Application guide

Find out what steps you need to take as an international student applying to study for an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at the University of Brighton.

The information below is provided to explain the key deadlines that you need to adhere to if your application is to be successful. Please be aware that if you require a visa to study in the UK, the application process can be longer and more involved.

Choose a course

Whether it's undergraduate or postgraduate study we have over 200 courses for you to choose from. You can read our deciding what to study guide to help you think about why you want to apply to university and what you are hoping to get out of the experience.

You should also check the academic equivalencies for your country to make sure that you can meet the entry requirements.

Course start dates

Most of our undergraduate and postgraduate courses start at the end of September. However, we also offer winter start dates for some postgraduate courses and others have non-standard start dates at other points in the year. Regardless of when your course starts you are expected to arrive on time, and you should apply in plenty of time for each stage of the process to be completed properly.

Find your course

Check the academic equivalencies for your country

Make an application

There are multiple stages involved in applying to study in the UK. There is no set timeframe for each element as it will depend on everyone's individual application and circumstances.

Undergraduate students

Undergraduate students can apply to us through UCAS or direct.

UCAS applications: you should apply to us through UCAS for full-time undergraduate courses.

Direct applications: you can apply direct to us if you know that you want to study at Brighton and do not intend to apply to other institutions, or for English pre-sessional and academic preparation courses.

If you're applying for the following undergraduate engineering degrees you'll also need to apply for an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate.

Postgraduate students

For most of our postgraduate taught courses you should apply directly to us. Search for the course you want to apply for and when you get to the course details, click on Apply online.

If you would like to undertake one of the following taught masters, you'll also need to apply for an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate:

There is no set timeframe, you must allow time for us to assess your application, conduct an interview (if required), complete a fee assessment and verify your qualifications.

Receive your offer

  • If you have a conditional offer, you must meet your conditions before you can continue the process. The conditions might require you to achieve certain grades, or to support your English language test or a reference, for example.
  • An unconditional offer means there are no more conditions for you to meet. You must formally accept your offer, via your Student View account.
  • Once you have done this you can apply for your Certificate of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) and pay your tuition fee deposit.
  • Once you have your CAS you must use it to apply for your Student Visa. This process can take some weeks depending on which country you are applying from.

Apply for a Student Route visa

This will vary country to country but at a minimum you will need to book an initial appointment, dates for which may not be immediately available. You will need to submit a range of documentation for assessment and wait for a decision which could take a few days or a couple of weeks. If your country offers a priority service, and you can afford to pay for it, then this might speed up part of the process. Remember that you can only travel once your visa has been issued.

Even if your course application is processed swiftly, and your CAS issued quickly, getting your Visa can still take a few weeks. We recommended you review our detailed guidance on applying for your visa.

For this reason, if you have not applied at least two months before the start of the course, you will likely not have allowed enough time to complete the process. We therefore operate a cut-off date, after which we will not make any offers.

Last dates to receive your offer

You must submit your application in plenty of time for us to assess it, conduct an interview and verify your qualifications. We will not make any more offers after the following dates.

  • If you are applying for your visa from within the UK, the last date to receive your offer is 2 weeks prior to the course start date.
  • If you are applying for your visa from abroad and using a priority service, the last date to receive your offer is 5 weeks prior to the course start date.
  • If you are applying for your visa from abroad and no priority service is available, the last date to receive your offer is 7 weeks prior to the course start date.

Late starts or remote starts

The University of Brighton does not offer any courses which can be started online or remotely whilst you are waiting for your visa to be issued. We do not normally permit late starts.

If you applied for your course and then your CAS in good time and received your offer/CAS before the cut-off dates, then it is your responsibility to apply immediately for your visa. If there are delays with your visa issuance or travel arrangements and you cannot arrive in time for your course start date, then you must contact us to explain your circumstances, and we will consider whether a late start is possible.

Some courses cannot accommodate any missed teaching and learning and no course will permit a student to start any later than four weeks into the programme. Please keep in touch with our Visa team by emailing CASenquiries@brighton.ac.uk if you think you cannot arrive in time and do not travel unless we have confirmed that you can start late.

Paying your tuition fee deposit

If you are a self-funded international student and you require a UK visa to study with us, you are required to pay a tuition fee deposit. The deposit must be paid before we can issue you with your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number, which you will need in order to apply for your visa.

The tuition fee deposit for 2023-24 is £3,000. If you are starting a course with us in autumn 2023 your tuition fee deposit funds must be cleared by the CAS deadline that we will tell you.

Your tuition fee deposit should be paid using the University of Brighton’s payment service, powered by our partner Flywire, which allows you to pay in the currency of your choice in a simple and secure way.

Certain categories of students are not required to pay a deposit.

The deposit is generally considered non-refundable, but will be refunded in certain circumstances.

To find out more please see our international tuition fee deposit refund policy.

Pay your tuition fee deposit using Flywire

Request your CAS number

The university will issue you with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number when you have accepted your unconditional offer and paid the tuition fee deposit, if required.

A CAS is a virtual document that the UK Home Office will view through a secure online system when you make your application for a Student visa. You will need your CAS number to make your visa application.

Once you have your CAS you must use it to apply for your Student Visa. This process can take some weeks, depending on which country you are applying from so make sure you read our Visa Application guidance.

Find out more about requesting your CAS

Apply for accommodation

Students paying international fees are guaranteed a place in university accommodation for their first year of study if an application is made by the deadline on the official application form. There are many other accommodation options available.

The accommodation office can help you with arrangements for living here.

Book your place on orientation

Before the academic term begins, orientation events are held to welcome you to the university. Our programme typically includes campus tours, city tours, social events, sessions about working in the UK, and the healthcare system. We will invite you to book by email once your place at the university is confirmed.

Find out more about the orientation programme