Your Student Experience

There are loads of ways you can make your voice heard and have an impact on the experience all students have studying at Birmingham.

Being a Rep is an exciting way to be directly involved in the big decisions related to your course, and also to be part of shaping the University experience for other students on your course and in your School.

It will also give you fantastic experience and help you gain skills that your future employers will value.  You'll also have opportunities to work with lots of different staff and students across the University and get to practise your networking skills alongside making valuable contacts.

If you don't want to become a Rep yourself, as a student you will also be able to raise any issues you have, or things you would like to see happen with the Student Reps on your course, and in your School. They can then take these things forward on your behalf.

You can also make your voice heard by joining focus groups, getting involved with societies, and by engaging with the Guild of Students, who have a team of Officers whose role it is to help students get their voice heard and have a say in University life.

Every School in CoSS has its own societies which are related to particular departments, degree courses or student groups within the School.

These societies put on socials and organise speakers and extra-curricular events that will help you to really get to know your fellow students, and gain loads of useful extra-curricular experience and development alongside your academic studies.

The Student Experience Officers, Ambassadors and Reps in your School will give you lots of information about the specific societies operating. The societies themselves will also advertise their events around your School.

The Guild of Students (more commonly known as The Guild) is what Birmingham’s Student Union is called. They have a whole building on campus which is home to social spaces like Joes Bar, as well as services for students like Guild Advice, and spaces to study or for societies to meet.

The Guild is also home to a whole range of societies, covering just about every area of interest. You’re sure to either find the people who share your passion, or to find something new to explore. The Guild Student Group pages will help you explore what’s on offer, and societies are a great way to socialise and meet new, likeminded people.

The Guild also have loads of virtual resources and communities on Facebook, such as the Virtual Neighbourhood Facebook group and the Guild of Students Facebook. Joining these will keep you up to date on what is going on more widely across the campus.