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International students

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We are Essex

Here at Essex we welcome students from more than 140 countries to our campuses with open arms. Over a third of our student population are from outside of the UK so you’ll feel right at home.

Entry requirements

Undergraduate

Ghana 

Previous university/college study or a foundation degree is required in addition to local high school qualifications for our Undergraduate Bachelor degree courses.

We accept a number of international qualifications, including the International Baccalaureate with the majority of our courses requiring a grade between 29 - 32, or the SAT with the majority of our courses requiring a minimum of 1100 out of 1600 with 550 in each test.

Some courses have higher entry requirements as well as other admissions criteria. Please see individual courses for more information or email our admissions team  admit@essex.ac.uk.

We also offer a range of Foundation Programmes which can lead to entry to our undergraduate degrees, please visit University of Essex International College for further information.

Kenya

Previous university/college study is required in addition to local high school qualifications for our Undergraduate Bachelor degree courses.

We accept a number of other international qualifications and international foundation year programmes.

Please see individual courses for more information or email our admissions team admit@essex.ac.uk. 

We also offer a range of Foundation Programmes which can lead to entry to our undergraduate degrees, please visit University of Essex International College for further information.

Nigeria 

Previous university/college study is required in addition to local high school qualifications for our Undergraduate Bachelor degree courses.

We accept a number of other international qualifications and international foundation year programmes.

We also offer a range of Foundation Programmes which can lead to entry to our undergraduate degrees, please visit University of Essex International College for further information.

We accept C6 in WAEC West African Senior School Certificate Examination or NECO English to meet our English language requirements.

Some courses have higher entry requirements as well as other admissions criteria. Please see individual courses for more information or email our admissions team admit@essex.ac.uk. 

Postgraduate Taught (Masters)

Ghana

Many of our Postgraduate Taught Masters will consider applicants with a 2:2 or CGPA 2.75/4 or above from Bachelor degree. Some courses and departments have higher entry requirements as well as other admissions criteria. Please see individual courses for more information or email our admissions team pgadmit@essex.ac.uk.

We also have a range of Foundation Programmes available if you do not meet these grades. Please visit University of Essex International College for further information.

Kenya

Many of our Postgraduate Taught Masters will consider applicants with 2:2 or 2.5/5 or 2.0/4 or above from Bachelor degree. Some courses and departments have higher entry requirements as well as other admissions criteria. Please see individual courses for more information or email our admissions team at pgadmit@essex.ac.uk.

We also have a range of Foundation Programmes available through our partner Kaplan International Colleges if you do not meet these grades. Please visit University of Essex International College for further information.

Nigeria

Many of our Postgraduate Taught Masters will consider applicants with 2:2 or 2.5/5 or 2.0/4 or above from Bachelor degree. Some courses and departments have higher entry requirements as well as other admissions criteria. Please see individual courses for more information or email our admissions team at pgadmit@essex.ac.uk.

We also have a range of Foundation Programmes available through our partner Kaplan International Colleges if you do not meet these grades. Please visit University of Essex International College for further information.

Postgraduate Research

For entry to Research degrees, please refer to the entry requirements for the degree that you are interested in. 

An undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK 2:2 (see the grade information above), and a master's degree with a good grade is required for most PhD programmes, in addition to a well-developed research proposal in a field in which we can offer supervision. Please have a read through our information for research degree applicants and check the course details for your chosen programme for further information about entry criteria.

Scholarships and funding


Our Essex Global Talent Scholarship, worth 50% of the first year tuition fee, is available for international undergraduate or master’s students.

Our International Baccalaureate Excellence Scholarship offers £2,000 scholarships to students who start at Essex in 2025-2026 and achieve academic excellence in their International Baccalaureate.  

Our Africa Regional Scholarship offers up to £4,000 scholarships to undergraduate students from member states of the African Union. Please visit the link for further details about deadlines and eligibility.

Our Africa Postgraduate Scholarship offers up to £4,500 scholarships to undergraduate students from member states of the African Union. Please visit the link for further details about deadlines and eligibility.

Visit our Scholarships pages for information about other funding opportunities. 

Our student societies

We’ve got over 100 clubs and societies at Essex, including our friendly African Caribbean society. It promotes diversity, sharing, and celebrating the vibrant African and Caribbean culture. Its goals include welcoming people from diverse backgrounds, showcasing the culture through various activities like music, sports, food, and art, collaborating with other societies for mutual growth, engaging with the local Essex community, and expanding event sizes by partnering with neighboring societies.

Explore the African Caribbean society

Ghanaian society

The Ghanaian society is dedicated to celebrating and promoting Ghana’s rich culture, fostering unity among young Ghanaians and the wider community. Our mission is to educate others about Ghana’s traditions, elevate and support Ghanaian achievements, and inspire progress for both the diaspora and our homeland.

Explore the Ghanaian society

Nigerian society

If you're particularly interested in Nigerian culture, the Intercontinental Nigerian society is a vibrant student community that celebrates Nigerian heritage while embracing diversity from across Africa and beyond.

Explore the Nigerian society

Meet us in Africa 

We have an office in Lagos, and will be happy to help with any questions about applying to Essex. 

Our office address is:

2nd floor, 77 Awolowo Road

Ikoyi

Lagos

Office hours: 10 am - 4 pm, Monday to Friday

Tel: +234-1-08034086809

Email: arinze@essex.ac.uk

Please don't hesitate to contact your region contact Arinze with the details above if you have a any questions.

If you are a parent or a guardian of a student interested in joining us at Essex, we've got a dedicated page for you full of useful information. You are also more than welcome to get in touch with our Nigeria office to ask anything about studying at Essex.

Employability at Essex

 


Find out more about Essex Startups.

We also have information available on our other careers and employability services, and the Graduate Immigration Route, which offers the opportunity for new international graduates to remain in the UK to work, or look for work, for two years after completing their course.

Hear from our African students and chat to a current student

Read about Ghanaian graduate Abena Prempah's experience studying LLB Law, and how volunteering and an internship in Ghana have encouraged her to pursue law further upon graduating in 2020.

The experience of attending Essex Law School was quite memorable. Both the educational staff and the career team provided me with exceptional resources and support. I was able to adjust to the welcoming atmosphere of the school and make lifelong friends.
Omodunni Aderibigbe, Nigeria LLB LAW
Gbubemi from Nigeria
I remember thinking my course would be more academic than practical but it’s been a good balance of both. All my lecturers have real world experience outside of academia, and learning typically involves case studies, group work, and presentations, together with lecture sessions. The level of non-academic support is amazing. The greatest benefit of my Essex experience has been gaining international exposure from learning in a multicultural environment whilst making lifelong connections from all around the world!
Gbubemi, Nigeria Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Alumna Ugonnaya Igwilo from Nigeria
Ugonnaya Igwilo was named Social Impact Award winner for Sub-Saharan Africa in the British Council Alumni Awards for her work supporting public health campaigns against Ebola and AIDS. Ugonnaya said her studies at Essex helped her develop all the skills vital to work in high pressure situations.“The unique practical learning experience from Essex tweaked my way of thinking, addressing challenges and improved my communication skills.”During her time as a student at Essex, Ugonnaya served as the student representative for her class, joined the United Nations Model Society and the Human Rights Society.She said: “Being a member of the Human Rights Society at Essex built on my knowledge base and changed my perception of my role as a public health physician.“This was a guiding principle for my volunteerism, community outreach planning and implementation and my health service delivery.”Ugonnaya is currently undergoing a six-year residency training program at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria as a Senior Registrar and works in a clinic providing maternal and child health services to over 10,000 patients a year.
Ugonnaya Igwilo, Nigeria Masters in public health, 2003
Find out more about Ugonnaya's inspirational work and learn about our MSc Global Public Health course.
Victoria Kayode
I studied Financial Economics and Accounting for my undergraduate and stayed on for my MSc at Essex. I always heard of Essex Startups but didn't become an active participant until the year of my MSc and haven't looked back since. During my MSc through Essex Startups I was able to attend bootcamps and meet with students outside of the university with similar entrepreneurial interests. This has helped me in my current place of work and I gained transferable skills that I've been able to apply in my own business planning. I love that the Essex Startups team don't work in a one size fits all setup, but help each student individually, maximising the potential of our strengths and improving on weaknesses. They make business planning easier with their thorough guidance, whilst giving room for utmost creativity and letting you be and feel in charge of your ideas and your business at large. They also help utilise other university facilities and events, especially in the areas of funding for business. They set up extremely helpful and practical bootcamps and events that leave you feeling challenged and ready to soar. Essex Startups is a true backbone for any student and graduate entrepreneur. 
Victoria Kayode, Nigeria BA FINANCIAL ECONOMICS AND ACCOUNTING, MSC ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION (2018)
When I thought of undertaking postgraduate studies in human rights, almost every programme I came across was located within the faculty of law. What I was looking for was a programme that would take a multidisciplinary approach. I was clearly aware of the limitations of a narrow, single-discipline approach to human rights. I did not know such a programme existed anywhere in the world until I came across the human rights programme at the University of Essex.  
Mutuma Ruteere, Kenya MA Theory and practice of human rights, former special rappourteur at un human rights council
Two students talking in the SU Bar at our Southend Campus
Chat with our students and staff

Fancy discovering what student life at Essex is like? Want to learn more about our international community? Come and talk to some of our students and staff online to get answers to all of your questions.

Chat with us
Get in touch
Arinze Odiari Sub-Saharan Africa country contact
Contact hours 10 am - 4 pm (West Africa time)
Telephone: +234-1-08034086809
English Support Classes
We offer free classes to help you develop your English language and academic skills. We also offer free English classes to the dependants of international students and staff through our ECDIS programme.
Immigration
We support our international students and applicants with guidance and advice throughout the immigration and visa process. Start your journey by reading our immigration pages.
New International students
Find out all you need to know about life at Essex. Our friendly academic and support staff are here for you throughout your studies. Welcome to Essex.
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