Study American Studies Abroad

My time as a University of Sussex student was a life changing opportunity. I got to grow and connect with people who I was able to explore with. I constantly reminisce on my time there and all that I got to do and for that I am grateful!

Studying at the University of Sussex as a Spanish exchange student has been one of the best experiences of my life. I felt welcomed from the very beginning, and the lecturers were always supportive and approachable. The campus is beautiful, the facilities are excellent, and Brighton is an amazing city full of culture and opportunities. I also met incredible people from all over the world, which helped me grow both personally and academically. This exchange has improved my English, broadened my perspective, and given me unforgettable memories. I would highly recommend the University of Sussex to any international student looking for a high-quality education and a truly enriching experience.

I did a year abroad from Australia at Sussex and it was genuinely an amazing year. Sussex is so progressive and community based, that there’s no ‘upper echelon’ groups or unapproachable people. Everyone at the uni is easy to talk to and friendly. Making friends was so easy. I joined the Salsa society; one out of literally a million choices of societies. Also, I’d argue that Sussex is as good as it is because you get to be abroad in Brighton. There’s no other city like it, so full of love and quirk. There’s ALWAYS something going on too, be it live music or festivals or arts or community activities. So bloody good and I’d go again in a heartbeat. Everybody really is in the same boat in Brighton and at Sussex, you’ll never feel judged.

My four months in Brighton were amazing! The university had organised a great reception for all visiting students, which made it easy to get to know people from all over the world. While living on campus, I also made close friends with the people I lived with. I was mostly happy with all my selected modules, and found the teachers to be friendly and dedicated! Brighton itself is the perfect size for a semester abroad and full of lovely cafés, restaurants, pubs, and clubs. I definitely recommend Sussex for your exchange!

Choosing to study at the University of Sussex was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that has completely changed how I see the world. Within the first week there, I found myself surrounded by such an incredible group of people, making friends from Australia, the United States, Mexico, Malaysia, and England. Each of whom generously shared their cultures, perspectives, and ways of life with me. Some of my fondest memories were simple ones, such as evenings spent laughing at Falmer Bar, surrounded by good company, good food, and an atmosphere that always felt like home. Sussex's location made it the perfect place to explore new destinations. Not only was it close to countries across Europe I'd dreamed of visiting, but it also placed me within easy reach of some of England's most charming destinations including London, Lewes, Cambridge, and Bath among my favourites. Between coursework, I found myself constantly learning both academically, and experientially, gaining a broader appreciation for the world and my place in it. Brighton, just a short bus ride from campus, became my favorite escape when I needed a break. I spent countless afternoons discovering new coffee shops and catching up on coursework, or wandering along the waterfront. By May, Brighton was in full swing, its pier buzzing with visitors enjoying games, rides, and seaside food. As someone living with Celiac Disease, I was especially grateful for how seamlessly I could navigate both grocery stores and restaurants with an abundance of gluten-free options that made me feel safe, cared for, and included throughout my time there. Academically, Sussex exceeded my expectations. My favorite course was Positive Psychology with Rona Hart, where small class sizes allowed real connections to form and made participation feel natural rather than intimidating. We didn't just study psychological theory, we got to practice them by participating in techniques like goal setting, stress management, and resilience building in ways that I've carried with me well beyond the classroom. Overall, my semester at Sussex gave me more than education, it also gave me the most memorable experiences that I’ll cherish forever.

I had an amazing time during my study abroad at Sussex. Brighton was such a lovely town, with a lot of kind and interesting people. There is so much to do and so many cool experiences to have. I highly recommend coming to Sussex!

I had a great time at Sussex. I lived in Brighthelm and was able to be around my friends all the time. We would have little dinner parties and watch movies and it was so nice because everyone lived so close to eachother! Sussex also offered tons of activities for students I particularly loved trivia nights, and all the clubs were so open and welcoming which made meeting people easy!

As part of my studies, I spent a semester at the University of Sussex and I had a truly wonderful experience there. There were many differences compared to my home university. What I enjoyed most was the campus life. There were countless activities and events that made it easy to meet new people and try new things, which helped students connect with one another. I also really appreciated the support I received before and throughout my stay. Whenever I had questions or encountered any problems, there was always someone available to help. The lecturers were very welcoming, supportive, and genuinely cared about their students. In addition, the university’s location gave me the opportunity to explore Brighton and visit other English cities, such as London. Overall, I really enjoyed my semester at the University of Sussex and it was an enriching experience both academically and personally.

I graduated from high school a semester early, and the only way I wanted to spend my semester was by being abroad. I've known about Semester at Sea for around 6 years and I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. I searched up the requirements to be accepted and luckily fit all the requirements most importantly being 18, so immediately I applied. I then got an email back the next morning saying I got accepted into the program and that email brought me to tears in the middle of one of my classes. I couldn't wait to board the MV World Odyssey and embark on this journey of a lifetime. On the ship, I gained so much knowledge about different cultures and I was able to be fully immersed in them, not just sticking to the touristy things offered. Semester at Sea does an amazing job keeping the students' safety in country as a priority with having mandatory “Pre-Port meetings” the night before arriving in a country, and offering field programs which are ship run excursions with ship faculty leading them. The community on the ship was nothing I have ever experienced before. We were so close knit and it felt like I was truly in a connected, caring, and welcoming environment. I met the people I never imagined I'd connect with, and they ended up becoming the best connections I've ever made with people. Semester at Sea also helped me get out of my comfort zone which led me to have experiences I would have never imagined I'd have, best example being running a half marathon in Vigo, Spain even though I'm not a runner and have never been a runner. Semester at Sea has given me the world and the opportunity to appreciate it to its fullest. I left the ship with my passport full, but my heart is even fuller with people, memories, and connections I will forever cherish. Semester at Sea was truly the best experience I have ever had and would recommend it to anyone as it was life changing.

I absolutely loved my time at Sussex Uni and in Brighton. It's such a special place that you can't find anywhere else and a place that stays with your for a long time. It's hard to pinpoint exactly why as it is in the air, in the style and in the feelings you feel. The people were so cool and amazing, the town so fantastic and the university and campus such a cozy and familiar place that I felt like I belonged and had been there longer than one semester. I miss it a lot and look back on it with nostalgia and love. Definitely recommend going on an exchange there.

•Academic studies Those required critical thinking, plenty of readings, and active attitudes, which were not always necessary in my home uni. Therefore it was very hard for me to catch up and ‘participate’ the classes. However I could take various modules I had interest at that time, which broadened my horizons. •Nice living environment Even though I lived in the second oldest dormitory , I was quite satisfied with the environment. The flat was always cool and clean, and the best point was that I could see several bunnies in the courtyard. There are some bus stops, cafes, a small supermarket, and so on. Those were really convenient to live on campus. •Kind staff members They always care about us, send some emails, quickly respond to our messages. When I needed a support (for travel documents, hobs in the kitchen…), they kindly helped me.

My exchange semester at the University of Sussex was an exercise in high-level adaptation. Academically, the environment does not hold your hand. Coming from a Mechatronics and Cyber-Physical Systems background, the modules immediately tested my technical baseline. Developing machine learning and deep learning models—specifically utilizing PyTorch and NLTK for text preprocessing and document classification—demanded relentless problem-solving. Similarly, benchmarking optimization paradigms for light-seeking robotics required a level of precision that leaves zero room for error. The assessment standards here are uncompromising; you learn very quickly that strict adherence to coursework guidelines and academic criteria is mandatory for survival. However, the intensity of the Jupyter notebooks and robotics labs was offset by the lifestyle Sussex enables if you are disciplined enough to structure it. Living in the Falmer area meant I had to optimize my time, anchoring my weeks with strict meal prep, Monday sessions with the university running society, and weekly swimming. That routine is what made the academic load manageable. Furthermore, the location is a massive strategic advantage. The accessibility of the rail network allowed me to easily disconnect, whether that meant taking a quick group trip to Hastings or executing rapid, highly structured day trips to London to study engineering history at the Science Museum and British Library. Sussex is not a passive experience. It is an environment built for students who are ready to be challenged by uncompromising academic rigor while actively engineering their own community and routine on the outside.

I had an excellent time at Sussex University! Coming from Australia I had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world and the ability to explore the United Kingdom with ease. By doing an exchange at Sussex I was able to take classes I normally couldn’t do at my home university, and meet new and awesome professors that significantly helped me develop ideas for my future career.

Insane experience and could not recommend more. You make a bunch of international friends, experience education in another country, and can hop on a train to get to another country. I found the modules at Sussex engaging and relevant to my future job. The course load was manageable (much less work than my home uni) and allowed for constant travelling (uni is fairly close to gatwick airport). Sussex is a very international student friendly place, in all of my classes there was a bunch of exchange students. All of the clubs and sports teams had activites and pubcrawls, which really gets you involved in the pubbing culture.

I studied abroad at the University of Sussex for the spring term 2026, and I had an amazing time. The highlights of my experience include the proximity to Brighton and London-always plenty of things to see/do, connecting with other study abroad students at the university, and the train station that connects to Gatwick airport. The courses are interesting, but the coursework is not too heavy. Housing is convenient to bus stops and classes. The university is right on the edge of the South Downs, a beautiful place for a walk or stroll. I would recommend Sussex highly!

I really liked my experience at Sussex university. I met a lot of new friends from different parts of the world, and gained a lot of new perspectives on different aspects of life, both in class and on my spare time. The university hosted different welcoming events for us exchange students, and had a lot of different societies to join in the free time, which was so much fun!

I think Uni of Sussex is one of the best Uni for exchange student in the world. Not only it located at a wonderful city but also the students, teachers and staffs are very friendly to international students

My exchange at University of Sussex has been one of the best experiences of my life! Not only did I grow as a person, but I also made memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. I wouldn’t trade my exchange experience for anything in the world. I also had the opportunity to take creative courses that aren’t offered at my home university, and they were incredibly enjoyable. They made me realize that the creative field is where I truly want to build my career. Brighton is an amazing city as well, it’s the perfect size, and the people are so friendly. I felt at home from the very beginning. Another huge plus was how well the university looked after us exchange students. There were so many fun activities at the start of the semester, which made it easy to meet people and make friends. I will always be grateful for my exchange experience at University of Sussex!

This year at Sussex University was a great opportunity for me to get out of my confort zone, better my English and meet great people! I had an amazing time discovering new teaching methods and topics! Thank you Sussex I will not forget you !

I had a great experience studying abroad at the University of Sussex. The campus is beautiful, surrounded by green space, and located just outside Brighton, which is an amazing city with plenty of restaurants, nightlife, and things to do. The academics were engaging, and the professors were approachable and supportive. I also appreciated how easy it was to meet students from around the world through orientation events and student societies, making the experience both academically and personally rewarding. The university offers good support for international students, and the location provides easy access to London and the rest of Europe for weekend trips. One area that could be improved is the number of organized programs and events specifically for study abroad and exchange students throughout the semester. While there are great activities during Welcome Week, having more excursions, social events, and opportunities to connect with local students and other international students would make the experience even better. Overall, I would highly recommend the University of Sussex to anyone considering studying abroad. It is a fantastic place to learn, meet people from around the world, and experience life in the UK.