International orientation programme

Our orientation events are organised by the International Advice and Support team, and are designed to help prepare new international students for life in the UK and at the university.

International orientation is made up of: 

So, whenever you are starting your course, we will be ready to welcome you!

Bookings for our September 2026 international orientation programme open in August. You can find out more about this year's programme below.

Group of students in the Pavilion gardens

Pre-arrival online events

As part of the Belong at Brighton programme we run a series of events aimed specifically at new international students, which cover information on life in the UK and at the university.

These include preparing to arrive in the UK, managing your money as an international student (including how to open a UK bank account), accessing the UK healthcare system and looking after your wellbeing, as well as working in the UK with a Student visa. 

Events are added in the run up to a new intake.

International pre-arrival: Making a Student visa application from outside the UK

14 July 2026
Tuesday
1–2pm
Online

In this session our International Student Advisers will outline the requirements for making a Student visa application from outside the UK, including deadlines to provide all documents to meet the conditions of your offer, to request a CAS using Enroly CAS Shield, and to make your visa application. We will explain the ways to meet the finance requirement, the other documents you will need to submit, and the application process itself.  

Sign up for the visa outside the UK event

International pre-arrival: Making a Student visa application from within the UK

17 July 2026
Friday
1–2pm
Online

In this session our International Student Advisers will outline the requirements for making a Student visa application from inside the UK, including deadlines to provide all documents to meet the conditions of your offer, to request a CAS using Enroly CAS Shield, and to make your visa application. We will explain the ways to meet the finance requirement, the other documents you will need to submit, and the application process itself.  

Sign up for the visa inside the UK event

International pre-arrival: Budgeting for international students - managing your money in the UK

4 August 2026
Tuesday
1–2pm
Online

In this talk our money saving experts will cover how to access student discounts on bus and train travel, where to shop for the best value groceries and household items, and how to budget for life in the UK. We will provide some average costs for living in Brighton and give you some top tips to help you plan your finances. We will also explain how to open a UK bank account

Sign up for the budgeting and money event

International pre-arrival: Arrival information for visiting exchange students

5 August 2026
Wednesday
11am–1pm
Online

In this session we will cover the key information you need as an exchange student to prepare for your semester with the University of Brighton, including travel, shopping, healthcare, and preparing to travel to the UK.

Sign up for the exchange students event

International pre-arrival: Working in the UK with a Student visa

11 August 2026
Tuesday
1–2pm
Online

 In this talk we will outline the work permissions and restrictions for student visa holders and explain how these work in practice. We will also explain how the tax and national insurance system in the UK works, how to apply for a national insurance number, and the ways in which the university's Careers team can help you to look for part time work.  Please note: this talk is for students who will be studying at the University of Brighton with a Student route visa. If you hold or will hold a different kind of immigration permission this talk will not be relevant to you.

Sign up for the working with a visa event

International pre-arrival: Accessing healthcare and looking after your wellbeing in the UK

18 August 2026
Tuesday
1–2pm
Online

In this session we will explain how the UK National Health Service (NHS) works, and how to access medical care. We will also talk about the concept of culture shock, the importance of looking after your wellbeing as you adjust to life in the UK, and the ways in which the University of Brighton can support this. 

Sign up for the healthcare and wellbeing event

International pre-arrival: Preparing to travel to the UK

20 August 2026
Thursday
1–2pm
Online

In this talk we will provide practical information your journey to the UK including generating a share code for travel, how immigration control works when you arrive at a UK airport and how to arrange onward travel from the airport to your accommodation. We will also cover what to pack to prepare you for your first term in the UK.

Sign up for the preparing to travel event

In-person orientation programme

For students with a standard course start date in September, we offer a free orientation programme to help you settle into your new home before the start of Welcome Week.

Our September 2026 international orientation programme will take place from Wednesday 23 to Friday 25 September. It will include a combination of information sessions, social events and activities to help you settle into life at the university and start building your community.

International orientation schedule 

Save the date! Our international orientation programme will take place from Wednesday 23 to Friday 25 September. 

This page will be updated in the summer with the full programme, and bookings will open in August.

The schedule is designed to be as flexible as possible to allow for late arrivals and last-minute changes to travel plans. Core sessions will run more than once, and you will be able to choose from a range of drop-in activities each day without needing to book a place in advance.

 

Have a question about orientation? 

Email our International Advice and Support team on: orientation@brighton.ac.uk

What type of sessions will be included?

Core sessions

Core sessions cover essential information to help you settle into university life. They include: 

  • Transitioning to university in the UK: Your academic skills
  • Finding part-time work: Essentials for international students
  • An introduction to Brighton Students' Union
    • plus some lightning talks: 
    • Staying safe and well in the UK
    • Budgeting and managing your money

Core sessions will be repeated to ensure that as many new international students can attend as possible.

Drop-in activities

In addition to core sessions about the university and life in the UK, we will also be holding lots of drop-in activities to help you meet new people and make friends. These activities will include: 

  • shopping trips
  • pottery painting
  • lego landmark builders
  • tabletop games
  • a session with our wellbeing dogs
  • Moulsecoomb mini Grand Prix
  • make-your-own macrame plant holder
  • an escape room challenge
  • speed-friending and networking sessions
  • gardening club taster
  • beginners' cookery class
  • a traditional Gaelic cèilidh
  • plus much more!

What our students say about international orientation

 Julianna from the US

I met my closest friend at international orientation! Her and I both went to a 'careers connect' event that was being held, got chatting and realised we were both international students doing masters programmes. We went to lunch after and have been practically inseparable since! We probably would have never met if we hadn't attended the orientation events.  
Julianna Horvath, Curating Collections and Heritage Management MA student from the USA
Julianna Horvath

Trisha from India

The international orientation programme really helped me ease into life as a student in Brighton. I would definitely encourage new students to attend.
Trisha Dasgupta, Interior Design MA graduate from India
Trisha Dasgupta

International welcome events

For international students with an early September course start date, we hold a series of welcome events across all campuses so that you can meet our International Advice and Support team and ask them any questions.

This webpage will be updated with more information in summer for September 2026 entry.

Get in touch with us

If you have any queries about the orientation programme or our other welcome events, please email the International Advice and Support team on orientation@brighton.ac.uk.

For all other queries, you can:

International support team