Fancy the flexibility of studying multiple disciplines across our departments, and engaging with cutting edge research? Our Study Abroad Programme enables you to do this. Plus we're offering a wide range of activities to enhance your student experience.
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Taking some time off after high school before starting university or entering the world of work? Spend your gap year at Essex, and experience university life the Essex way
Take first-year undergraduate modules across our academic department, and earn university credit while you explore everything Essex has to offer.
Spend part of your undergraduate degree studying abroad at Essex and join our international community of original thinkers.
Whether you’re trying something new, or gaining a new perspective in your major field of study, our flexible module choices allow you to build an academic programme that works for you.
Spend a term or year of your postgraduate degree at Essex, gaining expert knowledge, skills and experience that will set you apart from the crowd.
Explore new areas of study or gain mastery in your field, with both undergraduate and postgraduate modules available to you.
Did you know that you can get two Masters degrees in two years? Take a look at the dual award options we offer.
We're flexible at Essex. You're not restricted to study within one department, you can explore new areas of study across multiple departments and build your own academic programme.
You can study abroad at Essex for a term or year:
Full year students must take 120 Essex Credits, which is usually eight modules. Teaching takes place in the Autumn and Spring terms; in the Summer term, there will be some teaching, revision classes, and exams for all of your modules.
Term-only students must take 60 Essex Credits, which is usually four modules. All teaching and assessments will take place during the term you are at Essex, and exams are held at the end of each term.
*all students must be fully enrolled at Essex
Term dates can be found on our Academic Calendar.
Our module directory lists the modules we offer.
To search for available modules, search for 'Incoming Essex Abroad' and select the department you are interested in.
Read the explanation of our module codes before you make your selection. You can study at either our Colchester or Southend campus, but you aren't able to study at both campuses.
Double check if you modules have any pre-requisites - you will need to demonstrate via your transcript that you have already completed similar modules at your home university.
*Gap year applicants must take first-year undergraduate modules
Each department has a dedicated Departmental Study Abroad Officer (DSAO) on hand to provide academic advice and assess your suitability for your chosen modules. For specific questions about module content, they're the ones to speak to.
In collaboration with Absolute Internship, we’re offering Study Abroad students coming to Essex the opportunity to undertake an internship placement either in Europe or in Asia at the end of your Spring/Summer semester or year abroad.
Internship placements are offered in Barcelona, Lisbon, Madrid, Stockholm, Hong Kong, Seoul and Tokyo, providing you with a chance to get even more out of your time abroad. Get to know one of Europe’s or Asia's most exciting cities after your time at Essex, and obtain some first-hand work experience while you’re at it.
For further information, including additional programme fees to be paid to Absolute Internship, and an outline of what to expect from your internship abroad check out the programme information.
If you have any further questions about this opportunity, please contact us via studyabroad@essex.ac.uk
Are you interested in British society and culture? Do you want to increase your understanding of British history, literature, politics and more, and experience first-hand what it’s really like to live and study in the UK? If the answer is yes, welcome home. Our bespoke Study Abroad programme has been especially created to develop students’ understanding of all things British, through gold-standard teaching, exciting extracurricular excursions and more.
Students following the British Studies programme will choose from a range of carefully selected modules. You’ll learn alongside British Studies and Essex students, immersing yourself in a British educational environment and sharing the perspectives of classmates from the UK and around the world, to develop your knowledge and perceptions of British culture and societies and historical, literary and political legacies. For more information, including available modules, take a look at our programme brochure (.pdf).
The British Studies programme is designed to be flexible and interdisciplinary. As with our other Study Abroad programmes, students will be able to study in their existing field, explore new areas of interest – or both! Students will be able to join us for a semester, an academic year or a calendar year.
Please note, extracurricular activities will carry an additional cost and may vary depending on uptake. Full details will be communicated to you prior to your arrival with us.
Spend a year studying Events Management or Hospitality Management at our pioneering Edge Hotel School and develop your industry knowledge and professional skills by combining academic study with hands-on work experience.
Our bespoke study abroad programme has been developed by leaders in the field to ensure you have the confidence, experience and skills employers are looking for.
As part of the Events and Hospitality Management Study Abroad Programme, you will work in Wivenhoe House, the 4* hotel located on our Colchester Campus, putting theory into practice and gaining invaluable industry experience.
If you want to be challenged, if you want to gain the skills you need to succeed, if you want to make industry connections and get ahead, welcome home.
Our programme follows the Edge Hotel degree courses, meaning you will join a cohort of Essex students currently on the degree course, and experience everything our Edge Hotel School has to offer. Depending on your previous academic background, you will follow either the first or second year of the degree programme, we welcome applicants with all levels of experience in the hospitality and events management sectors.
If you have little or no experience in the industry, Year One of our Events Management or Hospitality Management programme is for you. If you currently study within a relevant field, Year Two of our Events Management or Hospitality Management programme is the one for you.
The Events and Hospitality Management Study Abroad Programme runs from October to June. This programme is not available as a term-only option.
The academic year consists of up to 21 weeks of teaching, 8 weeks working in the hotel and 2 weeks self-study, in addition to your holidays.
During a teaching week you will spend around 9 hours in lectures, or smaller seminars. During a working week you will spend 4 or 5 days on shift, Monday – Sunday, gaining experience and applying the academic theory from your lectures. You will receive your work schedule at the beginning of term.
Please note, all students will be required to purchase Wivenhoe House uniform for their work placements. This will cost £250, and you will be sent more information about how to order your uniform once accepted on to the programme.
Specifically designed for those who are currently teaching English overseas, our professional development programme enables you to study CV-enhancing modules on a not-for-credit basis, while spending a semester experiencing life in the UK.
Participants on the TEFL professional development course will select up either two or four modules within our Department of Languages and Linguistics. For more information, including available modules, take a look at our programme brochure (.pdf).
The TEFL professional development programme is designed to be enriching. Take modules in your current field of interest, or explore other areas!
If you are non-native speaker of English, we accept the following English language certificates:
Undergraduate students:
IELTS: 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element (requirement of the UK Student Visa)
TOEFL iBT: 76 overall with a minimum of 17 listening & writing, 18 reading, 20 speaking – further details can be found in the 'First Year Entry’ section of our student visa guidance.
Postgraduate students:
IELTS: 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element (requirement of the UK Student Visa)
TOEFL iBT: 88 overall with a minimum of 17 listening & writing, 18 reading, 20 speaking – further details can be found in the 'First Year Entry’ section of our student visa guidance.
Minimum requirements can be found in the 'First Year Entry’ section of our student visa guidance.
We are also happy to accept a letter or certificate confirming the student has reached the minimum B2 level from EU/EEA institutions.
Certificates must have been issued within three years of your application to Essex. If you do not meet our language requirements, or would like to improve your English before studying abroad at Essex, we offer a wide range of Pre-sessional English language courses taught by University of Essex International College (a Kaplan International Pathways college).
You must be in a good academic standing at your home institution. Please check the modules you would like to take at Essex for any pre-requisites.
You might need a visa to study at Essex. The type of visa you may need will depend on your circumstances including the length of your studies at Essex and where you are applying from. After you officially accept our offer to study at Essex, we will give you further details about how to enter the UK.
Please refer to the University of Essex immigration webpages and the UK Government webpages for up to date guidance.
Academic year 2025-2026 | |
Full academic year (120 credit equivalent) | £17,220 |
Autumn term (60 credit equivalent) | £6,900 |
Spring/Summer term (60 credit equivalent) | £10,350 |
TEFL Professional Development Course only | |
Autumn term (30 credit equivalent) | £3,450 |
Spring/Summer term (30 credit equivalent) | £3,450 |
Accommodation costs |
£119.14 - 235.69 per week* *2024-2025 prices |
Academic year 2026-2027 | |
Full academic year (120 credit equivalent) | £18,100 |
Autumn term (60 credit equivalent) | £7,250 |
Spring/Summer term (60 credit equivalent) | £10,900 |
TEFL Professional Development Course only | |
Autumn term (30 credit equivalent) | £3,625 |
Spring/Summer term (30 credit equivalent) | £3,625 |
Accommodation costs |
£126.42 - 264.39 per week* *2025-2026 prices |
You may find information about the cost of living in Essex useful to plan your finances.
Gilman-McCain scholarship
An award of $5000 for eligible students participating in a Study Abroad programme from the USA. Find out more and apply.
US Federal Aid funding
As a Study Abroad student from the USA you can also apply for US Federal Aid funding as long as your study abroad period is no longer than 25% of your course length. You can read more about this on our US direct loans webpages.
Our application for fee-paying students to study abroad at Essex in 2025-2026 (spring entry) is now open. Applications can be made via our online portal.
If you are an exchange student, please visit our incoming exchange webpages for further information.
As part of your application, you will be asked to upload digital copies of:
You may also be asked to provide:
*Gap year applicants must upload a letter of recommendation from a teacher or guidance counsellor.
If you are applying through ISEP Direct, after your application has been accepted on the ISEP portal, you will be contacted by Essex Abroad to complete our application.
We are committed to ensuring that every student can feel safe and secure no matter what their circumstances. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Essex Abroad office if you would like to discuss your individual needs.
Our student support services have a wide range of resources to support you throughout your studies at Essex. There is a space on our application form for you to disclose any disability, health condition, mental health condition or learning needs that you would like to make us aware of. We will then put you in touch with our student support team, who will work with you to ensure you are fully supported while at Essex.
Anything you tell us will be treated in confidence and will not affect your study abroad application. We cannot share this information with your family, host institution or other external party without your permission.
Information about the mental and emotional health support available can be found on our website.
For information about accessibility on campus and support services for students with disabilities or learning difficulties, please see our website.
If you will be under 18 when you start your studies at Essex, our student support team offers additional support to help you adjust to university life. Take a look at their website for more information about the resources available to you.
Students under the age of 18 are required to live in University accommodation. You can choose from a range of accommodation options, including a room in a single gender flat.
The Residence Life team provides support for all students living in accommodation and this includes students who are under 18. You will be allocated a Residents’ Assistant who is a senior student who you can contact if you have any questions or concerns ‘out of hours’.
If you are studying with us and have a family with you, there is a wide range of information, support and advice available.
Some helpful resources can be found on our students with children and dependants of international students pages.
Students with dependents are encouraged to email Essex Abroad to get more information about support services and accommodation options.
"My time at Essex has been great; I have so many new friends. The social life is really good and there are many options for spending your free time. I like the fact that the campus is like a little town - almost everything you need is right here. Meeting new people from all over the world will always be an important memory of my time here."