University of Chichester Bognor Regis Campus

Higher education on the Sussex coast

The University of Chichester maintains a campus in Bognor Regis on Upper Bognor Road, providing higher education within the town and contributing a student presence to the local community. The Bognor campus is one of two university sites, the other being the main campus in Chichester, and it offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

The campus has a compact, self-contained feel, with teaching buildings, student accommodation, sports facilities and social spaces arranged on a single site. The buildings are a mix of periods and styles, from older structures to more recent additions that reflect investment in the campus over the years. The overall environment is pleasant, with green spaces between the buildings and a sense of being part of a distinct academic community.

The courses offered at the Bognor campus cover a range of subjects, with particular strengths in teacher training, sport, dance and the performing arts. The university has a strong reputation for its education programmes, and many teachers working in schools across Sussex and beyond trained at the Chichester and Bognor campuses. The sport and exercise science programmes benefit from the campus facilities and the opportunities for outdoor activity that the coastal location provides.

Student life on the Bognor campus is shaped by the town's character. This is not a large university city with a throbbing nightlife and a dedicated student quarter. Bognor offers a quieter, more relaxed student experience, with the beach on the doorstep and a cost of living that is lower than in Brighton, London or many other university towns. Students who choose Bognor tend to value the smaller community, the personal attention from academic staff and the opportunities for outdoor activity.

The campus has its own accommodation, with halls of residence providing rooms for first-year students and some returning students. The standard of accommodation is adequate, and the convenience of living on campus is valued, particularly by students who do not have a car. Students in later years typically move into rented accommodation in the surrounding streets, and the student rental market is covered in the renting section.

The university's impact on the town is mixed. The students contribute to the local economy through spending in shops, cafes, pubs and takeaways, and the university itself is a significant local employer. The student presence brings energy and diversity to a town whose demographic profile is otherwise dominated by older residents. On the other hand, the growth of student housing in some residential streets has caused friction with neighbours, and the seasonal nature of the student population means that some streets feel noticeably different during the university holidays.

For prospective students considering the Bognor campus, the attractions include small class sizes, direct access to academic staff, a strong sense of community and a coastal setting that offers a quality of life quite different from urban campuses. The disadvantages include the limited nightlife, the distance from London and the relatively narrow range of courses compared with larger universities. Open days provide the best opportunity to assess whether the campus and the town are the right fit.