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University of Sussex

8.81 Rating
96 reviews
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At Sussex
Sussex Campus
Brighton
Langfords
Located on Falmer Hill, the library has a peaceful atmosphere and beautiful views over the campus
One of my favorite locations in Brighton
South Downs National Park is adjacent to the campus and provides a beautiful route to Lewes
A carousel at Brighton Beach
A visit to Seven Sisters
North Laine
Carousel on Brighton Pier
The Lanes
Hike along the Seven Sisters cliff.
Picture of the underground in London.
Friends by Brighton Pier
Trip to Barcelona

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About

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 150 universities and top 20 in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2020), 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 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 over 30 modules designed, delivered and taught by Sussex faculty across the summer.

Website
www.sussex.ac.uk
Founded
1961

Reviews

Default avatar
Larissa
23
Female
Germany
8/10
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad Direct Enroll Semester/Year at University of Sussex, Brighton

My Time At Sussex

Jan 14, 2021

Despite the circumstances, due to the pandemic I had a lovely time at Sussex University. I found my courses very intriguing especially because we were taught how to apply knowledge practically. My tutors were very helpful, throughout the term and always had an open ear for any worries or concerns. My only regret is that it was very hard to make new contacts, as all social events were held online. Covid made that more challenging. Luckily I knew some people beforehand. However, I would love to stay a second semester at Sussex.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would definitely start revising earlier and check out all of the assessment requirements. Sometimes studying abroad can be a harder challenge academically, as you might not be familiar with the referencing style etc.
Default avatar
Julia
7/10
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad Direct Enroll Semester/Year at University of Sussex, Brighton

Erasmus

Jan 11, 2021

Overall, especially under the current conditions of a worldwide pandemic, I had a great time, thank you!
However, the housing conditions were not very good (bathroom, wifi, kitchen) . After complaining, things got better but it was very annoying.
Also even though online teaching did work quite well and most of the professors were really eager to help and support us, it was a big challenge
to only have online classes, where it was not really possible to connect with other students from your modules.

Default avatar
Kyle
22
Female
United States
8/10
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad Direct Enroll Semester/Year at University of Sussex, Brighton

Fall 2020 exchange

Jan 7, 2021

I loved being able to attend Sussex this fall. Obviously it was a bit hard with the Coronavirus pandemic which I definitely think affected my academics both from the teacher and my own engagement. I also found the staff slower to respond to emails than I am used to again probably due to the overall influx of online contact. Outside of school I loved living in the town of Lewes and getting to know other exchange students. It was nice that we had people to talk to during the lockdown and we could walk in local parks which helped with the stress of COVID.

What was your funniest moment?
The funniest times were when it would get late and we would play cards everyone would revert back to their mother tongue and then we would switch back and forth a lot.
Default avatar
Myriam
23
Female
Belgium
7/10
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad Direct Enroll Semester/Year at University of Sussex, Brighton

Review

Jan 7, 2021

The circumstances of my trip were really really strange because of COVID but I still manage to have lots of fun. I met new people and made good memories. I will definitely visit another time when I can travel a lot more freely. I made the choice to live in residence and it was great because my flatmates were very nice so we had good time even during lockdown. The teachers were understanding of the situation so I didn't feel too overwhelmed by my classes. I think my English improved significantly too and it was the purpose so I am glad. My courses were interesting and because I could attend modules that I don't have in my University

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Be open minded and don't be afraid to try new things and to meet new people. I will advise you to stay in a residence so you'll be sure to meet a lot of people
Default avatar
Sarah
23
United States
7/10
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad Direct Enroll Semester/Year at University of Sussex, Brighton

Semester Abroad

Aug 31, 2020

Overall, I really liked studying at University of Sussex. Brighton is beautiful, it was easy to get around, and there was lots to do in the area. I enjoyed my classes but wasn't overwhelmed by them. The worst part was definitely housing. I was led to believe I would be living in on-campus housing, but it turns out that semester-long study abroad students live in off-campus housing. We ended up living in a hotel with tiny rooms and one dirty kitchen. Fortunately we were close to the beach and it was easy to get into the city center from our housing. The commute to school was long, but my course schedule only had me on campus 3 days a week, so it wasn't too bad.

What was your funniest moment?
A seagull stole a chocolate bar right from my hand!
Response from University of Sussex

Thanks for your review Sarah! It's great to hear that you enjoyed the local activities in the area. Housing is currently being developed on-campus, and the University is working to provide more new and modern housing options for future years.
Thanks again!

By Rebecca Hart on September 3, 2020
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Programs

Displaying 1 - 2 of 2

Alumni Interviews

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

Christine Huang

Program
Study Abroad Direct Enroll Semester/Year at University of Sussex, Brighton

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.

Mike Chestnutt

Program
Summer School at the University of Sussex
Job Title
Administration Assistant
Mike is a final year Marketing and Management student at the University of Sussex. Having worked as a Residential Advisor for the 2019 University of Sussex Summer School, Mike now supports the Summer School by working as an administrative assistant.

What is your favorite travel memory?

My favourite travel memory is travelling to Florida when I was 11. I was a bundle of energy the entire trip. I chased lizards across the pavement, ate plates of bacon at breakfast buffets and rode space mountain.

My fondest memory of the trip is eating at the Hard Rock Cafe. Being surrounded by memorabilia from my favourite films made the world feel a little smaller. Growing up I was always obsessed with 'The Gremlins', and seeing Gizmo on the wall next to me while I ate chips was beautifully surreal. Even now, when 'The Gremlins' is on the TV, I begin to crave chips.

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

I have been opened up to other cultures. As an RA for the Summer School, I was part of a team responsible for the welfare of all enrolled students. This gave me endless opportunities to speak with people from all corners of the world.

I learnt that regardless of creed, culture or country, everyone has their own struggles. I've found that people often just need someone to listen to them and give them some support. Although it's cliche, laughter is often the best therapy.

Furthermore, I think the greatest lesson I've learnt from my roles with the Summer School is that every person and every task should be approached with a smile.

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

My favourite story involves myself and two of the other RA's in my team. Over the summer we became really good friends with a group of students. We are all still in contact and we plan on going on a road trip around the US West Coast in a few years' time.

As a member of staff, I didn't expect to make friends over the summer. Instead, I met some truly wonderful people. When my mum came to Brighton to visit me, some of the group came and met her. My mum still asks me how they are all doing when we speak on the phone.

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

I think I would choose a computer programming module. My lecturers keep telling me that I should learn basic coding because 'it is the language of the future'. I've attempted to learn coding at home; however, I always get lost and lose motivation.

Studying a module in this would give me the opportunity to ask questions and learn from an expert.

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

I think the things that make our company truly unique are the people, the place and our offering.

We all love what we are doing. We also all love where we are: Brighton (I chose Brighton because it is diverse, easy-going and I love being near the sea). Our campus sits in the middle of the South Downs National Park, so a ten-minute walk in any direction and you are surrounded by nature. We also offer a range of modules that are pretty unique to Sussex.

I'm always proud of my team because I love being a part of a team that is passionate about their work.

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

I believe the biggest factor that facilitates success is a passionate team of people that share the same goals.

Everyone at the University of Sussex Summer School is passionate about providing an exceptional experience to students that will stay with them for life. I believe that here at Sussex Summer School we don't just provide a study abroad opportunity: we provide a life-changing experience.