University of Birmingham and Japan

The University of Birmingham offers a very warm welcome to students from Japan. Our first Japanese student graduated in 1906, and we now have a number of Japanese students following a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

The University of Birmingham is a founding member of The Russell Group with a glorious, green campus, outstanding teaching and facilities and a vibrant and welcoming community. Located in the heart of England, Birmingham is an exciting and vibrant city with a fascinating history. There has never been a more exciting time to study with us.

Jun Maekewa

Jun Maekewa

MBA - International Business

“I chose Birmingham because of the broad range of programmes available and the location of the city. Birmingham often rains, but when it rains the green gets greener, the bricks get redder. It’s absolutely stunning.”

The following information is for guidance only and should be used together with the University's general entrance requirements and any specific degree programme requirements.  

English Language

You will need to demonstrate a certain level of English language, either through an English test such as IELTS, TOEFL or PTE, or we may be able to accept your previous or alternative qualifications as evidence. Please view the entry requirements for specific programme requirements, and details on our presessional English language courses.

Foundation Pathways

We will consider students who have obtained an average of 4/5 GPA in the Kotogakko Sotsugyo Shomeisho (Senior High School Leaving Certificate), to include 4/5 in Mathematics for our Engineering and Physical Sciences pathway.

Please visit the Foundation Pathways website for more information on our foundation programmes. 

 

Undergraduate

  • GCE A Level examinations or a recognised foundation programme
  • International Baccalaureate (IB) - 32 points overall for entrance to most of our undergraduate programmes, certain courses will require specific grades and subjects at Higher Level

Many students who have studied in Japan have followed a 12 year education system. For admission onto an Undergraduate degree programme, the University of Birmingham requires all applicants to have studied for 13 years, and therefore you may need to take a foundation year before commencing your undergraduate programme. 

Please note:

  • For Medicine country specific requirements, please visit our Applying to Medicine website.
  • For Dentistry, please see the general entry requirements listed on the Dental Surgery course page.

Postgraduate Taught

Students with a Bachelor degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for entry to a postgraduate Masters degree provided they achieve a sufficiently high overall score in their first (Bachelor) degree. A GPA of 3.0/4.0 or a B average from a good Japanese university is usually considered equivalent to a UK 2:1.

Students with a Masters degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for PhD study. A high overall grade will be necessary to be considered.

Funding

Find out more about fees and funding for undergraduate, postgraduate taught or postgraduate research courses, or click here for information on international tuition fees.

Scholarships

To reward outstanding achievement and to help ensure that fears about finance do not constrain our students, we are pleased to offer a number of prestigious international scholarships.

Use the links below to search our funding and scholarship databases:

Search the undergraduate funding database
Search the postgraduate funding database

The International Officer for Japan is Jhao-Yu Lin and can be contacted via email.  Our admissions and recruitment teams are available to provide you with support during all stages of your enquiry and application to the University. We regularly visit Japan to enable you to meet our staff in your country, and we offer a range of ways to speak to our staff and current students to get information and advice on living and studying in Birmingham.

There are lots of ways to find out more about Birmingham. We run regular live chats where you can ask us any questions you might have about your application or the University. Visit our Live Chats page to find out when the next events are.

Birmingham Representatives

Our representatives in Japan can assist you with questions about studying in the UK and, more specifically, at the University of Birmingham. They will also be able to assist you with the application process. 

Beo
Beo have offices in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka.
Email: study@beo.jp
Website: www.beo.jp

SI-UK Tokyo
Takagi Building 3F
Kamiosaki 2−15−14
Shinagawa-ku
Tokyo 141-0021
Tel: 03-5272-9143
Email: tokyo@ukeducation.jp
Website: www.ukeducation.jp 

SI-UK Osaka
Nissei Building East 2F
Shibata 2−2−13
Kita-ku
Osaka 530-0012
Tel: 06-6147-5681
Email: osaka@ukeducation.jp
Website: www.ukeducation.jp

Birmingham Visits

Our beautiful campus is open to the public throughout the year, so if you are in the UK and would like to visit, you can book onto a campus tour. We run regular live chats as an opportunity to talk to our staff. Please visit our Live Chats page to find out when we will be available for online events, which include live chat and videos.

Student Experience

The University of Birmingham is a fantastic choice for your academic study. Our thriving campus with its beautiful grounds, friendly community and excellent facilities will quickly make you feel at home. We offer you a huge variety of exciting activities to get involved in outside of your studies, too.

Beautiful surroundings and fantastic facilities

When you step onto campus, you are immersed in our historic red-brick buildings and glorious green spaces. You'll find our Edgbaston campus both a peaceful and vibrant place to spend your time, whether it's studying on one of the lawns, or enjoying a hot drink in one our many cafes.

When you are on campus, you are in the heart of University life - it's the perfect place to meet friends, whether it's to have a bite to eat, discuss your seminar notes or meet up before heading off to a sports club or society.

You can also take advantage of our fantastic facilities on campus. Study in our state-of-the-art academic library with its stunning views over campus, or go for a swim after lectures at our brand new £55 million Sport and Fitness Club.

Student societies

Many nationality groups form student societies during their time at the University of Birmingham. The student societies are an excellent way to keep in contact with home and also provide an opportunity to highlight your culture and customs in the UK. Student societies are also a useful point of contact for prospective students to Birmingham who may want to contact current students for information.

Careers

We offer dedicated support for international students, including an international careers consultant and a team of international student ambassadors. We will support you in developing the skills you will need to fully prepare for the working world or further academic study, whether this is in your home country or elsewhere.

Our Careers Network researches jobs all over the world. We host fairs, workshops and presentations, which are attended by many large, global companies that offer opportunities worldwide. We also offer a huge database of information on employers, vacancies and industry trends in a range of countries.

Alumni

The University of Birmingham has many strong alumni groups all over the world. Alumni groups are an excellent way of keeping in contact with the University and with other graduates from Birmingham who live in your country. Some alumni groups meet on a regular basis for social and professional events.

If you would like to meet up with University staff when they are in your country or you would be willing to help promote the university at education exhibitions, we would also like to hear from you. You can find out if there is an alumni group in your country or join our alumni mailing list on the Alumni website.

Contact Details

For all general queries about becoming an international student at Birmingham, please complete and submit our enquiry form.

Address

International Recruitment
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston Campus
Edgbaston
B15 2TT

 

Email
eastasia@contacts.bham.ac.uk

The British Council has offices in many countries throughout the world which are able to provide you with advice about studying in the UK. Most offices also have an education library and Internet facilities where you can consult university material. The British Council can also provide advice about funding opportunities.