England: Brighton - Undergraduate Courses

My semester at the University of Brighton really was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I met fellow Americans in the program who were in the same situation as me--far away from home--so I did not feel so alone. I was able to make these amazing new experiences with my new American and British friends. Living on-campus meant sharing a flat with British students which forced interaction. I still speak with my Welsh flatmate six months after my return to the states. Textbooks were included in the tuition cost, and tuition did not vary much from my American university. The three-week spring break allowed me to tour continental Europe more than the program could offer. The diversity in Brighton introduced me to new perspectives, people, food, and cultures. The public transportation permitted me to explore without high taxi or uber expenses. Since returning home, I cannot wait to return to England and Europe to explore.

This has been one of the best experiences of my entire life. I got to learn so much about myself and the world. I got to visit so many amazing places and I made some amazing friends. The staff here are wonderful and go above and beyond to make sure that the people here are taken care of. The trips they plan are a lot of fun and educational. They are a great way to see England. There is also a lot of time to travel on your own and see the world. It is well organized and helpful. I honestly made friends that I plan on having for the rest of my life and people I would gladly travel with again. It has been the best thing I have ever done. I am upset I couldn't stay longer. I would recommend the program to everyone. It was an amazing time that I wouldn't trade for anything.

My semester abroad at the University of Brighton was amazing. The classes I took were very interesting, and because they were only once a week, I was left with time to explore Brighton, London, and countries. Gatwick Airport is only a 30-minute train ride from campus, making it very easy to travel, and London is about an hour train. Brighton as a city is everything I could have wanted, small enough to always feel safe, but big enough to never get bored. The bus (the 25) goes from Falmer Campus straight into the center of town, making it easy to go to the beach, pier, pavilion, lanes, or to one of the countless coffee shops. At the university, the study abroad staff are all extremely kind and willing to help with anything, they also make the field trips (Bath and Stonehenge, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Paris) so fun! Overall, Brighton was an amazing experience!

Becca and Mary were simply incredible. So supportive and all of the field trips they made were great! Especially the Paris field trip. Brighton itself is a very fun and bustling city that comes alive when the weather warms up (i.e. Brighton Fringe Fest) Plenty to do and plenty to see. All in all would highly recommend, if you want to explore. Easy access via train to London, and of course short flights to anywhere in Europe.

Brighton, very quickly became my second home. The people are friendly and lively, and you will not regret your time here especially if you take the scary step of your comfort zone and join a society! I've made some of the best friends here and I wouldn't change it for the world. The city is so fun (though a bit far from the Falmer campus if you decide to stay in campus halls!) and there is always something happening. From gigs, to fairs, to ice skating in the winter, and beach parties. If you love a bit of thrift shopping, getting some vinyls, and coffee shops then the number one hipster place in the world, Brighton, is the place for you! It's an accepting place where no matter who you are you'll find people who'll love you for being you. The classes themselves are quite different, and very independent, but you will learn a lot from them. It teaches you to be more responsible for your work. The teachers are really hands on and open with help, and the study abroad advisors on campus, Becca, Mary, and Zoe are so helpful and will definitely make sure you get everything you need out of this experience. I will always recommend this program and this city to everyone I meet, because the memories, the people, and the town will always be with me. I would never trade my time here for anything in the world.

It's difficult to explain to others how my semester abroad in England went. From someone who has been stuck in her hometown for 21 years, any location would have been a nice change. But if I could go back and choose again, Brighton would have been selected without any hesitation.

While it may have been better to be housed closer into town, I grew to love the bus rides. I rarely ever used public transportation at home, but the bus system here seemed pretty efficient. It was a pain to pay for bus fares, but you can easily compare it to the amount you spend on a car, gas and insurance.

As for academics, the "modules" I took were relatively easier than the ones I took at home. I kind of had a freebie semester, but for my flatmates, it was difficult for them to get classes they needed for their major. HOWEVER, I recall USAC letting us know beforehand that this location should only be chosen if the student has flexibility in class selections.

Brighton reminds me a lot of San Francisco. It's gloomy and diverse... it's a student town! There's ALWAYS something going on, no matter what day of the week it is. If pubs, pebble beaches, cute little shops, and concerts aren't your thing, London is only an hour train ride away. And then from London, your destinations are (almost) unlimited. Hello Europe!

Now that I am back in the States, there is not a single day that goes by where I don't think of Brighton and all the friends and memories I made there. If anything, I wish someone warned me about this four-months-and-going homesick feeling I have for marvelous Brighton...

Going to Brighton was my first time living away from home and my first time leaving the country. It was an AWESOME experience that I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. I am a Business student and luckily Brighton offered a lot of classes to choose from that fit into my degree plan from my home university. There were no tests, just group projects and end of term papers so it was a nice change of pace. The lecturers did tend to grade harder that what I'm use to in the US so you will need to put in some effort regarding your coursework. The coordinators Mary and Becca are SUPERSTARS. They were both such great help getting my schedule straightened out and they planned a number of great field trips.The city itself is such a culturally rich and diverse place with a million things to do, I guarantee you'll never be bored. That being said you'll want to save a lot of money before coming. I tried to restrict myself to a 100 pound a week budget but it gets hard to adhere to with so many things going on at all times. I would recommend working before you come so you have enough to enjoy Brighton as well as travel Europe at the end of term.

Brighton, England is truly a special and beautiful place especially when the sun is shining. However most of the spring semester Brighton is wet and gloomy so be prepared. I loved Brighton and it ended up being the right place to study abroad but I wish that I had known that USAC students do not typical live in Brighton, USAC houses you on the Falmer campus about 3 miles or a 40 minute bus ride from town. The bus is also expensive and Falmer where you live is in the middle of nowhere. Some students have classes on the Falmer campus but I was not that lucky. Before applying I did not know that Brighton was a split campus meaning your classes could be on another campus an hour away. The study abroad Staff Becca and Mary are the most amazing women and they will help make your time in England amazing. Uni of Brighton also offers fun weekend field trips.