Information for Parents and Guardians

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Parents/guardians of applicants and enquirers

If you are a parent, guardian, carer or supporter of a student who is yet to start university, we welcome you to our community to receive information and updates from Essex. Alongside a regular newsletter, we will provide information to support informed university decision making, as well as invitations to events to hear more about higher education, including application advice, funding and what students can expect in their academic journeys. 

Friends and family of Essex students 

We produce a regular newsletter for the friends and family of Essex students to keep them up-to-date with news and events from the University. To sign up email friends@essex.ac.uk.

Read our latest newsletter - October 2020

Studying, courses, and education

2021 may continue to look a little different as a result of the pandemic. However, we are doing everything we can to make sure our students have the transformational research-led education that is expected when you study here. All of our applicant information for next year, and the impact of COVID-19 can be found on our dedicated web pages.

All our students are members of our amazing global community, living and learning together, with everyone working towards achieving their University of Essex degree. We offer a wide range of courses delivered by our 19 academic departments, covering everything from art history to sports therapy. We have three campuses across the county of Essex – Colchester, Loughton and Southend – where our students spend their time studying with us.

Once students have decided what undergraduate course they want to study, applying to Essex is easy and is normally done via the UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) website. Our students then usually start in early October, which is the beginning of our academic year.

Social life and accommodation

University is about so much more than getting a degree! It’s a wonderful time in someone’s life to make new friends from all around the world, pick up new hobbies, take new opportunities and have fun learning more about who you are as a person. It can be a scary time and many do feel homesick at the start – but we provide a nurturing and supportive environment where our students blossom into amazing people who are given the chance to step forward confidently to change the world and make a difference.

Social life at Essex is therefore very important to us and we’re lucky to have a Students’ Union that represents all our students and puts them first. To ensure our students have a great experience, we offer sports, clubs, art, theatre, societies, bars and restaurants at our Essex campuses.

We also have reasonably priced and high-quality accommodation on or near our campuses that students are guaranteed in their first year, as long as they apply by the published deadline.

All students at Essex are bound by the University’s rules and regulations which include the Code of Student Conduct.

Finance, employability and student support

Ok, so let’s discuss the elephant in the room. Cost! Obviously we cannot shy away from the fact that going to university is a significant investment, but two things are definitely true: firstly, uni is worth it – we provide our students with a transformational experience that will benefit them for the rest of their lives; and secondly, there’s loads of financial support available – many of our students have access to loans, bursaries, scholarships and discounts which will help them (or you!) pay for their education at Essex.

Students from the UK are entitled to apply for a Government-backed loan to cover their tuition fees and living expenses for the duration of their studies with us. They will then start to repay the loan in small increments after they’ve graduated and are earning over £27,295 per year. This loan enables every UK student to undertake an undergraduate degree.

One of the big benefits of going to university is the prospect of getting a graduate-level job once you’ve graduated – and this is no different at Essex. We focus on helping students gain new skills and experience during their time with us – we help them find part-time work both on and off campus, develop their CV, and improve their ability to apply for jobs and interview successfully. We have employability-focused workshops, careers fairs and a whole lot more!

We’re a supportive community – willing to go the extra mile to help our students make the most of their time with us and to set them up strongly for the future. We provide comprehensive support for all our students from the very beginning when they register on campus to years after they graduate. If students have any issues at all – academically, personally, financially or with regards to their health – we will support them, help them and guide them forward.

Coming from overseas...? Immigration and the impact of Brexit

Coming to the UK to study a degree can be a very daunting prospect, but it’s also a very exciting time! We are truly a global university with students and staff at our three campuses representing over 130 nationalities. We have an international outlook – offering an academic education and experiences of a lifetime to people from all around our globe. Wherever you’re from, we welcome you with open arms, and will help you achieve your goals. Even though Brexit has changed the landscape, there are still scholarships and bursaries available to students from the EU and overseas, and we’ll support you as best we can. 

Information from our Vice-Chancellor

Over the past few months, the Vice-Chancellor has released a series of blogs to communicate with staff and students while away from campus. The blogs below specifically detail the changes we are making as an institution in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as providing insight into what student life will be like during the coming academic year.

• The world is changing, and so are we- but we are still Essex - 4 June 2020
• Planning our move back onto our campuses - 15 May 2020