housing. The Bristol Road gives good bus links into the city centre.
Harborne
Harborne is further from campus and more residential. It tends to suit postgraduates, mature students and anyone who wants somewhere quieter. The High Street has independent shops, cafes and restaurants, and it has a village feel despite being part of the city.
Edgbaston
The University of Birmingham campus sits within Edgbaston, and some students live in the area itself. It’s generally pricier, with a mix of purpose-built student accommodation and private rentals, and it’s home to Edgbaston Reservoir and the cricket ground.
City centre and Digbeth
For BCU, Aston and UCB students, the city centre is the most convenient option, and purpose-built student accommodation dominates. Eastside, Digbeth and the Jewellery Quarter are all popular. Digbeth has turned from an industrial area into a creative one, with independent venues, street food and converted warehouses, and it’s within walking distance of BCU’s city centre campus.
When to book your move
Student moves cluster around the same dates every year. The busy periods are:
- September: arrivals, halls move-in slots and welcome weeks.
- Late June into July: end of the summer term, when a lot of Selly Oak and Bournbrook houses change over.
- Late January: January starters and semester 2.
During those windows, book early, especially for weekend slots. October, November, February and March are much quieter, so there’s more choice of dates and drivers. If you’re moving between two student houses rather than going home, check the end date of one tenancy against the start date of the next so you’re not left with a gap.
Where does your driver need to go?
How long do you need the driver at each end?
A rough guide to the total time for loading and unloading.
- Few items: 30 mins to 1 hour
- Studio flat: 1 to 1.5 hours
- 1-bed flat: 1.5 to 2.5 hours
- 2-bed house: 2.5 to 4 hours
Every move is different. Stairs, parking and big or awkward items all add time. If unsure, round up.
Extra loading and unloading time is charged by the hour.
Estimate
Compare van sizes
How your booking & deposit works
What size van you’ll need
Student moves are usually smaller than family moves, but they add up. A second or third year moving between shared houses might have a desk, clothes, books, kitchen bits, bedding and a few boxes, and the bed is often provided by the landlord. That usually fits in a medium van (around 6m³). If several housemates are sharing the van, or you’re moving a flat’s worth of furniture, a large van (around 10m³) often means one trip instead of two.
First years moving into halls tend to bring less. Moving out of halls into a shared house the next year usually involves more, because that’s when people buy kitchen equipment, bedding and furniture of their own.
Halls and purpose-built accommodation
Move-in: you’ll usually be given an arrival slot, often around welcome week, and universities stagger arrivals so the car parks and loading areas don’t jam up. Unloading time is usually short, so have everything packed and ready to carry.
Move-out: also controlled, with set dates and times. You’ll need to clear the room completely, hand back keys and pass an inspection, and late departures can be charged.
Storage over summer: if you’re an international student or can’t take everything home, look at self-storage near the city and compare student offers before the end of term rush.
Practical tips for moving day
Share the van with housemates. If you’re all moving to the same house, one van and one booking is simpler than four separate trips, and you split the cost.
Check the parking. Birmingham City Council runs controlled parking zones in parts of Selly Oak, including the Dale Road area. If either address is on a restricted street, sort permits or a suspension before the day, because parking is your responsibility at both ends. Our guide to parking permits and moving access in Birmingham covers the options.
Keep essentials separate. Pack a bag with your phone charger, toiletries, bedding and anything you’ll need that night. Keys for student houses are often handed over late in the day, and you don’t want to be digging through boxes at 10pm for a toothbrush.
Photograph the condition. When you move in, photograph any existing damage and report it to your landlord or letting agent straight away. Do the same when you move out, to protect your deposit.
Know the Clean Air Zone. Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone covers the area inside the A4540 Middleway, 24 hours a day. Brum Breathes says vans meeting Euro 6 (diesel) or Euro 4 (petrol) standards aren’t charged, and non-compliant vans pay a daily charge. If you’re moving into the city centre with an older van, check it first.
How much a student move costs
A short move within Birmingham, say from halls in Selly Oak to a shared house in Bournbrook, is usually a small job. What you pay depends mostly on time: how long loading takes, the drive, access at both ends, and the driver’s travel to you and back. Stairs and a long carry from the van add time, and so does anything that needs taking apart. Longer moves, like heading home at the end of the year, add driving time on top. For a bag-and-boxes move, our student and university moves service is set up for exactly that, and you can get an estimate before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When does the University of Birmingham term start in 2026?
Welcome runs 21 to 25 September 2026, and autumn term starts on 28 September 2026. Dates can differ for some professional and postgraduate programmes.
When are BCU term dates for 2026/27?
BCU’s welcome week is the week of 14 September 2026, and semester 1 teaching runs 21 September to 11 December 2026. Semester 2 teaching runs 25 January to 30 April 2027.
Where do most students live in Birmingham?
University of Birmingham students mostly live in Selly Oak, Bournbrook and Harborne. BCU, Aston and UCB students mostly live in the city centre, Eastside and Digbeth.
Do I need a parking permit to move house in Selly Oak?
It depends on the street. Parts of Selly Oak are in controlled parking zones, so check the council’s parking pages for both addresses and arrange permits or a suspension before the day.
