Before you get here

Our application timeline and checklists outline everything you need to do before you start university in the UK.

Follow our below guidance so that you can have the best possible start to studying in the UK.

On this page, you will find:

The application timeline – so you know what to expect at each stage
Your essential tasks – priority tasks you need to complete
Preparing for university – further guidance on preparing to join us

Application timeline

Timeline for applicants joining in September
Month(s)	What you need to do
October to May	Apply to Brighton and manage your application in our applicant portal, called Student View. If you have a conditional offer, this is where you will upload your qualification results and English language test results.
March to September	Check your emails regularly – we will email you lots of important information about scholarships, invitations to online events, the next steps you need to take, and how to prepare for studying in the UK.
April to June	Apply for university accommodation by the deadline, or arrange private accommodation if you prefer.
From May	Pay your tuition fee deposit (if required) through Student View.
From May	Complete your CAS application through Enroly CAS Shield. You will receive an email invitation to complete your CAS application if your offer is unconditional and you have accepted your offer/made us your firm choice.
From June	Check your immigration requirements and if you need to, apply for your Student visa following our online guidance. You will need a CAS number from us in order to apply for your Student visa.
From August	Complete online registration on Student View from mid-August. You will also need to complete face-to-face registration when you arrive to the university, either during international orientation or Welcome Week.
	Book a place on our free international orientation programme.
From September	Book your flight to the UK after you have received your Student visa. You will need to plan how to get from the airport to your accommodation or campus – we have information on travelling to the UK to help you do this.
	Get organised with your paperwork – ensure you’ve got your passport photos, acceptance letter, visa, passport, original qualification certificates and transcripts, evidence of your funding and your CAS statement email. Keep your paperwork in your hand luggage, as you will need it at UK border control.
	Bring money with you on a debit/credit card – to open a UK bank account you first need to have enrolled in person on your course. Once you have done this, it can take up to two weeks to open a UK bank account, so make sure you have funds to cover your expenses during this time. The university is a cashless campus, so you will need a working credit, debit or pre-payment card.
	Attend international orientation, where you can meet other new international students, plus find out more about practical things like registering with a doctor, opening a UK bank account, and finding a part-time job.
	Prepare to pay 50% of your annual tuition fee by the first payment deadline.

Your essential tasks

You need to complete all of the tasks below before you join the University of Brighton.

1. What you can do now

Pay your tuition fee deposit (unless you are exempt) through Student View.
Complete your CAS application (if required) – you will receive an email inviting you to apply through Enroly CAS Shield when you have accepted an unconditional offer. You will need a CAS number from us in order to apply for your Student visa.
Apply for your visa (if required) – once you have received your CAS number from us, it's time to apply for your visa.
Join your Brighton offer holder community to chat to potential future classmates and flatmates, and make friends before you arrive - look out for an email from us inviting you to join, if you haven't already.
Join some of our online Belong at Brighton events to learn more about the university, help get prepared and meet other new students.
Check your start date, school and course info in Student View by viewing your offer letter.
View the term and semester dates. Please note, some courses have an earlier start date.
Follow us on social media.

2. Register and complete online tasks

Complete online registration in Student View. We'll send you an email invite when online registration opens. During online registration, you will need to upload a photo of you for your unicard. You will be able to collect your unicard once you arrive, and you will be expected to carry it with you while on campus.
Activate your university user account, if you haven't already.

Complete your online tasks once you have registered, such as:

confirming your course start dates on Student View
logging in to My Brighton.

Please see the online tasks page for more information and help with completing these.

Complete your online tasks

3. After you have registered

Make sure your course and contact details are correct
Check your timetables – don't worry if your timetable doesn't look that busy yet, we'll be adding events regularly after you register and you'll get your academic timetable when you arrive
Access your university email inbox – be sure to check this regularly for important updates
Access MyStudies – an online space where you'll find learning materials, assessments and other study-related content
Find out more about your subject in the course section, including pre-arrival course preparation on My Studies

If you have any issues, please see the online tasks page for more information.

4. Get ready for your studies

Download Microsoft Teams through My Brighton and log in to Microsoft 365 with your university email address.
Start to build your study and digital skills to get ready for university-level study, and learn about our library and available resources.
Log in to LinkedIn Learning for access to video-based training courses.
Find out about our libraries, learning platforms and how to create a university-ready study set-up.
Attend the Belong at Brighton event for your school.
Read through the tabs below for further information on how to prepare for university.

Build your study and digital skills

5. Set up off-campus access

Accessing My Brighton and uni email when off campus or when using non-university wifi

All new students are now required to use Multifactor Authentication (MFA). This added security measure will protect your university account and requires the Microsoft Authenticator app to confirm your identity when off campus. Before you can check your timetable, email and course materials, you will need to set up your phone so you can access the student portal My Brighton when away from the campus. You will require both your mobile device and a computer to complete this process.

Download the app

The Microsoft Authenticator app is available for Apple and Android devices, and we would recommend downloading the app from a wifi source either on campus or at home:

Apple App Store (iOS)
Google Play Store (Android)

Once installed, visit the Microsoft My Account page using your computer and enter your university username and password. Click on 'set up now' to begin the process. This will require both the phone's app and computer to complete the setup.

Detailed instructions are outlined in our student guide to setting up Multifactor Authentication (pdf).

If you experience any issues please contact the Service Desk on 01273 644444, or email them at servicedesk@brighton.ac.uk.

Read our guide to Multifactor Authentication

Preparing for university

The below checklists will help you keep track of the other tasks you need to complete before you arrive. Depending on your situation, some of the tasks on each checklist might not apply to you.

Pay the deposit and complete your CAS application

Pay your tuition fee deposit (unless you are exempt) through Student View.
Complete your CAS application – you will receive an email inviting you to apply through Enroly CAS Shield when you have accepted an unconditional offer. You need a CAS number from us to apply for your Student visa.
Make sure you meet our deadlines.

View our international deadlines

Apply for your visa

If you require a visa to study in the UK, you need to ensure you allow enough time to apply for and receive your visa before travelling to the UK.

Once you have submitted your CAS application and received your CAS number from us, the next step is to apply for your visa. We publish step-by-step guidance for international students:

If you have a question about applying for a visa, or require additional support, please use our online visa enquiry form to contact our International Student Advice team.

More advice on visas and immigration

Accommodation

Organise your accommodation.
If you are offered a place in university halls please pay two weeks of your rent upfront, within three working days.
Complete the online accommodation induction where you'll be given an arrival time. You'll get this in an email too.
Join your halls Facebook group – the accommodation team will send you a link.
Check out the Residential Wellbeing service.
For support arranging private accommodation, get in touch with our accommodation team.
Use our what to bring checklist to help you plan for your move.

Find out more about accommodation

Student life

Sign up for Brighton Students' Union (BSU) updates.
Take a look at the BSU clubs and societies you can join.
Stay active and make friends through Sport Brighton.
Follow us on social media.
Join our campus and freshers Facebook groups.

Explore Brighton Students' Union

Health and wellbeing

Read about our support and wellbeing services – it's good to know they're there whether you need them or not.
See what health services are available and how to register with a doctor.

Before you start university, we strongly encourage you to check that your routine vaccinations are up to date. Illnesses can spread easily in communities where people live or work closely together in large groups. The vaccinations below are available free of charge through the NHS for those who are eligible. In particular, we recommend that you:

have received two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine
have received the MenACWY vaccine, which helps protect against four strains of meningococcal disease and is routinely recommended for students starting university
if you're eligible, take up the offer of the MenB vaccine. This is different from the MenACWY vaccine and protects against meningococcal B disease, which isn't covered by MenACWY. The NHS has introduced a new MenB vaccination programme for eligible students following recent meningitis outbreaks.
are up to date with any COVID-19 vaccinations you're eligible for, in line with current NHS guidance.

If you're unsure whether your vaccinations are up to date, check your vaccination record in the NHS App or contact your GP surgery. If you've missed either dose of the MMR vaccine, you can arrange a free catch-up vaccination through the NHS.

MenB vaccination

From 20 July 2026, the NHS is offering a new MenB (meningococcal B) vaccination programme for eligible students. Even if you've already had the MenACWY vaccine, you may still be eligible for MenB. The two vaccines protect against different strains of meningococcal disease.

You may be eligible if you:

are aged 17 or 18 and born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008
are aged 24 or under and starting university for the first time
are an eligible international student starting university in England for the first time.

The MenB vaccine is given in two doses, at least four weeks apart, so we encourage eligible students to get their first dose before the start of term where possible.

How to get the MenB vaccine

If you're aged 17 or 18 and born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008, you can book an appointment online through the NHS (from 13 July 2026) if you're registered with a GP in England, or visit a participating walk-in pharmacy.
If you're aged 24 or under and starting university for the first time, you can get vaccinated at a participating walk-in pharmacy from 20 July 2026.

You don't need to wait until you arrive to get in touch with support services:

Speak to the disability and learning support team about a learning support plan or funded support.
Speak to your school’s Student Support and Guidance Tutor (SSGT).
Browse and contact our other support services.

Find out more about our wellbeing service

Travelling to the UK

Before you plan your travel to the UK you need to know your course start date and which campus you will be based on. Your course start date is detailed in your offer letter, which you can view in Student View.

We have three campuses in the city of Brighton & Hove. You can check which campus your course is based on the webpage for your course.

Then you can follow our guidance about what you need to prepare before you travel, visa information and getting to Brighton from the airport.

Read our guidance on travelling to the UK

International support and guidance

We have International Student Support Officers who can help you with:

practical advice about living in the UK, such as local shopping and transport, opening a UK bank account, and accessing healthcare
information about social activities on and off campus
support for homesickness and culture shock
advice on financial hardship
support through times of crisis.

You can make an appointment to meet us in person or online. Email internationaladvice@brighton.ac.uk, call us on 01273 644300, or keep up-to-date with news and events on Instagram or through our blog.

Find out more about life in the UK