Program Reviews

I really liked the time I got to spend at the University of Sussex. Honestly I was just sad I didn't get more out of my program. The campus was absolutely beautiful and so fun to attend, but industrial action (professors on strike) meant that a ton of my classes were cancelled, like for weeks at a time. I only really got to attend class for the first three weeks, after that the strikes took over and not long after that we all had to leave due to the coronavirus. Online teaching from Sussex is not the same and it's way harder to navigate as an exchange student. We don't have any idea of our grades or our standing in our classes, not to mention that for most courses our entire grade (up to 80%) is attributed to our final essays - which we have to write from home, and have no prior knowledge on, considering the essay style and requirements can drastically differ from culture to culture.

Regardless the strikes and the corona virus that disrupted the year it was an amazing year! The modules and teachers were amazing! Staff is always helpful and nice to foreign students. I had some problem with my accommodation (Lewes Court 2), but that's the only negative aspect of my year at Sussex. Brighton is such a great town for student and foreigners! Lit to see, people are nice and friendly, the architecture is incredible! Sussex Uni is really well located: close to nature but not too far from Brigthon city center.

It was an amazing experience that was unfortunately cut short, the uni was very supportive and ensured opportunities to get to know a variety of people. I recommend using the Sussex House Hunt Facebook page to arrange accommodation as this is what I did and ended up in a great flat with amazing people at Sussex without the hassle of often sub-par uni housing, and for not much more cost wise. Disappointing that it only lasted 8 weeks, however it is 8 weeks I wouldn’t have traded for anything. Sad I won’t be able to experience this again

I’m a visiting student for the whole academic year of 2019-2020 and I spent such an amazing year, even though it was cut short. The team of Sussex Abroad is really helpful with everything and quite quick at answering any queries and the whole university is really open and welcoming to international students. Moreover, there are a lot of events for international students. The societies are generally really nice (especially Strictly Sussex, the ballroom and Latin dance society, who were welcoming with everybody, whether you’ve danced before or not).

People: you can expect meeting people from all around the world, I would say quite a number of asian faces.

Campus: not very big, but is beautiful. There is a hiking route nearby. On campus bar, canteen, co-op.

Transportation: You can take train or bus to Brighton (15-30mins)

Housing: on/off campus option. On campus: share bathroom/ en suite. Heating system is not ready when I moved in, also you must report to the department if out of hot water for shower! (they fixed later),as they may not check. Cleaning service every week.

Study: kind of harsh on grading (maybe depends on the prof.) the online system is easy to use, professors/tutors usually reply your email quickly.

Activity: lots of societies that you may join, sports, hiking, music, dog walking, media, gaming and more, very interesting
Other: Brighton Stadium is right next to the campus, you may watch a match if interested, very exciting

The location of the campus was convenient in that buses frequently stopped there, and it was a quick commute to the city and to Lewes, where many exchange students lived. The housing that I was given was a little far, but it was very spacious and I lived comfortably. Most of my professors were also very responsive and helpful if I had any questions. The campus has an abundance of resources available to students, and everyone I talked to if I had problems regarding anything was incredibly helpful.

Studying at Sussex for a semester was amazing for the first 2 months. The location of my housing in town was ideal, and campus was only a 30 minute bus ride away. Unfortunately because of COVID-19 and the strikes, my time there was cut short and the online teaching was not a good experience. However, I would still recommend Sussex as the staff, specifically the health resources, has been very supportive online. They are also very good at maintaining communication with students throughout this difficult time.

I catalogue my whole experience as amazing! The international experience office was really helpful since the beginning, they really helped me with all my application process, housing and module enrollment.
When I got to the university, at the beginning I felt a little bit lost, but everyone there was really friendly and willing to help.
I made friends thanks to many events that the university sponsored, and also from my clases.
The academic field is not that hard in my point of view. It is a lot of self study, but teachers are always willing to answer questions, and the technology used for clases, homework and assignments is really good, everything is through Canvas website.
The facilities are pretty well kept, and inside the university there is a supermarket, a gym, mass, restaurants and housing, which is very convenient.
Brighton is such a beautiful place and full of different things to do, from a walk in the pier to the British Airways i360 tower to the lanes and the beach. The weather is really windy and rainy most of the time, but when the sun is out you can make the most out of this beautiful city. It is also convenient that it is just one hour and a half from London by train, and it is really easy to catch it!
Finally, Sussex is a really international school, people from all around the world come to study at Sussex, which makes it a great opportunity to meet new people and get to experience other cultures.

I had the bad luck of going on a semester abroad in the spring of 2020, so my program was sadly cut short by the global COVID-19 crisis. Still, I really enjoyed the time I had in Brighton and at the University of Sussex. The city is beautiful, with a great variety of restaurants, shops, and places to visit. Being close to the ocean is a great experience as well. The campus in itself is very cool as well, with great views and grounds located at the edge of a natural park. The teachers provided loads of support all throughout the term, and the community around International Students was very helpful and always available. I was sad to go but I loved to have had the opportunity.

There were tons of ways to get involved! I joined two societies and signed up for international student day trips with the study abroad office. I made a ton of great friends, both local students and international students. We had fun getting to know the Brighton and South Downs area as a whole, and there are tons more things I would still like to do. The Brighton bus system is cheap and incredible: you could get anywhere in the city in under 40 minutes. I wish I could have stayed longer, but COVID sent us home early.