About Sussex
Source: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/international-students/partner-zone/about-sussex Parent: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/international-students/partner-zone
Discover our University, including key information about our location, structure, and study options.
Further reading
Visit our University-wide About us pages for further information about the University, including our structure, strategy and league table performance.
Contents
- Location
- Structure
- Student life
- Housing
- Language pre-sessional courses
- Study Abroad at Sussex
- Study Group
Location
The University of Sussex is located in the south-east of England. It’s situated on the outskirts of Brighton and Hove, a small coastal city located one hour south of London.
Our campus is surrounded by the South Downs National Park, famous for its rolling hills and chalk cliffs, while Gatwick Airport is close by.
Brighton, just a 10-minute train journey from campus, is a vibrant and popular city famous for its independent shops and cafes, its welcoming attitude and its exciting cultural scene, hosting numerous festivals and performances each year.
Our single-site campus features a range of modern facilities, including nine residences, two sports centres, a supermarket, a health centre and a library.
A range of bars, cafes and restaurants serving different types of food and drink are also located on campus.
Structure
Alongside our leadership and professional services, the University is separated into 10 schools of study:
- University of Sussex Business School
- School of Education and Social Work
- School of Engineering and Informatics
- School of Global Studies
- School of Law, Politics and Sociology
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
- School of Media, Arts and Humanities
- School of Psychology
- School of Education and Social Work
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School.
We are also home to numerous research groups, including the Institute for Development Studies.
Student life
Sussex is home to over 180 student societies, as diverse as Dog Walking Society and Astronomy Society. 37 sports clubs, including American Football, Cheerleading, Martial Arts, welcome new members each year and often play in national University leagues.
The Students’ Union run several events throughout the year. These include One World Week, a celebration of cultures from around the world in the form of food, arts and entertainment, and Welcome Week, an exciting week of social events designed to welcome students to Sussex and help them meet new people.
Student support
There are a range of support services available to students to help them make the most of their time at Sussex.
- Expansive welfare support. A dedicated Student Centre, based on campus, helps students with any issues during their time at the University. These could include problems settling in or challenges in their personal life. Disability Advice provides assistance to students if they have a long-term medical condition or a learning difficulty, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia.
- Visa and immigration advice. Expert International Student Advisers can answer visa and immigration questions and guide students through the visa application process.
- Help with finding accommodation. Our Housing Team offer free one-to-one advice to students. If students are renting from private landlords, the Housing Team can through tenancy agreements to ensure they are legitimate.
- Support with English skills and learning UK academic culture. The Sussex Centre for Language Studies team can help international students improve their academic English and their understanding of British academic culture, which can vary significantly from their home countries. Support includes workshops and one-to-one tutorials.
Our Careers and Entrepreneurship team helps students find work placements, part-time jobs and work experience opportunities. They advertise 3,500 jobs to students each year and host a range of development workshops and career fairs.
Housing
The University has a range of housing options based on different budgets and needs.
There are 5,000 rooms for students in University-managed housing, with family flats also available. Our most recent development, East Slope student village, completed in early 2021, includes modern townhouses and apartments, complete with communal spaces, bookable study areas and a range of other modern facilities.
We have a housing guarantee in place for specific groups of students.
View our range of housing options and information on how to apply on our accommodation pages.
Language pre-sessional courses
The University runs a wide range of courses for students who want to improve their English language skills. These courses are offered by the Sussex Centre for Language Studies.
The most popular of these are pre-sessional courses. These provide full-time academic English and study skills preparation for those who plan to go on to study either an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at Sussex.
Pre-sessional English students enjoy a great deal of success. 99% achieve progress to their academic course. Once they start their studies, students have greater study skills and fewer problems adapting to the academic culture.
Study Abroad at Sussex
Students can also choose to study at Sussex for a summer, semester or year.
Join students from around the world looking to study with us on a credit-bearing Study Abroad programme. Experience the University of Sussex and explore Brighton and the UK, whilst earning academic credit.
Find out more about studying abroad at Sussex.
Study Group
The University works with a private partner called Study Group. They are specialists in providing university preparation courses to international students.
Courses, taught at the International Study Centre, include:
- International Foundation Year
- International Year One
- Pre-Masters courses.
These courses are managed by Study Group and are entirely separate from other courses, including English language pre-sessional courses run by the Sussex Centre for Language Studies.
Study Group students are a vital part of the University and they become integrated into the student population. The International Study Centre building is on campus, and students enjoy the same access to University’s facilities as other Sussex students.
If you do not currently have an agreement with Study Group, you will need to negotiate with them directly. We will be able to put you in touch with the right people to do this.
Commission claims for these courses must be sent to Study Group and are payable separately.
Virtual tour
Could there be a better place to be a student than our beautiful campus? Nestled in the South Downs National Park, we’re just nine minutes from one of the UK’s most iconic cities.
To get a picture of life on our campus and the excitement of being in the city of Brighton, take our virtual tour.