If you want to major with an unusual combination of subjects, the University of Sussex could be your best bet.

A degree from a reputed university abroad is usually valued in the Indian job market. Besides, a stint at an institute abroad helps one appreciate other cultures. The international exposure also facilitates work in a multicultural ambience. In this context, it is worth considering a course at the University of Sussex, an open-minded university with a diverse student community.

Set in the rolling South Downs, adjacent to Brighton, also known as the city by the sea, the picturesque campus often soothes taut nerves after a hard day’s work. The university also boasts impeccable credentials. Says Kaushik Mitra, education advisor in India for the University of Sussex, “Over the past few years, it has been ranked among the top 125 universities in the world (out of nearly 20,000 universities and colleges) in surveys conducted by Newsweek, Times Higher Education Supplement-World University Rankings 2006 and others.”

With more than 250 degrees and interesting combinations of subjects to choose from, Sussex offers some of the most innovative programmes. You could combine geography and archaeology in a joint degree programme or opt for American studies with Spanish. Indeed, the options are vast. Says Ashna Patel, a student of medicine, “The myriad study options combined with a challenging study culture made me choose Sussex over others.”

The other incentive is that students are encouraged to discover themselves and also allowed flexibility within their degree. They can opt for double majors, joint degrees and take up courses in other departments. What’s more, the faculty at Sussex is top-notch. Explains John D. Sander, senior international liaison officer, University of Sussex, “The university has had three Nobel Prize winners in the past 12 years — Sir Harry Kroto, Sir Anthony Legget and Sir John Cornforth — and all 26 departments are ranked at Grade 5 and 4 in order of international and national excellence.”

This just goes to demonstrate the quality of research at Sussex. Students get to participate in ground-breaking research, with science and engineering students joining a faculty research project in the final year of their bachelors degree. Sussex also ranks among the top 10 research universities in the UK and professors are actively involved in research.

Small wonder then that Indian students are increasingly opting to study at Sussex. Says Mitra, “Every year, nearly 200-plus Indian students make a beeline for Sussex for their bachelors, masters and PhD studies.” Their top choices include engineering (aerospace, automotive, electronics, satellite communications, computer science), biosciences (genetic manipulation, bioinformatics), development studies, international business and management, international relations, law and media studies.

Getting a place at the university is strictly on academic performance. Students should secure first class throughout their academic careers. They also need to secure good scores in IELTS or TOEFL. However, all this doesn’t come cheap. “Lab and research-based courses cost around £11,500 per annum while the non-lab-based courses amount to £8,800 per annum,” says Sander.

But hope floats for meritorious international students. The university offers the Chancellor’s International Scholarships and the DFID scholarships. Up to 40 scholarships are available each year. The scholarships are worth £2,200 and are awarded on merit for the duration of the programme, subject to satisfactory progress.

To apply, a form available at www.sussex.ac.uk/scholarships_ and_bursaries or from the international and study abroad office needs to be completed. Students can also apply for other scholarships such as the Commonwealth, Chevening, Ford Foundation and World Bank scholarships. Most non-EU students are allowed to work part-time (up to 20 hours per week) during the term and full-time during vacations.

Source: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)