Student Life 2013/14 January 2014 | Page 30

BIRMINGHAM STUDENT ACCOMMODATION Birmingham is a city made for student living; there’s a whole load of things to do and places to go, and the public transport links are great. Users of the AFS website ranked Birmingham 6th in the UK, with an overall score of 54%, which is the same as Oxford, Cambridge and just 2% less than London. Average Birmingham rent is £68 per week, well under the 2013 national average of £79.42. BIRMINGHAM The best area for University of Birmingham students is definitely Selly Oak; the vast majority of students choose to live there, so it’s really easy to meet up with friends and socialise, and there’s the added bonus of its proximity to the University (most people will live about a 10-minute walk away from their lecture theatres). On the AFS website, Selly Oak has a satisfaction rating of 64% and an average rent of £67 per week. The centre of Birmingham has a very high satisfaction rating of 76%, but higher 30 rents of £84 per week. Harborne has a satisfaction rating of 56%, and an average rent of £56, so it would be a great place for people who want slightly cheaper rent. If you choose to live in Harborne, you should bear in mind that it is better suited for people wanting a quieter student lifestyle; think less Aldi and more Waitrose. AFS TOP TIP Selly Park has an average rent of £63 per week and a satisfaction score of 60%, so it’s slightly cheaper than the main student haunt of Selly Oak. Nearby Stirchley has an average rent of only £52 and a satisfaction rating of 60%. It’s a similar length walk to the University as Selly Park, so it’s definitely a viable option if you want to save on rent and if you don’t mind a bit of extra exercise each day. www.accommodationforstudents.com