Why Birkbeck?
There are lots of great reasons for international students to study at Birkbeck, and here are just a few:
A UNIVERSITY WITH A DIFFERENCE
Founded with the aim of educating the working people of London, Birkbeck has been helping people access higher education and transform their lives since its creation in 1823.
In a Birkbeck classroom, you will find yourself surrounded by a diverse range of people, aged from 18 to 80. These can include: secondary school graduates embarking on higher education study; working professionals, keen to gain a promotion or change direction in their career; innovators and entrepreneurs looking to start their own business or realise an idea; and successful graduates, eager to start work.
What unites our students is their curiosity, their seriousness, their dedication and their determination to succeed. Find out more about the Birkbeck experience.
PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITY OF LONDON QUALIFICATIONS
With a global reputation for high-quality research and teaching, Birkbeck is part of the prestigious University of London, alongside University College London (UCL), King's College London (KCL), the School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS) and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), among others.
In 2019, Birkbeck celebrated 100 years as part of the prestigious University of London.
Birkbeck graduates are awarded globally recognised University of London qualifications - a mark of quality and excellence.
STUDY IN THE HEART OF LONDON
Our campus is in Bloomsbury, central London, a lively, student-centred area that's in the heart of London and home to a number of universities and other colleges of the University of London.
Bloomsbury, a world-renowned intellectual and literary hub, was home to early twentieth-century writers, intellectuals, philosophers and artists, including author Virginia Woolf and economist John Maynard Keynes who lived in the Georgian buildings now part of our campus.
Everything London has to offer is on our doorstep: we are near the British Museum, the British Library, Chinatown, Soho and Covent Garden, as well as some of the world's best theatres, music venues, shops, bars and restaurants.
All Birkbeck students have access to all University of London facilities. This includes a large range of libraries and study spaces, plus free membership of Student Central, the University of London Students' Union, right next door to Birkbeck in Bloomsbury.
Amanda Logan, MSc Human Resource Management graduate, talks about how her postgraduate studies have boosted her career in human resources and how she loves studying in the heart of London:
DAYTIME FREEDOM
You'll have your days free to study in the library, to enjoy everything London has to offer or to work or intern in a city that is world famous as a global hub for business and finance and a vibrant centre for the arts and culture.
EVENING TEACHING
What really sets Birkbeck apart is our evening teaching. During the day, our campuses are buzzing with research and study, but the evening is when we really come to life, as thousands of different students come together from across London - and further afield - for classes that start at 6pm.
Our evening teaching means that you will find yourself studying alongside London's working professionals, who are keen to network, make new contacts and advance their careers.
Listen to how our students use the flexibility of evening study to work, care for family, network and take on voluntary roles:
START YOUR CAREER BEFORE YOU GRADUATE
As most of our teaching is in the evening, many of our students work, intern or volunteer during the day, which means that Birkbeck graduates are better placed to get ahead in a competitive job market.
They are recognised and highly valued by employers for their maturity, independent-mindedness, focus and determination. That’s why 95% of Birkbeck’s students are in work or further study six months after graduating.
So, you can start building your future while you study, we have our own recruitment consultancy, to help you find the best work and interning opportunities.
Find out more about working in the UK, including restrictions on working hours for Student Visa holders.
EXCELLENT TEACHING
In many universities, the top academics do not teach undergraduates, but at Birkbeck, they do. We believe our students’ varied experiences enrich our teaching, so we’ll share knowledge and support you, as equals.
Birkbeck has been allocated a Silver award in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), the government’s new system for rating university teaching.
AN INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
We are a truly international university in a truly global city: students from over 120 countries are studying with us, our staff come from across the globe, and our researchers are collaborating with universities, governments, healthcare agencies and businesses worldwide.
In the 2018 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Birkbeck was in the top third of more than a thousand leading universities. We are also ranked highly for our international outlook, figuring in the top 10% of listed universities, based on overseas staff, students and research collaborations.
Read our International Digest to find out the highlights of the last academic year.
OUTSTANDING STUDENT SERVICES
Whether you’re joining Birkbeck from school or college, or returning to study after a break, we understand that the transition to undergraduate study can be challenging. Our student services are here to support you at every step of your student journey, offering everything from general advice and study skills sessions, to counselling, career advice and visa application support.
Our Careers and Enterprise Service provides comprehensive careers, recruitment and employability advice, events and information services for our students, both online and face-to-face.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Birkbeck hosts a wide range of annual events and event series for international students, including week-long showcases, memorial lectures, seminar series and visits from distinguished speakers.
We also have a range of offline and online activities designed for our international students, so you can meet with other students and feel part of our community. They range from visits to landmarks in London and beyond, online social events and annual events such as the One World Festival.