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A party place Or green space? How Brighton university provides the best of both to students

By Madie Howard• Last updated: Nov 8, 2023
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Brighton has long had a reputation for promoting an inclusive party lifestyle. Surrounded by a beach on the South coast of England, the seaside town is famous all around the world for its green credentials, nightlife, and LGBTQ+ community. 

Brighton University attracts more than 18,000 students yearly due to its far-reaching reputation, with the liberal hub of the area being just as responsible for drawing in a range of students as its reputation for research excellence. 

According to its above-average rating on the happiness index, Brighton is one of the happiest UK cities in which to live and work

The city also scores 7/10 for life satisfaction and has the most significant student ratio of all UK student cities. 

A huge 14% of the Brighton population are young people studying towards a lucrative degree in the city. 

Why do people love living in Brighton so much? 

Brighton is at the top of many lists. According to data from company Holidu in 2023, the seaside town has the widest variety of vegetarian and vegan restaurants of any city in England. 

The current generation of University students has the broadest range of dietary preferences, with veganism and vegetarianism only continuing to rise. 

Unlike some other parts of the UK, food choices for people opting for alternative diets here are colourful and exciting. 

Students can grab a handy plant-based takeaway option at What the Pitta or enjoy a vegetable-heavy burrito from Happy Maki during a day at Brighton Market or the beach.

Take a tour of the Brighton University campus’ vegan options, and you will find plant-based meals presented as a standard choice in every book and bean cafe. 

The University website details the deliberate promotion of meat alternatives in keeping with the growing demand for plant-based, eco-friendly food options. 

While many people opt for a vegan lifestyle out of compassion for animals, a growing number of people consuming plant-based products report doing so out of concern for the environment. 

The global warming impact of methane is significant, with its catastrophic potential an estimated 20 times higher than CO2. 

A huge 37% of methane emissions result from factory farming, and there is a growing demand for meat-based alternatives to overtake meat products in the future.

Brighton University is actively demonstrating its commitment to providing green food choices to students on campus, and the city itself is working towards being Carbon Neutral by 2030. 

It was the first UK location awarded the prestigious Gold Sustainable Food Place Award. 

The award was created to celebrate the effort and success of participating places in taking a visionary approach to changing how the public thinks about food and the choices on offer. 

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Why is going green so important?

It would be hard to rival Brighton’s green credentials, statistically. Brighton is the most sustainable city in England, according to research conducted by travel booking site Omio in 2022. 

The accolade was distributed according to a variety of factors, including the percentage of household waste that is recycled and the number of: 

  • People who cycle once per month
  • Allotments
  • Charity shops
  • Electric car chargers
  • Car sharing
  • Low bus transport fares
  • Low pollution levels. 

Brighton was also the top-ranking city for both vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurants per person. A pertinent achievement given animal agriculture being responsible for 91% of the Amazon destruction. 

The area’s environmental focus aligns with the concerns of the current student population, as a 2021 poll by Unite Group found students are more concerned about the effects of climate change than any other issue. 

Brighton's vibrant nightlife scene: Do students still care?

Brighton has a lengthy history of being a party town due to the variety of nightclub options, live music styles, and its launch of DJ legend Fatboy Slim’s success.

The vibrant nightlife of Brighton is not only confined to the past, though, as the city came first in a list of the best nights out in the UK as recently as May 2023. 

Traditionally speaking, students would rejoice at this news. In a modern climate, however, the party-mad posturing of student life is posed as more of a stereotype than a reality. But how much does this reflect reality?

Are students choosing the library over the dance floor? Not in Brighton. 

Students party most nights of the week, and their friends travel from all over the country to sample one of the most talked about nights out on UK turf!

Where do students party in Brighton?

The beauty of being a student lies primarily in having the freedom to go out for a night of carefree drinking in the middle of the week. 

As recently as May 2023, Brighton came first in the UK's list of the best nights out.

Pryzm - once called Oceana, often draws large crowds of students due to its bargain drinks deals and multiple musical styles in different rooms. Wednesday nights tend to be reserved for nights out in Pryzm. 

Coalition has a night called ‘Toast’ that takes place on Tuesdays, with the music of rock music styles, while Thursday caters more to fans of r&b music with the Shooshh nightclub along the seafront.

Friday and Saturday nights are perhaps unsurprisingly the most extensive party evenings in Brighton, with techno, house and other popular genres taking place at nights such as "Patterns," "The Arch," and "PRYZM”. 

According to QS rankings for Best Student Cities, Brighton is in the top 100 worldwide and top 10 in the UK, with its party offerings playing a considerable role.

What do International students have to say about University of Brighton?

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Melting pot of diversity

More than 3,000 international students enrol on courses at the University of Brighton each year, with the University being internationally renowned for its research facilities and output. 

Brighton Pride is one of the year's biggest events, bringing together the LGBTQ+ community and encouraging a safe atmosphere for all to enjoy. 

The Brighton Multicultural Festival is an eagerly anticipated annual event that celebrates people from diverse backgrounds, developing cross-cultural understanding, appreciation, and unity. 

A wide range of global cuisines, cultural exhibitions, workshops, and more are on show, in addition to performances that honour different cultures. 

Could Brighton be your new home?

If you want guidance on which University would be the right study abroad fit for you or advice on other aspects of your application, check out our Edvoy YouTube channel for regularly updated tips and advice.


Learn more about how your eligibility matches Brighton University’s admission criteria, start a conversation with a friendly Edvoy counsellor and download the app today. 

The process is easy, and the advice you receive is impartial because Edvoy believes in empowering students to make informed decisions about their education. 

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