London, UK
A University of London college built around evening teaching in the heart of Bloomsbury.
Birkbeck sits in central Bloomsbury alongside UCL and SOAS, awarding University of London degrees with particular research strength in history, politics, psychology, law and the arts. Its defining feature is evening teaching, originally designed for working adults, which gives students unstructured daytime hours for internships, work or independent study rather than a conventional 9-to-5 timetable. This makes it a distinctive option for mature or gap-year students, or younger students who want central London access without a traditional halls-and-campus experience — but international applicants must first confirm that their specific course meets Student Visa full-time study requirements, since not every Birkbeck programme is structured to qualify. It has no large halls system, so most students arrange private London housing.
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ABB (A Level) · IB 32
Solid tier · indicative for the flagship courses below — always verify per-course requirements directly with the university.
£20,000–£28,000/yr
mid tier for UK — figures are typical ranges, not this specific university's published fee.
English
city campus, London
Informational only — scholarship amounts, deadlines and even which schemes are running change often (sometimes per intake), so treat this as a starting point, not a guarantee. Always confirm current details directly with the scholarship provider or Birkbeck's financial aid office.
Beyond government-level awards, most UK universities offer their own merit-based international scholarships — commonly a partial tuition reduction for strong A-Level/IB/IGCSE results, sometimes auto-considered from your application and sometimes requiring a short separate form.
Chevening and Commonwealth are postgraduate-only. For undergraduate applicants, the university-specific merit scholarships are usually the more relevant route.
Want help figuring out which of these you'd actually qualify for? Talk to a free Tutopiya counsellor.
Law
⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years for an undergraduate LLB (UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia); typically a 3-year postgraduate JD entered after a Bachelor's (US, Canada)
Typical entry: LNAT (some universities)
Psychology
⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years (4 years in Scotland)
Typical entry: A science or Mathematics recommended
Politics & History
⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years (4 years in Scotland)
Business & MBA
⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years (4 years in Scotland)
Typical entry: Mathematics helps but usually isn't required recommended
Arts & Humanities
⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years (4 years in Scotland)
Durations are typical for UK — always confirm the exact length (including any placement or integrated Master's year) on the course's own page before applying.
Not sure which course fits your grades and interests? Run the full shortlist builder →
IELTS: 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0)
Most universities waive this requirement if you've completed 2+ years of English-medium schooling (e.g. IGCSE / A Level / IB) — always confirm the specific university's waiver policy before booking a test.
A deeper walkthrough of applying to Birkbeck for international IGCSE / A Level / IB students.
Read the guide →Enter your grades and budget in the free UK University Shortlist Builder to see whether Birkbeck is a reach, target or safety for you — alongside every other UK university that matches.
Build my UK shortlist →Quick answers about grades, tuition, deadlines and applying to Birkbeck as an international IGCSE / A Level / IB student.
As a typical benchmark for international entry, Birkbeck expects around ABB at A Level or 32 points on the IB Diploma. This is indicative for Birkbeck's flagship courses — competitive subjects like Medicine and Law usually sit above this baseline, and the exact requirement varies by course, so always confirm the specific figure on Birkbeck's own admissions page before applying.
International tuition at Birkbeck typically falls in the £20,000–£28,000/yr range (mid tier for UK). This is a typical range for the university's tuition tier, not Birkbeck's specific published fee for every course — confirm the exact figure for your intended programme directly with the university.
Birkbeck follows UK's typical intake calendar: September, with applications generally due late january (equal consideration deadline). Oxford, Cambridge and most Medicine / Dentistry / Veterinary Science courses close earlier — 15 October the year before entry. Always verify the exact date on Birkbeck's own admissions page, since deadlines can shift year to year.
UK universities, including Birkbeck, typically ask international applicants for 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0). Most universities waive this requirement if you've completed 2+ years of English-medium schooling (e.g. IGCSE / A Level / IB) — always confirm the specific university's waiver policy before booking a test.
A University of London college built around evening teaching in the heart of Bloomsbury. Birkbeck sits in central Bloomsbury alongside UCL and SOAS, awarding University of London degrees with particular research strength in history, politics, psychology, law and the arts. Its defining feature is evening teaching, originally designed for working adults, which gives students unstructured daytime hours for internships, work or independent study rather than a conventional 9-to-5 timetable. This makes it a distinctive option for mature or gap-year students, or younger students who want central London access without a traditional halls-and-campus experience — but international applicants must first confirm that their specific course meets Student Visa full-time study requirements, since not every Birkbeck programme is structured to qualify. It has no large halls system, so most students arrange private London housing.
Yes — Birkbeck accepts applicants from IGCSE-to-A-Level, IGCSE-to-IB-Diploma, and directly from the IB Diploma. Tutopiya's free UK University Shortlist Builder matches your predicted or actual grades against Birkbeck and every other UK university we track, tagging each as reach, target or safety.
Need help applying to Birkbeck? Get free application support.