Student membership

The best student experience includes health, happiness, and success, and it’s waiting for you here at Essex.

An Essex Sport Silver membership is included for all students living on the University’s Colchester Campus in 2025-26

Silver membership gives you off-peak access (before 3pm on weekdays) to the Essex Sport Gym and fitness classes, as well as any-time access to sports facilities, such as badminton, basketball and the climbing wall.

How to activate your Silver membership

1. Check your University of Essex email for a message from Essex Sport with your log in details (be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you can't see it)
2. Click the link in the email (or use the button below) and log in with your University of Essex email address and PIN
3. Select 'Accommodation Membership' and choose either
   
   1. activate your Silver membership included in your accommodation or
   2. upgrade your Silver membership to a Gold membership for a one-off fee.
4. Follow the next few steps and you're all set!

We receive weekly updates for any new students moving into accommodation, so keep an eye on your inbox for your log in details.

Cost

• Bronze Direct Debit option for £13.99 with no joining fee*
• Bronze annual membership for £113

Facility hire cost

• Recreational Sport Activity Prices (.pdf)

What's included?

• Recreational activities; including basketball, tennis, squash, and badminton. All sessions are subject to a maximum number of participants
• 5 day advance booking of facilities
• Online booking allowing you to book facilities and manage your membership wherever you are  
• Peak access to sports facilities listed above

*With a Student Direct Debit membership, you pay nothing over the Summer with a 3 month 'payment holiday' from July to September.  

Cost

• Silver Annual Membership for £165
• Silver Direct Debit option for £19.99 and a £20 joining fee*

Facility hire cost

• Recreational Sport Activity Prices (.pdf)

What's included?

• Off-peak access to the gym and fitness classes (off-peak times are before 3pm)
• Recreational activities; including basketball, tennis, squash, and badminton. All sessions are subject to a maximum number of participants
• 5 days advance booking of facilities
• Online booking allowing you to book facilities, fitness classes and manage your membership wherever you are
• Peak access to sports facilities listed above

*With a Student Direct Debit membership, you pay nothing over the Summer with a 3 month 'payment holiday' from July to September.  

Cost

• Gold annual membership for £200
• Gold Direct Debit option for £23.99 and a £20 joining fee

With a Student Direct Debit membership, you pay nothing over the Summer with a 3 month 'payment holiday' from July to September.  

Facility hire cost

• Recreational Sport Activity Prices (.pdf)

What's included?

• Peak access to the gym and fitness classes
• 8 days advance booking of facilities
• Recreational activities; including basketball, tennis, squash, and badminton. All sessions are subject to a maximum number of participants
• Online booking, allowing you to book facilities, fitness classes and manage your membership wherever you are

Learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom; research conducted by British Universities & Colleges Sports (BUCS) and UK Active (.pdf), demonstrates that incorporating physical activity into your studies can help you;

• reach your goals
• improve employability
• provide a sense of community
• develop skills
• increase self-esteem
• reduce anxiety

Sport can help you be healthier, happier and more productive.

Join online

To sign up online you'll need your Essex email address and a PIN. To request a PIN choose "Forgotten your PIN" at the start of the registration process. You will be asked to confirm that you have read the terms and conditions (.pdf) and the health commitment statement (.pdf), so you may wish to do this first.

Student direct debit 

Life has to be flexible, so we think keeping active and healthy should be too. That's why we offer a Direct Debit payment option, starting at just £17.99 a month* for Student Silver Membership. You also pay nothing over the Summer with a 3 month 'payment holiday' from June to September. 

To sign up please complete a Student Direct Debit form (.pdf) and return to the Sports Centre reception, where your direct debit instruction will be processed.

Join at the Sports Centre

You can also join at the Sport Centre. Just go to reception and a member of our team will be happy to answer any questions and process your membership. Please note, we will be operating as a cashless facility and only card payments will be accepted on site.

Gym induction

We are updating our Induction Video, please speak to a member of staff to book in an induction.
Once you become a member and wish to use the gym, you'll need to watch our induction video below.