It is attended by around 7,500 students, including 1100 overseas students from 65 different countries.

It became an independent college with charitable status in 1993 and is regulated as a public body.

It was granted the right to award its own degrees in 2007 and became a university college in 2008.

All are in the Hockley (Jewellery Quarter) area of central Birmingham and all are located within barely 100 metres of each other.

Summer Row (map) has been the college's main campus and administrative centre since 1968.

Richmond House at 84 Newhall Street (map) has been a college campus since 2001 and contains a spa, sports therapy suites, hairdressing and beauty salons.

George Street (map) has been a college campus sine 2008 and is a postgraduate centre with a dedicated teaching and research facility.

It has also obtained planning permission for a 4-storey learning centre at the corner of Charlotte Street and Holland Street (News Headlines 20/05/11).

Bakery and Confectionary, Chef and Food Production, Early Years Childhood and Education, Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy, Health and Social Care, Hospitality, Restaurant Service, Sports Studies, Travel and Tourism.

Business and Marketing, Childhood and Education; Hospitality; Food and Events Management; Recreation, Sport and Tourism; Sports Therapy and Salon Management

Business and Marketing, Childhood and Education; Hospitality; Food and Events Management; and Tourism.

The library at Summer Row is on the 5th floor with a separate learning resource centre on the 1st floor.

Richmond House has a combined library and learning resource centre on the 4th floor.

These facilities are open to the general public.

It is a gated student community set in landscaped gardens with a bar, supermarket, fitness suite, sports hall and 827 self-catering study bedrooms of which 809 are en-suite and 5 are twin.

Parking is limited and chargeable.

Most residents are first year undergraduates.

It contains accommodation for 247 students who live in self-catering flats with shared bathrooms, kitchens and dining rooms.

It represents and advises students, organises sport and social activities, and is run by an Executive Committee consisting of 7 current students and 1 sabbatical officer (Website).

The two halls of residence are in the Westside area of central Birmingham.

All sites are within walking distance of city centre attractions including Broad Street, Brindleyplace, the Mailbox, the Bullring, Chinatown, the International Convention Centre and the National Indoor Arena.

Leave the A4540 at Spring Hill and travel towards the city centre on Summer Hill Road.

Continue on Summer Hill Road to Sandpits Parade and then turn left towards the main campus on Summer Row.

There is limited parking on Summer Row so you may prefer to continue towards the city centre on Sandpits Parade and then turn left into Charlotte Street where there is a pay and display car park or right into Cambridge Street and right again into Brindley Drive where there is a council multi-storey car park.

See our bus guide for more information about bus routes in Birmingham.