University of Brighton ranks 104th of 130 in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2027, and its international undergraduate fees for 2026/27 run from £17,796 to £19,692 a year. It is a creative and professional university on three campuses in Brighton, and most degrees ask for ABB to BCC at A level.
- Location
- three campuses in Brighton, on the south coast of England: Moulsecoomb, City and Falmer
- Type
- a post-1992 university, a member of University Alliance. Not a Russell Group member
- Ranking
- 104th of 130 in the UK (Complete University Guide 2027)
- Typical offer
- ABB to BCC at A level, 104 to 128 UCAS points, with a portfolio for art and design
- IELTS
- 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each element on most courses
- International fee
- £17,796 to £19,692 a year for 2026/27, £49,000 for medicine
Reviewed by Dr Elizabeth Adey for 2027 entry · Uni Direct team, 2026
Source: Complete University Guide 2027 and the University of Brighton international undergraduate fees page for 2026/27.
Source: Complete University Guide 2027 profile of the University of Brighton and its course and fee pages, read 1 October 2026.
Where is the University of Brighton, and what is it like?
The University of Brighton is in Brighton, on the south coast of England, and it teaches on three campuses: Moulsecoomb, City and Falmer. Moulsecoomb is the biggest and works as a student village. City sits in the cultural heart of Brighton, a short walk from the beach and the pier, and Falmer is on the edge of the South Downs National Park, four miles from the seafront.
The university also had a campus in Eastbourne, which closed in 2024, so any prospectus that still mentions it is out of date. Brighton guarantees a place in halls to eligible first year students who make it their firm choice and book by its deadline, and it says 97% of students got their first or second choice of halls in 2025.
If you want a creative city on the coast. Brighton is hard to beat. If you want a quiet campus. It is not that kind of place.
Is the University of Brighton a good university?
It depends on the subject. The Complete University Guide 2027 ranks Brighton 104th of 130 UK universities overall, but its strengths are practical: art and design, architecture, business and the professions, with a placement offered on every undergraduate course.
Brighton began as a school of art in the kitchens of the Royal Pavilion and became a university in 1992. It holds a Silver rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework, and it is more modest on the research side, where it ranks 57th.
| Measure | Brighton | Table |
|---|---|---|
| Overall UK ranking | 104th of 130 | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Entry standards | 110 UCAS points, 92nd | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Student satisfaction | 3.11 of 4, 99th | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Graduate outcomes | 70.2 of 100, 75th | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Research quality | 3.04 of 4, 57th | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Teaching Excellence Framework | Silver | TEF |
Source: Complete University Guide 2027 profile of the University of Brighton, and the university’s own About us page for the TEF award, read 1 October 2026.
The useful reading is the pattern. Brighton’s graduate outcomes rank 75th, noticeably better than its overall position, while student satisfaction is its weakest measure at 99th. If you are weighing it against other practical, career-focused universities. Anglia Ruskin, Birmingham City and Bournemouth are worth comparing, and our pages on each set out their entry requirements and fees.
You can see where Brighton sits against the rest of the sector in our guide to the best UK universities.
University of Brighton entry requirements
Most Brighton degrees ask for ABB to BCC at A level, which is 104 to 128 UCAS points, and Architecture reaches up to AAA. Art and design courses ask for a portfolio as well, and Brighton says on those course pages that the portfolio is the most important part of your application.
Entry requirements for 2027 entry
A level
International Baccalaureate
IELTS
Source: University of Brighton course pages, read 1 October 2026. Each course asks for 27 International Baccalaureate points, with three subjects at Higher level.
The lower end of each range is the one to note. Brighton’s entrants held an average of 110 UCAS points on arrival, which ranks 92nd of 130, so a student with BCC or a strong portfolio has a realistic chance. Contextual applicants can receive offers at least two grades, or 16 UCAS points, below the standard on Graphic Design.
If your English is below IELTS 6.0, read our guide to studying in the UK without IELTS, and note that Brighton offers pre-sessional English in person at the University of Brighton International College or online, and the college also runs preparation courses before a degree.
Courses the University of Brighton is best known for
Brighton is best known for art and design, architecture and the professions. Graphic Design and Illustration are taught at the City campus, in studios with letterpress workshops and the Design Archives, while Architecture is validated by RIBA and exempts you from Part 1 of the ARB and RIBA exams.
Business Management is AACSB accredited, which fewer than 6% of business schools worldwide achieve. Computer Science is accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, and includes a VR lab and a cyber security lab.
If you are applying for art or design. Prepare your portfolio early, because it carries more weight than your grades.
University of Brighton acceptance rate
The University of Brighton does not publish an acceptance rate for undergraduate applications.
The entry ranges above are the better guide. Most courses publish a range from ABB down to BCC rather than a single grade, and art and design courses weigh the portfolio above the grades. Entry standards rank 92nd of 130, which is why Brighton is realistic for students with good rather than perfect grades.
How much does the University of Brighton cost?
International undergraduate tuition fees at Brighton are £17,796 to £19,692 a year for 2026/27, depending on the course. Brighton has not yet published 2027/28 fees, so treat these as the guide. Brighton says international fees can rise each year by up to 5% or the Consumer Prices Index, whichever is higher.
| Cost | Figure |
|---|---|
| Tuition, Business Management, Computer Science, Architecture, Graphic Design | £18,108 a year |
| Tuition, Illustration | £19,692 a year |
| Tuition, range across classroom and studio courses | £17,796 to £19,692 a year |
| Placement year, where a course offers one | £1,958 |
| Tuition, medicine at Brighton and Sussex Medical School | £49,000 a year |
| Tuition fee deposit | £5,000 |
| University halls, 2026/27 | £173 to £290 a week |
| Money to show for your visa | £1,171 a month for up to nine months |
| Immigration health surcharge | £776 a year |
| Student visa application | £558 |
Source: University of Brighton international undergraduate fees page, course pages and halls page for 2026/27, read 1 October 2026. GOV.UK for the visa figures, read 1 October 2026. Hall contracts run from 39 to 50 weeks, and rent includes gas, electricity, water and broadband.
Adding the nine months of visa money, £10,539, to a tuition fee of £18,108 gives a first year of about £28,650 on a course such as Business Management. Hall rent comes on top of that fee, so check the contract length for your hall before you work out the total. Our guides to the cost of living for international students and the cheapest universities in the UK help you compare.
The visa figures come from GOV.UK, which is the only authority on the Student visa rules. We explain the published rules, and we pass individual visa questions to the partners we work with. Our student visa guide sets out the steps.
University of Brighton scholarships for international students
Brighton’s Vice-Chancellor International Undergraduate Scholarship is worth £4,000 over a three year degree, paid as £2,000 off your fee in year one and £1,000 in each of years two and three. You do not apply for it, because Brighton awards it automatically if you are eligible.
The Deans’ Global Talent Award adds £1,500, at £500 a year, and it can be combined with the Vice-Chancellor scholarship for £5,500 in total. The USA Scholars’ Award is also £1,500, and there are sports scholarships. Each one has conditions, so read the page for your year of entry.
You must be self-funded, a new student and starting in the year the award covers. Medicine at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, MPharm and partner college students are excluded, and the figures above are for September 2026 entry.
Source: University of Brighton undergraduate international scholarship pages, 2026 entry, read 1 October 2026.
Is the University of Brighton the same as the University of Sussex?
No. The University of Brighton and the University of Sussex are two separate universities with separate applications, and they are neighbours. Sussex is at Falmer, just outside Brighton, and Brighton also has a campus at Falmer.
Sussex received its Royal Charter in 1961 and is the older, research-led university, ranked 36th in the Complete University Guide 2027. Brighton is the practical and creative one. Sussex has the stronger entry standards, at 121 UCAS points against Brighton’s 110, but Brighton does better on graduate outcomes, ranked 75th against Sussex at 95th.
Brighton College, which also comes up in these searches, is an independent school and not a university. Compare the two universities on our page for the University of Sussex.
Source: Complete University Guide 2027 profiles of both universities and the University of Sussex website, read 1 October 2026.
How do I apply to the University of Brighton?
Choose your route
You can apply to Brighton through UCAS, or directly through Brighton’s online system if Brighton is your only choice or you hold a foundation degree or HND for a top-up course.
Find your course code
Each course page lists its UCAS code.
Add a portfolio
Art and design applicants add a portfolio.
Help with your Brighton application
We can help you with your application to Brighton, from choosing your courses to writing your personal statement and meeting your deadline. If you are not sure yet whether Brighton is right for you, we can talk it through with you first.
Again and again, students say Liz gets back to them promptly.
I would treat Brighton as a decision about a subject and a city, not about a league table position. Its overall rank is low, but its graduate outcomes are better than that suggests, and the entry bar is gentle at BCC. For art, design, architecture or business with a placement year, it is a sensible choice with a realistic offer. If you want a campus that is quiet and a university with a research reputation, look at Sussex or elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions about the University of Brighton
Is Brighton University good?
Brighton University is good for practical, career-focused study rather than for research or league table prestige. The Complete University Guide 2027 ranks it 104th of 130, with graduate outcomes at 75th. It is strongest in art and design, architecture and business, and every undergraduate course offers a placement.
Is the University of Brighton a Russell Group university?
No. The University of Brighton is a member of University Alliance, and it is not in the Russell Group. The University of Sussex is not a Russell Group member either. You can read more on our page about Russell Group and non Russell Group universities.
Is the University of Sussex in Brighton?
The University of Sussex is at Falmer, just outside Brighton, and it is a separate university from the University of Brighton. Each has its own applications, courses and entry requirements, so an application to one is not an application to the other.
Where is the University of Brighton?
The University of Brighton is in Brighton, on the south coast of England. It teaches on three campuses, Moulsecoomb, City and Falmer, and Falmer sits on the edge of the South Downs National Park, four miles from the seafront. Moulsecoomb, the largest campus, is about two miles north of the seafront.
What IELTS score do you need for the University of Brighton?
Brighton’s undergraduate course pages ask for IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each element. Brighton also offers a pre-sessional English course if your score is below that. Other routes are covered in our guide to studying in the UK without IELTS.
Does the University of Brighton have a campus in Eastbourne?
No. The Eastbourne campus closed in 2024, and the University of Brighton now teaches at Moulsecoomb, City and Falmer, all in Brighton. The sport and health courses that were taught there moved to a redeveloped campus at Falmer, so check the date of any prospectus that still mentions Eastbourne.
Does the University of Brighton give scholarships to international students?
Yes. The Vice-Chancellor International Undergraduate Scholarship is worth £4,000 over three years, and the Deans’ Global Talent Award adds £1,500. Both are awarded automatically to eligible self-funded students, and together they come to £5,500. Students from the United States can pair the Vice-Chancellor scholarship with the £1,500 USA Scholars’ Award instead.
The next step
Tell us your grades and the Brighton courses you are considering, and we will tell you where you stand.
If Brighton is on your list, send us your grades and the courses you are considering. We will tell you how your profile compares with Brighton’s requirements and which courses give you the best chance. Our guide on how to study in the UK covers the steps from choosing a course to arriving.
You can also read our guide to the best UK universities. Or for a free consultation, contact us now.
Sources: Complete University Guide 2027 · University of Brighton course, fees, scholarships, accommodation, campuses and application pages · University of Sussex website · GOV.UK Student visa. Read 1 October 2026.
Next review: when Brighton publishes its 2027/28 international fees and scholarships, and when UCAS confirms the 2027 deadlines.