Advice for 2020 applicants and offer holders

Students taking A levels, BTECs and GCSEs this summer are being awarded grades on the basis of their teachers’ assessment of their individual achievement. What this means for you depends on the course you have applied for and the current status of your application. You may still be able to apply for some courses.

Read our latest advice.

We understand that gap year plans will have changed for many students who have applied and deferred their place until 2021. If this is your situation and you would like to start your course in 2020 please get in touch with us. We will do everything we can to be flexible and make this change for you.

Please get in touch for advice as soon as possible, in most cases it should be possible to hold the place open for you until 2021. We also have courses which are over-subscribed and letting us know you have changed you mind may enable us to offer a place to another student.

Teachers in UK schools and colleges will calculate your A-level, BTEC, GCSE and Access grades based on guidance provided by Ofqual. These grades will be passed to the university in the normal way for us to confirm your place on your chosen course. Applicants taking the International Baccalaureate will also have their grades calculated and passed to us in the same way. You can share the formal notification of your teacher assessed grades once you have it.

For international applicants, we are monitoring and acting on the advice and guidance provided by a wide range of examination boards and the UK Home Office. We aim to be as flexible as possible when assessing both your academic and English language qualifications.

Universities are taking a range of approaches to final year assessment. We will accept scans of transcripts of degree results for postgraduate applicants completing their undergraduate degrees in the summer of 2020.

Ofqual has issued advice for candidates in your position. You should contact your assessment centre to explore your options but we advise you to be prepared for the likelihood that you may not receive a grade this summer and will have to sit an examination as soon as it becomes possible to do so. We will accept online equivalency tests in place of GCSEs, find out more about these options. We will review applications on a case-by-case basis, please get in touch if this does not cover your particular circumstance.

If you apply to us through Clearing we will tell you the deadline by which you need to make a decision on your offer. We can only keep the place open for you whilst we have places available.

We continue to accept postgraduate applications until September, subject to places being available, you will need to confirm your acceptance of our offer before the start of the autumn term.

Grades are just one of the factors we consider when making offers. When we confirm your place on your chosen course we will always look beyond the grades you hold. In any normal year, we can and do confirm places for students who have not achieved the grades we have asked for. If you are thinking of applying and have concerns about your grades get in touch with us for advice on your options – these could include taking a foundation year route or an alternative course.

In normal circumstances we do require original paper copies of qualifications to verify them but we know that this will be a challenge for many applicants. We will accept transcripts or scanned copies of certificates instead or seek to confirm your award directly with your institution.

Given the exceptional upheaval caused by COVID-19 we will automatically extend our mitigating circumstances policy to everyone who has applied to start in 2020.

This proactive approach means we can provide students with reassurance at a worrying time. COVID-19 disruption will not impact on you joining us at the start of the next academic year or in thriving on your chosen course.

You do not need to apply for mitigation or send us any evidence of your circumstances. We recognise everyone has been significantly impacted and will amend records on your behalf.

We have developed a programme of advice and online events and support to help you get your learning, life and career off to the best start. We will be in touch regularly by email and this is a great place to start.

Online enrolment is open now, once you have completed it you’ll have access to pre-arrival resources and activities designed to get you back into the swing of things.

Yes, our admissions team are based off-campus and working as normal. We continue to receive applications and make offers to students, including international applicants. Check our website for details of courses still taking 2020 applications, most courses start in the autumn term but there are a few which start in early 2021.

We are not currently holding interviews at the university. Our admissions team will contact you to make alternative arrangements. Tests, exercises or portfolio review are also currently being done online.

Applications for halls are now closed.
All of our halls and university-managed accommodation will be organised in line with official guidance to ensure that they are safe for all residents.

Our accommodation team are here to advise students looking for accommodation now on all the options open to them which include private halls and shared houses with other Brighton students.

Are all applicants who applied before the deadline guaranteed an offer of a room in halls?

We extended our accommodation application deadline to 30 July following the UCAS decision to extend the standard university application deadline from 19 May to 18 June. Applicants who applied before this date are guaranteed an offer of a room. Room offers are released in batches.

Whilst you can’t visit our campuses at the moment you can view 360º tours on our website. You can also message our students and ask them about their experiences, and read their blogs about accommodation, moving away from home and lots more.

You can apply for your student finance now. The Student Loan Company are continuing to deliver their core services, which include processing loan applications from new and existing students.

If you expect your household income to be more than 15% lower in the current tax year than it was last year ask for a Current Year Income (CYI) assessment when making your Student Finance England application.

There are still loads of ways to find out about studying here. Get in touch with our enquiries team online, by phone and through live chat. Message our students and say hello through the Unibuddy app and book a place on our regular online events. We are updating Twitter and Facebook and keeping the positive vibes going on Instagram. There are loads of great course and subject social media too.

Finally, make sure to read our emails – we will send you helpful reminders and advice regularly. You can sign up for email updates here if you haven’t applied or done so already.

It’s not possible to visit our campuses at the moment. You can still get to know us by taking part in online Q&A sessions with staff and students and taking virtual tours. Explore online now.