(2014 entry)
1 Find out about us
Visit our beautiful campus and find out more about Sussex at our Postgraduate Open Day on 4 December 2013, attend one of our Discover Postgraduate Study sessions, or join our guided tours every Wednesday afternoon. Refer to Postgraduate Open Day.
If you live outside the UK, you may be able to meet our advisors or representatives in your country.
You can also experience what our campus offers with our online campus tour.
2 Choose your course
We offer a range of routes for postgraduate study. The main distinctions are between taught and research degrees, and between full- and part-time study. Research students can also apply as non-graduating visiting students to take part of their degrees by distance learning or to be admitted with accreditation of prior learning.
All taught courses start in September, but you can begin most research degrees in September, January or May.
3 Are you qualified?
We welcome applications from individuals from a broad range of backgrounds. You will need to meet our general entrance requirements, including minimum levels of English language if you are a non-native English speaker, plus specific entrance requirements for some of our degrees. Refer to What qualifications do I need? and the relevant subject areas at Postgraduate study for more information.
4 Make your application
For the majority of our courses, you should apply online from November for entry in the following academic year.
Our online system allows you to apply for up to three courses and submit supporting documents (eg transcript, personal statement), and to track the progress of your application.
For a small number of courses, a different application method should be used. For more information, visit How to apply.
5 Application deadline
For most courses, we do not have a specific application deadline, but as there is strong demand for places on some taught degrees, we recommend an early application (preferably by April). A small number of degrees have a specific deadline (eg 31 March for the MSc in Experimental Psychology) and, for MSc degrees in the Department of Business and Management, we can guarantee consideration only if your application arrives by the end of March. Refer to the relevant subject areas at Postgraduate study for more information.
6 Apply for funding
Both the University and external bodies provide a range of funding opportunities. The majority require early and separate application and are awarded on a competitive basis. To find out more visit our searchable online funding database.
7 Offers
We will review your application on its merits and, if it is successful, we will issue an offer letter both in hard copy and via the online application system, which you will be able to download. The offer will include any conditions that may be attached to your place, such as completing your first degree with a minimum grade and/or meeting English language requirements (if appropriate).
8 Accepting your place
The online application system enables you to accept your offer, and then, from March, eligible students joining Sussex in September can apply for University-managed accommodation online.
If you are an international student who requires a visa to study in the UK, you can also submit the required personal and passport information online and later (provided your offer is unconditional) download the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) statement to apply for your visa.
If your offer is conditional, you should send us the relevant results (preferably by email) as soon as they are available (and by 31 August at the latest) so that we can decide if your place can be confirmed.
9 Joining us in 2014
In the months preceding the start of your course, we will send pre-arrival and registration information to applicants who we are expecting to join us. If you applied for accommodation, we will also send details of your allocation at this time.
Induction begins: 13 September 2014
Autumn term
Teaching starts: 18 September 2014
Teaching finishes: 10 December 2014
Mid-year assessment period starts: 7 January 2015
Mid-year assessment period finishes: 16 January 2015
Spring term
Teaching starts: 19 January 2015
Teaching finishes: 17 April 2015
Summer term
Teaching and year-end assessment period start: 11 May 2015
Teaching and year-end assessment period finish: 12 June 2015
For more information, refer to Term dates.