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  • Location: City, Rural

Student life

What’s life like as an Essex student? You’ll automatically become part of the Students’ Union which gives you access to societies, clubs and events to keep you busy all year round. If you can’t find the right society for you, get a group of likeminded people and create it - Essex is yours to shape!

Our Colchester Campus is located within easy reach of quiet countryside and Essex coastline, but only minutes from Colchester city centre and all that has to offer; from shops and boutiques aplenty to restaurants, pubs and bars. When it comes to things to do, there’s something for everyone – a spa, bowling alley, escape rooms, the zoo or even axe throwing if that’s your thing?

Our Southend Campus is right in the middle of the city with coffee shops, big brands and everything else you might expect from a city centre location. The 7-mile beach and pier might be more of a surprise.

For East 15 students, our Loughton Campus is positioned on the central line so London is yours to explore!

What's it like to live in East of England?
Check out our region guide

The East of England is made up of five counties and cities like Luton, Norwich, and Cambridge. Made famous by its namesake university, picturesque Cambridge attracts droves of visitors, with graduates including Stephen Hawking and Emma Thompson.

Branch out and you’ll find Europe’s equivalent to Silicon Valley – Silicon Fen – a burgeoning hub for big tech players and software start-ups.

This corner of England has a star-studded history, too. Iconic movies like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and The Shining were shot at Elstree Studios in Essex. Meanwhile, the University of East Anglia served as Avengers HQ in multiple Marvel movies.

Learn more

What's it like to live in Colchester?
Check out our city guide

Britain’s oldest recorded town – with the ruins and architecture to prove it – Colchester may ‘tell Britain's story’ better than anywhere else.

Learn more

Campus and facilities

Colchester Campus is home to most of our courses and students. A mix of brutalist architecture and modern buildings create the unique Essex feel. Set within 200 acres of award-winning parkland and with 2 lakes there’s plenty of natural beauty too.

You’ll find various cafes and food outlets covering everything from a classic fry up to burritos, plus the Thursday market offers pop-up street food and local produce weekly. There are 2 student bars, Sub-Zero (our on-campus nightclub) and even an underground theatre all just moments away from your accommodation.

What about study space? Our Albert Sloman Library is open 24/7 and we also have the Silberrad Student Centre which is home to private and group work spaces, IT labs and our student services hub.

We also have a wide range of Department facilities including mock wards for our Healthcare students, translation and interpreting booths for Language and Linguistics, a mock trading floor for Business students, and a Life Sciences wet lab.

Course locations

Colchester Campus

University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ

East 15 Acting School, Loughton

Hatfields, Loughton, IG10 3RY

Southend Campus

10 Elmer Approach, Southend, SS1 1LW

Main Site

Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ