Frequently Asked Questions

Got a question? Check out our list of frequently asked questions or even submit your own to our Admissions Team

I am interested in studying Computer Science at the University of Birmingham, what are the entry requirements?

Our minimum entry requirements for A-level students are A*AA-AAB (A*AA-AAA for MEng and MSci), with at least a grade C in GCSE English and grade B in GCSE Maths (if not taken at A-level).  Specific A-level subject requirements for each of our undergraduate courses are as follows;

Mathematics OR Computing must be offered at A Level

The majority of our successful candidates hold A-Level qualifications with a strong emphasis on maths and physics and we have found that these qualifications provide a suitable foundation to performing well on our degree programmes. That is not to say however that we do not consider other qualifications.

We accept other qualifications from the UK and Overseas. Contact ug-admissions@cs.bham.ac.uk for more information.

What courses are available?

You will have the choice of one of the following five specialist degree programmes:

All of our undergraduate degree programmes are available with a Year in Industry. This is an excellent opportunity to supplement studies with a year working in industry and many of our students go on to work for their year-out employers after graduating. 

Can I take computer science with another subject?

Computer Science related subjects may be combined with electronics, mathematics or an arts subject. Joint honours programmes include:

  • MSci/BSc Mathematics and Computer Science
  • BA Computer Studies and an Arts Subject

If I haven’t applied to study the Year in Industry can I change my mind?

It is possible to opt-in or out of the Year in Industry at any time before the end of your Second Year.  We have a dedicated Careers and Employability Officer who provides support to students seeking a work placement. For more information about the Year in Industry, please visit our website.

Are the courses accredited?

All out computing courses give you exemption from the professional examinations of the British Computer Society (BCS), the UK professional body for computing practitioners. BCS Membership is recognised by the Engineering Council, enabling registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng), and internationally accepted qualification.  What’s more, our MEng Computer Science and Software Engineering course is also accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology, making the qualification acceptable for Membership of the IET. As a member, after completing the prescribed minimum period of experience as a professional engineer, you can then apply to become a member of the Institution with the status of Chartered Engineer (CEng).

What scholarships do you offer?

The School of Computer Science offers scholarships and bursaries for students wishing to study for an undergraduate degree in a Computer Science subject. Scholarships are awarded to students who have excellent academic results and are available to students studying our undergraduate programmes. Details of the scholarships offered by the School of Computer Science can be found on our website.

Scholarships for international students are also available, please visit our website for more information.

You do not need to make a separate application for scholarships, if you are eligible for one of them you will automatically receive it. See the criteria for scholarships at the weblink given above.

How do I apply for the National Scholarship Programme Awards and the Chamberlain Awards?

The application process is different for each scholarship award, details of how to apply can be found below.
The National Scholarship Programme Awards are part of a national scheme offered by all universities who charge higher fees.  One of the conditions of the award is that you might be eligible for free school meals.  This seems to cause a little confusion: the award is not restricted to those who eat free school meals but those whose family circumstances would make them eligible for free school meals.  The message is: if you think there is even a slight chance you will be eligible, look at the www pages and make an application.  For the National Scholarship Programme Awards, our website has more information on the National Scholarship Programme, including Terms and Conditions.

To apply, you have to fill in an application form for the National Scholarship Programme Awards

The Chamberlain Awards are a part of a University of Birmingham scheme.  They are intended for those whose financial circumstances mean that they cannot access the National Scholarship Programme Awards but whose household income is below £42,600 per year.  For the Chamberlain Awards, there is more information on our website.

You do not have to fill in an application form for the Chamberlain Awards.  If you apply to one of the student loans companies (e.g. Student Finance England) and consent to your financial details being shared, the University will automatically assess your eligibility for a Chamberlain Award.

It is important to remember that you cannot be in receipt of a National Scholarship and a Chamberlain award.

The University offers other scholarships, for instance Music Scholarships and Sports scholarships.  More details of University-wide scholarship schemes can be found on the Fees and Funding pages.

What will I study?

The first year is designed so that you can delay your decision about specialisation until the end of that year. You gain a firm foundation in the principles of algorithms, software and hardware engineering and relevant mathematics. You also learn computer programming in Java - a language widely used in business.

Computer Science with Business students will also take introductory courses in Economics, Business Organisation, Financial Analysis and International Economy.

Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science students will also learn about theories of mind, and techniques for generating intelligent behaviour. You experiment with the techniques by implementing them as computer programs, and to this end, learn a major AI programming language.

How do I apply to study at Birmingham?

Applications for undergraduate programmes are made through UCAS. For more information visit the UCAS website at www.ucas.com.

You will need our course and institution codes which are listed below:

  • Institution Code Name: BIRM
  • Institution Code: B32
  • BSc Computer Science G400 BSc/CS or G401 BSc/CS With Industrial Year
  • MEng/BEng Computer Science and Software Engineering GG46 MEng/CSSE or GG6L MEng/CSSE With Industrial Year
  • BSc Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science GG47BSc/AICS or GG74 BSc/AICS With Industrial Year
  • BSc Computer Science with Business Management G4N1 BSc/CSBM or GKN1 BSc/CSBM With Industrial Year

What’s Birmingham like?

"The University is one of the best in the country for Computer Science and the department regularly finishes in the Top 10 dependent on which league tables you look at. The city is great too - the Bullring is one of the best places to go for shopping and the nightlife is also excellent." (Divyen Sanganee, 3rd Year student, BSc Maths and Computer Science, Joint Honours)

We hold regular Open Days where you can find out more about courses on offer at the School of Computer Science and speak to students about what it is like living and studying at the University of Birmingham.  Click here for more information about our upcoming Open Days.

There is also a short video available on You Tube which gives you a flavour of the University and the City of Birmingham.

What is the Applicant Visit Day going to be like? and what is the aptitude test all about?

"The day will give you a chance to have a look at the department and university, get a taste for the course and ask any questions you may have. Over the day you will visit student accommodation, have some talks and demonstrations (including robots!) and receive tours of the department and campus. In the morning, there will be the test, which partly goes towards awarding scholarships (along with the interview). It’s nothing to worry about, the questions are on subjects like probabilities and logic, and are fairly easy if you think about them a little. The results of the test will be discussed in the interview. There will also be a free lunch, and current staff & students to answer questions all day." (Joe Gardiner, BSc Computer Science graduate currently studying MSc Computer Security)

Students based in the UK who are not studying A-levels are invited to an Applicant Visit Day to sit an aptitude test and have an interview with admissions staff before a decision on whether to make an offer of a place to study is made.

How long will the interview last, what kind of questions will be asked?

"The interview will be around 20 minutes. They will discuss your aptitude test, your offer and ask you a few other questions. It’s mostly to make sure you are applying for the right degree (as some people are unsure what exactly computer science is when they apply), and you can also ask some questions back to a lecturer in a more private setting." (Joe Gardiner, BSc Computer Science graduate currently studying MSc Computer Security)

Can I come and visit the School of Computer Science?

Taster and Open Days take place throughout the year. These events will give you a detailed impression of the courses on offer. You will attend subject presentations and tour the facilities specific to your chosen subject. On some events there will also be the opportunity to take part in practical workshop sessions, and talk to lecturers and current students about the university, the course and student life.

For more information or to book a place please contact our Marketing and Admissions Department on 0121 415 8742 or email ug-admissions@cs.bham.ac.uk.

I have applied for one course in computer science, but would like to change to another course, is this possible?

It is possible to change courses from the one you have initially applied for providing that you meet the minimum entry requirements for the course you wish to be considered for.  Requests to change course should be sent to the Admissions Team at ug-admissions@cs.bham.ac.uk. Please include details of why you are requesting to change course, as well as including your name and UCAS ID number. 

Our undergraduate courses (except BSc Computer Science with Business Management) have been designed to have a common first year. This allows students the flexibility to change course at any point before the beginning of year two so that you can mould your course and career direction as your ideas and interests evolve.

Do you get taught Java from the very basics, or are you expected to have some experience in programming in Java?

"In the first year you are taught from the bottom up. You may start with some high level concepts like recursion, but learning that along with other complicated concepts is a progressive process throughout the year. Everything is taught from scratch and no knowledge is assumed." (Jawad Hussain, 2nd year student, BSc Computer Science)

How hard is the maths?

"Again, learning the maths is also progressive. You'll have just one module in your first year (IF you don't have maths A-Level). It's an 'Intro to Maths' module so you'll get taught from the bottom up (BODMAS, fractions, basic algebra)... it will then begin to get more challenging (matrix division, A-Level calculus etc.).  At the start of the course you will be doing GCSE level maths. By the end you'd have covered A-level techniques and some 'further maths'. I had only done maths at GCSE, no maths at A-Level. I got a first in the Maths module, so it's not difficult so long as you stick with the programme." (Jawad Hussain, 2nd year student, BSc Computer Science)

How much do you advance in Java during the course?

"You'll learn much of the concepts Java has to offer. You'll end up learning most of the material a typical comprehensive textbook would cover (i.e. Big Java). Concepts such as Networking and Databases with Java, and Multi-threading are taught in the second year. Aside from this, you'll have Foundations of CS, and Robot Programming in your first year, and together, they will strengthen your knowledge and understanding about Java and concepts of CS in general." (Jawad Hussain, 2nd year student, BSc Computer Science)

How are each of the modules assessed?

Detailed information on each of the modules, along with information about how they are assessed can be found on our website.
Click on the course which you are interested in studying and scroll down the page, where you will find a list with links to details of each of the compulsory and optional modules.

Do you have academic leads for each of our research themes?

Our research lies mainly within the following themes and their sub-themes. There is a Grouping of academics associated with each sub-theme, but the groupings have a lot of overlap, and there are no formal boundaries. Further details can be found on this website.

Is it possible to study part-time or externally?

All School of Computer Science programmes are only available as a full-time programme with full-time attendance at the University of Birmingham. It is not possible to study our programmes by distance learning or external study.