Win Free Accommodation for a Year!

Accommodation Essex is excited to announce the return of our Win Free Accommodation competition for the 2025-2026 academic year! This is your chance to live rent-free in our student accommodation for a full academic year.

How to Enter

• Apply for your 2025-2026 student accommodation with us.
• On your application you’ll have the option to enter the competition.
• The competition is open to new and returning students.

Entries close at midnight on Wednesday 01 October 2025, and the lucky winner will be announced 22 October 2025.

What You Could Win

The prize covers the equivalent cost of a single en suite room in South Courts for a full academic year—valued at over £7,700! If the winner stays in another university accommodation, an equivalent discount will be applied.

Inspiring Stories from This Year’s Winners

Last year, Karah, a first-year student, shared how winning free accommodation transformed her university experience: "This opportunity has alleviated financial concerns and allowed me to focus fully on my studies. I’m so grateful for this support—it has truly made a difference!"

Mark, a returning student, echoed similar gratitude: "Winning this competition helped me feel even more at home on campus, letting me continue my studies without added stress."

Their stories highlight how this initiative empowers students to thrive academically and socially.

Why You Should Apply

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to reduce your financial stress while enjoying our vibrant on-campus living experience. Whether you’re studying in Colchester or Southend, this competition is your chance to make university life a little easier.

Got questions?

Contact us at askthehub@essex.ac.uk or call 01206 87 4000. For more information and detailed Terms & Conditions, visit our accommodation webpages.

Terms and Conditions

The University of Essex, ‘Win Free Accommodation’ competition is being held by University of Essex Campus Services (UECS).

The competition is open to those who are studying at the University of Essex, starting the academic year in October 2025. This is not open to students studying with the University of Essex International College, South Essex College, or Students studying with Essex Online.

If a student has outstanding debt to the University, they will be excluded from the prize draw.

The competition opens on Tuesday 19th November 2024. The competition will close at midnight GMT on Wednesday 1st October 2025. Any entries received after this date will not be eligible for a prize.

The prize may only be redeemed by students who have a tenancy agreement for a university-owned or administered room on a full academic year contract.

The prize value is the equivalent 2025/26 rent cost associated with staying in a South Courts - single ensuite room on a 39-week tenancy to the sum of £7,717.71. If the winner is not staying in South Courts, but still in university-owned or administered accommodation, £7,717.71 will be discounted from the alternative accommodation. No cash value will be given should the winner choose to stay in an alternative less than £7,717.71.

Winners will be chosen at the discretion of UECS. The winner will be notified via email after an announcement on Wednesday 22nd October 2025.

The winner will be requested to take part in any prize promotional activity and UECS reserves the right to use the name and location of the winner, their photograph, audio and/or visual recording of them in relation to any competition publicity or for UECS marketing purposes. By entering this competition, you agree that if awarded the prize you will co-operate with all reasonable publicity purposes if so requested. The prize may be withdrawn if the winner does not participate in these promotions.

This prize is non-transferable and may only be redeemed by the winner selected by UECS.

UECS’s decision will be final and binding, and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into regarding the conduct or outcome of the competition.

The winner will not be eligible to claim any other University of Essex discount or incentive towards their accommodation.

UECS’s reserves the right in its reasonable discretion:

• To disqualify any competitor whose conduct is in breach of the Rules or contrary to the spirit of the Rules or the intention of the competition.
• To declare any entries void.

By entering this competition, you agree that UECS shall have no liability for any printing, production and/or distribution errors (including but not limited to any errors in UoE, this website or any printed materials) or where there have been any errors in any aspect of the preparation for or conduct of the competition materially affecting the result of the competition.

Subject to Condition 7 above, any personal data submitted by you in your entry to this competition will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and UoE's privacy policy.

UECS reserves the right to amend or waive any of these Rules or cancel the competition at any time.

No refund will be given if the prize winner withdraws from the University or cancels their accommodation contract, or if the University enforces eviction proceedings under their rights as outlined within the tenancy agreement.

Entry to the competition confirms your acceptance of these rules.

Queries relating to the competition should be emailed to askthehub@essex.ac.uk.