Brighton Student Guide
Brighton can be found within the city of Brighton and Hove and is a lively place with lots of things to see and do.
Top Things to Do
The location of Brighton on the coast of the English Channel means there are long stretches of sandy beaches, perfect for sunbathing on hot summer days, and there is even a nudist beach just south of Kemptown. The seafront offers restaurants, bars and amusement arcades, and the area around Brighton Pier is particularly popular with tourists. Brighton is serviced well with transport links and is only one hour from London by train, making it a popular destination for day-trippers.
Nightlife
The student population in Brighton is over 33,000, which accounts for the city’s thriving nightlife and abundance of bars and clubs. The nightlife in Brighton offers an eclectic mix, from chart topping pop to indie, salsa and dubstep. ‘The Honey’ is a popular club and is located on the beach with four rooms each playing different types of music.
‘The Lanes’ is an area close to the seafront and is a great place to shop. The area is characterised by narrow alleyways and small, independent shops and boutiques. Churchill Square is a must for shopaholics; the area consists of a large shopping centre covering an area of 470,000 sq ft. The shopping centre is home to over 80 shops and includes several restaurants and a large car park.
LGBT Friendly
Brighton is well known for having a large LGBT community and is often referred to as ‘the gay capital of Britain’. The city is home to Brighton Pride every August, a one day event that attracts thousands of visitors from around the country. The event consists of a carnival parade leading through Brighton and finishing at Preston Park. Once at Preston Park the party begins, the biggest names on the gay club scene come together to throw one massive party. Gay or straight, the event is one of the highlights on Brighton’s calendar and best of all it’s completely free!
Where Can I Study?
There are two Universities in Brighton: the University of Sussex and the University of Brighton. The University of Brighton is the largest university in the city and is home to around 21,000 students. The University is spread across several sites and includes campuses in Falmer, Moulsecoomb, Eastbourne and Hastings. The faculty of Art and Design is particularly well known and has a reputation for producing successful artists, illustrators and graphic designers.
The University of Sussex was established in 1961 and is located close to the city centre between Stanmer Park and Falmer. The University is connected to the centre of Brighton by frequent trains and a network of 24-hour buses. The university is home to a population of around 12,000 of which around 70% are undergraduates. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings currently places the University of Sussex 99th in the world. Sussex is particularly famous for its world-leading chemistry department.
The city of Brighton and Hove has a significant number of businesses involved in media, particularly digital media, and this is reflected by the popularity of media related courses at both universities. The Universities of Brighton and Sussex joined together to form a medical school in 2003, the school is known as Brighton and Sussex Medical School and is one of four new schools created as part of a government initiative to increase the number of qualified NHS professionals. The school is located in Falmer and has strong links with the Brighton and Sussex University Hospital NHS Trust.
Should I Study in Brighton?
Yes!