If you’re thinking about starting, or continuing, your academic journey with an institution that will shape your future, the University of Essex is a great choice. Based in the southeast of the UK only a short distance from London, the University of Essex offers a prime location and diverse international student community.
As a leading provider of student accommodation in Essex, we have gained invaluable insights into what students truly value at Essex University throughout the years.
In this guide, we share 8 top reasons why you should study at the University of Essex, with some helpful information about the university for prospective students, including its campus, clubs and societies, support options, and the historic town of Colchester where it is based.
1. An ideal UK location
The University of Essex is based in the stunning county of Essex, home to some of the UK’s most beloved nature parks and reserves, and with over 550 kilometres of beautiful coastline to enjoy. The towns and cities throughout Essex are some of the oldest in the UK, and as such are steeped in history dating all the way back to the Romans. They are also home to a fantastic range of places to eat and drink – perfect for a break while exploring!
The main campus for the University of the Essex is in Colchester, which is the oldest recorded town in England, and a hub of great dining and culture surrounded by miles of stunning countryside. Within the town you’ll find a mixture of old and new, from ancient Roman ruins to climbing walls and even a zoo! For more on what’s available within Colchester, be sure to read our Complete Student Guide, which will help you find the best places to spend your time.
Transportation is readily available throughout the town, with a frequent bus service to get you back and forth from the University campus. London transportation is also frequent and fast, getting you to the capitol in under an hour.
2. A diverse student community
The University of Essex has an incredibly diverse student community, with over 140 nationalities represented across its campus, and a remarkable international student ratio of 99:100 according to Top Universities.
It’s a wonderful place to engage with international students and learn about new cultures and perspectives. This diverse community fosters a spirit of open-mindedness, respect, and enriched culture, and the university offers various inclusive clubs and societies at the University of Essex Student’s Union.
Students on the campus will be able to join and attend the LGBTQ+ Society, who host regular discussions and socials, and international students will be able to enjoy coming together as a part of the International Students’ Hub group.
The University of Essex Student Union also currently has campaigns on Tackling Racism and Trans Allyship, which are open for all students to join in on. Students who have experienced past traumas from racism and prejudice, may also find support at the Student Union at any time.
There is also a range of other activities available throughout the year, so be sure to check them out!
3. A Stunning Campus
The University of Essex campus is a sight to behold, set in 200 acres of lush parkland. On a sunny day, you can simply enjoy a blissful walk around with your friends in between class, or a barbecue down by the lake.
Students of Essex University will enjoy a range of amenities owned by the SU, such as:
- The Greenhouse Cafe – This nature filled cafe offers students a range of places to eat and drink. It even sells Starbucks coffee, so you can enjoy a relaxing drink surrounded by warmth, light, and greenery.
- The Kitchen – Another campus favourite, the Kitchen specialises in delicious and affordable food and drink, so you need never go hungry in between lectures! This space is known for its friendly staff, who will make you feel right at home.
- The Store – The Store offers everything students need to get them through their day. This includes a range of snacks, drinks and other foods, and they boast a fantastic meal deal! Students will never be without, especially considering the store closes at 1AM everyday!
- The Mini Store – The Mini Store is located closer to student accommodation, and as you’d expect, acts as a smaller version of The Store! The Mini Store offers the ultimate convenience, with a lot of the same great food, drink and other bits you’d find in The Store, but so close to home you’ll barely notice the walk!
- Everything Essex – Everything Essex provides all the University of Essex merchandise you could ever need! This includes hoodies and other clothing, and it also houses the Eco-store, a space to buy vegan, recyclable, reused and cruelty-free goods.
- SU Bar – The self-proclaimed ‘heart of the campus’, the SU Bar offers a place for everyone. Whether you want to have a relaxing reading session, or shout at the football scores on the tv, the SU Bar has a space for you. Come here to eat, drink and have a good time with your friends. The SU Bar also hosts a number of event nights that range from Karaoke to Mixology, Pub Quizzes to Soccer Aid evenings.
- Top Bar – The Top Bar is the place for quality drinks after a hard day’s studying. This bar provides some competitive socialising through darts and pool tables, and also offers theme nights in the way of Wine Wednesdays and Fizzy Fridays. This is the ultimate place on campus for the more laid-back student.
- Sub Zero – The best club on campus, Sub Zero hosts every kind of night out imaginable, from absolute ravers to cheesy pop nights. You’ll also find the latest dance tunes alongside some of the best indie classics out there! Sub Zero is also the place to see live DJs, solo artists and bands, and boasts being a safe, and fairly priced night out!
- The In-between – The In-between is a place that wants all students on campus to feel safe and accepted. It hosts a range of diversity and inclusivity nights, so international students and members of the LGBTQIA+ community feel welcome. You’ll find a great range of drinks on offer, as well as some great music, and great vibes.
- The Atrium – The Atrium is the blank canvas on campus, available to any student to host any kind of event they want. This could include a video games evening, with invites sent all across campus, or a craft day, where all the greatest crafty minds come together to socialise and make new friends. Whatever your need, this space is built to adapt to it!
- CINE10 – CINE10 is the on-campus cinema available to all students! This space boasts the cinema experience you’d find on the high street, but at a fraction of the price and on the campus itself!
- As you can see from the extensive list of campus amenities, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into either as a student living on campus, or visiting from Avon Way House and other off-campus accommodation.
4. Fun student life
There is almost no end to fun activities and events you can take part in, and a host of clubs and societies you can join.
Activities and events
If you want to take part in activities around the campus, simply keep an eye on the SU Events page. This will keep you fully informed of all upcoming events and activities from around the campus and Colchester town too. This means you’ll never miss out on the yearly Summer Ball, or incredible performances at the national theatres, such as Fleabag.
Clubs and societies
There are 165 sports clubs and societies at the University of Essex, with the number continuing to grow! The clubs cover a range of sports and activities like lacrosse, rugby, basketball, american football and more. The societies are as diverse and inclusive as you can imagine, and include the likes of the Theatre society, Korean society, Harry Potter society, The Animal Protection society and so on.
These activities, events, clubs and societies means that campus life never gets boring! There’s always something to keep you occupied, whether it’s a new team to join, or new friends to make.
Check out the full list of clubs and societies available.
5. Quality education
The University of Essex is constantly striving to challenge traditional teaching methods, which in turn gives students the opportunity to expand their mind even further with innovative learning. On-campus, students will find some of the most inspiring teaching alongside well-thought-out environments and atmospheres for students to enhance their learning experience.
This in turn offers some of the best student outcomes in the UK, with the University of Essex awarded the 6th highest score in the UK for the ‘Career After 15 Months’ rankings in The Guardian’s 2023 University guide, as seen below.
| 2023 Ranking | Institution | Guardian score/100 | Satisfied with course | Satisfied with teaching | Career after 15 months |
| 13 | Aberdeen | 81.2 | 85.2 | 85.3 | 82 |
| 49 | University for the Creative Arts | 69.7 | 66.9 | 76.7 | 59 |
| 106 | Goldsmiths | 60.5 | 57.1 | 73.7 | 70 |
| 58 | City | 68.8 | 67.5 | 73.6 | 81 |
| 80 | Bradford | 65.6 | 72.6 | 76.4 | 78 |
| 42 | Essex | 70.8 | 74.7 | 76.4 | 76 |
| 4 | London School of Economics | 95.2 | 78.8 | 82 | 92 |
| 73 | Cardiff Met | 66.6 | 73.5 | 76.1 | 75 |
| 113 | Leeds Trinity | 58.7 | 72.1 | 77.2 | 68 |
More than anything else though, through an education at the University of Essex, you gain an understanding of how to become a critical thinker, as well as an independent learner, both valuable life skills that will benefit you well beyond your years at University.
Quality assured programmes
The University of Essex must, as a part of its dedication to a high quality of education, must also ensure that its programmes meet every possible standard as well, set by the standards committees.
The University of Essex is also registered in the Approved category under the Office of Students. This means that students of any background have the same fulfilling experience at university as anyone else, and their time at university will aid and enrich them in their lives and careers.
As an educational institution, the University of Essex is constantly striving to find ways to improve, and this is seen through the educational oversight monitoring report, performed by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
6. Designed for online delivery from the start
The University of Essex has courses designed to be taken fully online, from start to finish. This means that students can enjoy the benefits of studying online, while still engaging in the same high quality education expected from a University programme.
The University of Essex Virtual Learning Platform
The University of Essex virtual learning environment (VLE), offers a space for students to work through interactive lecture casts, as well as discuss ideas and concepts with classmates, and the resources needed to take your assignments to the next level, as well as submit them!
Through the VLE, students will have access to Seminars, Live Q&As, as well as virtual office hours with lecturers as well. An eLibrary is also available, which hosts a range of online resources and allows you access to e-books to help in your studies.
Students will also have access to a journal, allowing them to reflect on what they’ve learned, and connect the dots between different pieces of information to build insight. Through the online journal, students will be able to see just how their knowledge has grown over the course.
Assessment methods are also different through the VLE. Instead of going to an external testing facility, you will be assessed on the written assignments delivered throughout the course, alongside your participation in discussion forums, group work, and journal entries.
For those courses that do have exams, the University of Essex offers a virtual proctoring system, which allows students to take their exams from home.
7. Student Support on and off campus
Whether you take on a programme on campus, or from home, the University of Essex is there to support you throughout your educational journey.
Support for distance learners
There is a range of support available to distance learners to help guide them through the process of admissions, the course and more.
Admissions support
Admissions at the University of Essex are open to any questions you may have about the course, including your application, entry requirements, funding, and anything else on your mind. You will also be assigned an Admissions Adviser from the first call you receive. This Adviser will handle your questions throughout the process, so there should be no need to repeat the process with new advisers.
Dedicated Student Support Team
A Student Support team will be dedicated to you once you are accepted onto the course, and will stay with you throughout your studies. They are there to support and guide you, and will be your first point of contact with any issues.
Lecturer and academic support
Module tutors are also available to provide support on any part of the course. Most often, you will speak to your tutor for:
- Discussion boards
- Question and answer sessions
- Coursework feedback
- Virtual Office Hours
- Phone or email to answer questions
Students will also be assigned a supervisor for dissertations and final projects too, to help guide them and offer advice.
Study Skills support
The Study Skills support team is available to help you build your academic and research skills. They can help you understand how to reference work correctly, make effective use of the library resources, structure your essays, manage time, and plan your work.
IT and computer support
IT and computer support are available to make sure that you can access the University of Essex online learning resources at any time. Get in touch with them if you run into any issues.
Support for disabilities
If you are comfortable to do so, making the University aware of any disabilities or learning difficulties will allow them to provide support for that disability, and they may be able to suggest funding available for you also.
On campus support
Students studying on campus will have access to the Student Services Hub, which offers confidential conversations, practical advice and general information as needed. They are open to questions of any kind, whether it be related to accommodation, funding, exam-stress, your own health or well-being, and more.
Finance support
Students both on and off campus will have access to the financial support team, who can answer your questions about student finance.
Health and wellbeing support
Students will also have access to professionals who can provide advice on mental and emotional health and wellbeing, and can assess and refer students that may need counselling or mentoring.
Disability and learning difficulty support
Specialist disability advisors are available to provide guidance on disability support services throughout each University of Essex campus.
General healthcare services
Students can receive healthcare support on the Colchester and Southend campuses.
8. Education that’s accessible to everyone
The University of Essex believes that education should be available and accessible to everyone.
Online English Assessment
The University of Essex requires students to have a good understanding of the English language, and you will need to show this if you have English as a second language. As such, English Language Assessments are available through the Talent Development Centre, where you can improve and find support for your English language learning.
Open to all backgrounds
As mentioned above, the University of Essex is registered with the Office of Students under the Approved category. This means that the university is open to students from any background, and will strive to provide the same university experience for everyone.
Gateway courses
Short online courses are available to help non-traditional students access further education through the university. This even includes courses that may help you get a Law degree, and more.
Language Learning
The University of Essex also offers the option for students to learn a language alongside their studies. These include:
- Arabic
- British Sign Language
- French
- German
- Japanese
- Mandarin Chinese
- Russian
- Spanish
9. A rewarding experience
Student satisfaction surveys show that becoming a student at the University of Essex is a worthwhile and rewarding experience!
Student satisfaction results
These results from the 2021 student satisfaction surveys speak for themselves!
- 31st nationally for quality of learning resources
- 34th nationally for organisation and management
- Student’s Union was ranked 7th for effectively representing student academic interests
The University of Essex course ranked in the top 10 nationally:
- Drama
- Tourism, Transport and Travel
- Liberal Arts
- Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology
- Genetics
And in the top 20 and top 25:
- Biosciences (Top 20)
- Ecology and Environmental Biology (Top 20)
- Economics (Top 25)
- Politics (Top 25)
- Psychology (Top 25)
The University of Essex Online also received some incredible results in 2021, with an overall 95% satisfaction rate according to the National Student Survey. Well above the average of 75%!
With the University improving year on year, there’s never been a better time to become a University of Essex student.
For more information on how the University of Essex is performing, be sure to review its pages on the complete university guide during your research.
Become a part of something greater
As you can see, the University of Essex has a lot to offer, and there is still more to learn about the many ways they can help students feel part of something greater, while also providing a top notch supportive and educational experience.
Look into their admissions or view the range of courses they have available, and become a part of the UoE family today.
Find your Essex student accommodation with Beyond The Box
Finding the right accommodation for your stay at the University of Essex is important. Having a space that you can call home, while also being within an easy distance of the campus can help you feel more confident in this huge step in your life and education. That is where Beyond The Box Student comes in.
We offer top-of-the-line student accommodation at Avon Way House, situated in the heart of Colchester. From Avon Way House, there are many different ways you can access the campus, whether it be a short walk or cycle, or through public transport available right outside your front door.
We also offer a range of room types, from studio apartments, to 2-bed, 3-bed, 4-bed, 5-bed and 6-bed apartments. Each apartment has all the amenities and space you could need, and our on-site hospitality team is available to provide you with support throughout your stay.
If you’d like to stay at Avon Way House during your time at the University of Essex, get in touch with our team, or view our available rooms today.