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University of Essex homepage About Facts and figures
About us

Our key statistics

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How it all stacks up

We're increasing our regional, national and international impact with one of the most successful business engagement programmes in the UK, a growing portfolio of education partnerships and an incredible international community of students and academics drawn from around the world.

We deliver a transformational education to thousands of students and our research community includes 800 academics drawn from across the globe to work on the important issues of our time.

We strive for excellence and we're aiming to excel in everything we do. 

Latest rankings

We’re a top 25 university, and in the top 5 for ‘value-added’, in the Guardian University Guide 2025.

We are 29th out of 130 UK universities in the Complete University Guide 2026.

We're the top university in the East of England for 'overall positivity' according to feedback from students in the National Student Survey 2024.

Number one university in the UK for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs), the flagship Innovate UK programme.

We’re 58th in the global Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024 and ranked in the top 100 globally for nine of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals assessed.

We have five subject areas in the top 10 in The Guardian University Guide 2025.

17th for international outlook in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025

72nd for Sociology in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 

87th for Law in the THE World University Rankings by Subject 2025

93rd for Social Sciences in the THE World University Rankings by Subject 2025

86% of our graduates are in employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes 2025)

Research excellence

Essex is a centre of world-leading excellence for the social sciences. Four social science subjects are in the UK top 10 for research quality (Grade Point Average, REF2021) and five are in the UK Top 10 for research power (Times Higher Education 2022). We have further outstanding strengths in science and health, and arts and humanities.

The four Essex subjects in the UK top 10 for research quality are -  sociology, economics and econometrics, politics and international studies, and modern languages and linguistics. 

The five Essex subjects in the UK top 10 for research power are – sociology, law, economics and econometrics, politics and international studies, and computer science.

About The National Student Survey

The National Student Survey (NSS) is an independent survey that gathers final year undergraduate students' opinions on the quality of their course.

The survey is usually open from January to April each year and students can find out more information about taking part on our student directory.

All the data gathered is published by the Office for Students including a provider level dashboard.

The NSS is very important to us in understanding and improving the student experience. The feedback from students is used to inform the way we support students in the coming years.

Times Higher Education and National Student Survey

Times Higher Education has analysed the NSS data to provide an overall ‘positivity score’ across all 26 core questions.

According to the Times Higher analysis, Essex is ranked 25th out of all UK providers with a positivity score of 85%.

Positivity scores by subject

Overall ‘positivity scores’ can be calculated for each subject in NSS 2025 by looking at the proportion of positive responses to all 26 questions.

When compared against all English broad discipline universities, the highest ranked subjects at Essex according to overall positivity are:

  • 1st for student positivity in genetics (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 1st for student positivity in statistics (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 2nd for student positivity in developmental psychology (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 3rd for student positivity in anatomy, physiology and pathology (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 3rd for student positivity in biosciences (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 3rd for student positivity in liberal arts (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 5th for student positivity in applied psychology (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 4th for student positivity in bioengineering, medical and biomedical engineering (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 4th for student positivity in ecology and environmental biology (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 5th for student positivity in applied psychology (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 6th for student positivity in mathematics (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 7th for student positivity in engineering (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 7th for student positivity in linguistics (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 8th for student positivity in history of art (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 9th for student positivity in drama (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 10th for student positivity in molecular biology, biophysics and biochemistry (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 10th for student positivity in social work (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 11th for student positivity in tourism, transport and travel (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities) 
  • 17th for student positivity in counselling, psychotherapy and occupational therapy (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 19th for student positivity in physiotherapy (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 20th for student positivity in economics (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 20th for student positivity in politics (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 20th for student positivity in mental health nursing (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 21st for student positivity in philosophy (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 22nd for student positivity in health sciences (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 25th for student positivity in adult nursing (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 26th for student positivity in management studies (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)
  • 30th for student positivity in sport and exercise sciences (NSS 2025, English Broad Discipline Universities)

Positivity scores   

Essex is in the top 10 nationally for overall positivity for 'learning resources' and in the top 20 for 'academic support'.

When looking at individual questions Essex is ranked in the top 20 for six questions covering everything from support for learning to opportunities to feedback on courses and contact with teaching staff. 

Truly international

We have students from more than 140 countries and a third of our students are from outside the UK - 12.8% are from the European Union and 21.5% are from overseas.

Awards won

 

 

 

Economic impact

  • Our contribution to the UK economy is worth more than £790m. In Colchester our economic impact is £673m and in Southend our economic impact is £102.9m.
  • We are number one for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships in the UK (Innovate UK).
  • Research income generated in 2022-23 was £34.3m and our income from business and community engagement was £28.5m.
  • We employ more than 2,644 academic, research, senior support and general support staff.
* Non-specialist higher education institutions with a survey population of at least 500.
Our history
In 1964, 122 students arrived at our University for the very first academic year, attracted by its bold vision.
How we teach
We are committed to ‘research-led’ teaching, helping our students develop critical, analytic, and transferable skills.
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We’re a global university which is proud to play a part in the cultural and economic life of the communities surrounding our campuses.
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