Study in Brighton

Brighton for students

Brighton is a popular seaside resort which climbed seven places this year to rank 81^st in the Best Student Cities index, earning its highest score for the student view indicator at 41^st.

Both of Brighton’s internationally ranked universities have a high proportion of international students, with 29 percent of the student population coming from outside the UK.

Best universities in Brighton - QS Best Student Cities ranking: 81st

More about Brighton

Brighton is home to two universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings 2023. The best of these is the University of Sussex in joint 240th. The city ranks the highest for student view this year, where it places in 41st.

To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.

Why study in Brighton?

A liberal city

Unofficially, Brighton is known as the LGBTQ capital of the UK, due to its relaxed, liberal attitude.

Outdoor spaces to explore

Brighton benefits from having a beautiful coastline, while also being close to the countryside; students get the best of both worlds.

Exciting music scene

From pub rooms, to clubs, to the Brighton Centre, Brighton has one of the biggest music scenes in the south of the UK. Tickets to gigs are relatively cheap, with many costing less than £15.

What is the cost of studying in Brighton?

Brighton, with its sunny beaches and great transport connections, is one of the less affordable UK student cities. Brighton ranks joint 118th this year for affordability. Numbeo estimates that a single person living in Brighton would need approximately £765 per month for general expenses, plus an additional £975 for a single bedroom apartment in the city centre.

Tuition fees for international students are also high, as with most UK universities. On average, university tuition fees in Brighton will set students back approximately US$20,100.

Life & culture in Brighton

Known for its glorious weather (by UK standards), liberal, relaxed attitude, and unofficial title as LGBTQ capital of the UK.

Brighton is located on the south coast of England, only an hour away from London by train (and half an hour away from Gatwick Airport), making it ideal for visits to the capital and beyond. It’s also one of the country’s most popular cities with tourists – especially when the weather’s good – attracting more than 11 million visitors in 2016.

Brighton is far more than a seaside resort, however, and hosts a vibrant and active cultural, music and arts scene, and a number of high-profile events every year, such as the Brighton Fringe Festival, the Brighton Festival (the largest arts festival in England) and Brighton Pride. For nature lovers, the South Downs national park is right on your doorstep too.

Whether you’re simply enjoying fish and chips on the seafront, shopping at The Lanes or partying in one of Brighton’s many nightclubs, you’re sure to enjoy yourself while studying in Brighton. The city performed well in the student view indicator this year, and was highly praised in our student survey, with one student pointing out its ‘vibrancy, independent shops and cafes, and homely feel’ as the best things about studying there.

Careers in Brighton

An entrepreneurial hub, Brighton is full of interesting start-ups, and attracts creative people from across the UK.

While hospitality and tourism provide plenty of jobs for students and graduates, there are also international companies with headquarters in the city; such as American Express and Legal & General.