Accommodation
After your son or daughter has accepted the offer of a place at Brighton, they should start considering their options for first-year accommodation. We send out email invitations to apply for university halls of residence from mid-February. If you have not heard from us by May, please contact us while there is still time to apply.
We allocate more than 2,000 places in halls of residence across Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings. Most students have their own single rooms and share kitchen and living room facilities with other students, but we also offer some double rooms, and flats for student couples and disabled students.
View our on-campus accommodation options.
Many students choose to rent privately, usually in a house-share with other students. Renting privately allows for a more independent experience and enables students to choose who they live with.
There are many ways that students can find and chat to potential housemates before they leave for university. Our dedicated house-hunting system, Studenthomes, ‘fresher’ groups on Facebook, and our Studentcentral website all allow students to ‘buddy up’ to find housemates and apply for private accommodation as a group.
Find out more about renting privately.
Budgeting
It is a good idea to speak to your son or daughter about budgeting before they leave for university.
Student loans are paid in a lump sum at the start of each term, and many students will not be used to having that amount appear in their bank account overnight. Remind them that their student loan needs to last for a whole term, and encourage them to make a list of practical expenses.
Financial problems resulting from a tight student budget can cause extra stress for students. Encourage your child to be realistic about what they can afford to spend on accommodation, food and socialising each week, and work out a budget before they start spending.
Most banks offer student accounts with overdraft facilities to fall back on if students are struggling to make ends meet. Many also offer incentives such as free railcards and 0 per cent interest on overdrafts. Moneysavingexpert.com and our My finances section share a wealth of information on all aspects of finance for students.
Paid work
Having a part-time job during term-time can be beneficial for students. As well as providing an opportunity to earn money, a part-time job helps students develop skills to enhance their CV and gives vital experience to draw on in job interviews. It is important, however, that students strike a balance between work and studies, so that their university life is not negatively affected. At Brighton we recommend that students do not work for more than 15 hours per week during term-time.
Registering with a doctor
All students who are studying in the UK for more than six months are eligible for NHS services. To register, students need to provide photographic ID and proof of address. Students who choose to register with one of the on-site surgeries will also need to show a valid student ID or library card.
We recommend that students register with a doctor shortly after arriving at university. This is important so that they can be seen as quickly as possible if they notice symptoms of illness. Our Moulsecoomb and Eastbourne campuses both have on-site GP surgeries, in addition to nearby GP surgeries.
If you are on a low income you may be able to get help through the NHS Low Income Scheme. The amount of help you get will depend on your level of income.
Disability and dyslexia
We believe that every student should have an equal opportunity to learn and use their abilities.
The university currently has over 2,300 students with disabilities, approximately 12 per cent of the student population, so it is not unusual to be a disabled student here.
The disability and dyslexia team coordinate support for students who declare a disability or a specific learning difficulty. A member of the team will contact your son or daughter to talk about how we can offer support if they indicate during the application process that they have a disability, dyslexia, or long-term medical condition.