Life in Birmingham and UK
Travelling around Birmingham
You may wish to buy the Birmingham A-Z guide to help you in finding your way around. The A-Z guide is available from newsagents and bookshops and shows all the streets in Birmingham on large scale maps with an index for finding specific streets.
Travelling around Birmingham is very easy and travel information can be found on Network West Midlands and Travel West Midlands. You can get a bus and rail guide for Birmingham from Centro’s Travel Office at New Street Station.
You must pay when you get on the bus or show a ‘travel pass’. If you are going to pay, please be aware that you must have the exact money as no change will be given to you, so make sure you have plenty of small coins available (10p, 20p, 50p). You cannot pay for the bus using a banknote. The current price of a single bus ticket is £1.80 (December 2011). You can also buy a day pass known as a ‘daysaver’ for £3.60 which will let you travel on any bus in the West Midlands all day.
Student travel passes for buses and/or trains can be purchased from Centro’s Travel Office at Birmingham New Street Station or other outlets in the City Centre. West Midlands travel cards can also be purchased at Carters News which is a newsagent at the One Stop Shopping Centre (opposite City North Campus in Perry Barr). Information about ticket prices can be found on the Travel West Midlands website.
When using taxis in the UK always ensure that you use only a black cab or licensed private hire car. Where possible pre-book a taxi or take a taxi in a group. Never get in an unmarked car.
For information about keeping safe see our Keeping Safe webpage.
Shopping
As Birmingham is a multicultural city, you will be able to buy most food, drink and other necessities that you are familiar with. It is possible to purchase all kinds of food from halal meat, oriental and Asian foods and spices to fresh fish, vegetables and fruit. Supermarkets, local grocery stores and the Bullring markets in the city centre also cater for many needs. Opposite the City North Campus there is a shopping centre called ‘One-Stop’, which has a supermarket, bakers, chemist, dry cleaners and clothes shops as well as many others. It is possible to buy all your household items and some clothing at reasonable prices in this shopping centre.
There are also small independent shops, several banks and a post office in Perry Barr. If you need a wider range of shops, markets and other facilities, Perry Barr has an excellent bus service to Birmingham city centre with the journey taking approximately 15 minutes.
City South, Gosta Green, Millennium Point and Conservatoire are all situated close to Birmingham city centre which has a major shopping area with a wide range of shops, good markets and many other facilities.
Mobile/Cell Phones and Phone cards
Many international students find it useful to purchase a mobile phone to communicate with each other whilst in the UK.
Pay Monthly
If you wish to pay for your phone on a monthly contract, there are many network providers to choose from, and the prices vary. It is worth visiting a general mobile phone shop such as Carphone Warehouse or Phones4U to discuss the options available to you. A contract normally requires a minimum term of 12 months and this may entitle you to a free handset, discounts and some extra benefits throughout the year. Be careful about signing a contract for more than 12 months if you are not going to be in the UK for this long.
Pay as you Go
This option is slightly more expensive, as you have to buy a handset, but if you do not use your phone regularly, you will save money as you have no minimum monthly payment to make, and you can ‘top up’ your credit whenever you need it.
If you are considering bringing your phone from home, then you need to check with your service provider if it will work in the UK, and make sure there are no hidden costs. It may be possible to purchase a UK SIM card to use in your existing handset at a fairly low cost.
We recommend that you do not use a mobile phone to call home as it will be very expensive. Instead buy a phone card.
Phone Cards
Phone cards can be purchased from the Post Office and from small newsagents. Phone cards can work out cheaper for phoning overseas and it may be best to shop around for the best price. Generally you will need to use a card from a landline or payphone.
Driving in the UK
If you would like to drive during your time in the UK you must have a valid driving licence and be over the age of 17. If you are a student from a country outside the European Community you can drive on a full licence from your own country or on an international driving licence for the first 12 months. The 12 months runs from your entry into the UK and not from when you start to drive. After this 12 month period, you must take a UK driving test to continue driving. More information can be found on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority website. If you hold a license from a designated country you can apply to exchange this for a GB licence.
You must also have motor insurance that covers you for any vehicle that you wish to drive. Any vehicle you do drive must be registered to the owner, have valid road tax and a current Ministry of Transport (MOT) test certificate. If you are borrowing a friend’s car, check that they have insurance which allows you to drive it. Some insurance policies cover only the named drivers, but others allow anyone with a valid driving licence to use the car with the owner’s permission. It is the driver’s responsibility to check and it is no defence to say you believed you were insured.
It is recommended that you read a copy of The Highway Code, which is a book containing the UK driving laws.
Some of the basic rules are:
- Remember in the UK we drive on the LEFT.
- The driver and any passengers must wear seatbelts at all times.
- There are strict laws regarding drinking alcohol or taking drugs and then driving. It is advisable not to drink or take drugs at all before driving as those caught and convicted get banned, fined and can even be imprisoned.
- You must stay below the speed limits. These vary from 20-30 miles per hour in the city and residential areas to 70 miles per hour on the motorway. Speed limits are usually signposted by the road and are increasingly enforced by static speed cameras.
- If the police request you to stop, you must do so and they may ask you to show your driving documents.
- It is illegal to use a mobile phone whilst driving in the UK. If you must use a mobile phone whilst you are driving, you must use a hands free kit or Bluetooth headset.
When driving, be aware at all times and ensure you drive safely and respect other road users. If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident, it is a legal requirement that you give your name and contact details to the other person involved in the accident. Make sure that you get their details too and make a note of the registration number displayed on the front and back of the vehicle. If anyone witnessed the accident, ask for their name and contact details if they agree to be your witness. It is not always necessary to call the police after an accident, especially if it is a minor accident and both parties involved agree on the cause.
For more information about driving in the UK, see the UKCISA website or
Download the Direct Gov PDF for visitors to the UK
Further Reading and Useful Links
Life In Birmingham webpage from Student Info
The British Council Pre-departure guide
UKCISA website
Living in the West Midlands
Police Registration
Go to New Students: Prepare to Come to the UK