Colchester - Location Reviews - StudentCrowd

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.

By member1253130 On 14th December 20

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.

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.

Find out more

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.

Find out more

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.

Find out more

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)

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

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

Colchester Zoo

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!

Colchester Castle and Park

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.

London

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.

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

4.25 /5

(78 reviews)

The Maltings 4.25 /5

it is so great！The supervisor is so nice！What is more，they will help us clean the kitchen once a month！Everytime we have some problems，the staff can h...

4 /5

(31 reviews)

The Meadows 4 /5

I meet wonderful people in my first-year accommodation as it is social space allowing lots of opportunities to talk with your neighbours...

3.97 /5

(48 reviews)

South Towers 3.97 /5

Best place to live and make friends...

3.88 /5

(45 reviews)

Hythe Mills 3.88 /5

Great flat, the front desk staff were particularly friendly and they helped me a lot, the flat The flat is modernly decorated....

3.73 /5

(27 reviews)

University Quays 3.73 /5

I'm a third year student, the accommodation is great, sound furniture, everything you need in a decent size room. Room is ensuite, the bathroom is a d...

3.72 /5

(10 reviews)

The Houses 3.72 /5

I used to live there as an international student during my freshers year - it was an amazing experience ! For someone who came from far away, it was p...

3.67 /5

(75 reviews)

South Courts 3.67 /5

Very comfortable space, friendly flatmates and good service...

3.67 /5

(15 reviews)

University Square 3.67 /5

in 1979 we had avon way and the towers and they were comfortable heating during winter, south end seems latest in architecture and psychology which wi...

Study in Colchester? Review your town

Read Colchester Reviews

member886085

12th May 2023

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