Changing course

Making a change can be a positive step if your current course doesn't feel like the right fit but it's important to take time to explore your options before deciding.

We’ve outlined key guidance below, but contact the team at studentservices@brighton.ac.uk for personalised advice and support.

International students

If you hold a Student visa, you must contact the International Student Advisers before making any changes. Email them at internationaladvice@brighton.ac.uk.

What should I do if I'm thinking of changing course?

Start by doing some research.

Explore what’s coming up on your current course — it might begin to suit you better.
Speak to your tutors about any academic concerns.
Look into alternative courses or career paths.
Get advice from the Careers and Employability team.

Helpful people to speak to

Your course leader or Personal Academic Tutor
Your course office or administrator
Student Advice Service
Brighton Students’ Union
Careers and Employability team.

Important: not attending your course isn’t the same as telling us you plan to leave. Stay in touch with staff as your attendance can impact your student finance, future references and any qualifications you’ve worked towards.

You can also get external advice on changing or leaving your course from TargetJobs.

How do I change course?

If you’ve decided to transfer, speak to the course leader of the course you’d like to join. They’ll assess your suitability based on:

your qualification
your academic progress
the space available on the course.

They can also explain:

whether you’d join in year 1 or later
how to apply and whether you’ll need a reference
what fees you’ll pay
when and how to leave your current course (you’ll also need to discuss this with your current course leader).

What about my student finance?

This will depend on your specific situation, particularly which course you’re on, what stage you’re at and what course you’re moving to. 

If you’re transferring within the same academic year (eg between Brighton courses)

Student Finance England (SFE) will continue your funding with no issues.
But you must inform them of any changes.

If you’re starting a new course from the beginning

SFE funds your course length plus one extra year
Even one day of attendance counts as a full year of funding.

Example

You start a three-year course and leave after year 1. You can still get funding for three more years.
But if you switch during year 2 and start a new three-year course, that totals five years so you’ll need to self-fund for one year.