All students should have received a copy of our pre-arrival letter and provisional welcome programme via email. When you arrive, you'll be able to collect a copy of our induction handbook, Starting with us, which contains full details about the welcome programme and other useful information for new students. You can also look at an online version at the link below.
If you are a new visiting and exchange student you should arrange to arrive in Brighton on Thursday, 7 January. New postgraduates should arrive for the start of term on Monday, 11 January, but we recommend that you arrive in time to participate in our welcome and information programme if you can.
The International Students' Handbook contains advice on travelling to Brighton from the various air and sea ports (pages 19-21). There is also additional information about how to get to Sussex on the web at Maps and directions.
Starting with US Spring 2010 - Welcome induction programme [PDF] for all new students starting in January 2010.
Academic induction information for new Visiting and Exchange students only: School events January 8 2010 [DOC].
Autumn Term: 5 October - 11 December 2009
Spring Term: 11 January - 19 March 2010
Summer Term: 19 April - 25 June 2010
UK port of entry arrival information. Make sure you read it carefully and adhere to any relevant import laws.
The University of Sussex is just a few minutes away from the seaside city of Brighton, and under an hour from London. Excellent travel links make it an ideal base for exploring Britain, continental Europe and beyond. For more information refer to the University's Campus maps and how to get here pages.
The University is easily accessible and is well served with buses, trains and taxis from Brighton train station.
To help with your arrival at Sussex, the University runs a minibus service from Falmer Station to campus. When we write to you before your arrival we will let you know the times of operation. If you can arrange to arrive during these times, it will make your arrival at the University easier.
We have included, where possible, approximate prices of travel after 9am. It is more expensive to travel before 9am. Please note that prices quoted below are subject to change.
If you are travelling by plane, Gatwick Airport is within much easier reach of the University than Heathrow. On arrival, follow the signs for the train station and take a train to Brighton (cost approximately £8); this takes about 30 minutes. Several train operators run on this route and trains run every 15 minutes during the day. You can buy a through ticket direct to Falmer Station for the same fare but you
There are two ways to get to Brighton:
Coach - the coach station is located in front of the terminal building. The journey takes about four hours and costs around £30. The coach leaves approximately twice an hour but does not run overnight. Please see details as above on how to get to the Univeristy.
Train - this can be difficult if you have a large amount of luggage. Take the train to London Liverpool Street station. Change to the underground train (Circle Line) to London Vicotria station. Then take the train to Brighton.
If you arrive at Heathrow Airport, there are two ways to get to Brighton:
This is the easiest option and is recommended if you have luggage. The journey takes about two hours. Several different services run from Heathrow Bus Station to Brighton, via Gatwick Airport. Please check the timetable on arriving. The fare is around £20. Coaches run every half hour during the day and every hour during the night and leave from Heathrow Central Bus Station, which is situated between Terminals 1 and 2 or at Terminal 4. For more information, call National Express on +44 870 5808080 or look at their website
The coach will take you to Pool Valley Coach Station, which is near Brighton Pier. If you have heavy luggage, we advise you to take a taxi to the University. As there is no taxi rank you will need to phone for a taxi.
The fare to the University should be around £12.
Take the underground train (Piccadilly line) to Hammersmith Station and change to the Circle or District lines to travel to Victoria Station. At Victoria, follow the signs to the mainline station and take the overground train to Brighton. This option is not recommended if you have heavy luggage.
Take the train direct to Brighton (cost approximately £15). The journey takes about two hours.
Take the train to Falmer. The journey takes about 20 minutes. The fare from Newhaven to Falmer is £3.
Take the train to London Victoria Station. The number for train enquiries is +44 (0)8457 484950 and click here for the web address
If you arrive at another mainline station in London, take the underground train to Victoria (you could also take a taxi but ask first how much it is likely to cost). There are maps in each underground station that are easy to follow and are colour coded for clarity. From Victoria Station take a train to Brighton. The journey takes about one hour and costs approximately £20. At Victoria ask for a ticket to Falmer, which is the same price as the ticket to Brighton and is valid via Brighton.
The Eurostar train goes directly to St Pancras International Station in London. From there, take the overground train to Clapham Junction. At Clapham Junction, change trains and take another to Brighton. Alternatively, you can disembark at Ashford International and get a train direct to Brighton.
Take a train direct from Brighton Station to Falmer Station (cost £2), which will take about eight minutes. Falmer is the third stop on leaving Brighton, after London Road and Moulsecoomb. At Falmer, you will be met by Sussex students during the main arrival times (details of which will be sent to you in advance), and a minibus will transport you to the University campus. If you are not able to arrive at Falmer during the hours when our minibus service operates, you should take a taxi from Brighton station (taxis do not operate from Falmer). The cost of the taxi is approximately £12.
The number 25 bus runs every 10 minutes during the daytime from Brighton to the University (every 20 minutes in the evening) and will cost £1.70 for a single/one-way ticket. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes and the nearest bus stop to the station for this route is at Brighton's main shopping centre, Churchill Square, which is about five minutes walk from the station. If you arrive by coach, the nearest stop for the 25 is at the Old Steine which is situated just a short walk from the coach station.
There are many taxi companies in and
around the city. You should make sure you
pre-book a taxi or get one from the many
licensed taxi ranks around the city.
Citycabs: +44 (0)1273 205205
Streamline Taxis: +44 (0)1273 747474
Please note that Streamline Taxis operate
a 'One Stop Fare Deal'. Students or visitors
travelling from central Brighton to campus
(or campus to central Brighton) can ask for a
£12 fare deal.
For insurance and security reasons, the University offices cannot take responsibility for luggage. You will need to make your own arrangements for storage while looking for accommodation, etc.
Registration is the formal process of becoming a member of the University, enabling you to attend lectures, receive tuition, sit examinations, use the Library and other facilities, and be a member of the Students' Union. It is primarily a financial process of paying fees and other charges; it is not where you sign up for classes. Teaching arrangements and class details will be given to you at the start of term through the academic unit to which you have been admitted.
In the summer (or December for students starting in January) you will be sent full details about how to complete the registration process.
All students should register online, which allows you to complete registration before you arrive at the University of Sussex. To complete registration online you will need to pay or arrange to pay any tuition fees or accommodation fees due.
Even if you are not able to complete the online registration process you should still try to do as much of it as possible. You can then use the button titled 'I can't complete registration' to find out where and when to complete registration in person. It is important that you have done as much of the online process as possible before completing it in person.
If you are unable to complete the registration process online (the system will tell you once you are fully registered), you must attend an in-person registration session. Registering in person can be quite a long process, although there are certain things that you can do that will help to speed up the process.
The University issues two types of registration:
full registration will be granted if you have no outstanding academic or financial conditions or
provisional registration, which is the same as full registration but only valid for a limited period. You will be given clear instructions on what to do to obtain full registration.
If you are refused formal University registration, which happens in the very rare case of a student being unable to pay fees or provide evidence that they will be paid, you will be given a clear statement of what you should do. It is recommended that you act quickly to complete the registration.
Student Recruitment Services information for International students: Welcome and information programme.
Page published by: The International and Study Abroad Office,
