Birmingham Newman University

By ALASTAIR MCCALL, DAILY MAIL UNIVERSITY GUIDE EDITOR Published: 13:06, 12 August 2026 | Updated: 13:06, 12 August 2026 Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Admissions have doubled since 2021 and applications hit a record high in 2025 as Newman expanded its course portfolio while still trying to preserve its distinctiveness as one of the smallest institutions in the country able to offer a more personal higher education. Consistently outstanding scores in the National Student Survey (NSS) reflect well on a university built around small class sizes, approachable lecturers and a sense of community. This year, Newman finished top in all three of our NSS-derived rankings covering teaching excellence, student support and student experience. Formerly a Roman Catholic teacher training college, Newman has recently built its academic profile by adding both new courses and new facilities, notably simulation suites for healthcare students. A new School of Business and Law opened in 2025, uniting teaching in the key subject fields of business, accounting and finance, law, computer science, criminology, policing and working with children, young people and families. The university has also tweaked its name to incorporate Birmingham, the city from which most of its students are still drawn. Occupying a campus on the city fringes where it merges into the Worcestershire countryside, Newman is home to fewer than 4,000 undergraduates (even after the recent expansion). It is proud of having one of the most diverse student populations of any university - more than 70% are the first in their immediate family to go to university and about half are from ethnic minorities - and has been shortlisted for University of the Year in the 2026 UK Social Mobility Awards. Your browser does not support iframes. With such a diverse intake, it is perhaps surprising that the university does not offer bursaries and scholarships funded from its own coffers. Those taking teacher training and healthcare degrees have access to national bursaries and funds - such as the NHS Learning Support Fund, PGCE bursaries and scholarships, and Undergraduate Teaching Bursaries - but support otherwise is restricted to those in acute financial need. The Birmingham Newman Support Fund is the chief source of emergency help for living and course-related costs such as childcare, travel or books. A maximum award of £1,750 is available in any one academic year. An on-campus Community Pantry offers free food and toiletries, while catering services offer free breakfasts and £2.50 hot lunches on weekdays. There are sports bursaries available for athletes competing at national and international level. Student residences are split between the three original halls (Littlemore, Maryvale and Oxford) and the modern Cofton Hall, which opened in 2018. Prices start at £5,060 (£115 per week) for a 44-week contract in a single room with shared bathroom in one of the original halls, rising to £9,680 (£220 a week) for a 44-week let in a deluxe self-contained flat in either Cofton Hall or one of the original halls. Longer 51-week tenancies are available in all accommodation, with the annual prices for the most expensive flats rising to £10,965 (£215 per week). Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Admissions, teaching and student support Newman retains a Catholic principle but is open to students of all faiths and none. 'We are a university where people matter,' it says in its 2025 Annual Report. 'This ethos shapes everything we do.' It prides itself on careers-focused teaching and learning, and many courses have work placements built in. The university does not make contextual offers to reduce grades for students from under-represented backgrounds in higher education, but most courses come with a foundation year option, which is the main route by which the university widens access for those unlikely to achieve the grades for direct entry to degree programmes. Places in foundation years are available for as few as 48 UCAS points (DD at A-level), compared to offers in the range of 96-112 points (CCC to BBC) for most degree courses. The university partners with six local schools and sixth-form colleges and has staff based in those institutions to offer intensive support to students and encourage application to university. Given the academic breadth of the intake, Newman does not take a one-size-fits-all attitude to student wellbeing. 'Our conversational, person-first approach means students don't have to define their experience to seek help,' the university told us. 'Whether it's a chat with a familiar face or more structured support, we work together to make sure no one feels alone.' Academic support advisors are often the first to pick up on issues affecting students, while the university's in-house counselling services work closely with mental health and wellbeing advisors. A support network that also includes personal tutors and the students' union ensures those in distress should not slip through the net.