New Undergraduate students

Our Allocation Policy covers:

• the criteria for students who want to apply for accommodation
• details of those students who are guaranteed accommodation and
• how we will prioritise applications for returning students, part-year students and those on the waiting list

If you are allocated accommodation you will enter into a legal contract with Accommodation Essex and you will be liable to pay the rent for your room for the full term of the contract.

Please read our terms carefully before accepting any offer of accommodation.

• Read our Allocation Policies for Colchester and Southend

You will not be able to apply if:

• you have not received an offer of academic study at Essex
• you have only just created an applicant portal (see timescale above)
• your status at Essex is neither conditional firm nor unconditional firm or
• you do not have a PRID (e.g. SMITH12345) in the Home section of the My Essex Applicant Portal
• you have not allowed 48 hours after becoming firm at Essex for our system to update, before applying for accommodation

Contact your Student Services Hub if you have any queries relating to accommodation applications.

Applications for October entry 2025-26 are now open.

The guarantee deadline for applications is 12 September 2025.

IMPORTANT: please remember, there is no cooling off period. You cannot cancel your contract with us once accepted/confirmed, unless you withdraw or intermit from the University, even if you don't move in. So please consider carefully before accepting an offer we have sent you.

Make sure you read the application guide (.pdf) before making an application for accommodation.

When your UCAS status at Essex is showing as either conditional firm or unconditional firm, you can apply online.

You need to:

1. Create your myEssex applicant portal (see timescales below)
2. Login to the portal,
3. Go to your home page on the portal, where you will find the link to the online accommodation from under the Accommodation heading.

Timescales

It can take up to 72 hours for the relevant data to be imported into the accommodation application system from the point of creation, so set up your portal as soon as you can. 

New undergraduate students are not required to make an advanced rent payment when accepting their offer.

We start to send out room offers from April, however, you will only receive your room booking, once all academic conditions have been met. 

• If we receive your application form before the deadline of 12 September 2025, you will be guaranteed accommodation

• If we receive your form after the deadline of 12 September 2025, you will be offered accommodation as soon as a room becomes available. 

Your offer of accommodation will be emailed to the address you supplied to UCAS (or your @essex.ac.uk email address, if you have one) and will contain details about your room and the accommodation charges.

Full details of your accommodation offer will be sent to you via email. We endeavour to start sending offers out from April 2025.

New students can price lock their accommodation for the full duration of undergraduate studies. Plus, we will price match your rates if they go down!

If you are a new undergraduate student for the 2025-26 academic year and want to secure accommodation for the duration of your course, then you now have the option to select a 3 year accommodation contract, when you apply.

Benefits

By selecting the 3 year deal, you benefit from:

• Rent fixed for the duration of the 3 years, so no price increases
• Keep the same room you've made home
• Summer accommodation at the same rate
• Peace of mind and easy living

Location

The 3 year deal is available in the following accommodation areas:

• South Courts
• North Towers
• University Quays

Take advantage of our new 3-year price lock deal by selecting this option when completing your application. Rooms are limited and are subject to availability.

Terms and conditions

• Offer only available to new students.

• The 3-year deal is available in the following accommodation areas: South Courts, North Towers, and University Quays only.
• Rooms are limited and are subject to availability.
• Rent fixed at the 2025-26 rate for the duration of the 3 years starting from October 2025.
• Free storage of your belongings in the summer (years 1 and 2) as you keep the same room.
• Option to book summer vacation accommodation, in your room, at your current rent rate subject to availability.
• Offer subject to change and availability.

New students can price lock their accommodation for the full duration of undergraduate studies. Plus, we will price match your rates if they go down!

If you are a new undergraduate student for the 2025-26 academic year and want to secure accommodation for the duration of your course, then you now have the option to select a 3 year accommodation contract, when you apply.

Benefits

By selecting the 3 year deal, you benefit from:

• Rent fixed for the duration of the 3 years, so no price increases 
• Keep the same room you've made home
• Summer accommodation at the same rate
• Peace of mind and easy living

Location

This deal is only available for en suite rooms.

If you would like to take advantage of this new 3 year deal, then select the option when completing your accommodation application. Rooms are limited and are subject to availability.

Terms and conditions

• Offer only available to new students.
• The 3-year deal is only available for single en suite rooms. 
• Rooms are limited and are subject to availability.
• Rent fixed at the 2025-26 rate for the duration of the 3 years starting from October 2025.
• Free storage of your belongings in the summer (years 1 and 2) as you keep the same room.
• Option to book summer vacation accommodation, in your room, at your current rent rate subject to availability.
• Offer subject to change and availability.

If you have chosen Essex as your insurance choice, then you can still make an application for accommodation, by completing the following form. 

We will keep your details and send you a room offer, once you have confirmed Essex as your first choice. Your application will be automatically cancelled, if you decide to continue with your first choice university.

If you are applying as an insurance offer student for Colchester, please apply here.

If you are applying as an insurance offer student for Southend, please apply here.

We wanted to create exciting living and learning communities on our campuses, that are designed to provide you with a unique opportunity to live with like-minded individuals and engage in academic and personal development under a shared topic.

These communities (only currently available on Colchester campus) are supported by experienced professionals, that will guide and support your journey here at Essex, ensuring you get the most out of your time here with us:

• Start-Up Square - for the entrepreneurs that want to learn about starting a business
• Athlete Village - for those that play sports competitively

You are able to select one of these as an option when you apply for accommodation, so do check out the information, so do check out the information, so you don't miss out on this exciting opportunity.

Applications are now open.

We have a limited number of rooms available for undergraduate students starting their course in January 2025, across both our Colchester and Southend campuses. To apply for one of these rooms, please follow the steps below. 

Please complete one of the forms below:

• Colchester January 2024-25 undergraduate application form
• Southend January 2024-25 undergraduate application form

Rooms will be offered in order of application date.

Timescales

It can take up to 24 to 48 hours for the relevant data to be imported into the accommodation application system from the point of creation, so set up your portal as soon as you can. 

New undergraduate students are not required to make an advanced rent payment when accepting their offer.

If you are interested in living on campus, please email the team at accadmin@essex.ac.uk and confirm your room preferences.