Student Property Investment Birmingham

If you’re a student property investor in Birmingham, you’ll only want to know one thing:

What is the return potential of a Birmingham student property investment?

Well, the West Midlands city is offering some of the best returns seen in the UK property market.

In October 2024, Birmingham property boasted an average price of £240,232, according to the UK House Price Index – over £50,000 below the UK average.

This gets even more affordable for those making a student accommodation investment, with some student apartments available for as little as £56k.

So, what’s the bottom line?

The Birmingham student property market is affordable with high rental income potential. This makes student investment property in Birmingham a top choice in 2024.

As of 2023, Birmingham is one of the UK’s youngest cities.

Home to approximately 1.14 million people, around 40% of Birmingham’s bustling population is under 25, with a large student population of over 100,000.

Due to these high student numbers, student demand is massive, leading to an increased supply of student houses in the region.

As such, there are plenty of opportunities to find a top student investment property in Birmingham.

It gets better:

Birmingham has a large population of international students, with over 10,000 in the University of Birmingham alone.

This is important for investors as international students are up to 2.2 times more likely to rent purpose-built student accommodation, according to Savills.

Likely the main reason behind Birmingham’s massive student population is the fact the city is home to five famous universities:

• The University of Birmingham
• Birmingham City University
• University College Birmingham
• Aston University
• Newman University

There are also a whopping 20 universities and higher education facilities within a one-hour drive of Birmingham.

But it’s not the number of universities attracting students from across the globe. Instead, the quality of education in Birmingham sets the city apart from many in Europe.

Birmingham is one of the premier UK student cities, with the University of Birmingham ranked 14th out of 130 institutions in the Complete University Guide league table for 2023.

Not only does this mean students are coming to Birmingham to study, but many are also choosing to stay and work.

This is good news for investors, who have the option to purchase both student property and residential apartments to diversify their portfolios.

The University of Birmingham

Chief among Birmingham’s higher education facilities is The University of Birmingham.

Part of the prestigious Russell Group, a collection of 24 research-led universities in the UK, the University of Birmingham is the preferred choice of over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff members.

The seventh-largest university in the UK and ranked in the top 100 universities in the world, Birmingham offers a fantastic opportunity for students and investors alike.

This has been mirrored in its academic successes, with a staggering 85% of those completing their degrees securing a 2.1 or higher degree.

Its main campus is three miles from Edgbaston, making the area incredibly popular for student accommodation.

While the quality of universities is a big attraction to the city, future job opportunities also play a part in students’ minds.

Luckily for those living (and investing) in Birmingham, the city offers some incredible job opportunities, with more on the way.

The city is already home to HSBC, Deutsche Bank, and PwC, resulting in Birmingham having the largest business and financial hub outside of London.

Better yet:

Thanks to six major urban regeneration projects, the number of jobs is set to sky-rocket in the not-so-distant future.

The main projects include the Big City Plan and High Speed 2.

With major development focused on the city centre, such as Birmingham Smithfield and Paradise, the area is the perfect place to invest in student property and student buy to let before prices rise.

Like every major student city, those thinking of buying a Birmingham student investment property have two main options to consider:

1. Purpose-built student accommodation
2. A student HMO

Both of these options can be good choices, but likely the preferred method of making a student property investment in Birmingham is through purpose-built student accommodation.

More students are opting for a modern living experience in 2025 that traditionally older HMO houses simply can’t provide.

Moreover, HMOs can be particularly troubling for beginner property investors, with many rules and regulations, including a new Article 4 planning direction that means investors need planning permission to convert houses to HMOs.

Also, student accommodation costs less than HMOs, making it a more budget-friendly option for investors.

It can be more complicated than this, though, so be sure to read our guide on investing in student property in 2025 for a complete list of pros and cons.

So, now that you know how to make a student investment property Birmingham purchase, it’s time to think about where to invest.

Unfortunately for investors, not every area of Birmingham offers the same investment potential, with variations in house prices, rent trends, and rental demand.

Currently, the best areas for investing in Birmingham student property are:

1. Birmingham City Centre
2. Edgbaston
3. Selly Oak
4. Harborne
5. Bournbrook
6. Kings Heath

These areas are close to university campuses, have a tonne of accommodation, and are ideally located near pubs, eateries, coffee shops, and supermarkets – perfect for the modern student tenant.