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University of Birmingham

Birmingham

How safe is the University of Birmingham and the city in general?

I'm thinking of applying to Birmingham for 2016 entry to do History, but I'm worried about how safe the city will be. I'm going to an open day on the 17th of October, but before I go I want to get some feedback from current students (or people from Birmingham) on what it's like to live in Birmingham? Is it safe, particularly for students? I've heard crime is high, but I really love the look of the university and course so have you had any problems?

Thanks! :smile:

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Reply 1

jcrosswarren

Oh trust me, Birmingham is perfectly fine. The drastic crime rates are only located in sparse areas like Handsworth and Bartley Green and even there, the frequency of illegal activity is still pretty low. I've lived in a few of these dangerous parts throughout my life yet have never faced any problems so you'll be fine as long as you don't get involved in that sort of thing, which I doubt you will :smile:

The area where the University is located (Edgbaston) is one of the safest in the West Midlands and one of the most gorgeous.

Hope that bit of insight has helped. Birmingham is nowhere near as bad as people make it out to be XD

University of Birmingham

Birmingham

Reply 2

genson

Where the actual campus is located (Edgebaston) is quite a posh and safe area. I've walked around late at night and I've felt relatively safe. Selly Oak can be dodgy but not any more so than other student areas and as long as you keep your wits about you, you should be fine.

I think the city centre as a whole is pretty much on par with other cities in the UK in terms of crime rate so it's not as if it's any worse.

I'd like to stress that you should bear in mind that the uni is outside the city. I didn't quite think it through about what going to a campus uni really meant and it's been a bit of a shock to me seeing as I'm from a big city and used to city life.

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Reply 3

BlessYou

I am from Birmingham. I would say the city centre is safe. Selly Oak, where most students live, is not safe. There are many online news reports on Google of students targeted by locals for robbery, and sexual assault on the street. One in three Birmingham University students are victims of crime, preyed on by locals. People from Birmingham say this is a lie, but they cannot remove the online news reports from Google. They are there for you to read.

Reply 4

username1148663

Original post by wordnerd

I'm from Birmingham and this made me lol.

It's the same as any other major city in the uk in fact I'd argue it's better than many others as a lot of the crime in in very particular areas such as handsworth, lozells and Perry Barr for example so when you know where not to go it's all good

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Reply 5

username1148663

Original post by BlessYou

Err lol yea one in three are raped and robbed......

If that happened everyone would know about it and they don't do it ain't true.

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Reply 6

username1432499

Original post by paul514

Err lol yea one in three are raped and robbed......

If that happened everyone would know about it and they don't do it ain't true.

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2 shootings in less than 3 weeks, pretty safe to me

Reply 7

username1148663

Two shootings where? It matters!

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Reply 8

username1148663

Looked it up and it was in an area that I already mentioned. Fail

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Reply 9

Emily.97

Original post by goodwinning

Huh? The crime rates are really high in Edgbaston- there was a murder there a few months ago. I don't know the exact figures but ive heard bad things about that area.

Reply 10

username1432499

Area where i live in but i aint phased

Reply 11

Bill_Gates

Honest opinion:

- It's fine
- Where the university is located is ok (Edgbaston) might appear to be a "nice" area but it is still quite close to inner city so just be normal you will be perfectly fine!
- Some other areas which are close by i.e Selly Oak can be quite rough but still ok. Don't travel alone at night for example.
- Birmingham is still far safer than other cities and the locals are very nice in comparison

Reply 12

username1432499

It is a dangerous city trust me and people tend to target those who move from other cities

Reply 13

username1148663

Original post by moeeahmed

It is a dangerous city trust me and people tend to target those who move from other cities

Don't listen to this guy he obviously has an agenda

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Reply 14

Danny the Geezer

Like any big city it will have it's good and bad areas, just do your research (you're half-way there haha) and stick to main roads if you have to.

Reply 15

PusE

Somebody got shot a few days ago, I heard a loud bang and couldn't sleep after.

I don't go to UoB, I'm at Aston. Birmingham city centre is nice, but considering UoB is far from city centre, I doubt I can give you any useful info.

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Reply 16

username917703

Original post by moeeahmed

It is a dangerous city trust me and people tend to target those who move from other cities

For it's size it's actually safe. Manchester has more crime despite being half the size of Brum.

#Gunchester

Reply 17

username1148663

Original post by PusE

That's because it was in hockley but why on earth would students go there? They simply wouldn't ergo it's safe.

BTW Aston as well :smile:

what do you study?

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Reply 18

CCC75

Original post by paul514

That's because it was in hockley but why on earth would students go there? They simply wouldn't ergo it's safe.

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Agreed. I can't see what a student from UoB would be doing in Lozells, Hockley or top Handsworth, in the early hours of the morning when these rare gunshot incidents tend to occur. I live in Birmingham and wasn't aware of the latest incident until two days later when someone mentioned it in passing and I looked it up.

In Edgbaston and Birmingham City Centre by day, go about your business as normal, it's not anymore unsafe than anywhere else. By night, the same really. Just be mindful not to place yourself in obvious danger, in any city that you may reside.