Application process

1. Choose your course

The first step to postgraduate study is to decide which course you're interested in. Research and compare – look at what the course covers and what entry qualifications and experience the course requires.

2. Choose how to study and check entry requirements

Will you need to work during your degree? Is it important that the course offers flexible study options? The University of Brighton offers a range of full and part-time courses for postgraduates, so you can balance your work-life commitments.

You should also check the entry requirements of your chosen course. If you need help to meet the English language entry requirements, you can take a preparation programme at our Brighton Student Skills Hub.

3. Book onto an event

There’s no better way to explore your future opportunities for postgraduate study than on an event.

Attending an online or in-person event will give you the chance to talk to the staff who will be teaching your course, have your questions answered and get a feel for the university.

4. Make your application

For most of our postgraduate courses you should apply directly to the university, with the exception of Social Work MSc and postgraduate teacher training. Application for Social Work is through UCAS. Application for postgraduate teacher training courses is via the Department for Education's apply for teacher training website.

Application for courses opens in mid-September. It is advisable to apply early as offers are made as good applications come in. Moreover, the sooner you have a place, the more sources of funding you'll be able to investigate and apply for.

However, don't apply until you are ready – you need to put the research in and, for some courses, relevant experience might be necessary.

5. Processing your application

6. Attend an interview

We will contact you if you need to attend an interview. Courses that usually require an interview are:

• architecture
• art and design
• medicine
• nursing
• occupational therapy
• PGCE and teaching
• physiotherapy
• podiatry
• social work.

7. Receive your offer

Your formal offer of a place at Brighton will be sent to you via Student View, so it's important to activate your university user account and check Student View regularly.

You will receive an email letting you know when the status of your application changes, and will be able to see your offer and any conditions attached to it in the information on your offer tab in Student View.

We can also send you your offer letter through the post, upon request.

8. Respond to your offer

You can accept your offer to study with us through Student View at any time. You'll need to accept your offer with us before the start of your course.

If you have decided not to study with us this year, you can also decline your offer through Student View.

Offer deadline for international postgraduate students

The deadline to respond to your conditional or unconditional offer of a place at Brighton will be detailed on the 'Information about your offer' page in Student View. You will need to allow time to apply for your CAS and visa.

If you don’t accept your offer by the deadline, your offer will automatically be withdrawn and you'll no longer be able to take up your place on that course.

If you’re unable to accept your offer by the deadline, get in touch with us as soon as possible by sending us a message through the 'Your messages' page of Student View.

9. Important tasks for international students

Tuition fee deposit

Self-funded international students who require a UK visa to study at the university are required to pay a deposit in order for the university to issue a Confirmation for Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number, which is required in order to apply for a visa. International students can either pay their remaining tuition fees in full at the start of their course or in three instalments, in accordance with these deadlines.

If you are starting your course with us in September 2023 a deposit of £3,000 is payable and the deadlines for the three instalments are:

• 50% of total fees paid by 31 October 2023
• A further 25% of total fees paid by 31 January 2024
• The final 25% of total fees paid by 30 April 2024.

If you are starting your course with us in January 2024 or September 2024 a deposit of £5,000 is required to be paid in order for the university to issue a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number, with remaining tuition fees to be paid either in full.

If you are starting your course with us in January 2024 the deadlines for the two instalments will be:

• 50% of fee by 28 February 2024
• Remaining balance to be paid by 31 May 2024.

If you are starting your course with us in September 2024 the deadlines for the two instalments will be:

• 50% of fee by end 31 October 2024
• Remaining balance to be paid by 31 January 2025.

The deposit is subject to review, but the minimum amount of £5,000 will still apply from January 2024.

Please log into your Student View account to pay your deposit and follow the steps below:

• Log into your Student View account
• Select ‘Your offer’ in the left-hand menu
• Then select ‘Information on your offer’ from the drop down list which appears
• Click on the button ‘Pay your deposit’.

Immigration

If you are an international student, you will need a Student Route visa to study at the university. Immigration rules for students from the EU changed following the UK’s exit from the EU on 1 January 2021, please see our advice for EU students.

Orientation

If you are an international student you can sign up to our free orientation programme that runs the week before term begins. The orientation programme allows you to meet other students and get to explore your new city.

10. Consider your funding options

UK students

There are a number of funding options for UK postgraduate students; this includes government loans, specialist postgraduate study bank loans, as well as bursaries and generous university scholarships.

International students

We offer lots of scholarships especially for international students studying a postgraduate course with us.

11. Apply for accommodation

The deadline to apply for university accommodation will be published soon.

If you're an international student you're guaranteed a place in university accommodation if you accept your academic offer and apply for accommodation by the deadline. 

Once you've accepted your offer, we'll email you to invite you to apply for accommodation.

12. Finally... read our next steps for starting at uni

Once you've completed all of these steps, you're on your way to becoming a student at Brighton.

There are just a few more things you should do to prepare for your course, you can find out more on our new student webpages.