Student Life at University of East Anglia

Ranked 25th in the world by The Complete University Guide 2024, the University of East Anglia is located in the rich countryside of Norwich, which is amongst the top 10 places to live in the UK. Widely acknowledged for its international faculty and quality education, the university provides a unique collegiate experience to its students. From iconic architecture to unspoiled parkland, UEA’s campus is a diverse and inspiring place to study, with marvellous on-campus facilities and engaging student activities conducted around the year. Read on to learn more about the UEA student life. 

Established	1963
Type	Public
Location	Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom
Campus	Norwich
Popular Intakes	September
Acceptance Rate	78%
International students	19.5% (2,820)
Student-Teacher Ratio	14:1
Website	https://www.uea.ac.uk/

Study at a World-Renowned University, the University of East Anglia!

Diverse Student Community

UEA is one of the leading public research institutes in the UK, with over 3,500 international students, from more than 100 countries around the world. The diverse student community at the University of East Anglia makes the UEA Student Life an enthralling experience. Interacting with people from around the world helps students expand their horizons, understand various cultures and ethnicities and build an international network. The University of East Anglia lays great emphasis on equality, diversity, inclusion, and student wellbeing. Life at UEA is more than just lectures and assignments, it’s about meeting new people, travelling, and enjoying multicultural community life. 

Safety

Norwich is one of the safest student cities in the UK, with a history of low crime rates. The University of East Anglia has a strict zero-tolerance approach to any kind of:

• Aggressive, threatening or abusive behaviour
• Discrimination
• Sexual harassment
• Bullying
• Hate crimes or hate speech

The University works closely with the UEA Student Union to make their campus a safe environment for all. In partnership with the Students’ Union, the dedicated Report and Support website provides a platform where students, staff, and visitors can report their grievances anonymously and request support from an adviser if they witness or experience any unacceptable behaviour.

Culture and Entertainment

Named the world’s sixth ‘City of Literature’ in 2012 by UNESCO, Norwich is the land of creative indulgence and academic stewardship. From big night-outs to strolls through the natural trails of its beautiful campus, the UEA student life has it all! The university organizes arts galleries, cultural events, and live music concerts all around the year. Here are a few highlights of the various cultural and entertainment avenues for students to explore: 

• Societies and Clubs: The student union manages volunteer groups, over 200 sports clubs and societies like ghost hunting or burlesque, Pokemon or Harry Potter to accommodate the varied interests of all students.
• Bar SU: A social space for screening sports, conducting student events and hosting club nights (Blue Bar)
• Nick Rayns LCR and the Waterfront: Two live music venues at UEA host regular live music and gigs. The UEA campus attracts some of the most famous names in music. Coldplay, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Faithless
• Sainsbury Centre: This public art museum is the perfect spot to find some creative inspiration. There is a variety of artwork, including pieces by Picasso and Bacon, displayed at the museum.  Students can also brush up on their local history at Norwich Castle Museum or the Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell.
• Sculpture Walk: Students can admire pieces by Antony Gormley, Henry Moore and Elizabeth Frink on the UEA campus

Eat and Drink

The University is home to independent restaurants, cafes, and bars which make sure there is never a dull day when living the UEA student life. Here are a few eating and drinking spots at the University of East Anglia: 

• Ziggy’s 
• Bar SU
• Blend
• Atrium Cafe 
• Modern Life (Saintsburg Centre) 
• Scholars Bar

For international students studying at UEA, Norwich offers different international and Asian food stores and a wide variety of restaurants serving cuisines like European, Mediterranean, Indian, Chinese, Japanese and Thai food.  They also offer vegetarian, vegan, kosher and halal options. Some of the famous restaurants include:

• Blue Joanna – award-winning Asian restaurant
• Goulash House – delicious Hungarian food
• Jorge’s – Portuguese meat and seafood dishes
• Namaste Village – quality Indian street food
• Wanfo House – very authentic Chinese food

Sports and Fitness

With an array of top-class sporting facilities, including an indoor climbing wall, athletics track, gymnastics centre, indoor and outdoor courts, swimming pool, and conference facilities, the best news for fitness enthusiasts is that UEA has an extensive sports complex on campus. Some of the notable spots on campus for sports lovers and athletes are: 

• Sports Park has over 70 classes per week, from dance aerobics and boxercise to yoga and pilates. 
• Sportspark Gym offers over 60 exercise classes a week and a fully equipped gym with over 125 pieces of equipment. 
• Sports Clubs: All kinds of sports clubs, from football, rugby and hockey to mountaineering, windsurfing and ballet, exist on campus. Students can also volunteer through UEA Sports. UEA offers an array of scholarships for deserving athletes as well.

Campus Facilities

The UEA campus is a city unto itself with its quaint cafes, grocery stores, shops, marketplaces, and a city centre for student interaction. There are various shops within the UEA campus which also includes a post office, food store and stationery store.  Some of the state-of-the-art facilities provided by UEA are listed below: 

• Library: With over 800,000 books and journals on its shelves and an extensive collection of specialist materials, UEA offers a spectacular library.  It also has a vast database of e-resources. Students can utilise the group study zones, the computers or the individual study spaces. 
• Music Centre: Students can learn music or join the Music Society to bring out the inner musician. UEA provides students with the opportunity to utilise the music centre to make and perform music.  
• Medical Centre and Boots Pharmacy:  A new student can register with the Medical Centre on their online portal to book routine appointments and emergency care. They also have an occupational health team.
• SU Shop: The marketplace offers a vast selection of items, including fresh and frozen food, and household and healthcare products. The in-house bakery is a great place to grab a bite on the go. The SU Shop strives to be environmentally friendly, and profits from the shop are reinvested into services.

Travel and Transport

The UEA student life is extremely convenient with an established network of transportation that allows students to travel around and outside campus easily. The various options for public and private transport are listed below. Students can also avail of discounts while using public transport. 

• Bus and Park & Ride
• Car and Packing 
• Bike 
• Coach 
• Taxi 

Norwich and Beyond 

The county of Norfolk where UEA is located is known for its mesmerizing countryside and waterways. There are beautiful riverside walks, cycle paths, beaches, wildlife sanctuaries, small villages and large stately homes such as Sandringham House – the country retreat of The Queen that students can visit. Norwich has a quick and frequent train service of just under two hours to London and only 1 hour to Cambridge. Students can travel to any part of the UK using the bus and train networks. The Norwich International Airport is only 15 minutes from the University of East Anglia campus via taxi. 

Accommodation

The University of East Anglia guarantees fully furnished on-campus accommodation to undergraduate and postgraduate international students for the first year. Over 4000 rooms and on-campus options like en-suite rooms, standard single rooms, two-bed shared flats/rooms, family housing, twin sharing etc., are available at the UEA. With all the facilities mentioned, the UEA campus operates as a mini-city with cafes, shops, music events, club nights, and film screenings just a few minutes away, making the UEA student life as an on-campus resident easy. The UEA Crome Court for postgraduate students won the Green Gown Award 2015 in the ‘Built Environment’ category. 

Career Advice and Guidance

UEA has a career advisory committee that provides personalized assistance to international students throughout their studies and recent graduates. The committee offers numerous services such as preparing students to gain valuable professional skills with workshops to help with building suitable CVs, applications and practice interviews for job opportunities.

• CareerCentral supports in finding part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, paid internships, placements and graduate-level jobs for students enrolled at UEA and for three years after graduation.
• One-to-one guidance appointments and mock interviews to help students decide what they’d like to do, from practical application to interview advice

The University of East Anglia (UEA), a notable name among the top UK universities, offers a unique amalgamation of city and country life with multicultural influences from across the globe to its students. Want to pursue your higher education at the University of East Anglia? Get in touch with our Leverage Edu experts to start your applications for the upcoming January intake 2024!