We look forward to welcoming you to Aston University. Located in the centre of Birmingham, the UK's second-largest city, Aston is a welcoming home for career-minded students. Driven by passion and purpose, Aston University is here for a reason – to help you achieve your goals.

Information last updated at 14:30 GMT on 18th March 2024

Teaching plans for April 2024

When will teaching start?
  • Welcome Week starts: 15th April 2024
  • Teaching starts: 22nd April 2024

You can view the University term dates here.

Where can I read more about Enrolment and Welcome Week?

You can read more about Enrolment here and you can also read about Welcome Week

Where can I find more information about postgraduate careers and employability support?

You can read more in our 'How to Prepare for Post-study Work' guide

We encourage you to check our exclusive Aston vacancy portals for work opportunities:

GradConnect: globaljobs.aston.ac.uk/ Student Circus: aston.studentcircus.com/

 For further information or to book a virtual careers appointment, contact careers_postgrad@aston.ac.uk

Arriving at Aston University 

Travelling to the UK

View our pre-arrival guide for more information on travelling to Aston University from overseas.

What if I experience problems with immigration at the airport?

Call our Campus Safety team on (+44)121 359 2922. We’re available 24 hours to support you.

Which Aston University buildings will be open over the Christmas holidays?

For students who are arriving or staying at Aston University over the Christmas holidays (last week of December until 2nd January), there will be several buildings closed on campus, however there are still a number of University buildings that will remain open for you.

The Sir Doug Ellis Woodcock Sports Centre and the Library will remain open during this period. Please visit aston.ac.uk/library for more details. 

Accepting my offer and tuition fees

When do I need to pay my tuition fees?

You can find the payment dates for your fees here. Please note: for international postgraduate students starting in April 2024, 50% of your tuition fee is payable before your in-person enrolment (and the funds must have reached us by Thursday 11th April 2024). 

If you believe that your payment is likely to be late, or if you are having difficulty paying, please contact the Credit Control Team as soon as you can.  They will be able to discuss your situation and where possible agree on a payment plan with you. (Please provide as much detail as you can, including your full name and your Aston Student ID number - found in your offer letter). 

Visas

The immigration rules regarding the dependents of students changed on the 17th July 2023. The information below has been updated to reflect these changes.

When can I get my CAS?

We aim to have CASs issued within 5 working days after your pre-CAS questionnaire is approved, so long as you have an unconditional offer and have paid your deposit or provided their financial guarantee letter.

If you have any questions specifically related to your Student Visa or your CAS, please visit our visa webpage or contact casqueries@aston.ac.uk and our expert visa team will be able to help you.

How long is a CAS valid for?

A CAS is valid for 6 months, so we need to have a good idea of when you are going to arrive in the UK before this is issued. 

If you have any questions specifically related to your Student Visa or your CAS, please visit our visa webpage or contact casqueries@aston.ac.uk and our expert visa team will be able to help you.

If I arrive in the UK with a student visa but I do not attend classes, will you take my visa away?

Once you are safely in the UK, you will be required to show you are actively engaging with your studies, as this is a requirement of your visa. 

If you have any questions specifically related to your Student Visa or your CAS, please visit our visa webpage or contact casqueries@aston.ac.uk and our expert visa team will be able to help you.

Do I need to apply for my BRP (residence permit)? How can I get my BRP when I arrive?

You will automatically be issued with a BRP (residence permit) when your visa application is approved, and as part of that application you will be asked where you would like to collect it. We will contact you when we have your BRP to arrange a time for you to collect it from a location on the Aston University campus.

Transiting through an EU/EEA airport

If you are planning to take an indirect flight to the UK, you need to check any transit visa requirements for the country that you plan to travel through. Following Brexit, some EU countries now require travellers to the UK to apply for a transit visa in order to transit at an airport in that country. 

Students will need to check the transit requirements on the visa regulations website of the country they intend to travel through. Some common transit countries are listed below:

We encourage all students to check this several weeks in advance before you travel, to ensure that you have any necessary visas. 

Can my dependents join me in the UK during my studies?

The Immigration Rules permit the dependents of:

  • Full-time postgraduate level (RQF 7 or above) students studying courses of 9 months or longer with a course start date before 1 January 2024
  • New government-sponsored students studying full-time courses that last longer than 6 months with a course start before 1 January 2024 to apply to come to the UK.

Where a student is studying a course and the start date is on or after 1 January 2024, then dependents can only apply to come to the UK if the course is a PhD, other doctoral qualification or a research-based higher degree.

Can my dependents join me after my course during the two year period for the Graduate Route?

According to the Immigration Rules, only those who are already in the UK as your dependents on your current Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa can apply to stay as dependents on your Graduate visa.  They cannot apply to enter the UK and join you as Graduate visa dependents.

Will my dependents be able to join me during my PhD or MRes studies?

The Immigration Rules permit the dependents of:

  • Full-time postgraduate level (RQF 7 or above) students studying courses of 9 months or longer with a course start date before 1 January 2024
  • New government-sponsored students studying full-time courses that last longer than 6 months with a course start before 1 January 2024 to apply to come to the UK.

Where a student is studying a course with a start date on or after 1 January 2024, then dependents can only apply to come to the UK if the course is a PhD, other doctoral qualification or a research-based higher degree.  This means that dependents of PhD and MRes students will be able to apply to come to the UK, regardless of the course start date.

Will my family be able to come to my graduation ceremony in the UK?

Family members and friends seeking to enter the UK to attend graduation ceremonies should continue to apply for Visit visas to enter the UK for this purpose.

I am currently studying at Aston University, and my dependents are with me in the UK.  Will my family need to return home in January 2024 during any leave granted for the Graduate Route?

Any dependent of a student granted leave to enter the UK has the right to remain in the UK for the full period of leave granted, subject to the associated student visa holder maintaining their right to remain in the UK.  They are also able to submit a dependent application with the ‘main applicant’ when they are applying for the Graduate Route visa, subject to meeting all of the eligibility requirements in the Immigration Rules. Dependents already in the UK with valid leave before 1 January 2024 are not affected by the changes.

Accommodation

Where can I find out more about accommodation?

More information is available on our accommodation webpage.

Where can I buy bedding and kitchen items?

Unite Residence has a range of bedding and kitchen packs available to purchase and can be ready in your room when you arrive.

unitestudents.com/Products

If you are living off-campus, then you may be able to purchase similar packs from your accommodation provider or arrange for a package to be delivered from Amazon.

Student life

Student life

The Aston Students’ Union (SU) operates a variety of services to support your wellbeing and help you settle into university life, and will offer a mix of both virtual and on-campus activities during the academic year.

Earlier this year the SU set up a ‘virtual campus’ where students can connect and participate in a variety of online activities and events. Additionally, our Aston Auntie Scheme will partner you with a current student who can act as a friend to introduce you to life at Aston.  

Any questions?

Our enquiries team are available to help answer any questions you may have, please contact us at hello@aston.ac.uk. If you use WeChat, you can contact us at 'Aston_University'.

If you have any questions specifically related to your Student Visa or your CAS, please contact casqueries@aston.ac.uk and our expert visa team will be able to help you.

You may also find it useful to talk to our team of current Aston University students who can share their experiences with you.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Aston University community.

Current students

For current students of Aston University, we are publishing updates such as health advice on our health and wellbeing page.