Our aim is to make sure that all University of Essex accommodation is welcoming, and inclusive place for everyone.
Find out more about the accommodation options available.
We want to make your stay with us as comfortable as possible, especially as for most of you it will be the first time you have lived away from home and the people you know. So to help make this a little easier, when you apply for your accommodation you will have the option of selecting a single gender flat. This means that you will share the flat with only students of the same gender. If you opt to live in a single-gender flat, you should be aware of the following:
Important: We have a very limited number of single-gender flats available, so although we will of course do our very best to accommodate your request, we would not be able to guarantee an offer of this type of accommodation.
Each year, the University sets aside a number of full flats for new mature undergraduate students, in several of the halls offered to new students, based on the number of students interested in this type of accommodation. Students who request to live in one of these flats will, therefore, not have to share a living space with new undergraduate students, who are coming to the University directly from school or college.
In this context 'mature' means students who are at least 21 years old, when they first enrol at the University.
Important: This type of accommodation is limited and is not guaranteed.
We support our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender plus community members, including those who may define themselves as queer, intersex, asexual, demisexual, non-binary, gender fluid, pansexual, polyamorous, questioning and others. This includes having the option to choose LGBTQ+ accommodation.
From the 2023-2024 academic year, we will be offering students the option of selecting LGBTQ+ accommodation when applying to live with us. This is because some students may find it helpful to be living in accommodation specifically for LGBTQ+ students, to be with people who may have shared life experiences.
No, it is intended that this accommodation is exclusively for those who identify as LGBTQ+. This offers our residents a place of peer support where they can use their shared experiences to help create an inclusive and positive environment.
Our LGBTQ+ accommodation provision is open to people of all genders. You can select the option regardless of your gender identity and can expect to live with other students of other gender identities. If you wish to live in single-gender accommodation, please select that option when applying, rather than LGBTQ+.
We wanted to create exciting living and learning communities on our campuses, that are designed to provide you with a unique opportunity to live with like-minded individuals and engage in academic and personal development under a shared topic.
These communities are supported by experienced professionals, that will guide and support your journey here at Essex, ensuring you get the most out of your time here with us:
You are able to select one of these as an option when you apply for accommodation, so do check out the information, so you don't miss out on this exciting opportunity.
We have a variety of shared and self-contained accommodation which is suitable for single or double occupancy, which includes twin rooms, double rooms, as well as self-contained apartments and studios.
We cannot guarantee shared or self-contained accommodation for first-year students but we will do our very best to help. Just make sure you get in touch as early as you can, if you think you need to chat any of this through with us.