Move Up to Uni

Progress from Level 3 up to Level 7 with us

Move Up to Uni: Parent and Carer Events

Our academic tutors are hosting a series of on-campus events for parents, carers, and other supporters, focusing on progression routes for students following their Level 3 studies, with a particular emphasis on pathways into higher education.

These events offer the chance to explore different course areas and learn about key topics such as student finance, placements and careers, and the academic and personal support available to university students.

If your student is interested in progressing onto a University College Birmingham degree, and you would like to know more about what happens next, please complete the booking form below for the event that matches their area of interest.

Event Dates:

Engineering, Construction and Digital

Tuesday 24 March, 5-7pm

Book now

Business School and Creative Industries

Wednesday 15 April, 5-7pm

Book now

Once your booking is confirmed, you will receive further information about the event via email.

For any questions, please email events@ucb.ac.uk

Guarantee a degree place after completing your college course

Our practical, vocational college courses give you the knowledge and skills to move straight into the world of work - but employment isn’t the only option available to you once you finish.

With our progression offer, your college course can be a stepping stone to undergraduate study, and we offer degrees in a range of different subjects to help you succeed in your future career.

What is a progression offer?

A number of our college courses guarantee you an interview or a place on one of our degrees, giving you the chance to take the next step in education while continuing to study with us.

If you complete and pass your course, you'll be eligible to progress straight to an interview or an offer, and if you're successful, you'll receive a free £5k to help fund your studies once you enrol. 

Which college courses are eligible for progression offers?

Explore our college courses

What financial support will I receive if I move up to uni?

If you join one of our degree courses starting in 2026 and are enrolled as a full-time UK undergraduate, you will automatically receive a free £5,000 Cost of Living Allowance.

We also give new university students up to £800 per year through our Kick-Start scheme. The scheme supports your studies and future career by helping out with buying course-related materials, uniform or selected items on campus.

Our Digital Award is also available for university students who have joined us directly from our college or sixth form. This award entitles eligible students to £280 towards the purchase of a laptop or tablet from the Kick-Start website.

From loans and grants to scholarships and fee waivers, a host of financial support is available.

Some of our college students who made the step up to uni

James Whiting MBE

Since studying at both college and degree level at UCB, James has gone on to build a multi-million-pound brand.

Rebecca Boast

Since graduating, Rebecca has moved from one high-flying role to another, as she cooks up a storm across the world.

Sibia Edwards

While studying at college Sibia developed a passion for mentoring, and decided to explore the subject further at degree level.

Finley Weston

Passionate about engineering, Finley applied to University College Birmingham through Clearing for a host of reasons.

Ben Robinson Young

Ben is one of the stars of the Birmingham culinary scene, and his work is now being recognised nationwide.

Nicolas Matovu

Wherever his career plans took him, Nicolas long harboured a desire to help others.

Applying directly to University College Birmingham

After you have explored the university courses on offer here, why not make the university application process a breeze by applying directly to University College Birmingham?

To apply directly, you must satisfy the following criteria:

You only wish to apply to University College Birmingham (if you would like to apply to more than one institution, you must apply via UCAS)
You must not have previously applied via UCAS this year (we will complete this on your behalf)

If you need some guidance on how to fill out your UCB Direct application, please call our admissions team on 0121 604 1040.

Different courses have different entry requirements. So always check out the full entry requirement details on the relevant course page under the entry requirements tab. You can work out how many UCAS tariff points you will gain from your Level 3 qualification on the UCAS tariff calculator.

If you are studying a non-UCAS tariff-based qualification or don’t think you will have enough UCAS points, don't worry. Complete our enquiry form or call our Admissions team on 0121 604 1040.

Why apply direct?

If you are considering only applying to us, there are lots of reasons why applying direct is the best option:

No application fee
No need for a personal statement
No lengthy or complex forms
Dedicated admissions team on hand to help

If you are a current University College Birmingham college student, you can apply direct to University College Birmingham university courses by clicking below:

Apply direct to UCB

Please note, applications for Nursing (Adult) BSc (Hons) and Physiotherapy BSc (Hons) must be submitted via UCAS.

Supporting you through the UCAS process

Unlike University College Birmingham's direct application process, applying through UCAS allows you to make five choices – you will need to pay a fee of £27.50 for this.

It all starts with finding the right degree, which the Move Up to Uni programme is designed to help you with, whether you're considering applying here, elsewhere or both.

Once you've made your five choices, the next step is to create the perfect personal statement. If you need any help with this, please be sure to come along to one of our drop-in sessions or watch the video below.

Writing your personal statement

Don’t forget, once you have made your choices and submitted your applications, you will need to respond to any offers you have received by choosing the following:

Firm Choice – your first choice. If you accept a conditional offer and meet the conditions, you’ll have a confirmed place here.
Insurance Choice – the place you will want if you don't meet the conditions of your firm choice.

If you've used all five choices, but following your application you still aren’t holding any offers, you could still find a place using UCAS Extra.

Extra is another chance for you to gain a place at university between 26 February and 1 July 2026. You can select another course and or university and see if they come back with an offer for you. It is recommended that you contact this university first to see if they’re likely to accept your application.

UCAS application support is also available from HIRED. Email hired@ucb.ac.uk to book a support meeting with an advisor.

Parents and carers guide

When choosing to move up to university, we understand that your loved ones may have questions about how the process works. Whether you are familiar with the university process or not, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about supporting your child with the move from college to university here at University College Birmingham.

View guide

Speak to our students

There's no better way to find out what it's like to study at University College Birmingham than to ask our current students and staff at our open days. Whether you would like to learn more about the course you're interested in studying or about living in Birmingham's buzzing city centre, our students and staff are on hand to help. Find out when the next open day is taking place here or attend one of our campus tours or take a look at our virtual tours.

Discover more

Undergraduate study

Our extensive range of specialist BA, BSc and foundation degree courses are highly valued by industry.

Undergraduate open days

Join one of our undergraduate open days and find out all about our wide range of degrees, the exciting topics you will study and the facilities on offer to give you th…

Student charter - University College Birmingham

Student life

Discover more about our University and living in Birmingham – all you need to know about our accommodation, Guild of Students and what life is like in our vibrant city.

Facilities

Supported by a £300 million investment in new campuses, equipment and resources, University College Birmingham's facilities are nothing short of world class.

How to apply

Learn more on how to apply for a college, undergraduate or postgraduate course at University College Birmingham.

Request a prospectus

If you are looking to learn more about our college, undergraduate, or postgraduate courses, please request a prospectus by completing our form.

Fees and funding

Find out the tuition fees that apply for new home students (students who are not classified as international students) who enrol at the University in the new academic year. T…