Coventry University

Visiting your child at Coventry University means flying into Birmingham Airport (BHX); Coventry is about 20 minutes away by train. Plan the UK visitor visa well ahead.

Getting from BHX to campus

Visitor visa for parents

Indian parents need a UK Standard Visitor visa - one visa covers England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (there is no separate 'London visa'). It is applied for online and biometrics are given at a VFS Global centre in India. Most are 6-month visit visas; frequent visitors can choose 2-, 5- or 10-year multiple-entry visas. India has a high (around 82%) grant rate.

• One UK visa covers all four nations - no separate visa for London, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
• Apply about 3 months ahead, especially for graduation - slots book out and graduations are fixed dates.
• A complete file with strong home ties, clear funds and a clear purpose drives the high approval rate.
• Frequent visitors should consider the 2/5/10-year multiple-entry visa to avoid re-applying each trip.

Just admitted to Coventry University? Here's your arrival checklist.

Arrival checklist

• Book your flight into Birmingham Airport (BHX) early for the best September fares.
• Train from BHX to Coventry (~20 min), then bus to campus.
• Line up first-week housing before arrival; Birmingham's desi scene is ~20 min by train.
• Carry your CAS, passport, proof of funds and confirmation of your visa (eVisa share code) in your cabin bag.

Coventry - home to Coventry University and, just outside the city, the University of Warwick - is an affordable Midlands student city, about GBP 950-1,350 a month all-in sharing and cooking. It has a large international student population and easy train links to Birmingham and London.

Monthly cost of living in Coventry (a student estimate)

That's roughly £11,000-15,500 a year for living costs, on top of tuition.

Finding accommodation

Coventry students share near the city centre (Coventry Uni) or around Canley/Earlsdon for Warwick; rents are low.

• National Express Coventry buses have student passes; Warwick runs its own Unibus.
• Warwick's campus sits between Coventry and Leamington Spa.
• Trains reach Birmingham in ~20 min and London in ~1 hr.

Working part-time

On a Student visa you can work up to 20 hours/week during term time (degree level) and full-time during official university vacations. The 20-hour cap is per week, not an average, counts all jobs combined, and you must be a payroll employee - no self-employment, freelancing or gig/delivery work. After graduating you can apply for the Graduate Route: unsponsored post-study work with no job-type or hour limits, currently 2 years (3 for PhD). Note: from 1 January 2027 the Graduate Route drops to 18 months for non-doctoral graduates, so 2026 graduates should apply by 31 December 2026 to get the full two years.

Safety & student support

Coventry's universities's areas are generally safe by UK standards; use normal city awareness at night.

• Coventry's universities has campus security and student-safety services - save the campus number.
• Main student areas are busy and well-populated.
• A compact, student-heavy city; normal awareness at night.

Indian community & food

Coventry has a large, growing Indian student community, with desi grocers in the city and Birmingham's huge scene nearby.

Indian grocery stores

• Local Indian/Asian grocers across Coventry carry spices, lentils and staples.
• Mainstream Tesco, Asda and Aldi carry world-food aisles.
• Birmingham's Soho Road/Sparkhill (~30 min by train) for the widest selection.

Student community

• Coventry and Warwick have very active Indian/South Asian societies with Diwali and Holi events.
• The area has Hindu temples and gurdwaras.

• A solid range of Indian restaurants, with Birmingham's Balti Triangle close by.

Cost & living figures for Coventry last verified Jun 2026. Figures are estimates and change over time.