Brighton

QS Best Student Cities ranking: 83rd

Known for its glorious weather (by UK standards), liberal, relaxed attitude, and unofficial title as LGBTQ capital of the UK, Brighton is a popular seaside resort which climbed nine places this year to rank 83rd in the Best Student Cities index, earning its highest score for the Student Mix indicator at 26th, with a large and diverse student population. Both of Brighton’s internationally ranked universities have a high proportion of international students, with 27 percent of the student population coming from outside the UK.

Brighton is located on the south coast of England, only an hour away from London by train (and half an hour away from Gatwick Airport), making it ideal for visits to the capital and beyond. It’s also one of the country’s most popular cities with tourists – especially when the weather’s good – attracting more than 11 million visitors in 2016.

Brighton is far more than a seaside resort, however, and hosts a vibrant and active cultural, music and arts scene, and a number of high-profile events every year, such as the Brighton Fringe Festival, the Brighton Festival (the largest arts festival in England) and Brighton Pride. For nature lovers, the South Downs national park is right on your doorstep too.

Whether you’re simply enjoying fish and chips on the seafront, shopping at The Lanes or partying in one of Brighton’s many nightclubs, you’re sure to enjoy yourself while studying in Brighton. The city climbed an impressive 22 spots in the Student View indicator this year, and was highly praised in our student survey, with one student pointing out its ‘vibrancy, independent shops and cafes, and homely feel’ as the best things about studying there.

Are you currently living and studying in sunny Brighton? Tell us what you think.

Internationally ranked universities in Brighton

More about Brighton

To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.