University of Chichester: What it's really like

Looking for a smaller university in a historic city? Chichester could be the place for you!

Chichester at a glance:

Marcus, a former Chichester student who now works at the university as a student recruitment and admissions graduate intern, tells us what student life at Chichester is like.

What is the University of Chichester?

The University of Chichester is a campus university based on the south coast of England. We have roughly 5,500 students, and we recently celebrated our 180th year of higher education.

Why apply to Chichester?

The reason I applied to Chichester was the community feel I experienced on the open day. The small class sizes mean you’re able to get to know everyone on your course, and your lecturers get to know you as a person. Here you feel like a name, not a number.

If you’re an international student, that community feel is an important part of how Chichester makes you feel so welcome. We have an international student advisory service, who offer lots of support and advice to help you in your transition.

Who isn’t the right fit for Chichester?

The University of Chichester probably isn’t best suited to someone looking for a ‘big city’ university experience. At Chichester, there’s quite a close-knit community feel, and perhaps not as fast a pace of life as some other big cities in the south of England, like London for example.

Any application tips? 

My top tip for prospective students would be to get as much experience as possible. It helps make your Personal Statement stand out if you can talk about things like work placements or internships.

What’s the location like?

At the University of Chichester there are two campuses.

Our Bishop Otter campus is based in the city of Chichester itself. As well as being a busy city with lots of shops and pubs, Chichester is also rich in history; it’s home to the remains of a Roman settlement and the 900-year-old cathedral.

Our other campus is based in the seaside town of Bognor Regis, and the campus itself is just a short walk from the beach.

What facilities does Chichester have to offer?

At Chichester, there are specialised facilities for nearly every subject. Our new £35 million tech park provides facilities for our creative industries and engineering students. Our recently renovated nursing and allied health building includes facilities like clinical simulation labs. Some of our teaching spaces, like our physiology lab and environmental chamber, have even been used by professional athletes!

Our sports facilities at our Chichester campus can be enjoyed not only by sports students, but any students at the university. They include an astro turf, sports dome, and fitness suites.

Our students union, which has a site on both campuses, offers societies, club nights, karaoke nights, and drag nights for students to enjoy in their spare time.

What is the accommodation like?

There are accommodation options on both our campuses to suit a range of needs and budgets. Students can live in halls on- or off-campus, and would usually share with about six other students.

Our halls include rooms designed to meet the needs of students with physical disabilities or medical conditions.

How does Chichester meet the needs of students with different accessibility requirements?

When applying to Chichester, if you disclose in your application that you have a disability, the university will contact you to assess your needs and put a plan in place to support you. If helpful, they’ll invite you to the campus before you arrive, so you can get to know your way around and discuss any of your needs in more detail.

The student support team, including nurses, counsellors, and academic advisers, are available to contact throughout your time at university if you need any extra support during your studies.

Want to explore more UK universities? Remember, Unifrog’s Shortlisting tool can help you put together a list of great potential courses.