Tuition fees
Find out how much our tuition fees are for undergraduate, Masters and PhD degrees, what your fees cover, and ways to pay.
For courses starting in 2025
The UK government announced on 4 November that there will be an increase of both tuition fees, and maintenance loans for full-time UK (Home) undergraduate students, for the 2025/26 academic year.
These proposed increases are in line with inflation and in recognition of the financial pressures that increased costs have placed on both universities and students.
Fees
This means that from September 2025 for full-time UK (Home) undergraduate students studying in England, the tuition fee will rise to £9,535 per year, an increase of £285. The change also relates to students on post graduate initial teacher training (ITT) courses, such as PGCEs.
Maintenance loans
For English undergraduate students studying outside London, the maximum maintenance loan will rise to £10,544, an increase of £317. Arrangements in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are different and managed by the relevant funding agency. Funding arrangements are also different in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, but Sussex aligns the fees we charge these (Islands) students with our Home (UK) fees.
Who does this affect?
The increases, which are subject to further parliamentary approval, are proposed to come into effect from 1 August 2025 and will apply to both new and returning students.
These changes affect:
- Current and new undergraduate students (regardless of status)
- Students on post graduate initial teacher training (ITT) courses (e.g. PGCE)
This tuition fee increase will not impact:
- Masters and PhD students
- International students
The University of Sussex intends to keep UK (Home) and Islands fees in line with UK government approved levels. In line with our current terms and conditions, it is the University’s intention to charge fees at the new higher rate for 2025/26 (with any subsequent further changes to the cap) for each year of your studies.
You can read more about these tuition fee changes on the UK government's website.
Students only begin to repay once they graduate, and then only if they earn over the earnings ‘threshold’. For the vast majority of UK students, tuition fees are paid directly to the University by the Student Loans Company.
- Undergraduate tuition fees
To see your fees, find your undergraduate course and check the Fees and scholarships section.
Remember to check your fee status if you're unsure which level of fee you will pay.
Please read our tuition fees terms and conditions.
You must accept our financial guarantee to register online as a student.
Fee increases
Note that Home and Islands fees may be subject to an increase on an annual basis as the Government reviews the fee levels.
International fees are subject to an annual increase of 3%.
Further costs
Check any further costs you may have to pay.
Loans and funding
You can also search for undergraduate loans and funding.
- Masters tuition fees
To see your fees, find your Masters course and check the Fees and scholarships section.
Remember to check your fee status if you're unsure which level of fee you will pay.
Please read our tuition fees terms and conditions.
You must accept our financial guarantee to register online as a student.
Fee increases
If you study part time over two years, you’ll be charged 50% of the equivalent full-time fee in each year of study.
Your second year fee – if you continue your studies without a break – will be subject to a 3% increase (subject to rounding).
Further costs
Check any further costs you may have to pay.
Tuition fee deposits for international Masters students
If you are a self-funded international student starting a Masters course, you are required to pay a tuition fee deposit. Find out more.
Loans and funding
You can also search for Masters loans and funding.
- PhD tuition fees
Home students: Fees are not yet set for entry in the academic year 2025/26. Fees will become available once set by United Kingdom Research and Innovation.
Channel Islands and Isle of Man students: Fees are not yet set for entry in the academic year 2025/26. Fees will become available once set by United Kingdom Research and Innovation.
International students: £22,575 (non-lab) and £26,250 (lab) per year.
Fee increases
Home PhD student fees are set at the level recommended by United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) annually, rising in line with inflation.
International fees are subject to an annual increase of 3%.
Please read our tuition fees terms and conditions.
You must accept our financial guarantee to register online as a student.
You can also search for loans and funding to see how you can pay for your fees, and check your fee status.
Bench fees
Depending on the nature of your research topic you may be additionally charged bench fees for expenses which cannot reasonably be covered by the tuition fees. The requirement to pay bench fees will be detailed in your offer letter.
Further costs
On top of your PhD fees and living costs, you may also need to cover some research and training costs, relevant to your research project. These costs will depend on your research topic and training needs, but may include:
- travel (to archives, collections or scientific facilities)
- a laptop
- overseas fieldwork costs (travel and accommodation, and language training)
- conference costs (travel, registration fees and accommodation)
- laboratory consumables and workshop materials
- participant costs
- transcription or translation costs
- open-access publication costs.
Check any further costs you may have to pay.
Postgraduate Research Distant students
If you spend part of your registration as a Postgraduate Research Distant student, you pay full fees for the periods at Sussex and 65% of the full fee for periods as a distant student.
Postgraduate Research Fieldwork
If you are on approved fieldwork and you're absent from the University, you may be charged 65% of the full fee for the fieldwork period.
Reduced fieldwork fees are at the discretion of the relevant Director of Doctoral Studies.
If you have funding through a grant-awarding authority, check if your award includes fieldwork travelling expenses.
For courses starting in 2024
- Undergraduate tuition fees
To see standard fees for undergraduate courses starting in 2024, take a look at our fees schedule.
Remember to check your fee status if you're unsure which level of fee you will pay.
Please read our tuition fees terms and conditions.
You must accept our financial guarantee to register online as a student.
Fee increases
Note that Home and Islands fees may be subject to an increase on an annual basis as the Government reviews the fee levels.
International fees are subject to an annual increase of 3%.
Further costs
Check any further costs you may have to pay.
Loans and funding
You can also search for undergraduate loans and funding.
- Masters tuition fees
To see your fees, find your Masters course and check the Fees and scholarships section. If your course is not showing with a 2024 start date, you can still see standard fees for Masters courses starting in 2024 on our fees schedule.
Remember to check your fee status if you're unsure which level of fee you will pay.
Please read our tuition fees terms and conditions.
You must accept our financial guarantee to register online as a student.
Fee increases
If you study part time over two years, you’ll be charged 50% of the equivalent full-time fee in each year of study.
Your second year fee – if you continue your studies without a break – will be subject to a 3% increase (subject to rounding).
Further costs
Check any further costs you may have to pay.
Tuition fee deposits for international Masters students
If you are a self-funded international student starting a Masters course, you are required to pay a tuition fee deposit. Find out more.
Loans and funding
You can also search for Masters loans and funding.
- PhD tuition fees
Home students: £4,786 per year for full-time students. If your course is not showing with a 2024 start date, you can still see standard fees for PhD degrees starting in 2024 on our fees schedule.
Channel Islands and Isle of Man students: £4,786 per year for full-time students.
International students: £21,500 (non-lab) and £25,000 (lab) per year.
Fee increases
Home PhD student fees are set at the level recommended by United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) annually, rising in line with inflation.
International fees are subject to an annual increase of 3%.
Please read our tuition fees terms and conditions.
You must accept our financial guarantee to register online as a student.
You can also search for loans and funding to see how you can pay for your fees, and check your fee status.
Bench fees
Depending on the nature of your research topic you may be additionally charged bench fees for expenses which cannot reasonably be covered by the tuition fees. The requirement to pay bench fees will be detailed in your offer letter.
Further costs
On top of your PhD fees and living costs, you may also need to cover some research and training costs, relevant to your research project. These costs will depend on your research topic and training needs, but may include:
- travel (to archives, collections or scientific facilities)
- a laptop
- overseas fieldwork costs (travel and accommodation, and language training)
- conference costs (travel, registration fees and accommodation)
- laboratory consumables and workshop materials
- participant costs
- transcription or translation costs
- open-access publication costs.
Check any further costs you may have to pay.
Postgraduate Research Distant students
If you spend part of your registration as a Postgraduate Research Distant student, you pay full fees for the periods at Sussex and 65% of the full fee for periods as a distant student.
Postgraduate Research Fieldwork
If you are on approved fieldwork and you're absent from the University, you may be charged 65% of the full fee for the fieldwork period.
Reduced fieldwork fees are at the discretion of the relevant Director of Doctoral Studies.
If you have funding through a grant-awarding authority, check if your award includes fieldwork travelling expenses.
Your fee status
You pay different fees depending on your fee status category. Check if you qualify as a home, Islands or International student for paying fees.
Returning students
Check how much you'll pay in fees as a returning undergraduate, Masters or PhD student.
Terms and conditions
See our terms and conditions and find out how your tuition fees are spent.
Fees from previous years
Check tuition fees for 2018 to 2024 entry.
What your fees cover
Your tuition fees cover your education costs, including teaching and exams. Your fees don't cover:
- living costs (including accommodation)
- books and other materials
- sports memberships
- graduation guest tickets or graduation gown hire.
Further costs
The table below lists further charges that some students may need to pay during their course.
| Fee item | Amount (2024/25) | Amount (2025/26) |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate late registration fee | £65 | £65 |
| Undergraduate final year resit fee | £290 | £300 |
| Postgraduate late registration fee | £65 | £65 |
| Postgraduate taught continuation fee | £290 | £300 |
| Postgraduate History China Exchange (teaching block 2 only) | £1,650 | N/A |
| Postgraduate visiting research student placement fee | £595 | £625 |
| PhD extension fee | £135 | £140 |
| PhD resubmissions fee | £540 (annual) | £560 (annual) |
| PhD pre-submission fee | 3 months: £135 6 months: £270 9 months: £405 12 months: £540 |
3 months: £140 6 months: £280 9 months: £420 12 months: £560 |
| Additional costs e.g. course / field trips | check your course | check your course |
Student Union membership is free.
Placement and study abroad fees
If you're an undergraduate student starting in 2024/25 or 2025/26, you pay:
- 20% of your tuition fees during your placement year if the placement is for a year
- the normal tuition fee if the placement is for less than a year.
These fees are subject to Government policy changes and you should buy insurance if you do a placement abroad.
You also pay different fees if you do a study abroad year. Check how much you'll pay if you do a study abroad year.
Other fees
You can also check fees for:
- our Summer Programmes
- visiting and exchange programmes
- University of Sussex International Study Centre (International Foundation Year, International Year One and Pre-Masters)
- English language courses.