University of Essex

Located in Colchester, England, University of Essex was established in 1963 and was named university of the year 2018 by Times Higher Education.

There are three campuses Loughlin Campus, Southend Campus and Colchester Campus, the main campus which is an hour away from London by train.

The University has a global reputation in human rights, social scientific research and data analytics. These flagships institutes are a meeting place for ideas focusing on world-leading academics to share their expertise, to break through disciplinary boundaries and provoke new debates.

The Essex Business School which opened in 2015 is claimed to be the first zero-carbon business school building in the UK.

In 2017 the University created a sustainability team committed to improving its environmental performance, bringing together existing work on carbon reduction, student and staff engagement, travel and transport and grounds. They facilitate the University’s sustainability goals outlined in the Sustainability Sub-Strategy (SSS). 

The University of Essex does not invest in fossil fuel companies, arms companies or corporations complicit in the violation of international law.

You are automatically a member of the Students Union when you are a student at the University of Essex and there are no fees for this. They also run the on-campus shops, nightclub and bar. Over 120 clubs and societies, radio station, student newspaper you can join.

Located an hour’s drive north east of London, Colchester is the former capital of England. The town has a rich and vibrant history of Roman Britain dating back 2000 years. One can explore Roman ruins, medieval buildings and civil war destruction around the town centre on foot. Colchester is a short distance away from the Essex coastline, one of the longest shorelines in England.

England is a country within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK). It shares land borders with Wales to the west and Scotland to the north, and is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south. The island of Great Britain is however easily traversed by the Channel Tunnel as well as via rail, air, or sea.

England’s population of 55.6 million people comprises 84% of the population of the UK. The country has a density of 407 people per square km overall, however London (the capital of England and the UK), has a population at 8.8 million people alone at a density of 5,177 people per square km, more than ten times that of any other British region. Depending upon where you go, you can experience one of the most populated cities in the world, or wander alone on the moors.

England is renowned for many reasons, and is a very popular exchange location. With a well-documented and turbulent history, England offers you the opportunity to visit structures from the Neolithic era, see Roman artefacts, or visit some of the greatest museums and galleries in the world.

The massive variety of locations, interesting cultures, career opportunities, ease of travel, diverse cuisine, and thrilling history make England a prime location for exchange.

Did you know…..?

Nowhere in England is more than 113km from the sea. *English people consume more tea per capita than anybody else in the world (2.5 times more than the Japanese and 22 times more than the Americans or the French). *French was the official language of England for about 300 years, from 1066 till 1362.

All students must meet standard exchange selection criteria and any host institution restrictions.

• UniSA academic transcript 
• Passport
• English language test (if applicable)

Students must take 60 Essex credits per semester (minimum and maximum), which is equivalent to 18 UniSA units.

Required for non-native English speakers. IELTS 6.0 overall with minimum of 5.5 in each band or

TOEFL iBT: 76 overall with a minimum of 17 listening & writing, 18 reading, 20 speaking.

Find courses at University of Essex

The University runs a coach transfer service for new students arriving from London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports, travelling to our Colchester and Southend Campuses. Please see here to book this service.

The University is not running coach services from London Stansted or Luton airports, but you can book a ticket through national express  to take you directly to our Colchester Campus.

More information on how to get to the campus can be found here.

On-campus accommodation is available for exchange students however are not guaranteed. A range of exciting and comfortable accommodation, from studios to single en-suite rooms and retro Towers to Townhouses, to suit all budgets. More information for on-campus accommodation can be found here.

Alternatively if you are looking to live off-campus, the Students’ Union provides a property finding service which can be found here.

As an exchange partner with the University of South Australia, you do not have to pay tuition fees to University of Essex, instead you will pay tuition as you would normally at UniSA. Travel and living expenses are at your own cost. The table below gives an indication of costs you will incur:  

More information can be found here.

You may be eligible to receive additional grants or scholarships to fund your experience. For more information please see the funding and scholarships website.

UniSA offers travel insurance as part of your exchange for up to 270 days (can be extended up to 365 days). For more information please see travel insurance website.  

Please click here to read the travel insurance policy. 

A list of Frequently Asked Questions can be found here. 

If you have any further questions about travel insurance, please contact the UniSA Insurance Office on 08 8302 1678.