Student Services consists of a range of teams that support our students to settle and stay at the University and overcome any challenges that may affect their learning. We offer professional advice and guidance on range of issues.
For all student enquiries visit www.studenthelp.bham.ac.uk, the student help website is for student enquiries in areas including student support (e.g. wellbeing, learning support, disability & mental health), fees and financial support, visas and immigration, examinations, careers, graduation, contact details for the relevant teams within Student Services and opening hours for the Student Hub.
Our services include:
Student Disability Service
Experienced staff offer a wide range of specialist advice and support to students with physical and mental health disabilities, specific learning difficulties and other conditions. We work with students to develop their skills for independent and effective learning.
Mental Health & Wellbeing Service
We use of a range of interventions including one-to-one support, workshops, and online resources, and offer a practical approach to coping with common issues faced by students. For example: stress and anxiety management, confidence building, and time/task management. We also provide short-term professional, confidential counselling, face-to-face and online, for students who are experiencing emotional or psychological problems whilst at university.
We are based in the Aston Webb Student Hub and provide administrative guidance and information on accessing specialist support and deliver a wide range of services from Welcome and Registration to Graduation and beyond.
Funding, Graduation & Awards
We provide students with information and advice about financial support, provided by the government and the University, such as scholarships, bursaries and award schemes. We also arrange the University's degree congregations, which take place in December and July.
International Student Team (IST)
We provide specialist support and advice for prospective and current international students and visitors, at the University on immigration issues for new and continuing visas, as well as support in the development of initiatives to improve the international student experience. We support the University in maintaining compliance with its Home Office Student Sponsor Licence.
University Graduate School
The University Graduate School supports Birmingham’s postgraduate researcher (PGR) and postgraduate taught (PGT) community. We foster an interdisciplinary community and act as a gateway to support and advice. We work closely with the other University support services to ensure our postgraduates have access to a high quality postgraduate experience.
Student Experience & Partnerships
We put the student voice at the heart of what we do to develop resources, events and activities that are engaging and help students feel welcome and included, make the most of their time at university, and include opportunities for development. We achieve this through extensive partnership working; liaising and collaborating with a wide range of key stakeholders across Colleges, professional services and the Guild of Students.
Student Communications Team
We work with colleagues across the University to support them in delivering student communications, aligning our comms at central and local level. We manage a number communication channels and student campaigns (eg Time to Talk?, UoBe Ready) and work with a team of Student Content Shapers who inform and help create our content.
The Go Global Team creates opportunities for Birmingham’s students to take part in a wide range of in-person and virtual international experiences. The opportunities include Semester and Year Abroad exchange programmes with over 300 international universities, and the Go Global Summer scheme which offers international summer schools, language and cultural courses, research projects, international volunteering, and internships. We also support eligible students with funding, including internal funding and the government’s Turing funding for study and work abroad.
Student Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Team
We partner with students and staff to advance EDI literacy of our university community and promote an inclusive campus culture for all our students. We are also one of the very few UK universities with a dedicated team for student equalities.
Student Queries
If you are a student with an enquiry relating to any of the following:
- All aspects of Student Administration (requesting documents/letters, thesis submission and examination, Council Tax queries, changes to your studies, changes to your personal details, ID cards, access to facilities, module registration, My Attendance, student conduct, complaints & appeals, timetables, Study Abroad)
- Wellbeing
- Therapeutic support
- Disability & mental health
- Fees and financial support
- Visas and immigration
- Student Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
- Examinations
- Careers
- Graduation
Visit www.studenthelp.bham.ac.uk where you can view our extensive knowledge base of frequently asked questions as well as log an online enquiry, where it will be forwarded to the best-placed team to deal with your request.
Key people
Director of Student Services
Jon Elsmore
Assistant Director (Service Development)
Joanne Bryan
Assistant Director (Wellbeing & Partnerships)
Drew Linforth
Assistant Director (Postgraduate and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion)
Sammy Li
Assistant Director (Go Global)
Gareth Mainwaring
Email - g.i.mainwaring@bham.ac.uk
To contact a Director / Assistant Director (listed above), please email:
Divisional Administrator
Sophie Pumphrey
Email - s.t.pumphrey@bham.ac.uk
Heads of Service
Head of International Student Team (IST)
Helen Eastham
Email - h.eastham@bham.ac.uk
Telephone - +44 (0)121 414 6939
Head of Student Disability Services
Ali Bottrill
Email - a.bottrill@bham.ac.uk
Head of Funding, Graduation and Awards
Jess Bates
Email - fga@contacts.bham.ac.uk
Head of Student Wellbeing & Therapeutic Support
Sue Knight
Email – s.j.knight@bham.ac.uk
Head of Wellbeing & Partnerships
James Mason
Email - j.g.mason@bham.ac.uk
Head of Student Experience & Partnerships
Samantha Noble
Email - sep@contacts.bham.ac.uk
Head of Student Communications
Bec Vowles
Email - r.m.vowles@bham.ac.uk
Head of University Graduate School
Tara Wittin
Email - t.wittin@bham.ac.uk
Interim Head of Student Hub Services
Rebecca Varney
Email - r.c.varney@bham.ac.uk
Head of Go Global
Maggie Wootton
Email - m.wootton@bham.ac.uk