I would very much like to study photography as a degree at university and my first choice is The University of Brighton for the simple reason that I love Brighton and would very much enjoy being part of student life. I have conducted further research into the University Of Brighton to find out more about student accommodation on campus, whether the social scene of student life offers societies, clubs, and local music for me to engage with, How past and present students rated the course and whether or not the University is well equipped and can introduce me to contacts within the industry helping me find work once I have graduated. All these questions are very important to ask others who are and have been in my position. The more research I conduct the more I can find out about whether or not University is the right choice for me.
The next open day Brighton University offers is Saturday 9th October, this is a great opportunity for me to go and look around the campus and university to help me decide whether it is the right choice for me. I will have the chance to meet others who are already studying the degree who I can talk to about how they are finding student life. I also have the opportunity to meet others who are considering Brighton University as well.I think it is very important for me to feel settled once I leave home to help me progress well on my course and feel comfortable to meet new people. Brighton University ensures that all their students have access to well-priced, good quality accommodation, either in halls, university-managed housing or in the private sector. Brighton offers over 2,000 places for all first year undergraduate students in halls situated in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings however due to demand the university is unable to guarantee a place.
Undergraduate students studying photography are located on The Grand Parade campus. They stay in the Phoenix Brewery during first year and then move into private accommodation. The Phoenix Brewery is less than one mile from the seafront, the pubs, clubs, restaurants and bars are withing walking distance, some flats contain rooms with en suite and all kitchens are shared with communal areas. For students to wash their clothes, there is a communal laundrette on campus, ample storage for bicycles and a bus stop for other university sites which is five minutes away. Grand Parade campus is situated in central Brighton allowing students access to pubs, bars, restaurants, clubs, shopping and the seafront. The city centre is convenient for the Grand Parade campus with the Falmer campus just 5 miles away which is accessible easily by bus. Falmer Campus is one of the main study sites housing two halls of residents.
The Phoenix Brewery contains 298 rooms of which up to 8 students can share a room and all halls are catered. The bedrooms are en suite and have internet access. The length of tendency is 39 weeks and in 2009 the annual fee cost £4,149.14 equaling £106 per week.Undergraduate students living in halls of residence are mixed with males and females and depending on the cost of the accommodation, students are either catered for or they cater for themselves. Many students prefer to live in rented accommodation because it allows them to have their independence, they are able to choose their preferred location, the type of accommodation either a flat or a house and they can choose who to share it with. Brighton & Hove City Council and Hastings Council run landlord accreditation schemes to promote good standards of rented accommodation, but these arrangements can only be made after the first year. Other students who are already living in Sussex and are local to the area they may prefer to save the cost of living and live at home. Around one quarter of students who are studying their first degree do. They are still able to join in all campus activities and will have plenty of chances to socialise and make new friends.
I will be applying to the University of Brighton to study a full time first degree. Per year I will be paying approximately £3,290 in tuition fees and the duration of my course can last up to five years therefore I will need to consider my finances carefully without graduating with an excessive debt. I will incur additional costs on my course relating to field trips, uniform and the materials I need.
As I will be a full-time undergraduate studying in the UK I can take out a low-interest loan to meet all or some of the cost of my tuition fees whilst I am studying. I must apply to the Student Loans Company for the loan before I start my course and my fees will be paid directly to the university. I will pay the loan back once I have completed my studies and I am earning more than the income threshold which is currently £15,000 a year. The interest rate on payments is low and linked to inflation. This means that the amount I repay will be broadly the same, in real terms, as the amount I borrowed. Repayments, based on what I earn rather than what I owe will be made through the tax system. Any debt not repaid after 25 years will be written off. The maximum student loan for maintenance available to me is £4,950.
Around two thirds of all new full-time students are expected to qualify for a full or partial grant worth up to £2,906 in each of their course which is based on family income and doesn't have to be repaid. I am also eligible for targeted grants and allowances however it may not apply to me. Depending on my personal and family circumstances the government can grant the Adult Dependants' Grant, the Childcare Grant and the Parents' Learning Allowance. My eligibility will be assessed by my local authority when I apply for student funding.It is important to study at a university that offers the right course for you however the university must be equipped with high standard instruments which will help me achieve to the best of my potential. The University of Brighton offers a wide range of industry standard equipment for Art and design based subjects. I was interested to find out more about what equipment they offer for photography student so I emailed Sam at the School of Arts and Media but I am yet to receive a reply. However I will be visiting Brighton in October which will allow me the chance to discover my potential working environment. The more and more I research into Universities the more and more determined I feel to eventually get there. I would really enjoy being a student and living in Brighton.
Another University which is at the top of my list is the University of Creative Arts which is based in Surrey. I would be looking to study a full time first degree in Photography. I have chosen UCA as another choice because again the University is well equipped. The difference between UCA and Brighton is that UCA is a specialist institution giving students the opportunity to be completely immersed in their chosen subject area. They have been providing specialist art and design education through their founding colleges for almost 150 years. Their aim is to build prestigious history, developing courses and nurturing graduates to shape the next 150 years. Whereas the University of Brighton covers a huge range of subjects which creates a different approach.Due to the course I wish to study I would be situated in Farnham. Farnham has a strong artistic heritage and the town has a number of galleries and arts centres offering a wide range of artistic entertainment. There is a good range of shops with lots of intresting boutiques, an independent department store and all the high street favourites. There are a lot of restaurants and the student Union provides nightclub entertainment.
There are two halls of residence on campus at Farnham the Student Village and Main Hall. Most of the rooms are single with shared facilities but there are a small number of twin rooms in the Main Hall and a very limited number of en-suite rooms in the Student Village (these are normally allocated to students with a specific medical need for their own bathroom). The majority of our accommodation is mixed gender. The halls are all self-catering and each bedroom has a wash-hand basin, a bed, wardrobe, desk and chair. An ironing board, vacuum cleaner, broom, dustpan and brush, mop and bucket are provided in each accommodation unit. Wireless internet access is available through an external company called Keycom. I will be required to sign a contract with the service provider if I choose to use this service. The charge for the service ranges from £15 to £18 per month. The contract is directly with Keycom and not with the University.
Farnham offer a huge range of facilities to students who study photography the equipment includes, Photographic studios, Digital Photography studio, Digital printing studios, TV journalism room with live news feed, TV studio with viewing gallery, Radio suites, Black & white photography dark rooms and Colour photography dark rooms.
As an undergraduate student, I will have to pay for two things: tuition fees for my course and living costs, such as rent, food, books, transport and entertainment. But I am eligible to receive financial help from the government in the form of loans and grants. As an undergraduate student I can expect to pay up to £3,290 per year. The same priciples apply to any University regarding tutition fees and living costs. The average cost per week for me living in Farnham should equal to £179 covering accommodation, toiletries, laundry, phone, materials, stationary and photocopying, transport and travel, food, sports and societies, and socialising and entertainment.
Studying a degree and living as a student in Farnham will lead a different lifestyle compared to living as a student in Brighton. Farnham is a charming and lively centre surrounded by beautiful countryside and is close to Guildford and London however the lifestyle is less vibrant than living near the coast and in a city. I will attend the open day in October to find out more and see if I can see myself settling in well. I am tongue tied between the two universities because Brighton offers the student lifestyle however Farnham offers a better course.
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