Access to Birmingham (A2B)

To be entitled to the Pathways to Birmingham offer, students must complete the A2B module which is designed to help students make the transition from school to university. The A2B module consists of three elements:

• A Launch Day which will help you understand what you need to do to pass the A2B module
• Skills4Uni (an online study support module) to help you identify and build the skills you need to be a successful university student
• A2B Academic Activity - a lecture and small group discussion in the subject you have applied for led by an academic tutor, followed by a short written reflection. 

Applicants applying for Medicine, Dentistry, Social Work, Nursing and Physiotherapy will also be invited to attend an interview preparation session. 

A2B students will also be invited to an enhanced induction event before starting university to offer information, advice and guidance to prepare them for their important first term. 

A successful A2B applicant will receive two offers from the University of Birmingham, the standard offer and a Pathways to Birmingham offer. The Pathways to Birmingham offer is typically a reduction of up to two A level grades (e.g. BBB rather than AAB). 

As well as the Pathways to Birmingham offer, students will also benefit from:

• Continual support and guidance from an experienced and dedicated A2B team
• Participation in the A2B Module which will prepare students for the transition to university study
• Practice interviews for particular courses where relevant
• Financial support
• The opportunity for students to make new friends before they start at a special induction event
• Continued support from the experienced and supportive A2B team

To apply for Access to Birmingham, students must be applying to study a full-time undergraduate course at the University of Birmingham and meet the Pathways to Birmingham eligibility criteria - check to see if you are eligible!

In addition to this, students must have achieved the minimum academic requirements for their chosen university course at GCSE - please check the University of Birmingham course pages for more information. There is separate academic criteria for Medicine and Dentistry applicants.

We also welcome applications from mature learners. If you would like to hear more about the experiences of mature learners studying at the University of Birmingham then have a look at our mature students film. 

Applications for the 2021/22 A2B scheme are now open!

Apply now

Applications from students applying to Medicine or Dentistry must be submitted by 15 November 2021.

Applications from all other students must be submitted by 15 February 2022. 

Students who choose the University of Birmingham through our A2B scheme have enjoyed many successes during their studies here and after graduation.

For instance, in previous years 25 first year A2B students had the opportunity to visit Hong Kong. The trip was delivered by Study Abroad with support from the Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO) and Outreach, with the aim of increasing global mobility among students from widening participation backgrounds.

While in Hong Kong, our A2B students undertook a weeklong leadership training delivered by Common Purposeg. During their free time, students explored Hong Kong and all its cultural delights! Two of our A2B students documented their experiences of the trip - read Georgia's blog and watch Sopie's vlog to see what they got up to!

If you'd like to see more personal stories, hear what some of A2B graduates say about their experiences as A2B students at the University of Birmingham.