Welcome 2026 Students

Start Date

Welcome Week will take place between Monday 14 September and Friday 18 September 2026. During Welcome Week your course team will schedule activities for you to find out important information about your course, meet your lecturers and other students, and find your way around.

Teaching on your course begins from Monday 21 September 2026. Please check your timetable for details.

You will be able to see your timetable on iCity using your BCU login details as soon as they are released. You should have received your BCU login details when you were invited to enrol.

International Students

We expect all international students to engage with their studies in person from w/c 7 September 2026.

The final deadline to arrive in the UK to complete enrolment will be week 4 (w/c 2 October 2026).

Timetables

Course Leader

Tom Tebby

Welcome Message

Welcome to Birmingham City University and the Foundation in Architecture and Design course!

We’re excited to welcome you in September and to kick off the new academic year with Welcome Week – a fantastic opportunity to meet new people, make friends, get to know your tutors, and find your way around the Parkside Building and the wider BCU campus. We have a range of activities planned throughout the week, as well as the Freshers’ Fair, where you can discover the many clubs, societies, and opportunities available at BCU – and pick up some free goodies along the way!

The Foundation course is all about exploration, collaboration, creativity, and experimentation. You’ll spend the year developing ideas, drawing, making, testing, and discovering new ways of thinking. From designing buildings and creating interior and outdoor spaces to solving real-world problems and working as part of a team, you’ll build the confidence, knowledge, and skills needed to progress successfully onto your BA course.

By joining the Foundation course, you’ll become part of a community of students, staff, designers, artists, researchers, and makers all exploring architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and related creative disciplines. This is the beginning of an inspiring journey, and we encourage you to make the most of every opportunity that comes your way.

We hope you have a wonderful summer, and we look forward to meeting you in September.

Course Location

Your course will mainly be taught in:

Parkside Building, City Centre Campus (Room numbers start with P)

First day on Campus

We look forward to welcoming you to Birmingham City University!

You must have your ID card visible at all times when on campus, so if you have received yours before your first day, ensure you bring this with you. If you enrolled late you will need to collect one on campus during your first few days. Please remember that your ID card is for your use only. You must never let anyone else use it.

To complete your enrolment, you will need the following:

• Passport (or other form of photo ID if you are a UK/EU student)
• Original qualification documents if applicable (you will be emailed a list of the documents we need to see once you have completed your online enrolment)
• Visa (international students only)

What else? The rest is up to you! You will find a shop, café, pub, computer access and water fountains on campus, but we do recommend you bring the following on the first day:

• Laptop, if you have one
• Notepad and pen
• Reusable water bottle
• Snack
• Money

And remember, the weather in Birmingham can be changeable!