COMMUTING TO UNIVERSITY
Planning on living at home while studying? At Aston you won't be alone. Find out how we make commuting easy.
70% of our undergraduates
Live at home while studying at Aston.
10 minutes
Walk from New Street Station.
3 stations
Within walking distance of campus.
Your commuter student guide to Aston
Aston University sits on a 60‑acre, central Birmingham campus, only 5–10 minutes walk from major shopping and business areas.
- Birmingham's three main train stations (New Street, Moor Street and Snow Hill) are all within a 10-15 minute walk from campus.
- Aston has numerous bus stops linking the campus to all areas of Birmingham on the extensive bus network.
- If you're planning on travelling by tram to our campus, the nearest stations are 6-10 minutes away; Bull Street, Corporation Street, and Grand Central New Street.
- Aston has on-campus parking, open from 6am to 10pm, which can be booked and paid for via the JustPark app, with rates starting from £2.20 to £6 daily. More pay and display parking is available at Millennium Point, just a 4 minute walk to campus.
- Secure cycle storage is provided across campus and shower and changing facilities are also available.
- Student travel discounts are available across all forms of public transport in the region from Transport for West Midlands.
Our campus is well set up for students commuting to study with us, whether you need a secure places to store your belonging, quiet and sociable study areas, kitchen facilities or religious spaces.
- We provide lockers on campus with secure swipe-access, plus lockers outside our labs for storing belongings.
- Our campus offers a variety of study spaces, including social, quiet, and group areas, with facilities such as screens and bookable rooms, designed to support different study needs and preferences.
- Aston offers a mix of cafés, snack bars and and social spaces, whether you're looking for a coffee break, grab‑and‑go lunch, hot meal or relaxed social drinks. In September 2026, we'll be opening a brand new street food venue, offering some of the best new flavours in the city.
- There are several well-equipped kitchens on campus with microwaves for those wanting to heat their own food.
- Time to kill between lectures? Our on-campus gym, swimming pool, courts and outdoor pitches are open from 6.30am until 10.30pm. Visit the Sport Aston website for details.
- Our campus offers multi-faith spaces and prayer rooms, offering reflection time and support.
- Our SafeZone app ensures the safety of students around campus, providing a direct line to the Campus Safety team and enabling them to instantly locate the caller’s whereabouts.
With areas for group working and quiet study, you can hook your laptop to a TV screen and rehearse a presentation, collaborate on projects or focus on your coursework.
Up for a challenge? Exercise your mind and body using one of the stationary study bikes.
- Our social study space offers an area for individual and group work including access to screens and a kitchen area including a microwave and facilities to make hot drinks.
- Our quiet study space is available for individuals and small groups. You will find a kitchen area, including facilities to make hot drinks and lockers for storage.
Aston offers a mix of cafés, snack bars, food courts and social spaces, providing plenty of options for coffee breaks, grab‑and‑go lunches, hot meals and relaxed social drinks.
- The Aston Coffee Lab hand-picks the freshest ingredients to give our students the best coffee and wholesome food that tastes good and does good.
- The Lounge is the kitchen and bar in Aston Students' Union that serves great tasting and affordable food, including Halal, vegan and veggie options.
- In September 2026, we'll be opening a brand new street food venue, offering some of the best new flavours in the city.
- There are also a variety of retail food outlets on our campus for additional food choices, including an on-campus Greggs, Costa Coffee, and Tesco Express
. - There are several well-equipped kitchens on campus with microwaves for those wanting to heat their own food.
Worried about making friends if you're not living in University accommodation? At Aston there are so many ways to meet your tribe, whatever you're interested in or enjoy doing.
- There are over 100 clubs and societies at Aston, from gaming to books and rock music to crafting. So there are lots of opportunities to meet like-minded people on and off campus, whatever your passion. The Clubs and Societies Fair at the start of term is a great chance to see what's available and make contact.
- If you're into sport, there are Aston teams for almost any game imaginable that you can join, and there are also pitches, courts and more to make those sporting bonds on, including our brand new Padel Loft.
- Our Students' Union has a specific Commuter Student representative who runs a WhatsApp Group for commuter students, giving you the opportunity to meet and socialise with students in the same situation as you.
- If you'd like to meet and chat to other new Aston students before you start, take a look at our Aston Reddit community.
Our dedicated teams are here to support you with a variety of services tailored to your needs and advice to make sure your time at Aston is as enjoyable as possible.
- At Aston, you will have easy access to mental health and wellbeing support, including counselling, disability and neurodiversity support, as well as pastoral and faith support, even if you live at home.
- Our Student Solutions Centre is an in-person support location for all students at Aston and the place to go for information and advice. It's located in the centre of campus and the staff can help with any issue.
- The Library and Learning Services at Aston offers the chance to borrow a laptop, improve skills from maths to academic writing, and also provides a successful mentorship scheme to help you settle into University, learning from the experiences of other students.
- Our award-winning Careers support team will help you secure a professional placement, craft a CV that cuts through, smash that interview, find a part-time job or even start your own business.
- If you're worried about money before or during your time at Aston, there are funding options and scholarships which you may be eligible for, including support funds.
- Our Students' Union also offers a range of useful money advice, including how to get lots of great student discounts.
We know the cost of university and managing your money while studying is stressful, so we offer help and support, from scholarships to tips and advice. And don't forget about handy student discounts which can save you some cash.
- If you're worried about money before or during your time at Aston, there are funding options and scholarships which you may be eligible for.
- Aston also offers a non-repayable support grant to help eligible students who are experiencing unexpected financial difficulties and are in need of financial assistance.
- Planning on finding a part-time job while you study? As an Aston student, there are lots of opportunities for flexible work at the University (you could be an ambassador or a Student Content Creator for example). You will have access to Aston Futures, our online jobs board that will help you find part time work at the University and with local companies or big brands.
- Student travel discounts are available across all forms of public transport in the region from Transport for West Midlands.
- Make sure you get a TOTUM card for the best discounts and offers on top brands while you're a student at Aston.
Commuter student tips
Commuter student FAQs
- Can students park on campus?
-
Aston has some on-campus parking, open from 6am to 10pm, which can be booked and paid for via the JustPark app, with rates starting from £2.20 to £6 daily. More pay and display parking is available at Millennium Point, just a 4 minute walk to campus.
- Where can I spend time between lectures if I commute?
-
Our campus offers a variety of study spaces, including social, quiet, and group areas, with facilities such as screens and bookable rooms, designed to support different study needs and preferences.
Aston also offers a mix of cafés, snack bars and and social spaces, whether you're looking for a coffee break, grab‑and‑go lunch, hot meal or relaxed social drinks. In September 2026, we'll be opening a brand new street food venue, offering some of the best new flavours in the city.
Or if you fancy getting active, our on-campus gym, swimming pool, courts and outdoor pitches are open from 6.30am until 10.30pm.
- What support is available if I am struggling with commuter costs?
-
Aston offers a non-repayable support grant to help eligible students who are experiencing unexpected financial difficulties and are in need of financial assistance.
As an Aston student, there are lots of opportunities for flexible work at the University (you could be an ambassador or a Student Content Creator for example). You will have access to Aston Futures, our online jobs board that will help you find part time work at the University and with local companies or big brands.
Student travel discounts are available across all forms of public transport in the region from Transport for West Midlands.
- Is there anywhere secure I can leave my belongings on campus?
-
We provide lockers on campus with secure swipe-access, plus lockers outside our labs for storing belongings.
- Are there microwaves on campus so I can heat my own food?
-
There are several well-equipped kitchens on campus with microwaves for those wanting to heat their own food.