High Quality Teaching
Satisfied Students
Research Power
Global Leader
International Mix

Home Students

61%

International Students

39%

Total Students

18,780

Home

11,500

International

7,260

Established in 1964 and granted university status in 1965, this institution is one of the distinguished “plate glass” universities. The university was part of the modernisation of higher education in the 1960s. The name plate glass comes from the architectural style of the time.

In the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework, the university was awarded the second highest category, earning an overall Silver rating, plus Silver for Student Experience and Silver for Student Outcomes.

Teaching Excelence Framewok (TEF)

The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is a UK government assessment of how well universities deliver teaching, learning, and student outcomes. 

It helps you compare universities based on the quality of their teaching and student support and is widely used in rankings.

Overall Silver
Teaching Silver
Student Outcomes Silver

Global Rankings

Not all universities appear in every global ranking. Many rankings consider the TEF and the National Student Survey as key indicators of teaching quality and student satisfaction.

# 351–400
THE
2,000+ universities
# 456
QS
1,503 Universties
# 370
ARTU
Top 400 Globally
# 401-500
ARUW
1,000 Globally

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University of Essex Courses

National Student Survey Results 2025

The National Student Survey (NSS) is an annual UK-wide survey that collects final-year undergraduates’ feedback on the quality of their courses, covering teaching, learning resources, academic support, and overall satisfaction. Its large sample size, consistent methodology, and focus on student experience make it a trusted indicator for comparing universities.

University of Essex University Level Scores

University of Essex received positivity scores of 87.2% for teaching and 85.8% for learning. Click the tabs below to see detailed student survey results and an explanation of the scores.

Theme 1 of the UK’s National Student Survey asks final year students to rate the teaching they have experienced on their course. 

It asks students how clearly tutors explain ideas, how they bring the subject to life, and how well they inspire learning. It’s one of the best ways to gauge students’ direct experiences of teaching quality at the university.

NSS Theme 1: Teaching on my Course – University Score
Metric Value Explanation
Positivity measure 87.2% The percentage of students who answered “good” or “very good” to the questions in Theme 1 about the teaching they received.
Difference to Benchmark -0.3ppt The difference in percentage points between this provider’s score and the national benchmark for similar institutions. A positive or negative number here indicates the university’s performance against similar institutions.
Benchmark 87.5% The expected or average score for similar institutions and subjects, used as a point of comparison.
Response Distribution
Materially above benchmark 0% Proportion of responses where the score was significantly above the benchmark (typically 2 standard deviations or more). A large percentage here indicates above-average teaching satisfaction.
Broadly in line 99.9% Proportion of responses that were close to the benchmark and within expected variation.
Materially below benchmark 0.1% Proportion of responses where the score was below the benchmark.
Response rate 66.9% The percentage of eligible students who responded to the NSS questions in this theme.

Theme 2 of the UK’s National Student Survey asks final year students to reflect on the learning opportunities they have experienced during their course.

It covers how well the course has offered opportunities to explore ideas in depth, bring together information from different topics, and apply learning in new or practical ways. This theme gives prospective students a sense of how effectively a course supports exploring the subject matter intellectual growth. 

NSS Theme 2: Learning Opportunities – University Score
Metric Value Explanation
Positivity measure 85.8% The percentage of students who gave positive responses (e.g. “definitely” or “mostly agree”) to the learning opportunities questions in this theme.
Difference to Benchmark 0.9ppt The difference in percentage points between this provider’s score and the national benchmark for similar institutions.
Benchmark 84.8% The expected or average score for similar institutions and subjects, used as a point of comparison.
Response Distribution
Materially above benchmark 1.9% Proportion of responses where the score was significantly above the benchmark (typically 2 standard deviations or more).
Broadly in line 98.1% Proportion of responses that were close to the benchmark and within expected variation.
Materially below benchmark 0% Proportion of responses where the score was significantly below the benchmark.
Response rate 66.9% The percentage of eligible students who responded to the NSS questions in this theme.

Location

Colchester, East of England

Distance to London 69 Miles (111 KM)

Driving To London 1 hours 37 min

Public Transport To London 1 hours 1min

Nearest Airport London Staminted Airport (STN)

Miles to Nearest Airport 32.7