About our Brighton Student Skills Hub

The University of Brighton is a thriving academic community of some 19,000 students, including over 2,600 from more than 150 countries.

We have a long history of providing English language courses and academic support.

BSSH specialises in pre-sessional English and courses linking English language and British culture with other areas such as business or language teaching.

Meet the staff

Accredited programmes

We are an institutional member of the British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes (BALEAP).

All English language programmes are accredited by the British Council, and are delivered by English language teachers who are highly experienced and qualified teachers of English for Academic Purposes.

Pathway to your UK degree

Students around a table listening to a lecturer

Successful completion of a BSSH pre-sessional English language programme guarantees you progression to most undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses at the University of Brighton.

You can choose from over 500 innovative and professional degree courses at the University of Brighton.

Browse degree courses now.

All about...

Location

About Brighton

A cosmopolitan city famed for its nightlife, bohemian atmosphere and beautiful surroundings, Brighton is a great place to be a student.

Whether you prefer the natural delights of the sea and South Downs or the bustle of the North Laine shopping district, there are fantastic events throughout the year that reflect the huge amount of character – both historic and modern – that the city possesses.

Brighton is host to three university campuses: City campus, Moulsecoomb and Falmer. City campus is in the centre of town, while Moulsecoomb and Falmer are just ten minutes away by bus or by train.

Social scene – Most students head into the lively centre of Brighton for its mix of bars, pubs, clubs, theatres, comedy houses and live music venues. In the summer the seafront buzzes with activities and impromptu BBQs and picnics on the beach.

The Great Escape meanwhile has been firmly established as the leading event for showcasing new music, with over 300 bands playing 30 venues across the city over three days.

Arts – Brighton hosts England’s biggest arts festival in May each year, and has a selection of highly regarded theatres, galleries and events, not to mention the quirky Royal Pavilion which has become a symbol of the city's eccentricities.

The Brighton Festival is now the largest arts festival in England, and is one of the major milestones in the international cultural calendar. The Brighton Fringe is one of the largest fringe festivals in the world.

i360 and ticket booth on the seafront

Brighton Fringe

Campus

Falmer campus

All of our English language pre-sessional programmes are based on the Falmer campus. The campus is on the edge of the South Downs National Park, just four miles from Brighton seafront.

With around 7,000 students based here, we've invested £60 million in this campus in the last 10 years, equipping it with outstanding modern facilities.

Over 600 students live in Great Wilkins and Paddock Field halls of residence, both within walking distance. There are a number of areas of Brighton that are popular with students a short cycle or bus ride away.

The campus has excellent sports facilities including:

a floodlit astroturf football pitch,
netball courts,
tennis courts,
a sports centre with a fitness suite,
two activity studios,
a sports hall with six badminton courts.

The campus is right next to Brighton & Hove Albion's Amex Stadium which houses not only football matches, but a number of events throughout the year.

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Checkland Building Exterior Night

Facilities and support

Whilst you are studying on one of our English pre-sessional programmes you will have full access to all of the facilities enjoyed by other students at the university. This includes a wide range of academic and personal support services as well as full use of libraries and computer systems.

Our open learning centre is home to facilities including:

Brand-new computer workstations.
Viewing station equipped with a large screen for group work.
Extensive collection of graded readers.
Large collection of English language books and dictionaries for general and academic English.
Pronunciation worksheets tailored to several first languages.
Local access to photocopier, scanner and printing facilities.
Searchable online catalogue of materials
Live satellite television in English, French, German, Spanish
English and foreign language news, documentaries and films

You'll also have access to University of Brighton support services including:

our international academic study kit
visa advice
careers guidance
academic study resources
specialist international student advice
health, disability and dyslexia support.

Accommodation

Our accommodation service will be happy to arrange accommodation for the duration of your English pre-sessional programme, and your degree course.

Halls of residence

We offer accommodation in our on-campus university halls of residence. Halls accommodation usually consists of a bedroom and shared living and kitchen space in a flat accommodating six students. Most bedrooms have ensuite facilities.

New for 2021: if you're applying for a course based on one of our Brighton campuses then you will be able to apply for a room in our brand new Mithras halls of residence. There are over 800 new en suite rooms and which will be ready for students starting September 2021.

Find out more about halls of residence

I'm a Pre-sessional English student and require accommodation

BSSH students who wish to stay in university accommodation should apply by emailing us at accommodation@brighton.ac.uk or calling +44 (0)1273 642858.

I'm a Summer Pre-sessional or Extended Masters student and require accommodation

Summer Pre-sessional and Extended Masters students can apply to stay in university accommodation (if available) on one of our campuses for the duration of your study. Please indicate your preference when you apply for your course at BSSH. There’s no need to apply for accommodation separately for both courses.

If you have any queries about accommodation get in touch with us at accommodation@brighton.ac.uk or on +44 (0)1273 642858.

I would like accommodation for my degree course only

If you don't require accommodation for your course at BSSH, but will require accommodation for your degree course at Brighton - visit our accommodation pages to find out more about your options and how to apply.

Social programme

There are lots of social activities for you to get involved in during your time at the University of Brighton including Brighton Students' Union activities, International Students Society (ISS) events and BSSH's weekly social programme.

Brighton Students' Union activities

The University of Brighton Students' Union provides a year-round programme of events including club nights, karaoke and cinema events.

There are over 100 student-run societies and some exclusively for international and EU students.

BSSH's weekly social programme

BSSH also offers weekly social activities throughout the year including outings with BSSH staff.

Brighton is a fantastic place with many things to see and do – the social programme includes:

museum trips
boat tours
sightseeing
cultural events
social activities.

The cost of these trips is free wherever possible, or under 20 pounds.

Look out for social programme posters around the Falmer campus as well as weekly updates in the BSSH student newsletter.

Join us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with BSSH news and events.

Terms and conditions

Fees and deposits

Mandatory requirements for your course are covered by the tuition fees. These include course materials and access to university libraries, computing and sporting facilities and use of the open learning centre. Optional field trips, accommodation and airport transfers are not included in the tuition fees.

Deposits – self-funded students

If you are a self-funded international student, you will need to pay a tuition fee deposit before we can issue your CAS number for your student visa application. Tuition fee deposit for 2022–23 is £3,000.

If you are starting a course with us in September 2022 you must provide us with your tuition fee deposit by 31 August 2022.

You can pay your tuition fee deposit online or by using the bank transfer service partnered with Flywire, which allows you to pay in your local currency.

For English language pre-sessional programmes you must provide us with your deposit at least three weeks before the start of the course.

Your deposit payment secures your place and is deducted from the final course fee.
The deposit is fully refundable in cases where we receive at least two weeks’ notice in writing that you are no longer able to attend the course.
If less than two weeks’ notice is given then you will be charged a £150 administration fee.
If we do not receive notice of non-attendance before the start of the course, you will not be entitled to a refund.
You will receive a full refund of your deposit if your course is withdrawn.
You will receive a full refund if your visa is refused (providing it has not been refused due to misrepresentation, eg. false statements or information).

Fees – sponsored students

If you're not paying your own fees you must produce a financial guarantee letter at least three weeks before the start of your course confirming that your fees will be paid by your government, your employer or another sponsor. We will then invoice your sponsor directly for your fees.

Paying the rest of your tuition fees

You can pay the remainder of your tuition fees from the first day of your course either online, by bank transfer, or in person.