Founded in 1823, Birkbeck, University of London, is one of the world’s leading research universities, with a vibrant, intellectually challenging research culture. Ranked among the top 250 universities worldwide, Birkbeck is proud to be part of the prestigious University of London. That’s important, but what makes us really special is our unique evening teaching and the opportunities this provides to combine study with work. This focused way of learning attracts committed students and academics, and makes studying at Birkbeck intense, enjoyable and life-changing.

Birkbeck has five academic Schools: Arts; Business, Economics and Informatics; Law; Science; and Social Sciences, History and Philosophy. We offer nearly 300 postgraduate taught and research programmes, almost all full-time, mostly evening taught. More than 100 undergraduate degrees are available for full-time evening study over three years, which qualifies them for student visa status. All applications for our full-time evening undergraduate degrees are via UCAS, the UK’s central universities admissions service. Some 13,000 students study with us every year.

Birkbeck's research excellence was confirmed in the most recent assessment of UK research quality, the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), in which 73% of our research was rated ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’, placing Birkbeck 30th in the UK for research.  83% of our academics were entered for the 2014 REF, more than the average in UK universities, and many are renowned world-class experts in their fields. English Literature, History, Law, Philosophy and Psychology at Birkbeck were ranked among the world’s top 150 by QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017.

As well as being leading researchers, our academics are influential thinkers who are deeply involved in the cultural and intellectual life of London, bringing the latest ideas to their teaching. In many universities, star researchers don’t teach undergraduates. At Birkbeck, academics want to spend time in the classroom because we see students as part of our learning community, and believe their varied experience enriches our teaching.

Birkbeck students come from all backgrounds, careers and cultures, and are aged from 18 to 80 plus. Our unique evening teaching gives them the opportunity to combine study at one of the world’s top research-intensive universities with building their future career. Our students may be young people who want to gain workplace experience while they study; working Londoners keen to improve their chance of promotion or change direction in their careers; people who missed out on university education the first time around and have a hunger for learning; or those who just want to follow a passion for their subject.

The success of our teaching model – offering part-time, face-to-face evening teaching – has been recognised with a Silver award in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), the Government’s new system for rating university teaching.

Facilities offered at Birkbeck include access to a wealth of IT, library and other support services – all of which are geared around evening study. The library is open late, as are the student centre and computing support. Our five-floor library offers more than 400 study places plus a wide range of online resources. Students can also access libraries across London, including the British Library and the University of London’s Senate House Library, right next door to Birkbeck.

Our students come to university primarily to study and improve themselves. But they also enjoy student life and the culture of one of the world’s fastest-moving cities. Birkbeck’s main campus is part of the University of London’s city centre campus, in the heart of academic London in Bloomsbury WC1. Students can use all the sports, swimming, music and other social facilities of the University of London student centre next door, and it’s just a short walk to the bars, cafes and clubs of Soho and Covent Garden.

While the majority of our students live in private accommodation, we also have places available in University of London intercollegiate halls and an agreement with UNITE, a specialist provider of student accommodation, which entitles full-time Birkbeck students to apply for places within their halls of residence.

Birkbeck continues to welcome students, staff and visitors from across the EU and further afield. We are maintaining fees for postgraduate students from the EU at the same level as those for UK home students, for those starting courses in the academic year 2019/20. The commitment will also extend to holding fees for EU students at the same level as UK home students for the duration of their course. The UK government has confirmed that EU students will continue to remain eligible for undergraduate, postgraduate and advanced learner financial support in the academic year 2019/20.

We are proud of the diversity of our student community, and welcome applications from international students for our full-time undergraduate programmes and our full-time Master’s or MPhil/PhD degrees. We offer a number of scholarships for international students.

For more information about being an international student at Birkbeck, including details of entry and English language requirements, visit http://www.bbk.ac.uk/international