Birmingham City University: Scholarships, Deposit and Intakes
TL;DR: Birmingham City University (BCU) gives every self-funded international student on an eligible full-time degree an automatic scholarship: £5,000 for an undergraduate degree and £3,000 for a taught master's starting in September 2026 or January 2027. Before your CAS, most international students pay 50 percent of the first year's tuition fee.
Birmingham City University is one of the UK universities that does not make you compete for its main international scholarship: if you qualify, it is simply taken off your fees. This guide explains who gets it, what you must pay before the CAS, where BCU teaches and how the payment dates work. If you are unsure whether your grades fit, Check your eligibility with Prosper.
Where is Birmingham City University and what does it offer?
Birmingham City University is a public university in Birmingham, England. BCU says it has two main campuses plus specialist sites across the city:
| Site | What is there |
|---|---|
| City Centre Campus | The Curzon Building, Millennium Point, the Parkside Building and STEAMhouse, close to Birmingham's centre |
| City South Campus | The Seacole Building in Edgbaston, home to health courses |
| Specialist sites | Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, the School of Art on Margaret Street and the School of Jewellery on Vittoria Street |
BCU's international page currently leads with January starts, so a January 2027 place is still on the table for many courses. Compare BCU with other options in our guide to universities in the UK for international students.
Birmingham City University scholarships for international students
BCU's scholarships for 2026/27 are guaranteed, not competitive. There is no form to fill in: the discount is applied when you enrol.
- Undergraduate: £5,000. For self-funded international students on a full-time degree starting in September 2026 or January 2027. BCU takes £3,000 off year one and £2,000 off year two.
- Postgraduate: £3,000. For self-funded international students on a full-time taught master's starting in September 2026 or January 2027, applied as a tuition discount.
To qualify you must be confirmed as a self-funded international fee payer, hold a place on an eligible full-time course, and enrol and start in 2026/27. You can receive only one BCU scholarship, and BCU awards the larger one if two apply.
Some courses are excluded. For undergraduates these include foundation years, HNC and HND courses, fast-track degrees and Acting and Music courses at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. For postgraduates they include PgDip and PgCert courses, research degrees, PGCE, online study and the MSc Accounting and Finance (top-up). Check your course against BCU's list before you count the discount in your budget. For other funders, see our list of scholarships for international students.
Birmingham City University deposit and fees
BCU shows the international tuition fee on each course page, under the Fees and How to Apply tab. Overseas fees apply because, as BCU explains, it receives no UK government funding for international places.
Before BCU issues your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), you pay part of the fee:
| Applicant group | Paid before the CAS |
|---|---|
| Most countries | 50 percent of the gross tuition fee |
| Bangladesh, Pakistan, Punjab and Haryana | The full gross tuition fee, minus a £1,000 initial deposit |
Applicants from Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Iran, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone and Somalia also pay a deposit before a pre-CAS interview. BCU takes payments through Flywire, no longer accepts cash or direct bank deposits, and warns students not to pay fees through third parties or agents. Our UK university deposit guide explains how this fits with your visa funds.
Payment dates for a January 2027 start
You can pay the rest of your fee in full within ten weeks of your course starting, or use BCU's instalment plan. For a January 2027 start, BCU's instalment dates are 31 March 2027, 30 June 2027 and 27 August 2027. If no payment has been made after nine weeks, BCU says the student is removed from the course, so treat these dates as fixed. Remember that you also need living cost funds for the visa; see the UK maintenance funds you must show.
English requirements at BCU
BCU accepts UKVI approved English tests and also runs its own BCU English Proficiency Test online. Scores vary by course, so check the course page or BCU's accepted English tests page before you book. Our guides to PTE Academic and IELTS UKVI or IELTS Academic help you choose a test.
Applying from Sri Lanka
- What you pay before the CAS. Sri Lanka is not on BCU's pre-CAS interview deposit list or its full-fee list, so applicants from Sri Lanka fall under the 50 percent rule.
- Scholarships. BCU's Sri Lanka page confirms the same £5,000 undergraduate and £3,000 postgraduate scholarships.
- Documents and visa steps. Order attested certificates early, then book the TB test at the IOM clinic in Colombo and biometrics at VFS Colombo. See how to request A/L and O/L certificates online, the IOM Colombo TB test guide and the VFS Global Colombo guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does Birmingham City University give scholarships to international students? Yes. BCU gives a guaranteed £5,000 scholarship to self-funded international undergraduates and £3,000 to self-funded international taught master's students on eligible full-time courses starting in September 2026 or January 2027.
Do I need to apply for the BCU international scholarship? No. BCU applies the scholarship automatically as a tuition discount when you enrol, as long as you are a confirmed self-funded international fee payer on an eligible course.
How much deposit does Birmingham City University ask for before the CAS? For most countries BCU asks for 50 percent of the gross first-year tuition fee before it issues a CAS. Applicants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Punjab and Haryana pay the full fee minus a £1,000 initial deposit.
Does Birmingham City University have a January intake? Yes. BCU's scholarships and instalment plan both cover January 2027 starts, and its international page currently promotes January entry.
PS
A guaranteed scholarship is only useful if it applies to your course and you can meet the 50 percent payment before the CAS. If you want to know whether a January or September start at BCU fits your grades and budget, Check your eligibility with Prosper. Prosper can apply to Birmingham City University for you.
References
- International students, Birmingham City University, https://www.bcu.ac.uk/international (accessed 11/11/2026)
- International Undergraduate Scholarships 2026/27, Birmingham City University, https://www.bcu.ac.uk/international/fees-costs-and-scholarships/ug-scholarships (accessed 11/11/2026)
- Postgraduate Scholarships 2026/27, Birmingham City University, https://www.bcu.ac.uk/international/fees-costs-and-scholarships/pg-scholarships (accessed 11/11/2026)
- Fees, costs and scholarships, Birmingham City University, https://www.bcu.ac.uk/international/fees-costs-and-scholarships (accessed 11/11/2026)
- Paying your tuition fees as an overseas student, Birmingham City University, https://www.bcu.ac.uk/international/how-to-pay (accessed 11/11/2026)
- Maps and campuses, Birmingham City University, https://www.bcu.ac.uk/about-us/maps-and-campuses (accessed 11/11/2026)
- English language and English tests, Birmingham City University, https://www.bcu.ac.uk/international/your-application/english-language-and-english-tests (accessed 11/11/2026)
- Sri Lanka country page, Birmingham City University, https://www.bcu.ac.uk/international/bcu-in-your-country/sri-lanka (accessed 11/11/2026)
