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University of Brighton

Why choose University of Brighton?

The University of Brighton is a community of some 18,000 students and 2,400 staff based on four campuses across Brighton, and along the coast in relaxed, easy-going Eastbourne. Brighton is in the top 10 UK best student cities, and in the top 100 worldwide, according to the QS rankings. Our city is forward-thinking, vibrant and inclusive – as welcoming as it is exciting. We are one hour away from London and Gatwick Airport, with excellent transport links to the rest of the UK and Europe.

Our highly-ranked and long-established Study Abroad Programmes offer international students the opportunity to enrol in a variety of courses across seven different academic departments, for a semester or a year. All Study Abroad students have the opportunity to further immerse themselves in British Culture through field trips to popular UK tourist destinations and excursions to historic sites in the beautiful county of East Sussex.

Founded
1850

Reviews

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Samantha
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great opportunities

I had such a great time studying abroad at Brighton University, I had so many chances to explore surrounding areas and other countries, the teachers were very supportive and made my experience that much better. I also really enjoyed my class experience, learning aa much as I did and the options of classes- I had a chance to take classes I wouldn’t have been able to at my home university. My only complaint is the housing- caused a lot of unnecessary stress and concerns: issues with water and heating made living slightly uncomfortable.

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Cole
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The best thing I’ve ever done

Studying abroad at the University of Brighton was one of the best decision I ever made. I’ve had so much fun during my stay with the field trips and people I have met along the way. The staff is full of great people that want to help you succeed

Brighton offers a great beach and tons of restaurants on the coast. There is always stuff going on so you can always find something to do when you are bored.

One hundred percent recommend studying abroad to anyone that is thinking about doing it, you will definitely have a great time!

Pros
  • Great staff
  • Great location
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Svea
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The best time of my life. I'll be back!

The time in Brighton was the best time I've had in my life so far! I met great people from all over the world with whom I am still in good contact. The International Office supported me very well and always answered all my questions, I felt very well looked after. The excursions to Oxford and Sussex etc. were well organised and were a great way to get to know the country better, I would recommend it to anyone! The university offers small courses in which I was able to learn a lot. The city is great for students, there is always a lot to discover and yet you feel at home.
I liked it so much that I am currently planning to return to Brighton for my Master's degree :)

Pros
  • International friendships
  • Get to know a new culture
  • Improve language skills
Cons
  • Expensive
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Hannah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best experience of my life

Studying in Brighton was the best experience I have ever had. I made the most amazing friends and all of the staff was incredible. I would encourage anyone who is interested to go for it! The program gave me so much more than I could have ever wanted, I wish my time in Brighton could have been longer! It is the perfect city for students and is located close to London and other amazing cities in England. We saw so many amazing places in our short time, I would recommend going on every trip as they made some of my best memories!

Pros
  • Friendships
  • Exploring new places
  • Wonderful staff
Cons
  • Expensive
Default avatar
Stephanie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

TCH Summer Brighton

This experience taught me the gift of strangers and taking a leap of faith. It has opened my heart to trying new things, being bad at them, and loving them anyways. I think that’s a powerful lesson. As an educator, I think I will be working to include more individual time with my students and work on advocating for all learning styles. Lots of the adults I talked to in UK schools went on about the teacher-peer ratio and how it needs help. Building a connection with my kids will be the most critical part of my job, and from the adults, I’ve talked to) it is the most crucial part to kids too. Listening to my kid's needs, adapting to their learning styles, and making their lives easier, is how I want to roll. I had no clue that I could walk up to a stranger and start a conversation. There is no way I would do something like that at home, but with the confidence, I found in Brighton, I was able to do it. I hope this is something I can carry over at home because it is a great skill I developed.
Overall, I adored this program! I met the most amazing people within and outside of the program, and am so happy I had this experience. We saw amazing things and I learned so much about myself, England, schools abroad, and more!

Pros
  • build great friendships
  • lots of free time
Cons
  • no air conditioning
  • had to buy food a lot more than i thought
Response from University of Brighton

Thank you for this lovely review Stephanie! It was great having you on the programme, and well done for getting involved in all the activities and making the most out of your time here in Brighton. We hope you will pop in to the office the next time you are in Brighton and best of luck for your future career :) The Study Abroad Office

Programs

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Becca Dwyer

Becca Dwyer is in her fourth year at California State University Northridge with a Major in Graphic Design and a Minor in Marketing. Currently working as a Graphic Design and Web Development assistant, she is set to graduate in Spring 2018. When she's not working or studying, she likes to watch animated movies and work on her own illustrations.
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Why did you choose this program?

Aside from the fact that they offered courses beneficial to my degree, the University of Brighton offered many included field trips that were very enticing to me.

I was also drawn to this specific program by the town of Brighton, itself. With it's close proximity to a pebble beach and only an hour train journey to London, it seemed like the perfect location.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Applying to the program was a bit more difficult for me than others. Since I did not have a USAC program at my school, I had to apply for National Student Exchange to the University of Las Vegas, Nevada, and then apply straight to the University of Brighton.

I was pretty much on my own throughout the whole process, but since I knew that I wanted to study specifically at Brighton through USAC, it wasn't a huge problem. I know that students who have the USAC program at their school have a pretty easy application process.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Plan ahead and save! I knew that I wanted to study abroad several years before I actually applied to the program. In the years leading up to my application, I saved as much money as I could, and it definitely paid off. Having extra money to spend on a spontaneous trip to Wales with friends is so much more fun then staying home on the weekend.

Having the financial freedom to say yes to random activities and travels allowed me to take full advantage of my year abroad.

Unfortunately, I know of one girl in my program who signed up for the whole year, but didn't have the financial means to do so and left after the first semester. In order to get the most out of your time abroad, you need to save your money and go on as many adventures as you can!

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

An average week would probably have you going to school three out of the five school days. I only took the equivalent of 12 U.S. units per semester and would spend my downtime hanging out with friends, going to the beach and chilling at pubs. Brighton has a young demographic and a lot of nightlife so you definitely don't have any excuse to be bored!

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it and/or how did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear was just doing something so independently. I felt like I had never been put so far out of my comfort before. Arriving in a new country where you don't know where to go, you don't have any friends yet and where nothing is familiar to you is very daunting. Luckily, once you get to your campus, you'll find approximately 30 other students feeling the exact same way! Bonding!

Also, after completing my year abroad, I can tell that I am a much more confident and assertive individual. Because I put myself out there and took the leap to study abroad, I now know how important it is to have that kind of bravery in my everyday life. I'm much more likely now to say yes to new adventures and challenges that once might've seriously intimidated me.

What's your favorite story to tell about your time abroad?

It's not so much of a story as it is an awesome fact. I went to Edinburgh, Scotland during my three week long Spring Break and stayed in the Castle Rock Hostel. First of all, yes our spring break was three weeks long and also yes, I would definitely recommend staying at the Castle Rock Hostel if you ever find yourself in Edinburgh.

Anyways, the Castle Rock Hostel holds a beer pong tournament every Saturday night and I can now literally say that I won a beer pong tournament in Scotland. My teammate was someone I didn't even know before the start of the tournament, but who for sure became my best friend when she threw the winning shot. My picture is now up on their "Wall of Champions" for 2016 beer pong tournaments, how cool is that!?

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Elissa Gregory

Job Title
Study Abroad Administrator

What is your favorite travel memory?

A cruise up the coast of Norway past the Arctic Circle and dog sledding with Huskies in Tromso where there was an ice hotel. I got to experience the Aurora Borealis. It really was a once in lifetime experience and one of the incredible natural wonders of the world that I feel so very fortunate to have experienced.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

It’s been fantastic to work directly with students to really do all we can to have a positive impact on the student experience. When we took our JSA and ISU Spring semester students to Paris; this was the last trip I attended with them before they returned to their hometowns back in the USA. It was gorgeous to see how much they had grown both as individuals and bonded as a group since I first met them at the beginning of the semester. We work really hard to create bespoke programs for our students and it’s great fun and it’s given me a real passion for the service that we provide.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

A student described how she never felt like she fit in anywhere at home, but felt a sense of belonging here in Brighton. She learned a lot about herself on the program and could now get a sense and see the direction of where her life was going. She felt like Brighton was her second home and couldn’t wait to return and hopefully move here one day!

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I think the Summer program would be really fun. Students are here during the best part of the year with the weather and when it’s hot the vibe is great in Brighton. The program is jam-packed with activities and as student teachers, you would get to experience a wide range of various, fantastic schools that make up our school system, from independent forest schools to SEN schools and of course mainstream schools who we have spent many years building a partnership with. Schools love having students from the USA.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

We’re a very small team and the service has developed over 20 years creating bespoke programmes for our students wishing to experience studying abroad. You can’t compare our programmes to other institutions because they are so different. The programmes have been built up from the reviews of the students who really are our best marketing tool and advert and I’m proud that the team really have listened and created programmes that really go out a limb to make sure students return home with a life-changing experience.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Passion and caring about what you're doing. It’s so rewarding to support our students on their journey of studying abroad which is often their first time away from home, and although companies do have to have financial stability it’s not about profit and numbers, it’s about creating a service that stands out from the rest.