Sussex, can I give you 500 stars? Please?…read more After two years at one of the best unis in the states, I decided to spend my entire third year abroad at the University of Sussex. It had all the courses I needed for my major, was located in the lushest of lush green hills -- any nature geek's dream -- and had every society (USA: club) known to man. Throw in the flood of colorful buildings and quirky shops, the pier, 'diversity' - as evident in its restaurants as its people - and I was beyond sold. Since I was going to spend the entire year there, rather than the traditional American Spring abroad, I was housed in a building full of Brits (and Brits with expat parents) and two Aussies. A dream come true! This was exactly why I had chosen to do a year abroad rather than a semester - I wanted to actually integrate with another culture and, trust me, British [uni] culture is VERY different. I could go on and on and on about how much I loved Sussex. I never got "involved" back home. Not in high school, not really in college, and then I studied abroad. I joined every society I said I would in my study abroad application and then some. I went to the French Alps with Sussex Snow, the Peak District and Wales with the Walking (USA: Hiking) Society, took photos of cows and leaves (just behind campus) with the Photo Society, and made friends in the International Society from Sri Lanka, Germany, and Indonesia I still talk to today. Icing on the cake -- I got a job at my uni's Study Abroad office the second I got back. I'm still in touch with my old flatmates (four-floors worth) -- I guess Facebook serves a purpose! My little ducklings graduated this summer. I love them all to bits. Living with freshers could have been horrific, but it was hysterical and I had a new family within my first week. A word of advice for anyone going here: If you're from America, INTEGRATE! Love of god.. don't go traveling every weekend and then complain you don't know any British people (true story. I, on the other hand, didn't meet other Americans until 5 months in!). If you're a full-time Sussex student, grab the Americans and get them 'involved.' I love the British meaning of that word. :) Quick Summary: + people (watching your flatmates from London see snow for the first time is priceless) + pubs on campus + LOCATION .. outrageously beautiful. Makes a return to the concrete world painful + societies (so many, and everyone is so damn enthusiastic. America could take a lesson.) - classes were hit/miss (but I had the 'cultural' education of a lifetime) - multiple protests, everywhere, all the time (about everything from human rights to budget cuts) - leaving (why does it have to end?)

I did my summer study abroad here back in 2010 for the physics courses and it was a great…read moreexperience! All the teachers, staff, and classmates were super awesome and friendly. I stayed in Park Village (farthest away from campus) and had my own room with sink and shared bathroom and kitchen. The campus was not that big and you can easily walk from one one to the other in less than thirty minutes. There are a lot of grass areas where you can sit and study or play football. There is a convenient store/mini mart on campus near the dorms so if you ever run out of snacks, you can easily go down there to grab stuff. There's also a post office so you can go there and send mail/postcards back home. There's even a pub on campus!

This seems like an odd site to review a university, but here goes. I'm just finishing up a taught…read moreMA at IDS and have really enjoyed it. While they're still not perfect, I do feel that I made the best choice (between East Anglia, SOAS and IDS). I highly recommend it for anyone working in development. Pros: - Faculty are incredibly well-versed in their fields and from diverse backgrounds - Both faculty and students bring a vast amount of field experience that greatly enhances all the courses - People at the institute are incredibly well-connected, which is great for networking (and helpful for finding jobs after) - Small classes; with around 120 taught MA students this year, I've gotten MUCH more individual attention than I would have at other schools (like SOAS) - The teaching area (admin for the teaching program) work VERY hard for the students and are very supportive. - The courses and fellows really force you to think critically about concepts/issues within the field of development Cons: - the primary focus of IDS is not students; fellows must bring in enough funding each year to meet certain targets, which means they are often away from campus and makes it more difficult to meet with them (but certainly nor impossible) - for UK students, the tuition is the same as for international students, so it may be a more expensive option - in my course all of the assessments were based on anonymized term papers; marks can vary depending on who grades them - on the taught MA there's isn't much time to do fieldwork; it can be done (I know people who have), but you must really coordinate this at least mid-way through your MA.

The retreat is a great place to relax when you're on campus. The coffee is much better quality than…read morein the other coffees on campus and the toasties are excellent. They have pool tables, comfy sofas and a Nintendo Wii too. In the evening, the retreat opens as a bar for students that live on campus.

Brighton University is one of the best academic places in the Sussex area. The university has…read morefaculties in Brighton&Hove, Eastbourne and Hastings. University staff is always easy to reach and most importantly willing to help.You wont go unnoticed! Brighton University offers a range of courses that fit everybody's future goals and aspirations. Lecture rooms are equipped with latest technologies and the lecturers themselves are top class. Do not hesitate to contact the University with any kind of queries on your mind!

:( poor felt like bein in college instead of uni.canteen is…read moreexpensive.half assed. should have gone to greenich

University of Brighton - Moulscoomb campus…read more Little campus with a train station IN IT - absolute winner. The staff were really friendly and when I went to the finance and disability advisor she was really helpful. The lecturers were honestly awesome and I can't wait to start here this autumn.

This is my University and I am having an amazing time, so I give it 5 stars!!!…read more Although... the building has many problems and there is no cash machine on site, unlike the other buildings. However, the lectern pub is right next door, and the canteen sells great coffee.