Health and wellbeing - University of Birmingham

We want you to enjoy and make the most of your time at Birmingham. When you’re away from home and faced with all the new challenges and excitement of university life, it can be all too easy to forget about your own personal wellbeing. So we make sure you have all the support you need to stay healthy and happy, and to succeed in your academic studies.

Settling in

If you’re feeling a bit nervous about your first few days at university, don’t worry. Your School will allocate you a Personal Tutor who will meet with you at the start of your programme to help you begin your studies in the best way. They’ll also be on hand for advice and guidance throughout your time with us.

If you’re living in University accommodation, you’ll also be allocated a trained Student Mentor.

Wellbeing services

We have a range of resources to help you develop skills to manage any practical, emotional and psychological issues that may have an effect on your studies. Our team of professional counsellors offers one-to-one sessions, including online counselling, as well as group workshops on everything from time management to coping with exam stress. You can also access a wide range of interactive resources that enable you to set and achieve goals relating to your physical health, diet, mental wellbeing – even getting a good night’s sleep. Explore Your Wellbeing Portal for more resources.

Support from the Guild of Students

Guild Advice is a professional student advice service, helping you with any financial, academic, employment, housing and immigration issues you may face during your time at the University. The service is free and you can either drop into the centre for a chat in a safe, relaxed environment, or contact its online service where professional advisors can respond to your queries or concerns.

Sport and fitness

The University is a centre of excellence for sport and fitness. We offer a huge range of competitive sport with our 55 sports clubs, from American Football to Wing Chun Kung Fu, which attract around 4,000 students. The main Sport & Fitness Club has many activities you can get involved with to keep active such as Pay & Go exercise classes, climbing and squash. We also offer sport volunteering opportunities through The Extra Mile programme for those who want to participate in sport through volunteering, coaching or officiating.

Medical and dental health

Most students are entitled to healthcare on the NHS. We recommend that you sign up with a doctor and dentist near the University - you can find out more about locating a suitable practice on the Welcome website.

Recovery - Better Than Well

The University has its own recovery programme for people in recovery from alcohol, drug or behavioural addictions. The programme provides a range of activities and support meetings to help you maintain your recovery while you study with us.

Better Than Well is coordinated by academic staff from the Institute for Mental Health, but run by students supporting their peers to maximise educational and social opportunities whilst continuing a personal programme of recovery from addiction.

Find out about Better Than Well