The world in one place
Our University brings the world together. With staff and students from over 140 countries, we're a thriving community of different cultures, viewpoints and ways of thinking.
Our students learn from academics who are leaders in their fields, tackling real-world challenges and bringing their latest research into the classroom.
At Essex, every voice matters and curiosity is celebrated. We're known for bold thinking, global connections, and students and staff who aren't afraid to make their mark. This is the Essex Spirit.
Our key statistics
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 community of students and academics from all around the world.
Latest rankings
We are 12th in the Guardian University Guide 2026 and ranked 14th for value-added.
We are Top 30 in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2027.
We are 14th for international outlook and 6th in the UK for international outlook in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026.
We are Top 30 for student positivity in the National Student Survey 2026.
We are top 100 for Sociology in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.
We are in the top 200 in the global Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025 and top 100 globally for six of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals assessed.
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. The National Student Survey (NSS) is an independent survey that gathers final year undergraduate students' opinions on the quality of their course.
