Colchester - Location Reviews - StudentCrowd

Study in Colchester

The Colchester campus of the University of Essex is perched just on the edge of the city of Colchester, in some beautiful countryside.

University of Essex

The University of Essex has 3 campuses, the largest of which is in Colchester. It also has 3 faculties: Humanities, Social Sciences and Science and Health. It has been rated highly for research excellence and has been recognised with a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework for its teaching reputation. Over 16,000 students are enrolled at the University of Essex.

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Edge Hotel School

Based on the University of Essex Colchester campus, Edge Hotel School is the first school of its kind in the UK. Students have the opportunity to study events, hospitality and hotel management as undergraduate qualifications.

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Colchester Institute

Colchester Institute offers higher education courses, apprenticeships and part-time courses for adults. It is based in the North of Colchester town on a campus.

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Study in Colchester? Review your location

Colchester Student Life

Colchester is the oldest recorded town in England, so is steeped in a rich and varied history. It’s a perfect place for those who like to have everything within easy reach, whether that be shops, restaurants or nightlife spots, but without the hecticness of a big city.

Cost of Living

Accommodation

Student accommodation costs range from £92 - £208 per week; the average is £144 per week.

Compare the average elsewhere: Norwich: £150/week, Luton: £132/week, Canterbury: £166/week.

(prices are for all purpose-built student accommodation (both private and university-owned) over the last 12 months, as listed on StudentCrowd)

The average price for:

A cheap meal at a restaurant: £12

A pint of beer: £3.70

A regular takeout coffee: £2.58

1L of milk: £0.99

A loaf of white bread: £0.93

Prices (cost of living only) are about 2% lower than equivalent costs in Norwich, about 3% lower than Luton and about 6% lower than Canterbury.

(Source: Numbeo)

Nights Out

There is a modest nightlife in Colchester, largely because of the fact that the university is on the edge of town and has a lot of its own clubs and bars on the campus that offer popular nights for students. Those willing to venture into Colchester town centre will find a selection of clubs and bars, including student favourite nightclub ATIK and Three Wise Monkeys, a gin bar and tap house. There’s an Odeon cinema and a couple of theatres too. The Mercury is the bigger one, drawing tours, bands and popular comedians, while the Headgate Theatre is a bit more intimate. Creative Arts Live at the Colchester Institute hosts live gigs from across the performing arts, so their yearly line-up can include anything from classical music to rock, opera and musicals.

Public Transport

Buses run from campus to town every 15 minutes and there’s also a 20-minute bus that goes to the train station. Don’t miss the opportunity to get cheap bus tickets by buying a discounted annual season ticket offered by First Buses Essex. There are frequent trains from Colchester to London Liverpool Street which takes just under an hour. National Express coaches run from the campus to destinations all around the country, that include London and major airports too.

Eating Out

Shopping

There’s easily enough shopping to get you by. The Lion Walk and Culver Square centres are the hotspots, with forty big names shops under one roof. The surrounding high street area between Southway and Castle Park is where you’ll find the rest of the shops, including a market along Culvert Street at the end of the week. If you are looking for a bigger selection of shops, both Stratford or Chelmsford are great shopping destinations that are just a train ride away.

Days Out

Colchester Zoo

Colchester Zoo is a really good zoo. So good, in fact, it is one of the country’s top two zoos. They have 260 species of animals from all around the globe in over 60 acres of parkland. Everyone should visit at least once!

Colchester Castle and Park

As England’s oldest recorded town, the castle is a treasured heritage site dating back to when Colchester was the Roman capital city of Britain. As well as viewing the castle, you can take a tour of the Roman vaults beneath the building. When you are done with all the history, enjoy a picnic in the gorgeous surrounding park.

London

London is an easy and fun way to spend a day out when you need a break from your studies. In just over an hour, the train will take you straight into London Liverpool Street which makes it very easy to explore trendy East London or bustling Central London.

Beach

Your nearest good beach is in Southwold. It is famous for its soft golden sand and is about 90 minutes away by car. If you’re not so fussy and have less time, you could head to the busy seaside town of Clacton-on-Sea or the more isolated Mersea Island.

Top 10 Colchester Accommodation

4.45 /5

(36 reviews)

27 Magdalen Street 4.45 /5

I have stayed at Host Student Apartments for a little over a month and it has been fantastic. The spacious, clean room with a full kitchen exceeded my...

4.36 /5

(24 reviews)

Enso 4.36 /5

Enso is an amazing accommodation to stay at. From the super friendly reception staff and team in general, to the super spacious and accommodating ro...

4.34 /5

(76 reviews)

Hythe Mills 4.34 /5

Living here currently and I am a first year student and I have been loving it. The staff is lovely and always super helpful and the place is clean. Th...

4.08 /5

(134 reviews)

The Maltings 4.08 /5

Living at The Maltings has been an incredible experience. The friendly and responsive staff, clean facilities, and frequent social events make it a pe...

3.93 /5

(10 reviews)

Avon Way 3.93 /5

Staff are very friendly and helpful. Very warm atmosphere making your feel right at home and helping you with any issues or problems that may arise....

3.61 /5

(48 reviews)

South Towers - Eddington 3.61 /5

Best place to live and make friends...

3.59 /5

(31 reviews)

The Meadows Flats - Arber 3.59 /5

I meet wonderful people in my first-year accommodation as it is social space allowing lots of opportunities to talk with your neighbours...

3.4 /5

(71 reviews)

South Courts - Rowhedge 3.4 /5

It was good and very clean...

3.4 /5

(27 reviews)

University Quays - Matthews 3.4 /5

I'm a third year student, the accommodation is great, sound furniture, everything you need in a decent size room. Room is ensuite, the bathroom is a d...

#10

3.36 /5

(10 reviews)

The Houses - Josephine Butler 3.36 /5

I used to live there as an international student during my freshers year - it was an amazing experience ! For someone who came from far away, it was p...

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16th October 2024