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University of Essex

About University of Essex

Essex University is a public research university based in Essex, England. It is one of the original seven 'plate glass universities' founded between 1961 to 1965.

There is a high percentage of international students coming from around 140 countries to study at the university and a third of students from outside the United Kingdom. Around 14 per cent of students come from the rest of the European Union.

The courses available are grouped into three faculties: Humanities, Science and Health and Social Sciences. There are 20 different schools and departments within these three faculties.

The university has a number of partnerships with more than 100 higher education institutions from around the world in China, France, Germany, Japan, Russia and Singapore.

University of Essex Campus

The University has three campuses, namely Colchester Campus, Southend Campus and Loughton Campus.

Among the three campuses, the Colchester Campus is the largest and home to over 13,000 students from nearly 130 nations. Since 2010, Colchester Campus has housed a science and technology park, the Information Gateway. It is now home to more than 20 companies and the carbon neutral Essex Business School.

University of Essex Location Specialities 

  • Essex University's largest campus is situated in the magnificent parkland of Colchester, the oldest recorded city in the United Kingdom.
  • The Southend campus is accessed from High Street on a modern multi-million pound campus.
  • The Loughton campus is a five-minute walk from the nearest London Underground Station, Debden, on the east side of the Central Line, 35 minutes from Liverpool Street.

Accommodation

New full-time students on either Colchester or Southend campus are assured university-provided accommodation for their first year of study, as long as they apply within the specified time period.

The residences at Colchester campus are located between 3–15 minutes 'walk from the center of the campus, while the accommodation at Southend Campus is just a few minutes' walk from the main buildings.

Awards 

 Essex was named University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards in 2018.

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) in 2014 ranked Essex in the top 20 universities in the UK for the quality of its research and the top 5 for social sciences..

University of Essex Ranking

  • 37th in the Times University Guide 2020
  • 66th in the Guardian University Guide 2020
  • 370th in the QS World University Rankings 2020
  • Essex is ranked 251–300 in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020 .

University of Essex Teaching Quality

The University of Essex rates Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2017), which means that the university has an outstanding educational experience. Also Essex is the top 15 in England for overall student satisfaction (NSS 2019, mainstream universities)

Academic Divisions

  • Faculty of Humanities, 
  • Faculty of Science and Health 
  • Faculty of Social Sciences 

Why University of Essex?

Gold award for teaching: the highest possible standard.

  • Top 5 in the UK and Top 25 in the world for foreign perspectives (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020) 
  • Location benefits: an enticing city less than 1 hour from London, lower living costs.
  • Top 15 student satisfaction survey in England (National Student Survey 2019)

How to Reach? Or Travel

  • The Colchester Campus is a short bus ride from the city center and the railway station, with trains to central London taking less than one hour. 
  • The Southend Campus is less than one hour by train to London and is close to London Southend Airport.
  • The Loughton Campus is 5 minutes away from Debden Underground Station.

University of Essex  Scholarships & Financial aid for international students

The university provides financial assistance for international students to afford to study in the UK. Essex alumni receive additional benefits of a discount on the tuition fees. But, this is only valid for students enrolled in postgraduate courses.

Financial advice and help are offered to almost everyone facing difficulty. Furthermore, fully-funded doctoral studentships are also available. Some of the scholarships available for international students are:

  • Academic Excellence International Masters scholarship: It is for international students who have a good academic record and the amounts up to £ 5,000.
  • Sports scholarship: eligible for the students having an interest and decent career in sports. The award amounts up to £3000.
  • International Baccalaureate Excellence Scholarship: This is available for the students enrolled in a full-time undergraduate course and shows excellent academic records in baccalaureate. The award offers £2000 in the first year.

University of Essex Famous Aluminis

  • Qscar Arias (President of Costa Rica, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate)
  • Daniel Libeskind (Architect)
  • John Bercow (Speaker of the House of Commons)
  • Christopher A. Pissarides (Nobel Prize winning economist)

University of Essex Application process

The application has to be done online from the UCAS portal for undergraduate courses. The minimum Eligibility criteria for undergraduate courses is a qualification equivalent to the standard A-level of the UK. But the minimum scores may vary according to the course.

For admission in a postgraduate course, qualification of 2:2 or equivalent is required and the application should be done on the official website. GRE or GMAT scores are accepted.

Both undergraduate and postgraduate admissions require the following documents:

  • Official transcript
  • English language proficiency proof
  • Scores of Exams to study in the UK
  • Letter of recommendation
  • Resume or CV
  • Personal statement.

IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE are acceptable as language proofs. Minimum score requirements vary according to the course.

University of Essex English Language Requirements:

Undergraduate:

  • IELTS – 6.0 or equivalent, with no modules less than 5.5
    • BSc Nursing (Adult) and BSc Nursing (Mental Health) – 7.0 overall with 6.5 in writing, and 7.0 in all other components.
    • BA Multimedia Journalism – 7.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component.
    • BA Social Work, BSc Physiotherapy and BSc Occupational Therapy – 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in each component.
    • BSc Speech and Language Therapy – 8.0 overall with a minimum of 7.5 in each component.
    • Essex Business School (MBA) – 6.5 or equivalent with no modules less than 6.
  • TOEFL – 76 overall and no subtest less than 17 in listening and writing,18 in reading, 20 in speaking
  • PTE – 51 overall and a minimum of 51 in all components.

Postgraduate:

  • IELTS – 6.0 or equivalent with no modules less than 5.5
  • TOEFL – 88 overall and no subtest less than 17 in listening and writing,18 in reading, 20 in speaking
  • PTE – 60 overall and a minimum of 51 in all components

English Proficiency for International Students

English Proficiency test score is compulsory for those students in whose native country English is not their first language. International students must demonstrate English Proficiency by submitting the test score of any of the following mentioned exams:

Test Score
TOEFL (iBT)
Reading
Listening
Speaking
Writing
76 Overall
18
17
20
17
IELTS 6.0
Pearson Test of English 50 overall
Cambridge English Qualification (C1 advanced)
C2 proficiency
169
162
ISE Level III & IV Pass
Michigan English Test (ECPE) 750
GCSE/ O-Level English Grade C or 4

University of Essex Highlights

Type of University Public
Year of Establishment 1964
Campus Setting Urban
Total Enrollment 14,760
Total Faculty 843

University of Essex The Average Tuition Fees And Other Expenses

The annual tuition fees for undergraduate courses is estimated to be around 16,050-18,730€ for a regular course. The approximate costs of living are mentioned in the table below:

Expense Cost 
Annual tuition fees £7,745-£13,418
Accommodation £3,683-£8,400
Food £1,170-£2,100
Books and study material £605
Personal expenses £536

Know more about Studying in UK

Tuition Fees in UK (1st Year Average) MS: £17276 | MBA: £17276 | BE/Btech: £16632 | BBA: £15130 | BSc: £16632 | MFin: £19000 | MA: £15560 | MIM: £18241 | MEM: £16950 | MArch: £14271 | BHM: £12662 | MIS: £15344 | MEng: £12876 | MBBS: £28865| MPharm: £15452
Average Accomodation & Food Costs in UK £850 to £1,050 a month
Entrance Exams in UK TOEFL: 88 | IELTS: 6.5 | PTE: 59 | GMAT: 590
Work and Study in UK Permitted for 20 hours/week with a valid study permit.
Post Study Work Permit in UK 2 Year after graduation depending on the course.
Cost of Student Visa in UK £348
Student Visa in UK Your nationality, duration of your stay and purpose of your stay are the three essential factors for UK visa. For Non-EU students UK visa is mandatory.
Intakes in UK There are mainly two intakes in UK: January/February & September/October.
Top Job Sectors in UK IT Engineering, Product Design, Mobile Development, Designers, Logistics, etc.
Economy in UK Growth Rate: 1.3% (2018) 1.4% (2019) 1.4% (2020e), 6th Largest Economy in the World by Nominal

University of Essex Average Tuition Fee Per Year

Undergraduate

£ 14,200

Postgraduate

£ 16,400

Costs per year

Overall cost of living

£ 12,500

Campus accommodation

£ 8,650

Please note that fees will vary. Always check the exact cost of the program and bear in mind likely additional expenses.