USA Scholars' Award

Our undergraduate USA Scholars' Award is a £1,500 reduction to your tuition fees across a standard three-year course. It is awarded as a £500 tuition fee reduction in each year.

The USA Scholars' Award is for students who are nationals of the United States of America, or have permanent residency there. It can be combined with our Vice-Chancellor international undergraduate scholarship.

The award is open to students studying within any of our academic schools, excluding Brighton and Sussex Medical School.

You do not need to apply for this award, it will be automatically applied if you are eligible. Details about the award and eligibility criteria can be found below.

View the eligibility criteria

Award information

Eligibility criteria

You must meet all of the below eligibility criteria:

  • be a national of the United States of America or reside there permanently
  • hold an offer for a full-time course and meet all academic and non-academic conditions
  • be an international-fee status student
  • be a self-funded student (if you have a loan you are eligible, but externally sponsored students are not eligible)
  • be a new student who has not studied at the University of Brighton before
  • be starting your course in September 2026
  • pay 50% of your tuition fees (before the award has been applied) by the applicable tuition fee payment deadline.

You will not be eligible if: 

  • your course is an MPharm
  • you are joining a course at a University of Brighton partner college or affiliate institution eg East Sussex College Group
  • you are progressing to the University of Brighton from a foundation certificate or international year one course at the University of Brighton International College (UBIC)
  • you are an applicant for Brighton and Sussex Medical School
  • you are receiving funding from an external sponsor such as government, charity or private organisation
  • you are joining us from a partner institution where an existing fee discount agreement is in place.

Terms and conditions

The following terms and conditions apply to the undergraduate USA Scholars' Award:

  • This award is only for USA nationals or students that reside there permanently.
  • The USA Scholars' Award cannot be combined with:
    • Agent Channel Award
    • Overseas Partner Award
    • external university scholarships
    • any scholarships/discounts granted by other University of Brighton departments.
  • The USA Scholars' Award can be combined with the Vice-Chancellor international undergraduate scholarship.
  • This award totals a £1,500 reduction on tuition fees across a standard three-year course. It is awarded as a £500 tuition fee reduction in each year of study.
  • This scholarship can only be applied as a reduction to your tuition fees. It cannot be used for accommodation, living costs, travel or any other non-tuition fee purposes.
  • Advanced entry and top-up degree students may receive this award (provided they meet all other eligibility criteria).
  • Individual final eligibility assessments are made after enrolment and payment deadlines. The university will not confirm eligibility to any student before the official assessment. 
  • Awards will not be reflected in fee accounts, invoices or payment plans prior to the payment deadline. 
  • Where a student has an instalment payment plan in place, the Finance team will update the payment schedule after the award has been applied, and will issue a revised schedule showing any reduction to the final instalment.
  • The university reserves the right to request additional documentation to verify domicile, fee status, funding source and application channel (agent or direct). Failure to provide evidence may result in withdrawal of the award.
  • Scholarships and awards cannot be deferred to a later intake or academic year. However, applicants may be eligible for consideration when reassessed, provided they meet the eligibility criteria for the next academic cycle. 
  • An award may be withdrawn if:
    • The student withdraws or suspends studies
    • The student is withdrawn by the university (eg for non-payment or non-attendance)
    • The student is reassessed as home fee status.
  • Tuition fee refunds follow the university's standard refund policy.
  • The university reserves the right to amend, suspend or withdraw scholarship and award schemes at its discretion.

Need support?

Please refer to our frequently asked questions (FAQs) in the first instance. If you cannot find the answer, you can contact our International Office by email on: InternationalOffice@brighton.ac.uk

Next steps

Our undergraduate USA Scholars' Award is automatically granted to students who meet the eligibility criteria.

Your next steps to joining the University of Brighton:

  1. Accept your offer on UCAS or Student View
  2. Pay your tuition fee deposit
  3. Apply for your CAS by the deadline.

Contact our International Office

If you have any issues with taking your next steps, please email our International Office on InternationalOffice@brighton.ac.uk with your 8-digit student number and the details of your situation.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use the USA Scholars' Award for other means? eg housing

No, this award can only be applied as a reduction to your tuition fees.

I'm a USA national currently residing outside of the USA. Am I eligible for this scholarship?

If you are a national of the United States of America or have permanent residency there, but are temporarily residing in the UK or another country, you may receive the USA Scholars' Award (provided you meet all other eligibility criteria). We may request additional documents to confirm your eligibility.

Can this award be combined with other scholarships or awards? 

The undergraduate USA Scholars' Award can be combined with the Vice-Chancellor international undergraduate scholarship. 

It cannot be combined with the Agent Channel Award, Overseas Partner Award, any scholarships external to the university, or any scholarships/discounts granted by other University of Brighton departments.

Am I entitled to the award if I enter straight on to the second-year of my course, or I'm studying a top-up degree? 

Yes, you may receive the undergraduate USA Scholars' Award provided you meet all other eligibility criteria.

I have deferred my registration, can I use my award for next year?

You will not be able to defer this award to a different intake or academic year.

When will I see the award deducted from my tuition fee?

The award will be applied after 31 October, provided you have paid 50% of your tuition fee by the 31 October deadline. Your payment will be 50% of the total fee amount before the award has been deducted.

For example, if your tuition fee is £17,796 and you are entitled to the Vice-Chancellor international undergraduate scholarship and the undergraduate USA Scholars' Award, the total fee reduction for your first year would be £2,500. You will need to have paid £8,898 by the 31 October deadline, inclusive of your deposit (if required).

You will not see your scholarships or awards reflected in your fee anywhere before 31 October. If you have a payment plan in place to pay your tuition fee by credit/debit card, the Finance department will update your plan with the new figures after 31 October and email a new schedule to you, where you will be able to see that your final payment instalment has been reduced.