University of Birmingham vs Aston University vs Birmingham City University vs Ulster University vs Aston Business School

Side-by-side comparison from 461 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted

Quick verdict
Higher overall rating: Global Banking School (5.00)
University of Birmingham: wins 0/7 categories
Aston University: wins 0/7 categories
Birmingham City University: wins 0/7 categories
Ulster University: wins 0/7 categories
Aston Business School: wins 3/7 categories
University College Birmingham - UCB: wins 1/7 categories
Global Banking School: wins 3/7 categories
Comparing
Birmingham, The United Kingdom
4.20
Read more reviews
177 reviews
×
Best programme: Law
Birmingham, The United Kingdom
4.30
Read more reviews
95 reviews
×
Best programme: Business Management
Birmingham, The United Kingdom
4.40
Read more reviews
120 reviews
×
Best programme: Computer Science
Belfast, The United Kingdom
4.40
Read more reviews
38 reviews
×
Best programme: Business Administration in Management
Birmingham, The United Kingdom
4.10
Read more reviews
14 reviews
×
Best programme: Business Management
Birmingham, The United Kingdom
4.40
Read more reviews
16 reviews
×
Best programme: Digital Marketing
Birmingham, The United Kingdom
5.00
Top
Read more reviews
1 reviews
×
Best programme: Tourism Business
Category ratings
Facilities
4.37
4.25
4.42
4.10
4.14
4.44
Win
4.00
Location
4.44
4.45
4.26
4.12
4.64
Win
4.50
4.00
Professors
4.16
4.28
4.30
4.37
4.29
4.44
5.00
Win
Internationality
4.28
4.33
4.26
4.12
4.07
4.63
5.00
Win
Student life
4.28
4.30
4.19
3.97
4.38
Win
3.81
4.00
Value
4.03
4.24
4.13
4.26
4.21
4.25
5.00
Win
Accommodation
3.93
3.55
3.95
3.66
4.14
Win
3.94
4.00
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • +High-quality, engaging teaching from passionate experts
  • +Beautiful, accessible campus with good study and social spaces
  • +Strong student support and sense of community
  • +Exceptional teaching quality & helpful tutors
  • +Strong career services & diverse business programs
  • +Well-organized and engaging course materials
  • +Engaging lecturers and knowledgeable, friendly staff
  • +Excellent campus facilities and vibrant student life
  • +Strong career preparation and industry connections
  • +Convenient location and modern facilities
  • +Supportive and engaging lecturers
  • +Industry-focused and practical learning
  • +Practical, real-world curriculum
  • +Focus on personal and leadership development
  • +Supportive learning environment and resources
  • +Practical, industry-focused courses
  • +Supportive and knowledgeable staff
  • +Diverse and inclusive student community
  • +Diverse teaching styles from various tutors
  • +Flexibility and adaptability fostered by module changes
Cons
  • -Inadequate student support services and poor management of student organizations.
  • -Overcrowded teaching spaces and insufficient seminar sessions.
  • -Unprofessional lecturing and unfair assessment practices.
  • -Negative student-faculty interactions and lack of support.
  • -Poor online course accessibility and lecture coordination.
  • -Difficulty scheduling appointments with instructors.
  • -Poor teaching quality and unengaged lecturers.
  • -Lack of support and unreliability from dissertation mentors.
  • -Administrative and management issues are a significant source of frustration.
  • -Lack of responsiveness and support from staff is common.
  • -Administrative and management issues cause frequent problems.
  • -Outdated facilities and poor maintenance are a consistent concern.
  • -Limited resources and lack of essential amenities create difficulties.
  • -Outdated facilities and poor maintenance.
  • -Administrative and management issues.
  • -Lack of engaging and relevant curriculum.
  • -Inefficient administrative and communication processes.
  • -Poorly maintained and outdated facilities.
  • -Lack of engaging and relevant teaching.
Rating summary
What students say

The university garners high marks, particularly excelling in **Location** with a rating of 4.44 and **Facilities** at 4.37. **Student Life** and **Internationality** also score well, both around 4.28. Areas for potential improvement include **Accomodation**, which received the lowest rating of 3.93, and **Value**, rated at 4.03. **Professors** are rated a respectable 4.16.

This university demonstrates a well-rounded profile, excelling particularly in its **location**, which received the highest score. **Student life**, **internationality**, and **professors** also earned strong marks. However, **accommodation** stands out as the weakest area, with a significantly lower rating compared to other aspects. The university also performs well in **facilities** and **value**.

This university garners strong approval for its **Facilities**, achieving the highest rating. **Student Life**, **Internationality**, and **Location** also received commendable scores. Conversely, **Accomodation** stands out as the area with the lowest rating, indicating potential room for improvement in this aspect, though other categories remain competitive.

Reviewing university metrics reveals a generally positive assessment. The institution excels in **Professor quality**, boasting a 4.37 rating, and also scores highly for **Value** at 4.26. Areas like **Student Life** (3.97) and **Accommodations** (3.66) represent the lower end of the spectrum, though still within a respectable range. Other aspects such as Facilities, Location, and Internationality all fall around the 4.1 mark.

Examining the university's performance across several key metrics reveals a varied picture. The institution shines particularly brightly in **Location**, receiving the highest score. Conversely, **Internationality** garnered the lowest rating. Other areas such as Professors, Student Life, and Value also received strong scores, indicating a generally positive overall experience, though improvements in international student integration could be beneficial.

Considerable strengths are evident in the university's **Internationality**, scoring a high 4.625, closely followed by its **Location** at 4.5. Ratings for **Facilities** and **Professors** are also robust, both at 4.4375. Conversely, **Student Life** emerges as the area with the lowest score, registering at 3.8125, with **Accomodation** also receiving a comparatively lower rating of 3.9375. **Value** sits comfortably in the mid-range at 4.25.

This institution demonstrates exceptional strengths in its teaching staff and international student experience, both receiving top marks. Its facilities, location, student life, and accommodation are also highly regarded, all scoring a solid four out of five. While value for money is also rated at a perfect five, the professors and internationality stand out as the university's most impressive attributes.

Reviews summary
Highlights

With a 4.15 average rating, ~80% of 177 reviews are highly positive, praising quality teaching, engaging courses, and a beautiful, accessible campus. A small ~1.7% of feedback mentioned issues with specific departments or support services.

Over 74% of reviews are positive, praising strong teaching, well-organized programs, and supportive staff. A small percentage, ~2%, express concerns about staff empathy and appointment availability.

With 122 reviews and a 4.4/5 average, ~92% of feedback is highly positive, praising engaging lectures, friendly staff, and excellent campus facilities. A single negative review highlighted issues with lecturer quality and dissertation mentor support.

~97% of reviews are positive, praising the great location, supportive lecturers, and industry-focused courses. Only ~3% of feedback mentioned issues with campus management.

~100% of reviews are positive, praising the excellent curriculum, personal development opportunities, and supportive learning environment. No negative feedback was recorded.

Nearly all (approx. 100%) reviews are highly positive, with students praising practical courses, supportive lecturers, and a diverse, inclusive environment. No negative feedback was recorded.

The single review is highly positive, giving a 5/5 rating. This suggests overwhelmingly positive feedback, with approximately 0% negative sentiment. The reviewer appreciated the flexibility offered by having different tutors per module.

Rating distribution
5★
37%
38%
52%
55%
29%
63%
100%
4★
43%
53%
41%
32%
57%
31%
0%
3★
18%
7%
8%
11%
14%
13%
0%
2★
1%
2%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1★
1%
0%
1%
3%
0%
0%
0%
Most useful review
Most liked

Nothing to show

Nothing to show

Nothing to show

Nothing to show

Employability

I have had a very positive experience in my first year at this university. I have found the staff very friendly, all content very engaging and felt I have been challenged throughout the year. One aspect that is particularly strong is the employability at Aston with all modules focusing on giving students hard skills to increase their employability. Only complaint would be some administrative problems such as delayed exam results and some issues with timetabling at the start of term.

New university

I am an international student who came from nepal to get education here. I have met new people and new friends. The teachers have been very helpful and are always teaching me new stuff. The university here i very nice and there is always new stuff to learn

Nothing to show

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Review our Privacy Policy for more details.
Close