About Sussex Inspires

The Sussex Inspires programme has been developed to offer specific advice, guidance, insights and enrichment to support students in college or sixth form.

Programme overview

Sussex Inspires offers you support and guidance to shape your own journey to university or elsewhere and it's completely free. The programme includes a series of university visits focusing on university, how to choose the right course for you, academic subject experiences, social activities, career pathways and university application support. The programme culminates in a residential summer school at the University of Sussex.

You will be allocated a subject strand bases on your interests. These strands are:

• Arts and Humanities
• Social Sciences
• STEM

Which strand is for me?

We recognise there are some subjects that overlap but you will be offered the chance to take part in activities dedicated to other strands if you are not sure. Pick the strand most closely aligned to your current or future interests.

Take a look at the strands below. Students should choose a strand where they are currently studying the following subjects or are interested in these subjects at university.

• Arts and Humanities
  • History
  • Art History
  • English
  • Philosophy
  • Music
  • Drama
  • American Studies
  • International Development
  • International Relations
  • Media Studies
  • Media Production
  • Film
  • Filmmaking
  • Journalism
  • Linguistics
• Social Sciences
  • Politics
  • Law
  • Sociology
  • Criminology
  • Anthropology
  • Social Work
  • Psychology
  • History
  • Geography
  • American Studies
  • Childhood and Youth Studies
  • Business, Economics
  • International Development
  • International Relations
• STEM
  • Biology
  • Physics
  • Maths
  • Chemistry
  • Biomedical Science
  • Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Genetics
  • Computer Science
  • Engineering
  • Astronomy
  • Ecology
  • Robotics
  • Zoology

I have taken part in most of what Sussex Inspires has offered, from master classes, tasters, open days, subject trial days, and their summer school. Each allowing me to feel and experience a different part of what university life would be like. I loved each one as they accommodate any person who wants to take part and help in any way they can.” 2023/2024 Sussex Access Programme student
Varndean College, Brighton

The Sussex Inspires Programme

Welcome Day - Wednesday 11 December 2024

We will welcome you to Sussex Inspires and ensure you are familiar with what the programme has to offer. You will get a chance to meet your fellow participants and our student ambassadors who will be working with you throughout the year.

Study and See sessions - Tuesday 21 January - Thursday 23rd January 2025

Tuesday 21 January - Arts and Humanities

Wednesday 22 January - Social Sciences

Thursday 23 January - STEM

Our Study and See sessions gives you a chance to have a university-style experience in some of your favourite subjects, or try out subjects you may not have considered before.

You will take part in three 45-minute taster sessions. The sessions are led by academic staff and supported by current Sussex students. You will learn more about what topics you can study within a subject, explore possible career pathways and speak to students currently studying in that area.

Careers Day - Tuesday 4 March

Where can a degree take you? What have Sussex alumni gone on to do? Do you have the option of continuing on to post-graduate qualifications like Masters and PhD? We will give you the knowledge and skills to consider your future career and hear from people who have had a similar journey.

Find your Future: university essentials – Saturday 14 June

Our Find Your Future conferences let you explore student life and help kickstart your university application.You’ll leave knowing exactly what you need to do to complete a UCAS application, understand the student finance system and gain insight into student life.

Sussex Inspires Summer School – Tuesday 15 – Thursday 17 July

Our residential Summer School will give you the chance to experience student life at our beautiful campus. You will study topics within your strand, all delivered by academics. Throughout the summer school, you will work independently or in small groups on a short, university-level poster assignment.

Alongside the academic programme you will attend a variety of social events on campus and in Brighton to soak up the student experience. You will stay for three nights in university accommodation, sharing a flat with other students on Sussex Inspires.

Graduation Ceremony – Saturday 13 September

To celebrate your achievements on Sussex Inspires, we invite you to celebrate at our graduation day. You will receive your certificate of completion and be allowed to bring guests for your special day.

Optional events or trips

We may run some optional social events or trips throughout the programme and will communicate these with you in due course.

Key information

• The deadline for applications is midnight on Sunday 24 November.
• You will be informed about the outcome of your application in the week commencing 25 November.
• If you are successful in your application, you will receive an invite and event information for the Welcome Day in December.
• All five elements of the programme are compulsory. However, if you are ill or have an emergency, we will let you know what you need to do.
• To attend the Summer School in July, you need to have attended a minimum of three events throughout the year out of five.
• We pay for your train or bus ticket to every event – this will be sent via email. You will receive further information about how this works.
• There will be an online Unibuddy community set up for each strand so you can keep in touch with other members of your strand, Sussex Inspires staff and ambassadors
• Parents/guardians will be kept informed about the events you will be attending. If you attend our Summer School, they will need to complete a permission form.
• Limited spaces are available on the programme. We will prioritise students who have been in receipt of free school meals in the past six years, have experienced living in care or are from a Gypsy, Roma or Traveller background. We will also welcome applications from students who live in an area where young people are less likely to enter university, are a young carer or have a disability.
• Anyone in the UK can apply, but some events start at 10 a.m. on campus, and we can only provide train tickets from London to the Falmer campus.