Sussex

History

The university was the first of the new wave of universities founded in the 1960s, receiving its Royal Charter in August 1961.
Over the past 48 years, the university has built a strong reputation for research excellence, internationalism and interdisciplinarity.

In 1993, the buildings that make up the core of Sir Basil Spence's original design were given listed building status.

Location and transport

Set in the rolling countryside of the Sussex Downs, the campus is surrounded by the South Downs National Park and is only minutes from Brighton & Hove, one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in the UK.
Frequent bus services run between campus and Brighton. The train journey to Brighton from nearby Falmer station is eight minutes.
Brighton is within easy reach of London and major international airports (Gatwick and Heathrow).

Accommodation

Accommodation for around 3,500 students, mostly on campus. Some flats are suitable for families and for people with disabilities.
First year undergraduates are guaranteed university-managed accommodation if applications are received by the August deadline.
All campus residences have broadband internet access and telephone points. Rents for university accommodation start at £85 per week (£125 for en-suite). More information about accommodation at the University of Sussex can be found here.

Entry standards
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Standard A level offers are between AAA and BBB, depending on degree programme.
The university has a tradition of welcoming mature students, and takes a flexible approach when extending offers to such students.
More information on admissions and entry standards at Sussex is available here.

In receipt of full Maintenance Grant £1,000
Living in specified postcodes Scholarship
Ethnic minorities Scholarship

Tuition fees (2010): £3,290.
Placement year and year abroad tuition fee is half the annual tuition fee.
200 Chancellor's Scholarships, worth £1,000 a year, which are aimed at bringing into higher education students from non-traditional backgrounds.
High-flier scholarships of approximately £1,000 for new students with high entry grades in certain science subjects.
For more information on bursaries and scholarships at Sussex, visit the website.

Student mix

56% of students are female, 44% male; 79% are home students, 21% are from overseas; 2,500 international students from over 120 countries.
21% of our undergraduate students are mature students.
Applications to places ratio 6:1 in 2008.

Course flexibility

Sussex degrees are designed flexibly so that students can explore subjects in ways that interest them.
Students on most single honours programmes choose several courses from outside their discipline. Joint degrees allow different combinations.
Many programmes offer study-abroad opportunities, and 15% of first degree students spend a term/year abroad.

Teaching standards
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Staff have received National Teaching Fellowship Scheme awards annually for the past four years – a record matched by only a handful of other universities.
In the National Student Survey 2009, 86% of students were overall satisfied, 89% of students approved of the teaching.

Research standards
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In the 2008 RAE, 100% of departments at Sussex have world-leading, internationally excellent or internationally recognised research, confirming the University among the leading 30 research universities in the UK.

Academic strengths

Our distinguished faculty has included three Nobel Prize winners, 12 Fellows of the Royal Society and six Fellows of the British Academy, and a winner of the prestigious Crafoord Prize.

Student facilities, including Library and Computing
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The library contains more than 750,000 volumes and has electronic access to more than 20,000 journals. See the website for more information.
The library’s archives include original manuscripts by Virginia Woolf and Rudyard Kipling, and the Mass Observation Archive, a unique social history resource.
IT Services provide 450 PCs on campus, many with 24-hour access. Campus is wi-fi connected, with free email and internet access.

Students’ Union

The union runs four lively bars, providing food and entertainments, as well as two shops. It also supports more than 160 societies, teams and clubs.
The union’s advice centre provides support for students on a range of issues.
Click here for more information about the students' union at the University of Sussex.

Sport

There are excellent facilities for tennis, rugby, soccer, cricket and hockey, and well as two sport halls with well-equipped fitness rooms.
A well-rounded sports programme offers 30 classes/courses a week in activities such as yoga, sports conditioning, boxercise, circuit training, salsa, swing, ballet and capoeira.
Sports bursaries have supported leading sports people such as women’s England cricketer Rosalie Birch, Paralympic cyclist David Stone and equestrian Emily Llewellyn.
There is a therapy room offering a sports-injury clinic, sports massage, relaxation massage, reiki, reflexology and hot stone massage.
Visit the website for more information about sport at the University of Sussex.

Recent/prospective new builds

Our recently completed Swanborough and Stanmer Court student residences provide en-suite rooms for 700 students.
Construction of a new £10-million Fulton building in the heart of campus is due for completion by summer 2010. It will provide new teaching spaces, including two 160-seat lecture theatres and a mix of 26 different-sized seminar rooms.
State-of-the-art £6.4-million refurbishment of the Library.
New Northfield accommodation construction has begun, creating 744 study bedrooms, 12 family flats and 21 studio flats.
The forthcoming refurbishment of the Attenborough Centre, due for completion in September 2011, will provide a flexible space for the arts with an auditorium, exhibition gallery, café, and three studios of different sizes.

Availability of part-time work

The Careers and Employability Centre advertises part-time, finalist and graduation vacancies.
The centre can also help with CV preparation and job hunts, and hosts careers events, skills workshops and fairs.
The centre promotes over 3,000 temporary and part-time jobs each year.
Students in Brighton have the highest wages in the UK during term time (on average £128 per week according to the NatWest annual poll, 2009).

For further information

Last updated 16/5/2010

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