Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Essex is a campus university set in Wivenhoe Park, 200 acres of parkland with lakes, about two miles from Colchester city centre. The 1960s Brutalist buildings and residential towers give it a distinctive look, and almost everything you need, from bars to the gym and a cinema, is on site. It's very international, with students from more than 140 countries.
Accommodation is a big selling point. Bills, gym membership and contents insurance are included, there's no deposit or guarantor, and you can keep your room for your whole course. If you want a city-centre buzz on your doorstep, though, you'll need the bus.
Known for
The University of Essex is 59th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 48.8, above the UK median of 48.5. Our rankings are built around the student experience, combining employability, freshers experience, happiness, nightlife, sustainability, inclusion, innovation and societies. That means big research names don’t automatically top the table. See how we score universities.
Marker shows the UK median across all ranked universities.
| Rank | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 57 | University of Buckingham | 49.5 |
| 58 | Bangor University | 49.1 |
| 59 | University of Essex | 48.8 |
| 60 | University for the Creative Arts | 48.7 |
| 61 | University of Leicester | 48.6 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
32nd of 124 · Affordability Score 62.3
34th of 124 · Sustainability Score 58.2
41st of 124 · Inclusion Score 67.7
45th of 124 · Societies Score 54.9
48th of 124 · Balance Score 45.1
53rd of 124 · Value Score 48.9
54th of 123 · Happiness Score 48.7
57th of 124 · Innovation Score 56.7
62nd of 124 · Freshers Score 55.2
64th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 51
65th of 124 · Safety Score 42
71st of 124 · Social Score 48.2
87th of 124 · Nightlife Score 41.4
90th of 124 · Employability Score 25.5
90th of 122 · Careers Score 25.5
Colchester as a student city
Ranked 42nd of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 50.3.
The University of Essex appears in 33 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Science | 3rd | of 50 | 127 |
| Biomedical Science | 8th | of 93 | 180 |
| Biology | 7th | of 51 | 131 |
| Film Production | 12th | of 87 | 188 |
| Economics | 12th | of 85 | 161 |
| Actuarial Science | 2nd | of 14 | 58 |
| Mathematics | 9th | of 61 | 136 |
| International Relations | 11th | of 71 | 144 |
| Robotics | 5th | of 32 | 100 |
| Marine Biology | 3rd | of 17 | 60 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 15th | of 85 | 165 |
| Drama, Theatre and Performance | 11th | of 60 | 131 |
| Linguistics | 5th | of 27 | 73 |
| Media and Communication | 15th | of 79 | 162 |
| Social Work | 13th | of 67 | 161 |
| Business and Management | 23rd | of 114 | 192 |
| Computer Science | 22nd | of 102 | 176 |
| Law | 23rd | of 97 | 162 |
| Sports Science | 20th | of 78 | 151 |
| History | 20th | of 76 | 139 |
| Politics | 21st | of 78 | 139 |
| Marketing | 24th | of 88 | 158 |
| Psychology | 30th | of 108 | 166 |
| Criminology | 27th | of 94 | 162 |
| Biochemistry | 19th | of 60 | 120 |
| Creative Writing | 11th | of 34 | 78 |
| Occupational Therapy | 13th | of 40 | 106 |
| Journalism | 20th | of 59 | 115 |
| English Language and Literature | 21st | of 54 | 104 |
| Philosophy | 21st | of 54 | 108 |
| Sociology | 40th | of 86 | 136 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 31st | of 66 | 87 |
| PPE | 19th | of 31 | 60 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Campus life is the main event. Essex Students' Union runs the SU Bar on Square 3, with pub quizzes, karaoke and big sports screenings, plus more than 70 societies and 40+ sports clubs under the Essex Blades name. Cine10, the on-campus cinema, shows the latest films, and the lakes in Wivenhoe Park are a favourite place to relax. The SU also runs SU Homes, which helps you find private housing. Colchester's city centre, England's oldest recorded town, is a short bus or taxi ride away.
University halls cost £128–£283 per week for a single room (2026/27, Colchester Campus; typical UG contract 39 weeks); shared twin en-suite from £82.88 per person (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
New full-time undergraduates starting in the autumn term are guaranteed accommodation for the whole of their course if they apply by the published guarantee deadline, make Essex their firm choice, and achieve unconditional firm (or unconditional accepted) status by 5pm on the Friday after the deadline. You must accept your accommodation offer by the expiry date in your offer letter. Insurance-choice applicants can apply, but won't get an offer until Essex becomes their firm choice. Under-18s are also guaranteed a room, and some rooms are held back beyond the deadline for them.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Courts | Colchester Campus (south) | en-suite (single or shared twin) | £82.88/wk | Shared twin en-suite at £82.88 per person is the cheapest option on campus. Single en-suites cost £190.12 (standard), £192.92 (enhanced) and £197.89 (premium). One of only two areas with limited residents' parking. |
| North Towers | Colchester Campus (north) | single room with shared facilities | £127.89/wk | The cheapest single room on campus. Open to undergraduates and postgraduates, in one of Essex's famous residential towers. |
| South Towers | Colchester Campus (south) | enhanced (refurbished) single room with shared facilities | £142.87/wk | Refurbished tower rooms with shared bathrooms. Self-contained apartments here (from £277.90) are for postgraduates. |
| Wolfson Court | Colchester Campus | single room with shared facilities | £147.91/wk | Standard (£147.91) and premium (£157.92) rooms with shared bathrooms. Undergraduates only. |
| The Meadows (Flats and Townhouses) | Colchester Campus | shared-facility rooms, en-suites and apartments | £167.86/wk | Townhouse premium rooms with shared facilities from £167.86, Flats premium en-suites at £192.92, and townhouse premium+ rooms with a private bathroom at £282.87. 44-week contracts are available on Meadows en-suites. |
| The Pastures | Colchester Campus | premium shared-facility rooms and en-suites | £177.87/wk | Premium rooms with shared facilities at £177.87 and premium en-suites at £212.87. Undergraduates only. |
| University Quays | Colchester Campus (riverside, by the Colne) | en-suite | £188.93/wk | Single en-suite £188.93, premium en-suite £198.87, double en-suite £214.90. 44-week contracts are available. Open to undergraduates and postgraduates. |
| The Copse | Colchester Campus | premium and premium+ en-suite | £202.86/wk | The newer, pricier option: premium en-suite £202.86, premium+ en-suite £237.86, and rooms with a private bathroom at £257.88. Limited residents' parking. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
A small riverside town right next to campus, popular with students who want a quieter, village feel.
The residential area between campus and the city centre, with a shorter trip to lectures.
Closer to the shops, bars and the station, with a bus ride to campus.
Near Hythe station, about a 20-minute walk from campus.
Top tip
Apply through the myEssex Applicant Portal once Essex is your firm choice, and before the published guarantee deadline. List your locations in order of preference, and don't pick anywhere you wouldn't accept: if you decline an offer, the university won't make another. Accepting means paying a £250 advance rent payment, deducted from your first term's rent. If you want to stay on campus for later years, reapply each year as a returner.
Essex's halls are all-inclusive: energy, water, internet, contents insurance and a Silver Essex Sport gym membership are in the rent, and there's no deposit or guarantor. Single rooms run from about £128 to £283 a week in 2026/27, and a shared twin en-suite costs £82.88 per person. Halls are self-catered, but you can prepay a meal package worth £60 a week to spend on campus. Colchester is cheaper than London, with London about an hour away by train.
Getting around
Colchester Campus is about two miles from the city centre. First Bus runs most local services, with contactless payment, and a taxi from Colchester station takes 10–20 minutes. Trains from London Liverpool Street to Colchester take just under an hour. The nearest station, Hythe, is a 20-minute walk from campus but has fewer trains. From Stansted, the X20 bus costs £3 single.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
The University of Essex is 59th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 48.8. Its strongest results are for affordability (32nd), sustainability (34th), inclusion (41st).
In our 2027 subject rankings, the University of Essex places highest for Data Science (3rd of 50), Actuarial Science (2nd of 14), Marine Biology (3rd of 17). Across our awards, it also stands out for affordability.
Yes, and for the length of your course. New full-time undergraduates starting in the autumn term are guaranteed a room if they apply by the published deadline, make Essex their firm choice and meet their offer conditions by 5pm on the Friday after the deadline. To keep your room in later years, reapply each year as a returner.
Energy and water bills, internet and wi-fi, contents insurance, 24/7 security and wellbeing support. In Colchester campus accommodation you also get a Silver Essex Sport gym membership. There's no deposit or guarantor, but you pay a £250 advance rent payment when you accept, which comes off your first term's rent.
A typical undergraduate contract is 39 weeks, though some courses start earlier or finish later. 44-week contracts are available in University Quays and the Meadows en-suites, and most postgraduate contracts are 50 weeks.
No, all halls are self-catered. You can buy a catered meal package instead, which gives you £60 a week to spend in campus restaurants and cafés, with up to 30% off when you prepay.
About two miles. First Bus runs most local buses, a taxi from Colchester station takes around 10–20 minutes, and Hythe station is a 20-minute walk from campus.
Only in limited cases. Residents' parking is only available for The Copse and South Courts, and spaces are limited. Daytime visitor parking is paid through the Parksmart app.
About this guide. Rankings data comes from the Unifresher Rankings 2027 (methodology). Facts, hall prices and costs come from the university and official sources listed below. Last updated 23 October 2026.
