Brighton
185 Reviews by Students #59 out of 217 University locations
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Brighton is a really diverse and well connected area with a lot of entertainment, but very expensive. Sticking to a budget is really important for days out as prices build so quickly.
By member1289144 On 20th July 2023
Study in Brighton
The University of Brighton and the University of Sussex are here, but really everyone knows Brighton for just one thing: the seaside. It’s a famous holiday hotspot and it can be all yours.
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University of Brighton
The University of Brighton started life as an art school in the kitchens of the Royal Pavilion in 1859 and has now grown to an inclusive and diverse institution that is home to 19,000 students. Subjects taught include medicine, engineering, psychology and illustration. The university has fantastic facilities as well as strong community and educational partnerships.
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University of Sussex
Located just outside of Brighton on a rolling parkland campus, the University of Sussex prides itself on being a leading research-intensive university. There are over 16,000 students from over 100 countries and 96% of students are in full time employment or further study six months after graduation.
Study in Brighton? Review your location
Brighton Student Life
Brighton is an eccentric, lively, diverse and buzzing city that welcome’s anyone and everyone with open arms. Often students love it so much that they find it hard to leave after university.
Cost of Living
Accommodation
Student accommodation costs range from £82 - £521 per week; the average is £238 per week.
Compare the average elsewhere: Guildford: £210/week, Bristol: £195/week, Bournemouth: £171/week.
(prices are for all purpose-built student accommodation (both private and university-owned) over the last 12 months, as listed on StudentCrowd)
The average price for:
A cheap meal at a restaurant: £15
A pint of beer: £4.50
A regular takeout coffee: £2.88
1L of milk: £0.93
A loaf of white bread: £1.07
Prices (for cost of living only) are about 9% higher than equivalent costs in Guildford, about 10% higher than Bristol and about 20% higher than Bournemouth.
(Source: Numbeo)
Nights Out
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Live Music Venues
If you are a fan of going to gigs you’ll love Brighton and its outstanding music scene. There are a host of gigs that take place every night of the week with both established and emerging acts. Some of the top venues are Brighton Dome, Concorde 2 and Prince Albert.
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Pubs
There are a huge amount of pubs to try all over the city. Here are some to note that usually have great student deals: Hobgoblin for cheap drinks, The Mash Tun for great party nights and The Joker for their legendary fried chicken.
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Nightclubs
Brighton is one of the biggest clubbing cities in the country and caters for every taste! Student club favourites are Pryzm, Coalition, Revenge and Casablanca.
Public Transport
You won’t need a car in Brighton, the parking charges are high and the university doesn’t provide enough spaces. However, “The Big Lemon” bus service is highly recommended by most students - the prices are decent (get day or week passes for better value) and the buses are environmentally friendly. To travel outside of the city of Brighton is connected well by rail, with direct services to London and major destinations in the south. You can also travel by coach around the UK for low fare prices.
Eating Out
For a tasty yet cheap meal, Japanese restaurant Pompoko does just that. It’s a really popular spot, you can get a tasty curry, noodles or donburi (rice bowl) for just £5. Unsurprisingly it gets full quickly so make sure to get there early or order a takeaway.
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Brighton is full of fantastic vegetarian and vegan restaurants but can tend to be on the expensive side. Thankfully, iydea in the North Laines is kind to the student budget. You can get a hearty main dish from as little as £4.70, that is full of fresh and high-quality ingredients.
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Little Miss Piggies Café is a family-run cafe specialising in good value English food, from a full English breakfast starting at £4.50, to eggs benedict and omelettes. They have just introduced a hangover breakfast as a perfect morning-after-remedy or for anyone who just wants a fry up!
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Shopping
Brighton is famous for The Lanes, an area in central Brighton made up of twisted alleyways that are full of quirky boutiques, vintage shops, antique jewellery shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. There is so much to explore that even if you don’t need to go shopping, it’s a really fun place to just roam around. When it comes to high street shopping, Brighton certainly caters for that too, you’ll find all your well-known shops at Churchill Square and Brighton Marina.
Top 10 Tips
When it comes to entertainment, you’re spoilt for choice. Your best bet is to head towards the sea front - there’s the famous pebble beach, the Pier with its fairground-style attractions, loads of clubs, the Brighton Wheel and other places of interest.
You have easy access to all that London has to offer. The best ticket to buy is a day travel card as it’s cheap and includes unlimited tube journeys too. It’ll be up to 1/3 cheaper with a 16-25 railcard, so make sure you get one if you haven’t already. Buy your railcard online with an NUS Extra card to get it at a discounted rate. Wow, that’s 3 tips in 1.
Foodilic is a good place to get a healthy and good value meal.
But an absolute must! Eat Fish & Chips on Brighton pier, you can’t beat it. Make sure to finish off with some famous ‘Brighton Rock’ which is a type of hard stick-shaped boiled sugar confectionery deliciousness - you might want to book in with the dentist after though.
Brighton’s art house cinema, The Duke of York’s Picturehouse, is the oldest cinema in England and was voted to be the UK’s best in 2012. They host some fab special events such as fancy dress screenings and epic back-to-back film marathons that run throughout the night. Perfect for an alternative social.
If you’re looking for somewhere to take the parents, Preston Manor and its scenic grounds is a winner.
For an amazing day out, head into London’s West End with a couple of friends and take advantage of the Student Standby Scheme. It allows you to get reduced tickets at most theatres by visiting the box office an hour before a show begins. You’re not guaranteed to get a ticket, but for best chances call the theatre the day before and ask whether they’re likely to have any standby tickets, then arrive at the box office nice and early on the day with your student ID and ticket money in cash. Go with an open mind and a few options up your sleeve and you’re likely to have a great time.
Valentino’s is a stylish little cocktail bar next to the Theatre Royal. It’s our recommended venue for a date or a special occasion that merits something a bit classy.
Whether you are into music, food, comedy or paddling around the pier there will be a festival that will fuel your fancy. Brighton is also famously home to one of the best and biggest Pride festivals in the world; it’s certainly one event you won’t want to miss whilst living there.
The American Express Community Stadium is home to local premier league team Brighton & Hove Albion. So if you are into your footie you’ll be able to catch some great games here.
Top 10 Brighton Accommodation
Read Brighton Reviews
Wonderful town wi...
Wonderful town with great amenities read more
Everything is nic...
Everything is nice the place and staff read more
Everything is oka...
Everything is okay but the accomodations are expensive and hard to find. read more
Nothing to tell...
Nothing to tell nothing to tell read more
Shshhwhabsbsnsjsj...
Shshhwhabsbsnsjsjsjsnanzbdbsjsjsjsjjsjsjsjsjsbebdhdshshhshshshshshshshshshshshhsjesjjeen read more
Bussss take way t...
Bussss take way too long to reach campus read more
A lot to do withi...
A lot to do within brighton and can find something for low cost if you're searching for it read more
The public transp...
The public transportation is very reliable, almost always coming every five minutes or so. The city is gorgeous and the citizens are helpful. read more
Incredible public...
Incredible public transport - no complaints about the bus network at all. Great variety of shops, pubs and resteraunts in town as well. read more
Nice place to be...
Nice place to be and lots of beautiful place to visit read more
Quite expensive i...
Quite expensive in Brighton, good transport links and shops everywhere. Lots of good pubs and bars in the area, clubs are a bit more hit or miss tho. read more
Brighton is an ex...
Brighton is an expensive city in comparison with it's size. read more
Brighton is brill...
Brighton is brilliant for so many reason. There are loads of things to do and the social aspect is amazing. read more
Brighton is a rea...
Brighton is a really diverse and well connected area with a lot of entertainment, but very expensive. Sticking to a budget is really important for days out as prices build so quickly. read more
Great city, lots...
Great city, lots of choices of shops and places to eat. Expensive city to live in but that's because it is like London by the Sea read more
Not a bad town to...
Not a bad town to reside in and has a lot of hospitality, but more nighttime entertainment wouldn't go a miss instead seeing students out Thursdays, Fridays and the weekends. I have learned to manage well financially, by coming to terms with the many discounts and benefits of being a student. read more
Expensive city es...
Expensive city especially for international students, not so much shop variety. But the supermarkets are good. read more
Beautiful quiet ....
Beautiful quiet ... peaceful ... needs mre shops read more
Everything is stu...
Everything is stunning in Brighton! Really enjoy brighton read more
It's an overated...
It's an overated city especially if you're a local as you see all the issues and problems. read more
I LOVE living in...
I LOVE living in Brighton! I will miss it here read more
Very busy but ver...
Very busy but very social, beautiful and everyone is able to dress in however manner they like read more
It's expensive bu...
It's expensive but a lot of fun read more
It’s very expensi...
It’s very expensive can’t lie need a job read more
Spenny city but t...
Spenny city but the sea makes it worth it clubs always doin student events read more
lovely atmosphere...
lovely atmosphere and so much to do read more
The student disco...
The student discounts are great read more
Can be expensive...
Can be expensive and shops are quite far read more
Busy city with lo...
Busy city with lots to do, but is very expensive read more
Its very affordab...
Its very affordable and definitely worth the experience. read more
great transport b...
great transport buses come every 10 or so minutes and there are many options for dining and shopping read more
It is a small but...
It is a small but beautiful city. It is expensive though. read more
Great town , with...
Great town , with a lot of good options , many activates to do and also lively people read more
Expensive city bu...
Expensive city but good links to london read more
Brightons a lovel...
Brightons a lovely place with everything you could need. read more
Lovely city, very...
Lovely city, very pretty lots of cafe/food spots. Kemp town transport links could be better read more
a lovely place to...
a lovely place to live, with amazing transport links read more
N/A as I do not l...
N/A as I do not live here in Brighton read more
Expensive accommo...
Expensive accommodation for no reason. Night life is okay, but you get kicked out of clubs for no reason. If you get spiked you are sexualised by the clubs + randoms on the street + told it’s your fault you were spiked. read more
Very small town a...
Very small town and very convenient I love it read more
I really enjoy li...
I really enjoy living in Brighton. It's a vibrant lively colourful city that has everything you need and is very easy to commute. read more
Brighton is such...
Brighton is such a good city to live in, it has everything that it needs, food, clubs, etc read more
A walk along the...
A walk along the beach is always very exhilarating and fun. read more
Very easy to get...
Very easy to get around with a good public transport system. Private accommodation is a tad expensive. read more
Brighton is a lov...
Brighton is a lovely city for student life. read more
Brighton is reall...
Brighton is really expensive city. read more
Transport links i...
Transport links in the university are useful to get to town. There are many shops around to get shopping and night life in brighton has and always will be amazing read more
I absolutely love...
I absolutely love it here. I had no previous experience or knowledge of Brighton, but I am beyond happy with what I have found here. Being from the San Francisco area in California I am delighted by the similarities I have found here and am glad to call Brighton home read more
It’s expensive, b...
It’s expensive, but what do you expect for London by the Sea? read more
it's expensive, t...
it's expensive, the busses are incredibly slow/no ac in summer and they take forty minutes to get to town which is a 15 minute drive at most. read more
Hollingbury House...
Hollingbury House is close to all the facilities and places students need! read more
Great location fo...
Great location for students to live read more
It is a bit expen...
It is a bit expensive to live in Brighton but it is worth it due to the experiences you can get read more
Bus routes go all...
Bus routes go all over the city and shopping there is a wide range of shops read more
Great place to ha...
Great place to have a nice night out! read more
Awesome city for...
Awesome city for starting a new life and also most open minded I’ve been to that appreciate all type of genders, nationalities, sexuality, and religion. read more
The transportatio...
The transportation is convenient and comes consistently on time! read more
Lots of facilitie...
Lots of facilities and things to do. Very good for shopping. read more
Brighton is a ver...
Brighton is a very cool vibrant city, it’s got lots of cool spots ans places to visit ! read more
Brighton is the p...
Brighton is the perfect city for students with a wide variety of eating, socialising and shopping facilities and very scenic surroundings. read more
Brighton for me i...
Brighton for me is my home and it’s a place I feel I can be accepted for who I am. I can be my weird wonderful self read more
Amazing public tr...
Amazing public transport links within the city and to local areas. Large shopping areas with variety of shop types. Lots of nightclubs and bars for students. read more
Nice enough town,...
Nice enough town, shame im too broke to fully enjoy it read more
Definitely pricey...
Definitely pricey, so it's best to stick to Aldi when shopping; but exploring the city is lots of fun, with loads of cute little shops you can pop into :) read more
Easy access trans...
Easy access transport and great student life read more
Great city with l...
Great city with lots to do and see read more
Great city vibran...
Great city vibrant and lots to do read more
very expensive bu...
very expensive but a really fantastic place to live read more
Favorite place, r...
Favorite place, really beautiful beach and loads to do read more
Brighton is absol...
Brighton is absolutely suitable for living. It is quite safe and LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY! read more
Living in Brighto...
Living in Brighton is great. There is so much to do, and walking around the city honestly makes you smile. There are so many pubs, clubs, restaurants to try and even just going to the beach at the weekend is great. At night there is always a way to get home - with the 24 hour bus service - so you never get stranded after a night out! When on campus (Sussex Uni), it’s a bit of a trek into town, often about 25/ 30 mins on the bus but the train is a lot quicker. However, when you live off campus in second and third year it is so great being closer to town - however rent is very expensive and you do often have to compromise with certain things. read more
very fun and bubb...
very fun and bubbly city and people are friendly read more
Brighton is a gre...
Brighton is a great place to live, you are never to far away from anything wether that be a pub, a cute shop, a local cafe or a restaurant. There are parks and large areas of seating scattered around and with the beach only 30 minutes walk away there’s always time for a chilled day. Public transport is great, buses are constant and on time! The shopping center is filled with great shops and variations. read more
Public transport...
Public transport is great! Although the city is expensive! There are very nice pubs and restaurants as well as lots of nice places to go for a night out, shopping is good but always busy and only an hour from London by train read more
It’s literally th...
It’s literally the best student location in UK. read more
Great food, espec...
Great food, especially if you're veggie or vegan. Nights out are really good but now The Haunt has closed it won't be the same :( read more
Cost of living mi...
Cost of living might be a bit expensive but looking past that, everything else is amazing. read more
Public transport...
Public transport takes a bit of getting used to if you’re coming from London where buses are so frequent. read more
Perfect and frien...
Perfect and friendly city to international student read more
The best universi...
The best university city. The nights out are amazing, lots of student deals. A great gay and lesbian community. However this is a great place for all! read more
This city is amaz...
This city is amazing for student life, job opportunities, nights out. A great university location. read more
great place, full...
great place, full of amazing places to eat and easy transport to access read more
Its a lively down...
Its a lively down but we are in a global pandemic read more
Birghton has poss...
Birghton has possibly the best public transport in England, it's not too expensive if you know which tickets to buy and when. The shops are always amazing to find odd bits and bobs as the Laines provide all sorts of niche shops (especially if you are into Vintage clothes and Books). The cost of living is very high but I have only lived in a 2 bedroom house as well as student accommodation so i'm probably not the best to judge. read more
no fun, no learni...
no fun, no learning, no support read more
My experience was...
My experience was pretty bad. Changed to Kent after the first year, which was a great move!! Join me at Kent read more
Nice if you are s...
Nice if you are super rich. Otherwise, it is not the nicest place. read more
Super expensive,...
Super expensive, poor accommodation...there are better places.. read more
Super expensive....
Super expensive. and not overly save read more
Campus is far awa...
Campus is far away from Brighton, so its much better to live in the city. Brighton is vibrant and sunny, which cannot be said for the Sussex campus. read more
Brighton is nice,...
Brighton is nice, but campus is far away from the city. Campus is not conveniently located. Much better to live in the city. read more
Brighton is a nic...
Brighton is a nice city, but Sussex is not centrally located. It is far away from everything fun in Brighton. read more
Brighton is a nic...
Brighton is a nice city, but underwhelming. It is an infinitely better idea to live in the city. DO NOT LIVE ON CAMPUS. read more
IF YOU FANCY THE...
IF YOU FANCY THE SEA, GO TO A PROPER SEA read more
haha disgusting!...
haha disgusting! haha haha haha read more
because of the un...
because of the uni, this uni is so awful read more
awful, awful, awf...
awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful read more
Nothing to do wit...
Nothing to do with the OU but I live near Brighton and it’s a FAB city! read more
the winters are l...
the winters are long, and ugly read more
The town is ok if...
The town is ok if you can afford decent housing. read more
City is ok if you...
City is ok if you are super rich. Otherwise, it just isn't. read more
Brighton is expen...
Brighton is expensive. No two ways about it. BUT, there are ways to get around that as a student. Choosing student nights in clubs, re-using a 24 hour bus ticket for multiple trips in a day, utilising the aldi, all of which make Brighton more affordable. Brighton has loads of pubs and restaurants, but as a student these will be less important than you think they will. Public transport is golden, with buses from Sussex to Brighton running every 5 minutes in the day and 10-15 overnight. The trains are cheaper and faster but less often, with 3 running every hour. I didn’t do much shopping, but every time I needed anything I was able to find it in Brighton. read more
Brighton is a nic...
Brighton is a nice city, but there are better places to be. The university is a 30-40 minute bus ride into the city, so location isn't ideal. read more
Speaks for itself...
Speaks for itself; Brighton is an expensive location. It is lovely, but the weather during term time does not reach its peak in terms of summer. Brighton was often very cold, so you do need to wrap up for a night out. Also, it is quite a trek from the university, and transport fees can really add up. A bus ticket for one night out is going to cost you £3+ and a return ticket via train is £2.40, and the trains aren't 24 hours. read more
Brighton is a goo...
Brighton is a good place with various restaurants and shopping centre. Although it is quite expensive to live compared to other places. The accommodation for student was difficult to find a year back as they were fully booked. The cinemas are dull and not very good compared to others where there are nice seats and nice projectors. read more
Too expensive to...
Too expensive to love there. Not recommended read more
Vibrant city. Rat...
Vibrant city. Rather ugly in the winter. Expensive. Poor quality of accommodation. read more
Expensive housing...
Expensive housing. Food costs weren't extortionate. Public transport had a fair price. read more
Beautiful city, g...
Beautiful city, great food and shopping. Nice people. Lovely beach. Expensive as hell tho, esp transport. Clubbing is dangerous so be careful, a lot of drink spiking. read more
Expensive as hell...
Expensive as hell but beautiful, great food and nice people. Amazing beach and shops, lovely cafes. Worth living here but uni isn't worth it! Go to Sussex uni!!! I wish I had!!! read more
The cost of livin...
The cost of living is extremely high compared to what you’re getting. Eating out is extremely expensive unless you’re sharing with friends. Nights out are not bad but they could be better. Shopping is decent in Brighton but a lot of stores are closing. Public transport is okay but the buses are often late. read more
Town has plenty o...
Town has plenty of places to go and the night life is great and cheap read more
A bit pricey, but...
A bit pricey, but a fantastic location by the sea with great food, drink and entertainment. Can get everywhere by bus or train. The lanes are good for shopping however lack of John Lewis makes me sad read more
Excellent place t...
Excellent place to live for night life, restaurants and shops and the bus pass is very handy. However rent and travel is very expensive read more
A very wide choic...
A very wide choice of amazing and fun activities, just a shame its so damn expensive! read more
Brighton is so mu...
Brighton is so much fun and a great place to live as a student and the night life is amazing read more
Expensive, but br...
Expensive, but brilliant night life, brilliant people, good student bus service read more
Costly to live es...
Costly to live especially on a student budget but has everything you need and more. read more
Who could hate li...
Who could hate living in Brighton. High rent prices though, more suited to London. The food is amazing though. read more
Brighton is the b...
Brighton is the best place in the woooorld read more
Expect London pri...
Expect London prices, but also expect a busy city. read more
Cost of living is...
Cost of living is ridiculous, it's like London prices by the sea. Amazing night life, best night life in the South. There's loads of clubs and bars and pubs with a different vibe in each. Massive shopping centre with all the chain shops but there's also The Lanes, which is full of independent shops and one off items. Massive range of places to eat out. Loads of buses and a good rail network, buses are a bit expensive for students as you have to buy a day rider rather than just a return for the main route to university. read more
It's a brilliant...
It's a brilliant place to live, but rent prices are really high. read more
Loads of differen...
Loads of different night life options, good variety of shopping, hundreds of cafes and restaurants, beach, it's great read more
Cons?
Very few