25 Facts about University of Essex

Established in 1963, University of Essex is a public university in Colchester, Britain’s first recorded town. Ever since its foundation, the University has been internationally acclaimed for teaching excellence, diverse courses and enthralling student life. With one of the most internationally diverse student bodies in the UK, and a long-standing reputation for striving for social change, Essex was named University of the Year by the Times Higher Education Awards in 2018. This blog lists the top 25 facts about University of Essex that you must know!

University of Essex Location

1. University of Essex is situated in Colchester, the UK’s oldest recorded town! The quaintly rustic town is less than an hour away from London.
2. There are three University of Essex campuses, i.e. Colchester Campus, Southend Campus, and Loughton Campus. These campus settings cover a safe self-contained campus environment, lively suburban landscapes and coastal scenery, and are all located less than an hour from the capital city.
3. The county of Essex is known for many things in addition to the University. It was an important centre for the Roman empire, and has been famous for its fresh seafood ever since that era.

University of Essex Ratings

4. The university has been awarded Gold by the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2017, recognising the institution for its unique pedagogy, learning environments and outcomes.
5. The University of Essex ranks among the UK’s top 30 universities (Complete University Guide 2022)
6. It is ranked one of the UK’s top 5 universities for social science research and #1 for political science research by the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014.

University of Essex Acceptance Rate 

7. The University of Essex has an acceptance rate of 74% which means that students need a strong academic record and overall application to be shortlisted.

University of Essex Student Community 

8. It has an incredibly diverse student community of more than 16,000 students from 140+ nationalities on campus.
9. University of Essex offers more than 100+ Student societies with a whole range of topics:
   • Activities
   • Arts
   • Cultural
   • Departmental
   • Political and Representation
   • Religious
   • Sports

10. The international students at University of Essex get to discover a world filled with opportunities to meet new people, try new things, and develop new skills. The University of Essex has been honored as the University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards 2018.

University of Essex Alumni 

11. The university has over 100,000+ alumni across the globe, including some notable alumni in diverse fields like media, humanities, politics, and architecture. Some of them are:
    • Oscar Arias (ex-President of Costa Rica)
    • Nick Broomfield (documentary filmmaker)
    • David Yates (filmmaker)
    • Kee Thuan Chye (Malaysian Poet)
    • Brian Hanrahan (BBC correspondent)
    • John Etheridge (jazz guitarist)
    • John Bercow (ex-Speaker of the House of Commons)

12. Essex’s most notable alumni include two Nobel laureates, making the university one of only three non-Russell Group universities with alumni, including a Nobel laureate, alongside the University of Greenwich and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine:
    • The 1987 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Óscar Arias, who completed his doctorate in Political Science in 1973.
    • The 2010 Nobel Prize for Economics was awarded to Christopher Pissarides, who gained his BA and MA degrees in Economics in the early 1970s.

Faculty at University of Essex

13. In 2016, former Essex academic Oliver Hart won the Nobel Prize for Economics. Derek Walcott received the 1992 Nobel Prize in Literature. He served as Professor of Poetry at the university from 2010 to 2013 before he retired.
14. The Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Science and Health, and Faculty of Social Sciences are the three faculties at the university.

University of Essex Infrastructure

15. Spread across 200 acres, the university’s Colchester Campus offers state-of-the-art infrastructure. It has professional-grade studios and editing suites, first-class gym and fitness facilities. You can watch new blockbusters at the on-campus cinema, Cine10. From communal study areas dotted around campus to cosy Students’ Union social spaces – the University of Essex has it all!
16. University of Essex is home to over 20 companies and carbon-neutral Essex Business School. It maintains 30 research centers as well as institutions in various fields.

University of Essex Scholarships and Funding

17. The university offers £4,000 (INR 413837) undergraduate scholarships through the Indian sub-continent Regional Scholarships.
18. Selected high-performing Indian master’s students can avail of whopping tuition fee discounts worth 3,000-5,000 GBP (INR 310378-517296).

Accommodation

19. All international students are guaranteed University of Essex-owned accommodation in the first year (deadlines apply).
20. University of Essex is one of the few universities in the UK to be granted the International Accommodation Quality Mark, with a track record of 90% satisfaction amongst international student residents.

Economic Impact 

21. The university’s contribution to the UK economy is worth more than £500m. In Colchester, their economic impact is £478m, and in Southend, their economic impact is £55m.
22. University of Essex is amongst the top 10 universities for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships in the UK (Innovate UK). It has partnered with more than 300 institutes across the globe for achieving excellence in the fields of education and research.
23. University of Essex employs more than 2,100 people.

Career and Employability

24. Essex offers Master’s courses with professional work placements. This helps students gain practical exposure under their two-year master’s study in an external business/organisation of their choice.

25. Essex allows students to work part-time alongside their studies. Plenty of varied on-campus opportunities are available from internships, Frontrunners Scheme, Student Ambassadors to the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.

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