Students hoping to study at universities in Brighton may be left without places next year after a huge increase in applications.

The University of Sussex has seen one of the largest rises in applications out of a cross-section of 23 of the country’s universities.

It has had a 35% rise in applications, almost triple the national average of 12%.

A university spokesman said the increase could be attributed to new courses it has introduced such as business and management.

At the University of Brighton applications have also risen by just under 20%, from 10,897 to 13,023.

A spokesman said: “We are very pleased that the University of Brighton is increasing in popularity. This shows that the courses we offer continue to be very popular.”