1. Maps of Birmingham
Birmingham bookshops sell the Birmingham A-Z and/or the Ordnance Survey Street Atlas of Birmingham. For web based maps try http://multimap.com. We have free maps of Birmingham and the City Centre available at The ARC.
If you need to find routes for walking you can use Google maps.
If you need to find routes via public transport you can use travel line journey planner Birmingham. Our post code is B4 7ES.
2. Private halls of residence
(not managed by Aston University)
There are a growing number of private companies operating in
Birmingham city centre: -
Derwent Living: www.derwentstudents.com
Studios 51: thestudenthousingcompany.com/
Opal: www.opalstudents.com/
Unite: www.unite-students.com/
Liberty Living: www.libertyliving.co.uk/
HCR Group provide accommodation at Alexandra House in Norfolk Road, Edgbaston. It is only a short bus ride away with cheaper rents, which are inclusive of the internet and a gym. Rooms are large and there are good communal facilities and a spacious garden. www.hcr.co.uk/?page=students For more information on all private halls; see www.astonstudentpad.com searching under private halls. Please call them to arrange a viewing.
3. Birmingham City Centre
In the last 15 years, Birmingham city centre has become a thriving shopping centre and a popular place to live. Consequently there are a large number of apartments to rent which may be suitable either for student couples or for two students sharing. It is also possible to find rooms in a development where you might be sharing with someone else such as a young business person. Using the search facility to look for Birmingham, check out; -
http://birmingham.gumtree.com/
www.housepals.co.uk/ and
www.easyroommate.com/ and
www.rightmove.co.uk/ and
www.accommodationforstudents.com/
4. Student areas in the Birmingham suburbs
Aston students looking for accommodation which is cheaper than campus and cheaper than the city centre, often want to share houses with other students so each student has their own bedroom and there is a communal living area and communal kitchen.
Erdington: Postcodes B23 and B24. The area currently most popular with Aston students is Erdington which is due north of city centre with lots of direct bus routes to campus. Rush hour travel can take a while (as in the whole of Birmingham) but buses drop off just behind North Wing of the Main Building. Erdington covers a very large area. There are good shopping facilities both on Slade Road and in Erdington centre. Trains from Gravelly Hill and Erdington go straight to New Street station. Pleasant area, standard of housing from acceptable to good with reasonable rents.
5. Aston Students’ Guild’s site at Aston Brook Green
Ten minutes walk from campus. This is a development of terraced houses which is owned by a housing association but managed by the Students’ Guild. Shared houses have 3 or 4 bedrooms with a living area. Flats are available for couples without children or for single parents with a child who is under 6 years old. Popular with students because of location and cheap rents. Applications open in January to take a tenancy for 12 months starting in June of each year. There is a launderette on site, and a grassed area for relaxing. Lack of local shops is a problem, normally necessitating a walk up to campus or the city centre.
Email: Malcolm Lawrie, m.w.lawrie@aston.ac.uk. Apply early to avoid disappointment. You can get a copy of the application form from the Advice & Representation Centre or check out the section about Aston Brook Green on the Guild Website.
6. Inner City Birmingham
(within a 3-4 mile radius of Aston’s campus)
There are only a few students renting in the inner city areas of Birmingham such as Alum Rock, Aston, Balsall Heath, Bordesley Green, Handsworth, Handworth Wood, Ladywood, Lozells, Nechells, Perry Barr, Saltley, Sparkbrook, or Sparkhill. On the whole students prefer to live in ‘student areas’ like Erdington or Edgbaston (see section 4).
7. Housing (and schools) for student families
There is plenty of housing in Birmingham which is suitable for students with families.
For city centre living see Birmingham City Centre in section 3.
If you do not want to live in the city centre because you have children; we suggest looking at areas such as Erdington, Wylde Green. Boldmere, Moseley, Kings Heath and Great Barr
►See www.rightmove.co.uk and search for rented property using Birmingham postcodes such as B14, B13, B23, B24, B42, B72 and B73.
►See http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-to-rent/
►See www.findaproperty.com using the ‘rent’ search button
►See local estate agents www.email4property.co.uk/birmingham/estate-agents.htm using the ‘lettings’ option.
►See the local newspaper such as the Birmingham Mail on a Thursday.
Aston Brook Green offers small flats for either student couples without children or single parents with one child under 6 years old.
Schools:
If your child is aged 4 years or over on the 1st September, they will be offered a free place in a state school. Primary schools cater for children aged 4-11 and secondary schools cater for children aged 11-16/18. See www.birmingham.gov.uk/schools
Birmingham City Council can tell you which schools have spaces for your child if your child is available to start school immediately: telephone 0121 675 0555 ( from out of the UK telephone 44 121 675 0555) or go in person to the Education Offices in Margaret Street, in Birmingham city centre.
