Colchester
137 Reviews by Students #71 out of 172 University locations
Great town lots to do good restaurants and bars and shops. Well equipped for travelling with buses and train stations, clean, friendly
By member883845 On 8th April 2023
Study in Colchester
The Colchester campus of the University of Essex is perched just on the edge of the city of Colchester, in some beautiful countryside.
Image Credit
University of Essex
The University of Essex has 3 campuses, the largest of which is in Colchester. It also has 3 faculties: Humanities, Social Sciences and Science and Health. It has been rated highly for research excellence and has been recognised with a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework for its teaching reputation. Over 16,000 students are enrolled at the University of Essex.
Image Credit
Edge Hotel School
Based on the University of Essex Colchester campus, Edge Hotel School is the first school of its kind in the UK. Students have the opportunity to study events, hospitality and hotel management as undergraduate qualifications.
Image Credit
Colchester Institute
Colchester Institute offers higher education courses, apprenticeships and part-time courses for adults. It is based in the North of Colchester town on a campus.
Study in Colchester? Review your location
Colchester Student Life
Colchester is the oldest recorded town in England, so is steeped in a rich and varied history. It’s a perfect place for those who like to have everything within easy reach, whether that be shops, restaurants or nightlife spots, but without the hecticness of a big city.
Cost of Living
Accommodation
Student accommodation costs range from £92 - £208 per week; the average is £144 per week.
Compare the average elsewhere: Norwich: £150/week, Luton: £132/week, Canterbury: £166/week.
(prices are for all purpose-built student accommodation (both private and university-owned) over the last 12 months, as listed on StudentCrowd)
The average price for:
A cheap meal at a restaurant: £12
A pint of beer: £3.70
A regular takeout coffee: £2.58
1L of milk: £0.99
A loaf of white bread: £0.93
Prices (cost of living only) are about 2% lower than equivalent costs in Norwich, about 3% lower than Luton and about 6% lower than Canterbury.
(Source: Numbeo)
Image Credit
Nights Out
There is a modest nightlife in Colchester, largely because of the fact that the university is on the edge of town and has a lot of its own clubs and bars on the campus that offer popular nights for students. Those willing to venture into Colchester town centre will find a selection of clubs and bars, including student favourite nightclub ATIK and Three Wise Monkeys, a gin bar and tap house. There’s an Odeon cinema and a couple of theatres too. The Mercury is the bigger one, drawing tours, bands and popular comedians, while the Headgate Theatre is a bit more intimate. Creative Arts Live at the Colchester Institute hosts live gigs from across the performing arts, so their yearly line-up can include anything from classical music to rock, opera and musicals.
Public Transport
Buses run from campus to town every 15 minutes and there’s also a 20-minute bus that goes to the train station. Don’t miss the opportunity to get cheap bus tickets by buying a discounted annual season ticket offered by First Buses Essex. There are frequent trains from Colchester to London Liverpool Street which takes just under an hour. National Express coaches run from the campus to destinations all around the country, that include London and major airports too.
Eating Out
Image Credit
Image Credit
North Hill Noodle Bar is in the centre of town and offers Pan Asian cuisine. The Noodle Bar restaurant has a tasty range of dishes on their menu from Pad Thai to Sweet & Sour Chicken. Either sit in their relaxed restaurant or you can grab a take away.
Image Credit
As a student studying at the Colchester Campus, you really won’t go hungry, thanks to a selection of 17 cafes, restaurants and food outlets on campus. Whether you feel like falafel, burger, salad or curry, you will be sure to find it here!
.jpg)
Image Credit
Shopping
There’s easily enough shopping to get you by. The Lion Walk and Culver Square centres are the hotspots, with forty big names shops under one roof. The surrounding high street area between Southway and Castle Park is where you’ll find the rest of the shops, including a market along Culvert Street at the end of the week. If you are looking for a bigger selection of shops, both Stratford or Chelmsford are great shopping destinations that are just a train ride away.
Days Out
Image Credit
Colchester Zoo is a really good zoo. So good, in fact, it is one of the country’s top two zoos. They have 260 species of animals from all around the globe in over 60 acres of parkland. Everyone should visit at least once!
Image Credit
As England’s oldest recorded town, the castle is a treasured heritage site dating back to when Colchester was the Roman capital city of Britain. As well as viewing the castle, you can take a tour of the Roman vaults beneath the building. When you are done with all the history, enjoy a picnic in the gorgeous surrounding park.
Image Credit
London is an easy and fun way to spend a day out when you need a break from your studies. In just over an hour, the train will take you straight into London Liverpool Street which makes it very easy to explore trendy East London or bustling Central London.
Image Credit
Beach
Your nearest good beach is in Southwold. It is famous for its soft golden sand and is about 90 minutes away by car. If you’re not so fussy and have less time, you could head to the busy seaside town of Clacton-on-Sea or the more isolated Mersea Island.
Top 10 Colchester Accommodation
Read Colchester Reviews
Colchester is qui...
Colchester is quite expensive in comparison to other cities read more
Not much to do he...
Not much to do here for student accept for what’s on at uni read more
Nice town with lo...
Nice town with loads to do near by my accommodation read more
Don’t really vent...
Don’t really venture out into Colchester so don’t know. read more
Cost of living in...
Cost of living in colchester can be steep, especially when you want to be social with your uni friends. As a mature student, I havent really done the nightlife, but I do like a pub! There are some great pubs in Colchester and surrounding areas. read more
Its a quiet town...
Its a quiet town with not many great places but it's peaceful. read more
It’s a good town...
It’s a good town and I feel safe read more
Perfect for a uni...
Perfect for a university town but night life is quite restricted read more
Lovely area, grew...
Lovely area, grew up here, not much to do though! read more
I dont like stayi...
I dont like staying in colchester, a very boring city read more
The town is reall...
The town is really good , they have a mix of everything the only thing is to time your journeys according. So that the transport aligns with the outing. read more
Yeah it’s ok but...
Yeah it’s ok but quiet here Chinese store is good read more
Its alright, Quit...
Its alright, Quite easy to get around and lots of bits in the area read more
Colchester is goo...
Colchester is good, can be quite expensive but a decent range of shops and a constantly developing infrastructure. The nightlife is always busy and there are some hidden gem clubs to go to. read more
great city many o...
great city many opportunities really nice and safe read more
There are a good...
There are a good volume of shops, but some areas are a bit run down read more
Good over all, pe...
Good over all, people is nice. More shops would be nice read more
The most student...
The most student town I've come across. Very perfect for student life read more
Colchester is a q...
Colchester is a quieter town compared to others but can still have a great town read more
It’s alright not...
It’s alright not many party places but then I’m not a party person so can’t say, it’s not the most exciting place but it will do read more
Colchester is nic...
Colchester is nice, it hear the basic needs. Nothing too exciting but readily I have seen changes within and I’m excited to see what it brings. Buses are not too bad and the trains are pretty descent. read more
Great town lots t...
Great town lots to do good resteraunts and bars and shops. Well equipped for travelling with buses and train stations clean friendly read more
Lots of restauran...
Lots of restaurants to choose from. Lots of activities and beautiful places to visit. read more
Transport isn’t t...
Transport isn’t the best and needs to open up more stores read more
No Uber here so t...
No Uber here so try not to be out past 1am or you’ll be stranded. read more
Simple old town,...
Simple old town, good place to live, all facilities available for students read more
Not much going on...
Not much going on in Colchester read more
Great town for st...
Great town for students - amazing environment and ton of things to keep you engaging !!! read more
Beautiful place...
Beautiful place Overall was good read more
There's a superma...
There's a supermarket and a Chinese restaurant downstairs, so it's generally convenient, a little more convenient than other apartments. read more
it is a great cit...
it is a great city！soooo good！Everyone here are nice！sometime when i need help，they might spare no effort to help me！ read more
It's a nice town...
It's a nice town to live in. It's peaceful. It's a nice place to live read more
Buses don’t run v...
Buses don’t run very regularly read more
Totally satisfied...
Totally satisfied with the place and accommodations read more
I love Colchester...
I love Colchester Essex! I love Colchester Essex! I love Colchester Essex! I love Colchester Essex! read more
It is an old city...
It is an old city, but it has no landmarks, only Colchester Castle to visit. The whole town has a population of about 100,000, which is relatively safe compared to the big cities. read more
A great small cit...
A great small city for students: night life is amazing, town center has a lot to offer, the only issue I would talk about would be the cleanliness. read more
This city gives m...
This city gives me a good life experience, a city with a sense of age. It has a castle and other nice views. The city facilities are perfect, except for the lack of big shopping malls. Sometimes the bus time is very inaccurate, can make me wait for a long time. But the whole city is really nice and I like it very much. read more
Quite expensive c...
Quite expensive city for its size, with not many entertainment. read more
There are loads o...
There are loads of restaurants in town serving different types of dish so you will never get bored with it. Buses are mostly on time read more
A small town full...
A small town full of happy and friendly residents read more
Good places for s...
Good places for shoping and eating also. Peaceful envoirnment. read more
Buses need to be...
Buses need to be run later than just the minimum read more
Expensive but a g...
Expensive but a great place to live overall read more
It’s okay, I mean...
It’s okay, I mean it’s a quiet town so you get what you expect read more
A fairly expensiv...
A fairly expensive place to live, but the nightlife is ok and there is a decent transport link to London. read more
The bus passes ar...
The bus passes are too expensive read more
honestly once you...
honestly once youre used to city life its hard to live in colchester read more
Pretty expensive...
Pretty expensive to live here. I like it though read more
Very easy to do y...
Very easy to do you shopping and manage read more
Quite well, some...
Quite well, some streets are a little bit untidy. read more
Location is what...
Location is what it is, could be far better! read more
The scenery is re...
The scenery is really great, and the cultural environment is comfortable and relaxing, I can experience different life here read more
A good place to l...
A good place to live, but transport can be unreliable. read more
It's a nice city...
It's a nice city although it is small but it is beautiful and with everything you need read more
Just moved here a...
Just moved here and im loving it!! read more
Towns really nice...
Towns really nice wish was hotter read more
it is a cool plac...
it is a cool place to live with lots of historical and natural viewpoints of interest read more
Car is needed for...
Car is needed for ease of transport as there would be a bit of walking, but a nice town/city area read more
Town has everythi...
Town has everything need for students but transport is limited read more
A beautiful and q...
A beautiful and quiet city with an education orientation read more
I think that Colc...
I think that Colchester is a great place to live, with plenty to do in the town. read more
Colchester is a l...
Colchester is a little town but there’s so much to do here. Honestly love love this town. read more
Whilst Colchester...
Whilst Colchester is small, there are so many things to do and perfect for student living. read more
A decent place to...
A decent place to live. There is good access to most services and amenities available. The range of shops and restaurants is adequate but could be improved. There aren’t many options for going out, but there are a good few. The public bus service is pretty good and reliable, however it isn’t the best compared to other areas I have lived in/visited within the UK. read more
The city is beaut...
The city is beautiful, has many shops. The center has many attractions and beautiful nature. read more
Colchester isn't...
Colchester isn't a town made for students rather there is actually a conflict here between student and resident population where I find can he quite unsettling studying with people talk behind your back. I especially had this when studying in the library at town or, shopping. You can find more even looking at the local news agency where people are make comments that students are ruining the town. It could be true but the council and university needs to work on improving local community outlook. Other than that the shopping is okay but limited amount of shops but primarily a night out on campus is better with dating out being one of Colchesters best assets. read more
I guess my city i...
I guess my city is ok. At least is not expensive read more
a very good stude...
a very good student life gives room to manoever. read more
Colchester is meh...
Colchester is meh, you can get to London quick which is a plus side read more
Get the bus pass...
Get the bus pass if you live quite far from campus. Buses can be late sometimes/not come at all. Not much to do in town but honestly depends on the company you keep. Uni club is fun to go with friends read more
FIRST BUS IS DOGS...
FIRST BUS IS DOGSHITE, i couldn’t name a worse bus service in the country. Very good links to london with 40 mins to Stratford and 50 mins to LST on the high speed service. read more
Honestly, not muc...
Honestly, not much to do in town. It is very quiet and peaceful though (obviously some crime but it's nice to be away from the city) read more
Not much to do in...
Not much to do in this small town. However, if you find the right group of friends, it'll be all worth it read more
Cost of living is...
Cost of living is expensive for students regarding the quality of living offered read more
Very good town, l...
Very good town, lacks on nightlife and activities read more
Colchester is onl...
Colchester is only 40 minutes by train to London and has everything a town needs. read more
Small but great p...
Small but great place to live for few years read more
Public transport...
Public transport is so unreliable. There’s barely anywhere to eat or shop. There are places, but being from London it’s very basic read more
Colchester is lov...
Colchester is lovely and historic with plenty of places to eat and do read more
Other than busses...
Other than busses and not having the quality you get in other places for shopping , it’s a nice place to live read more
Colchester is not...
Colchester is not the best town to live but can be interesting at times. Cheap place. read more
Colchester is suc...
Colchester is such a great town to be in so many parks and outdoor places to visit. read more
need more buses a...
need more buses and better nightlife read more
It’s not massivel...
It’s not massively expensive in Colchester. There are lots of restaurants (wagamamas, turtle bay, Taco Bell, etc), but not fantastic for nights out. ATIK is fun when you’re a fresher but soon gets boring. Sub zero on campus is pretty good and very convenient. Buses are very unreliable, Normally late. read more
The city is small...
The city is small and there are not so many things that you can do there. read more
Colchester has ev...
Colchester has everything I need read more
I like Colchester...
I like Colchester, like any big town it can be robust at night. read more
Good busy town wi...
Good busy town with good amenities and nightlife read more
I've lived in Col...
I've lived in Colchester my whole life and there was a time when Colchester was a nice place. Colchester sucks. The living costs beyond student accommodation are very steep and a lot of lettings agents are highly extortionate and cruel. Really really read those contracts, folks. There are a lot of nice places to eat though and Colchester Castle, as well as the Hollytrees Museum are great attractions. Nights out are vulgar and disgusting, partially thanks to the kinds of people the clubs in Colchester attract. If you want to see some jumped up angry guys smack each other and walk on sticky vomit laden floor, a night out in Colchester is for you. Shopping is fine, there's some nice shops. Public transport...no, just, no...First Bus arrives whenever it wants but they put schedules up anyway. Abellio Greater Anglia usually have rail replacement on Weekends but that won't stop them from charging you full rate. read more
This city is very...
This city is very basic. Nothing much to do. You will get bored and depressed easily and very quick. read more
Colchester is a b...
Colchester is a big town and there are some nice sides. read more
It is a very quie...
It is a very quiet place, but the nightlife is awesome University also does a lot of fun events read more
Popular town with...
Popular town with lots of shops, restaurants, pubs and clubs. Always plenty to do and lots to see read more
needs more buses...
needs more buses and routes to town. Town centre not that great for night life read more
Love colchester a...
Love colchester and love how friendly the people are around here! read more
Loads of things t...
Loads of things to do, nightclubs, swimming, golf, bowling, cinema, sports, travel to London or the beach. read more
cute small town,...
cute small town, not the best option as a city if you looking for fun read more
Southend is a chi...
Southend is a chill city to study, but not very attractive for artistic people. read more
Worst public tran...
Worst public transport in the history of the world . At least there’s wagas and Nando’s to eat in town but good luck trying to find a bus on time after 7pm. Very very expensive cost of living: public transport, food, drinks, it might as well be called London 2.0. Castle park in town closes by 5pm, and anytime after that is when the homeless and crazy people come at u begging or screaming and u fear for ur life. Town is very dangerous, full of acid attacks, people with knives, fights happening all the time, drug deals, homeless people. Nothing nice to actually see in Colchester , it’s just a dead boring town read more
Why even bother w...
Why even bother with this s*** town? sure the university is good, Do not bother commuting for university though, this town knows how to test your patience by putting roadworks on the same roundabout for over a year now...like wtf?? what's taking so long? the town went from being slow to unbearable. the traffic is no joke. Avoid where you can, and to be honest, everything is expensive compared to other towns, violence has started to rise as well. read more
Could so with mor...
Could so with more eating spots & shops near the accommodations read more
Trains don't run...
Trains don't run past 12, taxis aren't cheap and food isn't the cheapest but there is a nice place to shop read more
Colchester does n...
Colchester does not cater well to students. There is very little nightlife or activities for students to get involved in. I felt that accommodation off campus was either affordable and dismal or anything worth living in was overpriced. It is certainly not the safest town to live in. Can be difficult to live in if you are used to a big, lively city. read more
Colchester is you...
Colchester is your average larger town really. There's enough shops to go wander around, there's enough variety of choice for quality food and it's easy to get there in 15 minutes from campus via bus. The nights out are okay, not the best, in town, but there is a club and enough to do on campus in the evenings anyway so it's not really a worry. read more
First buses can b...
First buses can be annoying but so can buses everywhere. Just wish there was a Primark! read more
Plenty of high st...
Plenty of high street restaurants, and most high street stores, however if you want a big shopping day best to go to Stratford or Chelmsford as Colchester is not massive. read more
Great buses into...
Great buses into the town centre every 10 minutes. Colchester has a variety of shops however there aren't many for people shopping for clothes on a budget. It has all the other essential though. read more
colchester is ok,...
colchester is ok, there are some interesting things to do, but there is no need to leave campus as everything you will find is available here. read more
Colchester is a l...
Colchester is a lovely town- lots of shops and places to eat out. Really lovely parks. Not to far away from the uni either, just a short bus ride away. Nightlife is decent- we mainly stuck to the nightlife on campus though! read more
Regular transport...
Regular transport (every 10 minutes) between the campus, the town centre and local railways stations (three in total - the closest is a 20 minute walk away). London is a 50 minute train journey away. Shopping is good, with a huge selection of shops, including national brands/stores and more unique shops. There is a huge selection of places to eat, from the fast and cheap, to the higher quality and slightly more expensive meals. There are several clubs and many bars, with drinks being cheap on certain nights (although, they are not too expensive anyway). The buses don't run really late unfortunately, but taxis are relatively cheap and you could even walk (the town centre is about a 15-30 minute walk away). Tesco is a 10 minute walk away, which is the cheapest place to buy groceries and food (it's not too expensive - no more expensive than anywhere else). For a few bits, there is a shop on campus! read more
Regular transport...
Regular transport (every 10 minutes) between the campus, the town centre and local railways stations (three in total - the closest is a 20 minute walk away). London is a 50 minute train journey away. Shopping is good, with a huge selection of shops, including national brands/stores and more unique shops. There is a huge selection of places to eat, from the fast and cheap, to the higher quality and slightly more expensive meals. There are several clubs and many bars, with drinks being cheap on certain nights (although, they are not too expensive anyway). The buses don't run really late unfortunately, but taxis are relatively cheap and you could even walk (the town centre is about a 15-30 minute walk away). Tesco is a 10 minute walk away, which is the cheapest place to buy groceries and food (it's not too expensive - no more expensive than anywhere else). For a few bits, there is a bar on campus! read more
Everyone looks li...
Everyone looks like they are from Jeremy Kyle, and behaves in a similar way. read more
town not far from...
town not far from uni and has everything you need ranging from retail shops to restaurants to clubs read more
Yeah it's a prett...
Yeah it's a pretty nice town :) read more
Colchester has a...
Colchester has a good-sized high street with a variety of shops, restaurants and activities. However, students will likely use Tesco, Waitrose and Aldi, as they are close to campus - the campus is closer to Wivenhoe than to middle of Colchester. read more
Super cheap. Not...
Super cheap. Not a lot of shops / 'big' nightlife, but it's easy to get to london and we have other things... zoo, rollerworld... read more
Enough that you'd...
Enough that you'd need but not superb. Less than an hour from London for anything more you could want. read more
All the typical s...
All the typical shops and restaurants are easily accessible from the Town railway station Easy access to London via train read more
Cons?
Relatively high crime levels at night