Your Brighton Boost

Overview

If you currently live in an eligible English postcode you could receive support worth £1,250 to put towards the cost of university halls. You may also be eligible for University of Brighton bursaries and other support in subsequent years of study.

How it works

The Brighton Boost for halls is a £1,250 rent discount.

The accommodation team will confirm your discount when you apply for our halls.

Who is eligible

• Students who are starting a full-time undergraduate course at the University of Brighton in September 2025 whose home address is in an English IMD Q1, 2 or 3 postcode area*.
• You also need to be
  • normally resident in England
  • and a UK national, or an Irish citizen, or have settled status.

University of Brighton bursary + Boost

If you are living in halls and you are eligible for the University of Brighton bursary you will receive total support of £1,250 in the first year of study. You will receive a £750 rent discount and a £500 cash bursary. You will also receive a £500 bursary in each subsequent year of study.

University of Brighton Care leaver and Estranged student bursaries + Boost

Students living in halls who are eligible for the University of Brighton Care leaver or Estranged student bursary receive total support of £1,750 in the first year of study, You will receive a £750 rent discount and a £1,000 cash bursary. You will also receive a £1,000 bursary in each subsequent year of study.

*IMD Q1, 2 and 3 postcodes – these are neighbourhoods where historically not as many people go to university.

Overview

Eligible new undergraduate students who are not living in halls can get help with their first-year travel costs. You could receive either £500 or £700, depending on where you live and the length of your journey.

You are free to use our support to fund your preferred form of transport, but the best way to make our help go further is by combining it with student discounts offered by the Unizone train ticket, TFL 18+ Student Oyster scheme and local bus companies.

How it works

Eligible students who are starting full-time undergraduate courses in 2025, who are not living in halls, and who are travelling from their term-time address to study are eligible for at least £500 to help them meet first year travel costs.

£700 is available for eligible students with longer daily journeys to university.

You will receive the Travel Boost after you have enrolled online in August 2025.

Who is eligible

• Full-time,UK University of Brighton undergraduate students living in eligible IMD Q1, 2 or 3 POLAR postcode area local postcodes, who are starting courses in 2025, and who are not living in halls.
• You also need to be
  • normally resident in England
  • and a UK national, or an Irish citizen, or have settled status.

Exception: Students starting healthcare courses

Students starting healthcare courses who are eligible for NHS Learning Support funding and/or NHS help with placement travel costs are not eligible for Brighton Boost support with travel costs.

Local students - living in Brighton

We define students who are not living in halls and who are living between 1-15 miles from their campus of study in Brighton as local students.

If you're a local student starting a full-time undergraduate course in 2025-26 and you live in an eligible IMD Q1, Q2 or Q3 postcode you can receive £500 to help with your first-year travel costs.

University of Brighton bursary + Boost

If you are a local student receiving the Travel Boost and you are eligible for the University of Brighton bursary you will receive total support of £1,000 in the first year of study and a £500 bursary in each subsequent year of study.

University of Brighton Care leaver and Estranged student bursaries + Boost

If you are a local student receiving the Travel Boost and you are eligible for the University of Brighton Care leaver or Estranged student bursary you will receive total support of £1,500 in the first year of study and a £1,000 bursary in each subsequent year of study.

Find out more about student travel options.

Commuting students - travelling to Brighton

We define students who are not living in halls and who are travelling over 15 miles to their campus of study in Brighton as commuter students.

If you're a commuting student starting a full-time undergraduate course in 2025-26 and you live in an eligible IMD Q1, Q2 or Q3 postcode you can receive £700 to help with your first-year travel costs.

University of Brighton bursary + Boost

If you are a commuting student receiving the Travel Boost and you are eligible for the University of Brighton bursary you will receive total support of £1,200 in the first year of study and a £500 bursary in each subsequent year of study.

University of Brighton Care leaver and Estranged student bursaries + Boost

If you are a commuting student receiving the Travel Boost and you are eligible for the University of Brighton Care leaver or Estranged student bursary you will receive total support of £1,700 in the first year of study and a £1,000 bursary in each subsequent year of study.

Find out more about student travel options.

Living in halls

Our support for travel costs is for eligible students travelling from their term-time address to university each day. It is not payable to students living in halls.

If you are living in university halls you may be eligible for our help with those costs.

Our halls are either on or very close to our campuses in Brighton. They all have excellent public transport links and depending on your circumstances you could be eligible for a campus parking e-permit.

Postcode checker and government data

Our postcode checker tool uses the English Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) data supplied by gov.uk.

IMD categorises English postcodes according to various measures of socioeconomic advantage and disadvantage.

The classification of postcodes and therefore your eligibility for support may change.

Eligibility and assessment

Offers of financial support or contextual admission are subject to confirmation of your eligibility as part of your official application.

We will make final checks on your household income and official postcode data after receiving information from Student Finance England (SFE) and/or other relevant bodies.

If there are discrepancies in the information provided your offer or eligibility for bursaries and other support may change.

Costs and funding

Your tuition fee covers teaching, access to university services, and other core resources.

You will need to budget separately for living and study expenses which could include course materials, travel and accommodation.

Additional financial support is available for students on certain courses or in specific circumstances – for example, there are grants for students on NHS-funded courses and students with dependants as well as bursaries for students with lower household incomes. 

See our Fees and financial support pages for full details.

Updates and changes

The information on this page, including eligibility rules and benefits, is accurate as of the time of publication. The University of Brighton reserves the right to amend or withdraw any offer or financial support at any time, if it is deemed necessary or required by changes in government policy or regulations.

If you have any questions about your eligibility or the benefits detailed here, please email boost@brighton.ac.uk for clarification.

This information is subject to change. The University of Brighton reserves the right to modify or withdraw any offer, bursary, or support package at any time.

Overview

If you are not in living halls and your term-time address is 30 miles from campus, or more than 45 minutes away by public transport you can apply for a free campus parking e-permit to help make your journey to uni easier.

Blue badge holders, students with health issues, caring and childcare responsibilities, and students living in halls who need a car to attend placement are also eligible for a campus e-permit and free student parking.

How it works

There are no parking charges for student e-permit holders.

Eligible students can apply for permit after they have enrolled online in August.

You need to have an e-permit before parking on campus.

Who is eligible

• Students whose term-time address is 30 miles or more from campus.
• Students whose address is more than 45 minutes away by public transport.
• Students whose term-time address is under 45 minutes away but whose journey involves two modes of transport, eg bus and train.
• Students who live nearer to the university and who meet one or more of the following criteria are also eligible:
  • blue badge holders/students with health issues (you will need to show us a medical professional letter)
  • students with unpaid caring and childcare responsibilities for family or friends who cannot cope without their support
  • students living in halls who need a car to attend placement.
• Other students who can demonstrate their home or caring responsibilities cannot be met without access to campus parking