Student Services

Student Services consists of a range of teams that support our students to settle and stay at the University, and deal with problems that may affect their learning through professional advice and help.

For all student enquiries visit www.studenthelp.bham.ac.uk, the student help website is for student enquiries in areas including student support (e.g. wellbeing, learning support, disability & mental health), fees and financial support, visas and immigration, examinations, careers, graduation, contact details for the relevant teams within Student Services and opening hours for the Student Hub.  

Our services include:

Student Disability Service

Experienced staff offer a wide range of specialist advice and support to students with physical and mental health disabilities, specific learning difficulties and other conditions. We work with students to develop their skills for independent and effective learning.

Mental Health & Wellbeing Service

We use of a range of interventions including one-to-one support, workshops, and online resources, and offer a practical approach to coping with common issues faced by students, for example: stress and anxiety management, confidence building, and time/task management. We also provide short-term professional, confidential counselling – face-to-face and online – for students who are experiencing emotional or psychological problems whilst at university and run group workshops on topics such as Eating Issues, Bereavement, LGBT Support, and others.

Hub Services Team

We are based in the Aston Webb Student Hub and provide administrative guidance and information on accessing specialist support and deliver a wide range of services from Welcome and Registration to Graduation and beyond.

Funding, Graduation & Awards

We provide students with information and advice about financial support, provided by the government and the University, such as scholarships, bursaries and award schemes. We also arrange the University's degree congregations, which take place in December and July.

International Student Team (IST)

We provide specialist support and advice for prospective and current international students at the University on immigration issues, registration and welfare legislation, as well as advise on and develop initiatives to improve the international student experience.

University Graduate School

The University Graduate School supports Birmingham’s postgraduate researcher (PGR) and postgraduate taught (PGT) community. We foster an interdisciplinary community and act as a gateway to support and advice. We work closely with the other University support services to ensure our postgraduates have access to a high quality postgraduate experience.

Student Experience Projects Team

We support the continuous development of the student experience by delivering a range of projects. The team also co-ordinates major annual events, including activity to welcome new students. We work with colleagues across Colleges, Professional Services and the Guild of Students.

Student Communications Team

We work with colleagues across the University to improve student communications and make information timely, relevant and accessible. We also manage the fortnightly student newsletter 'The Brum Bulletin', the student intranet including student news, and lead on communications for student campaigns and projects such as 'Making it Happen' and 'UoBe Festival'. 

Student Queries

If you are a student with an enquiry relating to any of the following:

  • All aspects of Student Administration (requesting documents/letters, thesis submission and examination, Council Tax queries, changes to your studies, changes to your personal details, ID cards, access to facilities, module registration, My Attendance, student conduct, complaints & appeals, timetables, Study Abroad)
  • Wellbeing
  • Therapeutic support
  • Disability & mental health
  • Fees and financial support
  • Visas and immigration
  • Examinations
  • Careers
  • Graduation

please visit www.studenthelp.bham.ac.uk where you can view our extensive knowledge base of frequently asked questions as well as log an online enquiry, where it will be forwarded to the best-placed team to deal with your request.

 

Key people

Director of Student Services
Jon Elsmore

Assistant Director (Service Development)
Joanne Bryan 

Assistant Director (Wellbeing & Partnerships)
Drew Linforth

Assistant Director (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion)
Sammy Li

To contact a Director / Assistant Director (listed above), please email:
Divisional Administrator 
Sophie Pumphrey
Email - s.t.pumphrey@bham.ac.uk

Heads of Service

Head of International Student Team (IST)
Helen Eastham
Email - h.eastham@bham.ac.uk
Telephone - +44 (0)121 414 6939

Head of Student Disability Services
Ali Bottrill
Email - a.bottrill@bham.ac.uk

Head of Funding, Graduation and Awards
Jess Bates
Email - fga@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Head of Student Wellbeing & Therapeutic Support
Sue Knight
Email – s.j.knight@bham.ac.uk

 Head of Wellbeing & Partnerships
James Mason
Email - j.g.mason@bham.ac.uk

Head of Student Experience 
Samantha Noble
Email - studentexperienceprojectsteam@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Head of Student Communications
Bec Vowles
Email - r.m.vowles@bham.ac.uk

Head of University Graduate School
Tara Wittin
Email - t.wittin@bham.ac.uk

Interim Head of Student Hub Services
Rebecca Varney
Email - r.c.varney@bham.ac.uk