Cost of living
Beyond the academic fees you’ll pay for your programme, the other main costs are living expenses. Where you choose to live will play a big part in determining how much money you’ll need while you’re studying at Essex.
An estimate of living costs for a typical Essex student is shown below. The figures are intended as a guide only and will vary depending on individual lifestyle, circumstances, and assume you live on campus.
Undergraduate costs
Undergraduate students attend for 39 weeks a year at our Colchester and Loughton Campuses, and at least 42 weeks a year at our Southend Campus (the number of weeks varies by course).
| Living cost | Colchester per year | Southend per year | Loughton per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (2022 entry) | £3,890 to £9,274 Colchester accommodation | £5,960 to £7,909 Southend accommodation | £5,787 to £9,014 (estimate for a 12-month private contract) |
| Food (at £30 - £50 per week) | £1,252 - £2,087 | £1,348 - £2,247 | £1,252 - £2,087 |
| Books and course materials | £647 | £647 | £647 |
| Clothing, toiletries etc. | £533 | £574 | £559 |
| Local travel | £348 | £375 | £535 |
| Leisure / socialising | £1,097 | £1,177 | £1,151 |
| Miscellaneous eg mobile phone, insurance, laundry, unexpected costs, emergencies | £1,009 | £1,086 | £1,031 |
| Total | £8,776 - £14,995 | £11,167 - £14,015 | £10,962 - £15,024 |
| Average | £11,886 (over 39 weeks) | £12,591 (over 42 weeks) | £12,993 (over 39 weeks) |
| Average weekly cost to budget for | £305 | £300 | £333 |
Postgraduate costs
Postgraduate students attend for 50 weeks a year.
| Living cost | Colchester and Southend per year | Loughton per year |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (2021 entry) | £4,987 - £11,890 | £5,787 - £9,014 (estimate for a 12-month private contract) |
| Food (at £30 - £50 per week) | £1,637 - £2,675 | £1,637 - £2,675 |
| Books and course materials | £835 | £835 |
| Clothing, toiletries etc. | £653 | £685 |
| Local travel | £445 | £685 |
| Leisure / socialising | £1,406 | £1,476 |
| Miscellaneous eg mobile phone, insurance, laundry, unexpected costs, emergencies | £1,293 | £1,357 |
| Total | £11,256 - £19,197 | £12,462 - £16,727 |
| Average over 50 weeks | £15,227 | £14,595 |
| Average weekly cost to budget for | £305 | £292 |
Postgraduate research
There are additional expenses (.pdf) to be expected by postgraduate research students.
Dependants
If you have dependants, your cost of living will be considerably higher and vary based on your choice of accommodation and the size of your family.
International students
If you are applying for a Student visa to study in the UK, you'll need to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds in place to cover your tuition fees and living costs in line with the requirements outlined in the Immigration Rules. The amount of money you must have available for living expenses depends on the length of your course and differs from the information above.
If you need any further help and advice, please contact or visit the Student Services Hub who will be happy to assist you.