Inside the University of Brighton’s international orientation programme
We welcomed our newest cohort of international students to Brighton last week for our international orientation programme.
What is international orientation?
At the University of Brighton, starting your journey isn’t just about gaining a degree – it’s about feeling at home in a new country and building a community.
For new international students our International Student Advice and Support team host a three-day orientation programme to welcome you to the university and the UK. This event is free for new students to attend.
International orientation is designed to help you settle into university life, explore Brighton and connect with other new international students.
Orientation events this year included a whole range of activities, including a welcome talk from our Vice-Chancellor, coffee with our careers team, Q+A sessions with our student ambassadors, social events like a pub quiz and a Celtic dance, plus activities in the city and tours of our campuses.
Day one: Arrivals and settling in
The first day was designed to help new students get comfortable. It’s the main arrival day, where students move into their accommodation, check-in for the orientation programme and have their documents verified.
In the afternoon students could join our student ambassadors on a shopping trip to buy household essentials and food.
In the evening, students could choose between a visit to Heavenly Desserts for a sweet treat, or a traditional British pub quiz at the students’ union bar.
Day two: The main event
The second day was the busiest day of the programme as it was designed to give new international students time to learn about the university, as well as socialise and explore their new city.
The day kicked-off with a formal welcome from Vice-Chancellor Professor Donna Whitehead, followed by academic skills sessions tailored separately for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
In the afternoon students chose from optional activities on-campus including an art class, ice-breaker session with student ambassadors and yoga, followed by more optional activities in Brighton city centre. Students could choose from a guided tour of the historic Royal Pavilion, a walking tour of Brighton’s lanes, pottery painting, or a walk along the seafront with our student ambassadors.
The day finished with a traditional Cèilidh in the theatre on our City campus. Pronounced ‘kay-lee’, it’s a traditional Scottish or Irish event with dancing, live music and a ‘caller’. The caller leads the dances, teaching the steps of each dance and ensuring they are done in time to the music.
Day three: Campus tours and closing session
International orientation finished with a guided campus tours, led by our team of student ambassadors. This gave new students a chance to become more familiar with their new academic campuses, check out the facilities and ask any questions.
Following campus tours was a closing session and Q+A with a panel of experts from around the university, including teams providing support to international students such as Brighton Students’ Union, the International Student Support and Advice team, the residential wellbeing team and the Careers and Employability team.
The international orientation programme at the University of Brighton is much more than a welcome event. It’s an opportunity for international students to become familiar with their new environment, receive guidance on practical matters, and begin building friendships.
We hope that all those who attended orientation enjoyed the start of their University of Brighton journey. We are so thrilled to welcome you to this next exciting chapter and wish you the best of luck in your studies!
Interested in studying in the UK? Find out more about studying at the University of Brighton.
Clare Cornwell • September 30, 2025