Information for our Colchester Campus students
Our Colchester Campus is set in beautiful parkland, two miles (2.5km) outside of Colchester town, and just
over a mile away from the small town of Wivenhoe. The campus has an incredibly diverse community of students,
and friendly staff, so you can expect a warm welcome when you arrive.
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information that has been amended or updated.
Welcome Week events
You must attend a number of events to help you get settled during Welcome Week. These include the main
Welcome Talk on Monday 30 September, in the Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall, your own departmental Welcome Event,
and if you are an international student, you must also complete an English language assessment.
Make sure you know where to go, and at what time you need to be there, as it's essential you attend these events.
Other non-essential, but highly recommended, events include Freshers' Fair, Welcome Village and Choose Your Adventure
activities.
Video: Get ready for Essex! Colchester Campus
Arriving from overseas? Then make sure you watch this video, giving you essential information on
getting ready, visas and passports, and what to expect when you arrive into the UK and get to our Colchester Campus!
Video: Welcome to our Colchester Campus
A must-see, short video for all students coming to study at our Colchester Campus. This complements the international students' video above!
Video: Take the Colchester Campus tour
Whether you've already visited our Colchester Campus on an open day or not - you'll get a lot from watching this short film about what's where,
presented by Economics student Olu.
You can also watch this video on our vimeo channel.
Arrive, check-in and explore
Lots of information is available for you to read about getting to the campus, and finding your way around
once you've arrived. Our Colchester Campus can be difficult to find your way around at first, but there is a room numbering
system that works if you know how to use it - and if you're not sure, please ask someone - it's a friendly place and staff
are used to giving directions! We also have a great new interactive room-finder app that you can download via the link below.
And, if you like cycling you may wish to buy a recycled and reconditioned affordable bicycle during Welcome Week when you get here from the charity
Re-cycle. Prices start at around £50 and proceeds go to some fantastic development projects in Africa.
Airport coach service
If you're travelling from Gatwick or Heathrow airport to our Colchester Campus, you can book a seat on our Arrivals Day
coach, on Sunday 29 September 2013.
Travelling around Colchester
Finding your way around campus
Don't forget, before you leave home you can pre-order household goods and other essential items online such as bedding, pots and pans,
meal plans and sports membership. Items ordered will be delivered to your study bedroom in time for your arrival. Once you have arrived, we want your arrival to
be ACE - arrive, check-in, and explore! If you are arriving on the main arrivals day at the start of the 2013-14 academic year, Sunday 29 September,
then checking-in means first collecting the key to your University-provided accommodation. This will be in one of the accommodation offices listed below,
depending on where your accommodation is located. If you arrive very late, your key will be available from the Information Centre on Square 3.
Pre-order your essentials online
Where to collect your key
- North Towers (William Morris, Keynes, Rayleigh, Tawney) and The Houses arrivals – collect your keys from the Main Accommodation Office.
- South Towers (Bertrand Russell, Eddington) - collect keys from the Valley Buildings Portacabin.
- South Courts (Harwich and Alresford Courts) – collect keys from South Campus Office.
- South Courts (all other Courts) – collect keys from the South Courts Training Room (Manningtree Court).
- The Quays - collect keys from The Quays main accommodation office.
- The Meadows - collect keys from the main Meadows accommodation office, located in Arber House at The Meadows site.
For most students, before you arrive you will have been sent an e-mail, containing a link that lets you pre-register online,
upload a photo and update your contact details, and register for your University of Essex IT and computing account.
Please do this if you can, as it will save you time in registration once you have arrived, and we can then contact you
using your University e-mail address. You may also like to explore some other really useful IT services so you know what
to do once you've arrived.
Other useful IT services
Living with people you don’t know, attending your first lectures and seminars, staying safe in
your accommodation and when out at night, making time for study, health issues - student life isn’t always easy.
At times you may need a little help to reach your academic aims. A range of services are located at our
Colchester Campus to support you when you need them – just find us and ask. The Information Centre on Square 3 is open 24/7,
and 365 days a week, staffed by our friendly and helpful Security Patrol Officers, who will also be happy to help.
Staying safe and well
Our Colchester Campus is a compact ‘high street’ with twelve busy restaurants, cafes and food outlets
located in Squares 3, 4 and 5 at the heart of campus. Seven days a week, from breakfast through to late night snacks,
you’ll find an outlet open. Or, if you're cooking for yourself, the Students' Union campus shop is open 24-hours a day, Go-Go Global
is stocked with food from around the world, and a large supermarket is within a 10-minute walk of our Colchester Campus. There's also lots to do in your spare time -
from Students' Union nights, to more than 160 clubs or societies waiting to welcome you, and a full programme events at our Lakeside Theatre. Enjoy!
Where to eat
Nearby supermarkets
Going out
Clubs, societies and sports
Important things to read
Your First Week
-
2013-14
Adobe PDF
(4MB)
For students arriving at the start of the academic year 2013-14, this week-long guide for our Colchester Campus gives you all the
information you need to know about getting ready, getting here, and getting started with your studies. This publication will also be posted to your home address.
Your Campus Guide
-
2013-14
Adobe PDF
(6MB)
This useful guide for students coming to our Colchester Campus gives you a 360-degree look at all the places
to go, and services and support available to you throughout your period of study. It also includes useful information about
the Employability and Careers services available to you as an Essex student, information on how to become a Student Ambassador or
Frontrunner, where to find a student job, and lots of information about wellbeing services,
study skills support, IT support - and where to get a good cup of coffee! Keep it somewhere safe for reference. This publication will also be posted to your home address.
Get involved!
Throughout the first weeks of term there are lots of opportunities for you to get involved with new interests, groups,
clubs and activities, meet your fellow new students and make some lifelong friends.
A good place to start is by attending Freshers' Fair on Saturday 5 October, 12-4pm on the Squares. Afterwards, just ask at the Students' Union
reception how to contact clubs and societies.
Student newspaper, tv, radio and social media
There are many ways to find out what's going on once you've arrived, and the official University of Essex student newspaper,
The Rabbit, is a good place to start. The Rabbit is written by students and published
fortnightly, covering University news and sport, music, the arts, and lifestyle. As a student you can gain a lot by contributing, such as writing
news, sports reports, features or comment pieces plus music, film and arts reviews, or design and photography. The Rabbit has a very friendly
team behind it, with regular social events, so say hello to us at Freshers’ Fair, get involved, and add some great skills to your CV. E-mail the Editor, Eleanor Brimelow, at: ebrime@essex.ac.uk. Essex also has its own TV channel,
SX:TV and radio station, Red Radio alongside other social media including the popular
Student News Facebook page and our Students' Union website.
Employability events
Our programme of events is designed to help you with all aspects of looking and applying for jobs,
work experience and further study. New events and sessions are added throughout the year, so keep checking what's on offer.
frontrunners placements
frontrunners is our original placement scheme that offers students paid work opportunities on campus. We are currently advertising a number of placements to start in the academic year 2013-14
Essex Interns
Internships are an excellent way to earn money and develop a stand-out CV. Register with us for
information on paid internship opportunities with local, national and even international employers.
Big Essex Award
The Big Essex Award is an employability award run by the Employability and Careers Centre. Log your
extra-curricular experience hours, add a little volunteering, and we’ll help you identify evidence and effectively sell your skills.