St Andrews attracted Prince William, while Churchill, Darwin and Clinton chose Oxbridge establishments.

But when it comes to the all-round student experience, Brighton and Hove beats the so-called elite university cities.

And if you think studying at Dublin, Leeds, Nottingham or London will guarantee a top-notch social life, think again - Brighton takes the plaudits. Who says?

The real experts - the students themselves.

In a survey of 70 British university towns and cities, Brighton came joint first alongside Manchester and a handful of Scottish cities.

The survey, by Accommodation for Students, asked the views of more than 21,000 students, All the towns and cities were marked out of ten for social life, shops, transport, community and facilities.

Brighton averaged 62 per cent, placing it above Belfast, Dublin, St Andrews, Cambridge, Oxford and York for "going out", and Liverpool, Newcastle, Bristol, Leeds and Nottingham for the quality of its facilities.

Roger Hylton, president of the union at the University of Sussex, attributed Brighton's popularity to its location, cultural festivals, diversity and progressive attitude.

He said: "You can be by the beach and have the experience of the city, which is very cosmopolitan and accommodating of people's needs and lifestyles.

"It is by the country as well and I think that makes it very special because it can cater for everyone.

"It's got a trendy atmosphere and a lot of students choose to remain here. There is an anything-goes culture which people find fascinating and, of course, there are the Lanes, clubs, bars and the shopping, which are all distinctive to Brighton."

Tom Blanchflower, Brighton University union's vice-president for finance and service, said the music scene and the small clubs were popular with students.

He said: "When I was choosing the university I wanted to go to, I wanted to come down here because it has a cool reputation. Being by the sea obviously helps too."

Brighton's popularity is reflected in a 50 per cent increase in applications to the University of Sussex since 2002.

This year, applicants increased by 20 per cent.

This does not include the new Brighton and Sussex Medical School, which opened in 2003.

Academic registrar Owen Richards said: "We're not increasing our student numbers so the growth in applicant numbers is all about strongly rising demand for the places available. Sussex is increasingly seen as first choice for very able students."

Accommodation for Students director and co-founder William Berry said: "Brighton's success reflects its growing position as a destination for students and its social scene is particularly well-known."