Mature students

What is a mature student?

A mature student is anyone who has taken time away from full-time education before coming to university. For undergraduates this counts as anyone aged 21 or over, for postgraduate this is from 25. Over a quarter of the Essex community of students are mature learners, so rest assured you’re far from alone.

What's it like as a mature student at Essex?

Whether you're 18 or 80 the Essex family welcomes you and it's really important to us that our mature students feel that warmth and welcome which is why we offer dedicated support and guidance for mature students.

You'll become a member of our Students' Union as standard when you join Essex, so why not really embrace your journey and join our Mature Students Community run by the SU? Their aim is to ensure you feel supported in the community, hosting social events throughout the year; a chance to get to know likeminded students.

How does Essex support mature learners?

The application process

The journey back into education will vary from student to student so we consider a range of qualifications including Access to HE Diplomas, A-levels, BTECs and practicing professional qualifications. We recognise that students come from a variety of backgrounds and value mature learners for more than just previous academic success which is why we also welcome those with non-traditional academic backgrounds. We consider your educational and employment history, along with your personal statement and reference so we gain a rounded, fair view of your suitability for the course and what you could bring to our learning community. If you can’t see your qualification above or you have any questions please contact our admissions team at admit@essex.ac.uk

We also offer foundation year options for many of our courses, run by our Essex Pathways Department. A foundation year is also known as Year 0 and helps prepare you with the necessary skills and knowledge to progress onto Year 1 of your main course.

Finances and accommodation

Funding a degree as a mature student isn’t easy, we get it. Perhaps you have a mortgage or rent to pay and a family to support. That’s why there are a range of ways you can fund your university education.

If this is your first time at university you may be eligible for a government-backed student loan to help fund your tuition fees. You can also browse our scholarship finder for opportunities for bursaries and scholarships applicable to you.

If you’re planning to live on campus we offer a range of accommodation options with either ensuite or shared bathroom facilities. We even offer mature student flats, specifically for our mature learners if you’d prefer not to live with younger students.

Commuting and childcare facilities

If you’re based at our Colchester Campus we have multiple car parks for students and staff. You can register for a parking permit which entitles you to heavily reduced daily parking fees, helping make the commute a little less stressful. Colchester Campus also has very good public transport connections with regular buses and links to the local train stations in Colchester and neighbouring Wivenhoe.

Also at our Colchester Campus is the Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery. Nestled between our North Towers accommodation and the Essex Business School, this on-site nursery offers high-quality educational indoor and outdoor activities to children aged 3 months – 5 years. If your children are a little older, our school holiday classes - CHUMS - run by Essex Sport offer a range of activities; sports, quiz teams, games and arts and crafts. CHUMS classes are split into three age groups; 5-7, 8-10 and 11-14 years, each with age appropriate activities.

If you’re at our Southend Campus you will find both of Southend’s train stations within easy walking distance to campus. Alternatively, there are various public car parks in Southend, with one directly underneath our University Square accommodation.

Chat with Juliet, a mature student currently studying Sociology...