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University of Sussex

4.64 Rating
159 reviews
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Why choose University of Sussex?

The University of Sussex is a leading research-intensive university in the lively city of Brighton on the South Coast of the United Kingdom, located one hour away from London.

Ranked in the world's top 225 universities (QS World University Rankings 2024), the University has both an international and local outlook, with staff and students from more than 100 countries and frequent engagement in community activities and services.

Situated in the rolling parkland of the South Downs National Park and just a few minutes from Brighton - which has been ranked as the UK's happiest city for students (Student Living by Sodexo) - the campus combines award-winning architecture with green open spaces.

Sussex offers a multi-disciplinary Direct Enrol Study Abroad Semester and Year Program, with over 1,000 modules on offer, as well as the Sussex Undergraduate Summer School offering numerous modules designed, delivered and taught by Sussex faculty across the summer.

Founded
1961
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Community Photos

Brighton double decker!
First musical in London!
Seven sisters hike close by
A photo from a short film shoot during my Filmmaking module.
One of many trips to London, where we went to a concert!
Summer in Brighton!
One of the activities with the exchange students: a pub crawl around the city.
One of many sunsets enjoyed by the beach.
One of the many hikes I went on
My first time in Brighton
Brighton beach sunset
sunset in Brighton
Me, Xiomara, in front of Palance of Westminster
Girl trip to see the skyline
Seven Sisters Cliff Hike in Seaford!
Free cake from the university!

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Diversity & Inclusion 💙

The University of Sussex offers comprehensive support for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) students through various initiatives, resources, and student organizations. These efforts aim to create an inclusive and equitable campus environment, fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment for BIPOC individuals within the university community.
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The University of Sussex is committed to providing robust support for LGBTQIA+ students, creating a safe and inclusive campus environment. Through its dedicated LGBTQ+ society, counselling services, and educational programs, the university works to promote awareness, understanding, and acceptance of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations. These efforts contribute to a vibrant and respectful community that celebrates LGBTQIA+ individuals and their contributions.
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We offer comprehensive support for neurodivergent students, recognizing the unique strengths and challenges they bring to the academic community. Through its Disability and Dyslexia Support team, specialized accommodations, and tailored resources, the university ensures that neurodivergent students can access an inclusive and accommodating learning environment. By promoting awareness, providing assistive technologies, and fostering a culture of understanding, Sussex strives to empower neurodivergent individuals to excel in their academic pursuits.
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The University of Sussex is dedicated to ensuring accessibility for all students, offering a range of support services to accommodate diverse needs. With a commitment to inclusivity, the university provides accessible facilities, assistive technologies, and personalised accommodations through its Accessibility Services team. These efforts contribute to an environment where every student can fully participate in academic and extracurricular activities, promoting equal opportunities and fostering a sense of belonging for all members of the university community.
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Impact 🌎

We are deeply committed to sustainability and environmental stewardship, actively integrating eco-friendly practices into its operations, curriculum, and campus development. Through initiatives such as sustainable transportation options, waste reduction programs, and renewable energy projects, the university strives to minimise its ecological footprint. By engaging students, faculty, and staff in sustainability efforts, Sussex creates a culture of environmental responsibility that prepares future leaders to address global challenges.
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The University of Sussex places a strong emphasis on ethical impact by fostering a culture of social responsibility and ethical awareness among its students and staff. Through interdisciplinary research, community engagement, and partnerships with ethical organizations, the university addresses pressing societal issues and seeks innovative solutions for a more just and sustainable world. By integrating ethics into academic programs and encouraging critical thinking, Sussex aims to empower individuals who are equipped to make positive ethical contributions to society.

Reviews

Teodor
Male
Romania
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad in Brighton, England at University of Sussex

Sussex and Brighton

Jul 26, 2026

Sussex University and Brighton will always have a place in my heart. I had quite difficult classes but my teachers and classmates always helped me understand the materials better when needed. Then, socially, meeting other exchange students and classmates, really made my experience one of the best. No one is judgemental and everyone is so open, you can truly be yourself while immersing in a hardworking academic environment. I love Brighton and US. I would not however recommend a specific housing accommodation on campus, namely Norwich house. We paid significantly high amount of money for rent and we were not satisfied at all. I will not go into details here because this is not the purpose, however, the management of the housing, made it very hard for us to be able to recommend future students living on campus.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Enjoy one of the most open minded cities and people you’ll ever meet.
Pros
  • Academic support
  • Close friendships
  • Safety
What other participants should know
  • Poor housing
  • Not amazing weather
  • Quite expensive
First musical in London!
Brighton double decker!
Response from University of Sussex

Thank you for your review Teodor. We will look into the point raised regarding your housing to prevent this occuring in future.

By Jon Bowditch on July 26, 2026
samantha
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad in Brighton, England at University of Sussex

Best thing I could've done

Jul 21, 2026

Insane experience and could not recommend more. You make a bunch of international friends, experience education in another country, and can hop on a train to get to another country. I found the modules at Sussex engaging and relevant to my future job. The course load was manageable (much less work than my home uni) and allowed for constant travelling (uni is fairly close to gatwick airport). Sussex is a very international student friendly place, in all of my classes there was a bunch of exchange students. All of the clubs and sports teams had activites and pubcrawls, which really gets you involved in the pubbing culture. Brighton is a vibrant place that is worth the visit.

Response from University of Sussex

Thanks Samantha. Great to hear that you managed to explore so much in your time at Sussex.

By Jon Bowditch on July 26, 2026
Olivia
Female
Sweden
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad in Brighton, England at University of Sussex

My semester abroad!

Jul 21, 2026

My exchange abroad was a really great time in which I met so many new people who gave me new perspectives in different ways. In school we had a lot of different seminars and workshops which gave me insights I’m bringing with me home, and outside of school I got to meet both exchange students and British people from my corridor and in my volleyball team. It’s very exciting to get to know someone with a whole different childhood and culture, you realize there’s so much more to learn. The university also hosted a lot of different events for bringing the students together, which I appreciated! The societies also offered a wide range of social activities for free or a small sum, which was a great way to get to know new people. After this exchange I also feel more comfortable in speaking English, or at least confident that I’m able to show my personality in a different language than my first language. That opens up a whole new world of opportunities!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
English breakfast! Not a fan, but a fun experience:)
Pros
  • Improved English
  • International friends
  • Personal growth
What other participants should know
  • Poor living conditions
  • Rainy weather
  • Having to leave your friends at the end
Seven sisters hike close by
Response from University of Sussex

Thanks for the review Olivia. We really enjoyed watching your video!

By Jon Bowditch on July 26, 2026
Wilma
Female
Sweden
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad in Brighton, England at University of Sussex

Best time of my life

Jul 20, 2026

My exchange at University of Sussex has been one of the best experiences of my life! Not only did I grow as a person, but I also made memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. I wouldn’t trade my exchange experience for anything in the world.

I also had the opportunity to take creative courses that aren’t offered at my home university, and they were incredibly enjoyable. They made me realize that the creative field is where I truly want to build my career.

Brighton is an amazing city as well, it’s the perfect size, and the people are so friendly. I felt at home from the very beginning. Another huge plus was how well the university looked after us exchange students. There were so many fun activities at the start of the semester, which made it easy to meet people and make friends.

I will always be grateful for my exchange experience at University of Sussex!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
What surprised me the most was how beautiful Brighton really is. The beauty of the city and the fact that it truly is a seaside city exceeded my expectations. My friends and I spent many evenings at the beach, and when the weather got warmer, we even spent entire days there. It was absolutely wonderful and something I didn’t know about before moving here!
Pros
  • The people I met
  • The education
  • The city itself
What other participants should know
  • The weather
One of the many hikes I went on
One of many sunsets enjoyed by the beach.
One of the activities with the exchange students: a pub crawl around the city.
Summer in Brighton!
One of many trips to London, where we went to a concert!
A photo from a short film shoot during my Filmmaking module.
Response from University of Sussex

Thanks for your review of your time at Sussex Wilma, and for the amazing pictures.

By Jon Bowditch on July 26, 2026
Mariona
Female
Spain
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad in Brighton, England at University of Sussex

More Than Just an Education

Jul 20, 2026

Coming to Sussex was not only academically enriching, but it also gave me the opportunity to meet students from all over the world as well as local British students!

The University of Sussex and the city of Brighton offer so many exciting activities and things to do, making it easy to get involved and make the most of your time here.
I would highly recommend joining a society. Whether it's the Walking Society, where you can explore the beautiful South Downs and enjoy the stunning natural surroundings, or Pilates to unwind, stay active, and meet new people, there is something for everyone.

I also really enjoyed the content of my modules. The lecturers were incredibly supportive, and the seminars were engaging and interactive.

When it comes to housing, it can be a little tricky, as it really depends on your preferences and what makes you feel most comfortable. I chose to live off campus in a shared flat with local students. While some of them certainly taught me a few lessons in patience, others showed me their favourite spots around Brighton and introduced me to their friends. I was really lucky! Living with local students gave me a genuine insight into British life and made my experience even more memorable.

Overall, my time at Sussex has been an incredibly rewarding academic and personal experience. I have made lifelong friends, grown both academically and personally, and created memories that I will always cherish.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
Overall, I wouldn't change anything about this experience. Even the more challenging moments shaped the experience in being what it is today. If I could give my past self one piece of advice, it would be not to take things so personally. People come and go, and that's a natural part of life. Stay true to yourself, and don't be afraid to be honest and open about how you feel. An exchange goes by so fast! If you appreciate someone or enjoy having them in your life, tell them! You never know how much it might mean to them.
Pros
  • Independence
  • Friendliness of people and British culture
  • Getting to know yourself in new situations
What other participants should know
  • Cost of living
  • Quality of food
  • Weather
Response from University of Sussex

Thank you for your review Mariona. Great to hear about how much you enjoyed your time with us!

By Jon Bowditch on July 26, 2026
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Programs

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Alumni Interviews

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

Christine Huang

Program
Study Abroad in Brighton, England at University of Sussex

Why did you choose this program?

Sussex was not on my radar. I originally looked into a third party program at University College London because I wanted to be in a big city while also having easy access to other countries. I applied, but I did not get in, so my school recommended the University of Sussex, which is relatively close to London in a cool city called Brighton.

I have never heard of Brighton but kept an open mind because I knew I really wanted to study abroad in England.

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

Sussex provided a lot more support for me than I thought. Sussex was a direct enrollment where it did not provide the hand-holding that many other study abroad programs had (arranging all your housing and trips and forcing all the American college students to be together so they become friends), so I initially worried I would not have much support. Fortunately, the school provided a coach bus for the visiting students arriving at Heathrow Airport.

The university also has a "Buddy Scheme Society" where international students get paired up with a local student who would acclimate them to the new lifestyle. I was not sure how I would be able to make friends in a direct enrollment study abroad program, so I took advantage of that and met a super nice girl. This was a great way to meet the locals.

Meals were not free, so I had to pay for lunch at the school or buy my own groceries.

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

Don't make it your #1 priority to leave Brighton and go to other places in Europe.

Before I came to Sussex, I thought studying abroad in Europe was all about cramming in as many weekend trips as possible to see how many countries you can visit in a semester. Traveling to another city is great for a change of pace, but I got so much more from getting to know Brighton and immersing myself in the English (and European) culture through meeting people from all around the world. Coming home, I realized this is the true study abroad experience.

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

Living off-campus, I took a 40 minutes bus to the university.

Many of my classes had a lecture and a seminar component. In the lectures, all the students enrolled a course in sitting in a huge hall listened to the professor teach. The students were assigned a time to have their seminar, which consists of group work and discussions. It is a hands-on component of the coursework.

I was fortunate to not have classes on Friday. This gave me time to catch up on homework so I can make time for fun.

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

My biggest fear was how I would be able to balance my studies with having fun.

I thought that during weeks when I had many deadlines, I would be so drowned in my studies I would not have time to have fun. What helped was I always had the mindset that studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and that you should have fun during this relatively short time period because you will look back on those memories rather than the nights you spent cranking through your papers.

No matter how busy I was, I always made sure to carve out time for hanging out with my friends, exploring Brighton, or going on a short trip.

Do you have a favorite story you'd like to share?

During my time abroad, I had many rituals with my friends that brought me close to them because we would have fun together. My favorite one was riding the bus to the university every Wednesday morning together with two of my friends because we all had our classes at the same time. It was a 40-minute ride and we would spend the arduous trek having intensive conversations whether they were goofy or insightful. This brought me close to them.

The take-home message here is that the best memories are often not what you would think they are. While I really enjoyed going out with my friends for partying or sightseeing, what stood out to me were the times when I just talked to my friends because that was when I formed my strongest bonds.

Staff Interviews

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

Giuliana Lees

Program
Study Abroad in Brighton, England at University of Sussex
Job Title
Global Mobility Coordinator
Passionate about intercultural education as a way to connect people, encourage understanding, and contribute to a more peaceful world.

Staff Spotlight: Giuliana

What is your favorite travel memory?

Back in 2019, I travelled to Sri Lanka and explored the country by tuk-tuk and took the famous blue train through the stunning mountain landscapes. When I arrived in Ella, I had the chance to meet up with a former colleague and friend who showed me a less touristy side of Sri Lanka.
I had the opportunity to visit James Taylor’s farm, the first tea plantation in Sri Lanka, along with other areas of restored land where I learned about biodiversity conservation and the vital role local communities and international volunteers play in protecting their environment. It was an unforgettable experience that deepened my appreciation for sustainable practices and the profound impact of international collaboration.
 

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

I’m passionate about intercultural education, not just as a form of personal development, but also as a way to build greater understanding and, ultimately, contribute to world peace. I feel incredibly lucky to help students from around the world experience British culture, while also encouraging them to share their own traditions, customs, and ideas with us.
Since joining the Study Abroad team, I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people who continue to inspire me. Despite the challenges we face in today’s world, they remind me that we are stronger when we work together, learn from one another, and celebrate our differences.
 

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

I love receiving feedback from our students and hearing how they have enjoyed their time with us. I was particularly moved to hear that one of our exchange students has won the Language Café Volunteer of the Year Award for her contribution to the Language Café society and supporting students learning Korean.
This is what participating in an exchange programme is all about: immersing yourself in the university community and learning from one another. It's moments like these that remind us of the incredible impact exchange students can have within our community.
 

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

There are two types of programmes available: a semester abroad or a full year abroad. Personally, I’d choose the year abroad because it gives you a longer, more immersive experience and the chance to really settle in, make friends, join societies and make the most of your time. Plus, you get to enjoy the summer holidays both in the UK and abroad, which is a great bonus!

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

The University of Sussex has a (good) reputation for being a liberal and diverse community. Here, we truly value and respect people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, faiths, and sexual orientations. Our campus is a vibrant, international space where difference is celebrated and inclusivity is part of everyday life.
The Study Abroad team reflects that same spirit. We’re a close-knit, friendly group, always happy to support our students and each other. Like many of our students, we come from different cities and countries, but we’ve all found a home here in Brighton. That says something about the kind of place Sussex is: open, welcoming, and full of character.
 

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

We believe that you can only truly understand the highs and lows of packing your life into a suitcase and moving to another country on your own by experiencing it yourself. That’s why our team is uniquely placed to support students; we’ve all lived abroad at some point in our lives (some of us permanently). We understand the mix of excitement, anxiety, and everything in between. Because we’ve been there, we’re not just here to offer practical advice; we genuinely get it, and we’re always ready to listen and help.