Exchange Report University of Sussex - SBM Year 3 Tsang Hiu Huen Spring 2019
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Exchange Report
University of Sussex
SBM Year 3 Tsang Hiu Huen
Spring 2019
1
Content Page
Monthly Activity Log -------------------------------------------------------P. 3 - 6
General Information ---------------------------------------------------------P. 7 - 9
Checklist ----------------------------------------------------------------------P. 10
Useful Links and Contacts -------------------------------------------------P. 11
2
Monthly Activity Log
January
I arrived on the 30th which was required by the school. It was exciting as I got to visit
the school for the very first time and move into the East Slope Residential Hall.
February
During the first week, there was an international student gathering (Pizza Night)
where you could meet new students coming from different parts of the world. It
would be the best if you take time to participate in it as it was a precious opportunity
to mingle or even to meet your buddies for the semester. The International Student
Support hosted various field trips for students to get familiar with the area nearby the
school as well. I joined the Brighton day trip and got to explore the city with a senior
student as leader and other exchange students.
Classes started a few days later. There would be an add-drop period which you could
choose to switch modules or withdraw from courses. Class materials for the first
month would be rather easy which made this month a perfect timing for students to
explore Brighton and cities nearby like London and Lewes. I went to London once
and was amazed by its spectacular streets and buildings. Despite the unreasonably
high price level there, the food and people there were just incredible. I would
definitely recommend the Borough Market where you could enjoy delicacies like
fresh oyster.
3
March
Coursework started to become more intensive to get students well-prepared for mid-
term examinations. It would be better to allocate more time on academic work in
March so you do not have to cramp all the notes before any tests. Meanwhile, I took
some spare time to visit Cambridge and Oxford which were both very famous cities in
UK.
4
April
After all the hard work in March and April, I spent half of my Easter break in Spain
and the other half in UK. Easter holiday is one of the most famous travelling period in
UK, make sure you have your flights and accommodation booked in advance if you
would like to travel around. I visited Barcelona and I could not have loved this city
more! The city was easy to walk around but at the same time full of surprises and
wonders. The architecture there were almost too sophisticated to look at.
5
May
After the long Easter break, most courses started to wrap up, so make sure you do not
miss any of the classes. This would be the period when the academic work became
heavy. Get prepared for assignments and final examinations in advance so you could
handle them at ease. The final exam period began at the middle of the month and
ended at the middle of June. If you were lucky enough to have your exams done
earlier, you could take the chance to explore UK even more.
June
At that time, almost all the exams were over. Most students took the chance to travel
around UK or even Europe before the semester ends. I paid a visit to Paris and
Amsterdam and marked it as the end of my exchange.
6
General information
Visa Procedures
Students who are Hong Kong passport holders are allowed to apply for a short-term
study visa upon arrival by simply presenting the official offer letter issued by UK
universities. Hong Kong passport holders are not required to apply for UK visa in
advance. Besides, we do not need Schengen Visa to travel around Europe. Be sure to
keep copies of the official offer letter with you when you cross the UK border.
Orientation Activities
Most of the welcoming events were held before the semester started, ranging from
day tour, gathering, quiz nights and talks. Events like tours may require online
registration for tickets, so do check if the events you would like to join accept walk-in
or not. All exchange students were required to attend one induction session and one
briefing session organized by their own school.
International Services & Activities
International Student Support provides support for exchange students, do not hesitate
to consult them if you ever encounter any problem.
Accommodations
All exchange student could choose to either apply for the residential hall on campus
or the hotels in Hove. You could rent a private housing as well. I lived in East Slope
Residences, an on-campus hall where nearly all residences were exchange students.
Course Registration
Module preferences have to be clearly indicated in the application form. However, the
school does not guarantee the course quota and the final enrollment depends on
availability. A coordinator from the school will email students regarding course
registration. Normally, exchange students can take up to 60 credits (equivalent to 12
credits in HKUST) in one semester.
Teaching & Assessment Methods
Most modules have lectures and seminars. Usually, professors teach in lectures and
hold discussions/ workshops during seminars. It is important for students to keep a
7
80% attendance throughout the semester. Assessment methods vary across modules.
Some will include exams while some only require essays.
Sports & Recreation Facilities
There are plenty of sports facilities on campus. Most of them are open to registered
members only. To become a member, you will have to pay a fee. There would also be
sports events which allow students to try sports without paying an annual fee. The
details would be introduced during the induction.
Financial & Banking
I opened a HSBC account and a Monzo account. For HSBC, you can simply open an
account by making an appointment with their staff. The account will be active right
after. For Monzo, it requires only a few taps on your phone for registration and the
card will be sent to your residential address a few days later. There are many other
options which you could refer to the fact sheet you would receive upon arrival.
Social Clubs & Networking Opportunities
There would be a society fair for students entering in the second term. Most of the
popular societies would set booths there for students to register membership. If you
plan to miss the fair, you could also look for their information on the school page.
Health & Safety
There is a health centre on campus where you could always seek for help if you
encounter any health issues. I personally felt very safe in Brighton, even at late night.
If you ever feel your life threatened, do not hesitate ask people nearby for help.
People living in Brighton are friendly and helpful.
Food
There is not much to expect for food in UK. The local food are fair but boring to eat
(Fish and chips). However, I do recommend students to pay visit to different
restaurants and cafes in Brighton and take some time to appreciate the atmosphere
instead of the food. If you prefer to cook, there are also many supermarkets where you
could expect ingredients of any kind. Tesco and Poundland would be a cheap but fair
choice.
8
Transportation
If you would be arriving alone with heavy luggage, I suggest calling a Taxi at least
one week in advance to avoid inconvenience. If you are flying to Gatwick Airport,
you could also take trains which take you directly from airport to Falmer station,
where the university locates.
Climate
Brighton is famous for its weather that it has more sunny days than other cities in UK.
But still, the rainy days and sunny days take turns. For one week, it would be all
sunlight and blue sky, but raining dogs and cats for the next week. One reminder is
that, UK is quite a windy region, so you do not see people using umbrellas in rain. It
is best for you to have a water-proof coat.
Communication
Every student would receive a welcome package upon check-in at student
accommodation, including a free Giffgaff SIM card with £5 credit. Most importantly,
the service covers basically most of Europe and phone calls between Giffgaff users is
free.
9
Items to Bring
• Passport
• Letter of Acceptance
• Cash (enough to support your living until you have a bank card)
• Debit/ Credit Cards (in case you encounter any troubles with local banks)
• Medicines
• EU Plug Adapter
• Hair Dryer
• Sunglasses
• Umbrella
• Slippers
• Water-proof coat
• Stationery (do not plan to buy in UK, things here are expensive!)
Do Not Bring
• Beddings (either purchase at reception or in Primark)
• Kitchen Utensils (Poundland has all the things you will need, save the space!)
10Useful Links and Contacts
School related
Sussex Buddy Scheme (timely update on socializing and sports events)
https://www.buddyscheme.com/
Module Teaching Timetable
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/students/timetable/
Student Hub (access to student account, timetable, module details)
https://student.sussex.ac.uk/
Student Society List
https://www.sussexstudent.com/sport-societies-media/discover/
International Student Support (day trips can be found under “Trips and Events”)
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/internationalsupport/tripsandevents
Travel
Virgin Trains (for train ticket around UK, no extra fee!)
https://www.virgintrains.co.uk/
Flixbus
https://www.flixbus.co.uk/
Omio
https://www.omio.com/
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