Aston University: Rankings, Courses & Admissions

Infrastructure

Aston University, United Kingdom, has the following buildings and facilities:

1. Aston Business School and Conference 

2. Aston University Day Hospital- Optegra- BCH Cochlear- Life & Health Sciences

3. Aston Brain Centre 9 Vision Sciences- Aston Eye Clinic and Aston Optometry School- Aston Medical School- Audiology department and Audiology clinics

4. Sir Doug Ellis Woodcock Sports Centre and pool 

5. Gosta Green five-a-side sports pitch 

6. Aston University Nursery and Pre-school 

7. Energy & Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) 

8. Martin Luther King Multi-Faith Centre 

9. Aston University Engineering Academy

10. Amenities and leisure activities such as Sacks of Potatoes pub, Gosta Green pub, Innovation Birmingham Campus, Birmingham City Council offices, Birmingham Metropolitan College, The Old Fire Station 38 Shops on campus, Tesco Express, Costa Coffee, and Ryman Stationery. 

The university also conducts high-end research in the following schools and areas:

1. Aston Medical School

2. School of Engineering and Applied Sciences 

3. School of Life and Health Sciences

4. School of Languages and Social Sciences

The medium of instruction at Aston University, UK, is English.

Academics

Aston University has three admission cycles, namely Winter, Spring, and Fall. 

If you are opting for an undergraduate course in the Fall intake, the deadline will usually be in January. However, there is no fixed deadline for the graduate programs at the university.

In terms of the Aston University admission process, it is simple and includes the following steps:

1. Choose the course of your choice by going through the course pages

2. You will find an application form on each postgraduate course page. Once the application is fully received, you will receive a confirmation email and an electronic copy of the completed form. 

The admissions team usually would respond to you through email within the next five working days

1. If you have applied for an MBA, you will be called for an interview once you meet the course entry requirements

2. Once you are selected into the program, you will get an offer email that will highlight further instructions 

3. If you have received the offer and wish to accept it, you will have to pay a confirmation deposit by a set deadline

4. In case you receive a conditional offer letter, you should send the official documents according to the offer conditions and log in to My Aston Portal (MAP) and upload documents. Steps to apply for documents are given below:

a) Click the 'Browse My Computer' button to find your file

b) Click 'Upload'

c) Ensure 'File Status' states 'Successfully Uploaded'

d) Click 'Next' to continue

The Aston University admission requirements are as follows:

1. Copies of your university transcripts for each year of study

2. If your degree isn’t complete yet, you should submit the grades that you have achieved till now. If necessary, certified English translations of all documents should also be provided. 

3. Copies of English language qualifications if required

4. Two references (one academic + one employer)

5. A personal statement (250 words at maximum)

The personal statement should essentially explain your interest in the chosen area, mention any academic or non-academic achievement, and describe how the degree will help you in achieving your career goals. 

Aston University’s acceptance rate is 42%, as per EduRank, and is moderately difficult. If you have high grades, there is a huge possibility for you to be accepted into the 163 bachelor’s, 164 online, 92 master’s programs, and 1 Ph.D. course.

Master’s degree program areas and courses per stream include:

1. Business & Management (52)

2. Social Sciences (18)

3. Medicine & Health (17)

4. Computer Science & IT (11)

5. Engineering & Technology (11)

6. Natural Sciences & Mathematics (9)

7. Humanities (4)

8. Applied Sciences & Professions (3)

9. Environmental Studies & Earth Sciences (3)

10. Law (2)

11. Education & Training (1)

12. Journalism & Media (1)

Pre-Master’s degree program areas and courses per stream include:

1. Business & Management (40)

2. Social Sciences (14)

3. Computer Science & IT (13)

4. Natural Sciences & Mathematics (10)

5. Engineering & Technology (7)

6. Medicine & Health (6)

7. Humanities (5)

8. Education & Training (3)

9. Applied Sciences & Professions (2)

10. Journalism & Media (2)

11. Law (1)

Some popular courses of the university according to 2020 QS Subject Rankings for major courses are:

1. Top 100 for Business & Management Studies

2. Top 200 for Accounting & Finance

3. Top 250 for Linguistics and Accounting & Finance

For postgraduate programs, students will have to complete 120 credit hours' worth of modules and 60 credit hours for dissertations. 

Some of the top programs at Aston University include the MBA program, which has been ranked in the global top 100 courses in the world for careers in

1. Marketing 

2. Consulting

3. Information Management

4. Technology 

5. Entrepreneurship.

Here is a calendar of Aston University for the academic year 2022-23:

First Term Start Date:

New Students- 19 September 2022

Returning Students- 26 September 2022

First Term End Date- 17 December 2022

Second Term- 9 January 2023 to 1 April 2023

Third Term- 24 April 2023 to 10 June 2023

PG Degree Congregation- 4 April 2023

Summer Degree Congregations- 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 July 2023 

Referred Examinations- 21 to 26 August 2023

Extra-curriculars and diversity

Aston University has more than 130 student-led associations catering to students with varied interests. The societies are divided based on cultural preferences, faith, general interest, and academic inclinations.

Some popular societies and clubs are:

1. Afghan Society

2. Afro Caribbean Society

3. Aston Arts Society

4. Aston Bright Futures Society

5. Aston Cardiovascular society

6. Aston Computer Science Society

7. Aston Entrepreneurs Club

8. Aston Gaming Society

9. Aston Navigators Society

10. Bangladeshi Society

12. AUX Radio Station

13. Built Environment Student Society

14. Aston Chocolate Society

You can also join the student union and give back to the school or a sports club at The Sir Doug Ellis Woodcock Sports Centre and Recreation Centre.

You can be a part of team sports like:

1. Basketball

2. Football

3. Netball

4. Volleyball

Aston University has more than 13,000 students from 120 countries, making the campus extremely diverse and global. International students can join cultural and religion-specific societies to feel at home.

Lastly, the university has more than 250 partnerships in about 45 countries, including some high-profile institutions across the globe. 

These partnerships include:

1. Student exchange

2. Staff exchange

3. Research collaboration

4. Teaching partnerships

5. Memorandum of understanding

Career/professional

Aston University, United Kingdom, has a dedicated career and placement cell that supports its students with friendly and professional guidance through their time at school and up to three years after they have graduated. It also helps students write solid CVS applications and cover letters and organizations group sessions that cover various employability topics, and one-to-one support options.

The team works closely with several industry experts and global employers to bring out the best placement opportunities for its students. Furthermore, the university has designed an employer engagement program that helps students avail opportunities to work with some of the best employers and aid students in developing their employability skills. 

Overall, the recruitment services at the school will help you with:

1. Connecting you to employers

Aston is well connected with some of the best businesses and industries thereby providing opportunities for students to engage with multiple top-notch employers through several presentations, workshops, and recruitment fairs. 

2. Specialist careers advice

Aston University’s dedicated careers consultants can work with students in a range of ways such as through one-to-one appointments, group sessions, and unscheduled drop-ins, so students can shape their career plan.

3. Gain work experience

The university sources and advertises a broad range of opportunities starting from consultancy projects to internships. The team supports its students with the curation of application and interview skills.

4. Hands-on experience

Students will be equipped with a wide range of transferable skills throughout their course, specifically during their research project days.

Aston University was named The Guardian’s ‘University of the Year’ for 2020 and has gained many accolades for its efforts to elevate its student’s career prospects:

1. Best University Career/Employability Service in the National Undergraduate Employability (NUE) Awards, 2020 

2. The Best University Collaboration between a University and Employer during the National Undergraduate Employability (NUE) Awards, 2020 

3. The Building Effective Partnerships Award by the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Service (AGCAS) Awards for Excellence, alongside Birmingham City University and Newman University, 2020 

4. The Outstanding University Partnership with an Employer and/or Supplier by the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) Awards, 2020 

The university has nurtured many famous alumni such as:

1. Keith Bradley and Baron Bradley, a labor politician, and life peer

2. Robert Walter, a Conservative MP

3. Simon D'Ujanga, the State Minister for Energy, Uganda

4. Anthony Cheung, the present Secretary for Transport and Housing, Hong Kong

5. Phil Popham, the Global Operations Director, Jaguar Land Rover

6. Angela Beesley Starling, the Co-founder of Wikipedia

7. Mark Wright, the Executive Director, Jaguar Land Rover

8. Ravi Kant, the Vice Chairman of TATA Motors India

9. Laura Jones and Ivan Noble, BBC journalists

10. Kate Walsh, Television Presenter

Financial

The Aston University fees will vary according to the course that you choose, and will also depend on if you are an in-house or international student. On average, international tuition fees varies between GBP 13,900- 19,950 (~INR 20 lakh approx).

Apart from tuition fees, there will be other costs that you may have to pay upfront or once you are here in Birmingham.

One-off initial costs

1. Advance rent payment or deposit: up to GBP 550 (~INR 55,000)

2. Deposit for private accommodation only: up to 5 weeks of rent

3. Bedding pack: GBP 30 (single) (~INR 3000)

4. Insurance: GBP 80 (~INR 3,000) 

5. Police registration: GBP 34 (~INR 3,400)

6. TV license: GBP 154.50 (~INR 16,000)

Essential costs

1. Rent

2. Gas and electricity

3. Water

4. Food

5. Toiletries

6. Laundry

These expenses can total up to GBP 7,770 (~INR 7,68,000) if it's a meal plan and GBP 8,820 (~INR 8, 90,000)  in case of a self-catered plan.

Other variable costs include:

1. Course costs

2. Travel

3. Social/memberships

4. Clothing

5. Internet

6. Mobile Phone

The weekly total for those costs is about GBP 110 (~INR 1100), and the annual total amounts to about GBP 4,620 (~INR 4,61,000).

Disclaimer! All course fees and salaries are approximate amounts subject to change depending on various conditions.

Top UK Universities

University Name	Acceptance Rate	Ranking	University Type
Sheffield Hallam University	43.00%	1200	Public
London Metropolitan University	84.00%	801	Public
Aston University	50%	570	Public
Anglia Ruskin University	75%	550	Public
University of Bath	10%-20%	179	Public
University of Essex	54%	465	Public
University of Surrey	65.00%	305	Public
University of Chester	25.00%	1201-1500	Public
University of Bedfordshire	70.00%	801-1000	Public
Swansea University	14.00%	425	Public
Newcastle University	87.00%	122	Public
Lancaster University	18.69%	146	Public
Heriot Watt University	60.00%	281	Public
Durham University	41.00%	92	Public
Cranfield University	67.90%	400	Public
Loughborough University	68%	256	Public
University of Southampton	84%	78	Public
University of Sussex	92.00%	240	Public
University of Sunderland	27.00%	101-150	Public
University of Dundee	36.00%	354	Private
University of Aberdeen	78.00%	205	Public
Ulster University	81.00%	650	Public
Manchester Metropolitan University	80.00%	801-1000	Public
Cardiff Metropolitan University	64.00%	1200	Public
Bournemouth University	50%	1000	Public
University of Aberdeen	78%	13	Public
University of Chester	25%	97	Public
University of Kent	85%	375	Public
University of Salford	4.80%	1000	Public
University of Stirling	20.00%	510	Public