University of Essex

What were the biggest cultural differences you experienced?

The drinking culture in the UK is more prevalent.

What is the best form of transportation within the city?

In Colchester the bus is probably the best / Travelling outside of Colchester, train is the way to go.

What was your favourite place to visit within the city?

I mostly stayed on campus as there was no shortage of things to do, but I would highly recommend checking out the local Wetherspoon in Colchester. Also, I suggest checking out Wivenhoe, its a beautiful little town walking distance from campus.

Were there any special events, festivals, or holidays in the city you would recommend others attend? Or anywhere you travelled to that you loved?

I would highly recommend going to some of the events hosted at the University's nightclub, Sub Zero, especially during welcome week as its a great way to meet people. I visited several cities while I was abroad, but Seville, Spain, was by far my favourite.

On average, what was the weather like?

Be prepared for limited sunshine, the UK is very cloudy, especially in the winter months.

Additional comments about the city?

If you're planning to travel by train leave from Hythe station, its much closer to campus than the main Colchester station.

Did you have a favourite course you would recommend to future students?

I took some art history courses, if you're interested in that topic I would highly recommend.

Did the university provide airport pickup upon arrival?

No

What is the best way for students to travel to the university upon arrival?

I would suggest landing in Heathrow Airport, and then taking the train to Colchester.

Did the university have a buddy program available?

No

Were the following provided in your campus dorm?

• Bedding - No
• Shared kitchen - Yes
• Pots, pans, utensils - No

Please list the furniture that was provided in your room.

Bed, desk, chair, closet, storage space.

How long did it take to travel from your accommodation to classes?

5 minutes or less

Do you have suggestions for future students who are looking for accommodation?

If you are looking for a highly social experience the South Towers is a great option, just be prepared to share bathrooms with quite a few people

Do you have advice for how students should handle banking in your host country?

I would recommend creating a "Wise" account, its an app where you can convert Canadian dollars into almost any currency through a simple e-transfer. The conversion fees are quite low and it comes with a physical card.

Which company would you recommend students purchase a sim card/e-sim through?

Voxi

Please provide any additional suggestions regarding costs.

Avoid using your domestic credit card as much as possible, the fees for using it internationally can be quite high

What would you suggest students pack before leaving Canada if they are studying at your host university?

I would suggest bringing at least two plug adapters as the UK uses different electrical sockets

Any additional advice for future students?

Buy bedding and kitchen supplies when you get to Colchester, there are numerous stores around town that sell these items.

What were the biggest cultural differences you experienced?

Although the fashion style in the UK is not too different from Canada in general, there are some elements that I was surprised to see. I had noticed that a lot of men wear tracksuits and a lot of women wear outfits of a style that reminds me a lot of the early 2000s in North America. I found that people are generally more reserved in the UK than here in Canada; however, my German friends at Essex found that the British are much more outgoing than people are back home. One of the biggest difference for me was the wide utilisation of public transportation. It was very nice to be able to take reliable public transit to where I needed to go, especially for longer trips.

What is the best form of transportation within the city?

I prefer to walk since I am able to do so quickly, but the buses were great.

What was your favourite place to visit within the city?

I really enjoyed Colchester Castle and its park. The park is beautiful on sunny days with the different colours of leaves on the trees.

Were there any special events, festivals, or holidays in the city you would recommend others attend? Or anywhere you travelled to that you loved?

There is a small town called Wivenhoe which is very close to Colchester, and I attended an art walk in which I had the chance to visit the studios of local artist (I ended up buying a couple prints from one of them), and I would highly recommend anyone to go if they want to get a sense of local artistic talent. I had the chance to travel to a few places while I was at Essex, and the Giant's Causeway in Northern Island was spectacular.

On average, what was the weather like?

It was quite cloudy and hardly ever rained. Sunny days were not as rare as I had expected, but on average it was quite grey and usually a little windy.

Additional comments about the city?

Colchester has a lot of history. It is definitely worth walking around and popping into the many shops.

Did you have a favourite course you would recommend to future students?

LA240 (Post-A Level German) and LA130 (Intermediate French) are excellent. I imagine that all of the language courses are very enriching.

What is the best way for students to travel to the university upon arrival?

Take the tube (via the Elizabeth Line) to London Liverpool Street Station, and book a train with Greater Anglia to Hythe (Essex), and then walk to the University. Or, instead of Hythe, take the Greater Anglia train to the main Colchester station and then walk to the nearest bus stop, and wait for the bus that will stop at the university (for example, the First 87 service toward Brightlingsea).

Additional comments about your host university?

It was a very nice school with a lovely campus. The faculty in the Language department are particularly wonderful, as they facilitate gatherings for students to improve their language skills by speaking with other students or with those who speak the language that they're studying.

Were the following provided in your student dorm?

• Bedding - Yes
• Shared kitchen - Yes
• Pots, pans, utensils - No

Please list the furniture that was provided in your room.

Bed/mattress and a desk/chair.

Do you have suggestions for future students who are looking for accommodation?

Although it is expensive, it is definitely worth it to live on-campus. It provides the opportunity to meet a lot of new people, and most of the accommodations are very close to all of the lecture spaces.

Which company would you recommend students purchase a sim card/e-sim through?

Airalo or Saily

Do you have advice for how students should handle banking in your host country?

If you are staying for a 3-month term, you likely won't be able to set up a local bank account, so it would be ideal to look into options for pre-paid debit accounts like Wise or Revolut (Revolut is what a lot of Europeans use but it is unavailable for Canadians).

Please provide any additional suggestions regarding costs

Rail travel in the UK is very expensive. In you plan on doing any travel within the UK, please get a railcard (if you can) because you can save up to 30% on your fares. Also, please keep in mind the exchange rate when budgeting for your trip. If you use your credit card to make your purchases, there is an exchange fee which varies between banks, but at this point it is likely that you will pay very close to double for things, with these factors in mind.

What would you suggest students pack before leaving Canada if they are studying at your host university?

Pack an umbrella and a good rain jacket, as well as any clothes you would normally wear for cool weather in Canada. There is no need to bring a binder unless you have enough paper because Europe usually uses 4-holed paper instead of 3.

Do you have any additional advice for future students?

The University of Essex is a great place! I really enjoyed my time there, and that is largely due to the friends I made at school events as well as my flatmates. So don't hesitate to put yourself out there and get involved!

What is the best form of transportation within Colchester?

Bus

What was your favourite place to visit in Colchester?

SU Bar

Were there any special events, festivals, or holidays you would recommend others attend?

Anything put on by the University of Essex is usually a blast!

On average, what was the weather like?

Warmer than what you would experience in Canada, I went for the spring semester and did not need a winter coat.

Did Essex provide the following?

• Airport pickup upon arrival - no
• Buddy program - no

Additional comments about Essex?

Beautiful university very fun and good student life, classes in the UK will be very dull.

Were the following provided in your accommodation in the South Towers?

• Bedding - no
• Kitchen - yes
• Pots, pans, utensils, etc. - no

Please list the furniture that was provided in your room.

Desk, bed, dresser, shelving, mirror

How long did it take to travel from your accommodations to classes?

2-10 minutes depending on classes

Do you have suggestions for future students who are looking for accommodations?

Shower is shared with 8 people (2 per floor) if you can get past that it’s worth the price, if not “The Pastures” would be the best.

How much cash would you recommend students bring when arriving?

Cash really isn’t necessary, but 100-300£ would be safe in case visa wasn’t working for the first few days.

Which company would you recommend students purchase a sim card/e-sim through?

Giffgaff, they give you sims you can sign up for at orientation.

Do you have advice for how students should handle banking in your host country?

Use Wise international, it’s this international Visa card that you can exchange currency in the app, 90% of students I met used it, others had international credit cards. Don’t get fees stacked!

Any additional suggestions regarding costs?

Save up and be okay with spending some money because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity

What would you suggest students pack before leaving Canada if they are studying at your host university?

Basics, there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary I wish I had with me, bringing some stuff to keep you entertained in your room like books for the first few days in case you don’t meet anyone until orientation.

The United Kingdom is a sovereign state in Europe. Lying off the northwestern coast of the European mainland, the country includes the island of Great Britain, the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands. The UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the North Sea in the east and the English Channel in the south; the Irish Sea separates Great Britain from Ireland. Its capital city is London, an important global city and financial centre. The UK consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is known for its parliamentary democracy, constitutional monarchy, and its membership in international organizations such as the United Nations and NATO.

Colchester is a historic city of about 100,000 citizens and happens to be Britain's oldest recorded town. Located only 1 hour from London, Colchester has excellent access to Europe by sea, at Harwich International Port, and by air through nearby Stansted airport. The city is one of the driest regions in the UK. It offers plenty of activities including visits to arts and cultural sites, water sports, the Colchester Zoo, vintage shopping, high tea in country estates, ghost walks, and much more.

Study in an exciting and international environment, at one of the UK's leading universities. A thriving academic community of over 12,000 students from more than 130 countries can be found studying at the University of Essex. University of Essex is one of the UK's most popular universities for international students for many reasons, including its status as:

1. Top ten for research excellence
2. Top twenty for student satisfaction
3. An international community

Colchester Campus

The main Colchester campus is built around five compact and bustling, inter-linked squares. This encourages academics from different departments to work together, nurturing the interdisciplinary nature of the teaching and research at the University of Essex. This creates a friendly, diverse campus atmosphere for all students.

The Colchester campus students and staff take advantage of the safe and well-designed cycle routes, play frisbee golf around the parkland, or go for a jog along the running trails to take a break from the hustle and bustle of campus life. During the summer term, you will often find students enjoying the warmer climate down by the lakes, cooking up a feast on the communal barbecues, or tending to the vegetables at the campus farm!

Colchester campus boasts:

• a campus shop
• an international food store, bakery, post office, book shop, and hairdressers
• a 24-hour supermarket within walking distance
• 3 late night venues on campus
• weekly events (salsa, international night, live acts)
• easy access to bars, clubs, and restaurants
• 130-station gym
• sports hall, squash courts, indoor climbing wall, dance studios
• 40-acres of outdoor sports facilities (cricket, football, hockey, rugby, tennis, frisbee golf)

Courses available for exchange students can be found using the University of Essex's Module Directory.

Students are required to take at least 60 Essex credits per semester. It is not possible for exchange students to use the online module enrolment program, so enrollment must be processed by the University of Essex's international office.

If you go on an exchange in the fall semester, all of your assessments, including written exams, will take place during that time. If you study in the spring and summer semesters, your exams for your spring courses will take place in the summer semester. Summer term teaching is very minimal and consists of mostly review classes.

Faculty of Arts and Humanities

• East 15 Acting School
• History
• Literature, Film, and Theatre
• Essex Law School
• Philosophy and Art History
• Edge Hotel School

Faculty of Science and Health

• School of Life Sciences
• Mathematical Sciences
• Psychology
• School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
• School of Health and Social Care
• School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences

Faculty of Social Sciences

• Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
• Economics
• Essex Business School
• Government
• Language and Linguisitics
• Sociology

Students are required to take at least 60 Essex credits per semester, which is typically four courses. Courses taken at Essex typically transfer back to the U of L on a course-for-course basis.

You are eligible for this exchange if you are:

• A full-time U of L student
• In at least the 2nd year of your program
• In good academic standing, with a GPA of 2.5 or higher

If you plan to stay in the UK for 6 months or less, you do not need to obtain a study visa. However, you should ensure you are absolutely certain you will not want to work in the UK and you will not want to extend your stay. For more information about short-term entry requirements click here.

If you plan to stay in the UK for longer than 6 months, you will be required to obtain a Student Visa. To do this, you will need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from the University of Essex. The CAS is a unique number that will be issued to the University of Essex by the UK Border Agency. The visa application fee for 2023 is £363. For more information about applying for a student visa, visit the University of Essex's application guide or www.gov.uk/student-visa.

For detailed information about vaccination recommendations when visiting the UK, please visit the Government of Canada's website.

Campus Residences

• Cost: room prices vary from approximately $150 - 400 per week
• Single study rooms with shared kitchen facilities and either shared or en-suites bathrooms.
• Includes utilities, internet access, contents insurance, 24/7 security, support from well-being teams, and a gym membership.
• Rooms and flats are fully furnished. All kitchens have a stove, microwave, oven, and fridge/freezer. There are laundromats situated close to all residences.
• Single-gender flats are available.
• Accommodation is arranged via Essex Abroad. Students will be notified in August/September for October entry and in December for January entry. Accommodation cannot be guaranteed. Students are not able to use the online Accommodation Application.
• For the Spring/Summer semester, students may vacate their room early once they finish exams but are obligated to pay their accommodation fee until the end of June.
• Accommodation Comparison Guide

Private Housing

• If you do not wish to apply for campus accommodation or are not offered campus accommodation, the Students' Union offers assistance to find private local accommodation.

Arrival Information

There is a direct shuttle service to and from Stansted Airport. On Arrivals Day (Autumn term only), the University also operates a direct coach service to the campus. Students will be provided with the necessary link to secure a place during August.

In Colchester

There are excellent transport links around the United Kingdom and to Europe. Colchester is approximately an hour away from London by train. Bus service to the town centre and local destinations with stops on campus is run regularly.

Students at the University of Essex have access to discounted bus passes and train season tickets. Bus passes allow for unlimited travel within the chosen zone and train season tickets allow for unlimited travel between two stations.

In Europe

For those planning a lot of travel throughout Europe, it is recommended to buy a Eurail pass. The pass must be purchased before going to the UK.

Students going on an exchange pay regular U of L tuition and fees. For up-to-date tuition information, visit the U of L's Financial Services website.

It is advisable that you obtain fully comprehensive travel and health insurance before departing for the UK. For more information, click here.

Essex provides information about the cost of living in Colchester here. Actual living costs will vary depending on your lifestyle and chosen accommodation.