Personal Development postgraduate degrees in Central England

I find my university a great place to study because they have so much systems in place to help and support students through university life. So far I can’t find any fault because I have access to so much learning materials and support with wellbeing.

Best - so much engagement, I love how accessible sport is but there’s also so much going on! The student newsletters are useful and they update ongoing events on social media frequently. There’s lots of study spaces around campus as well!

As an Art History PhD student at the University of Essex, my experience has been very positive overall. The strongest aspect by far is the support from my School. There is dedicated funding for extra training (such as courses or summer schools) and for conferences, including attendance even if you’re not presenting. Over the course of the PhD, this covers travel, accommodation, and fees in the UK or abroad. I’ve also benefited from fieldwork funding and support for external academic events, which has been invaluable for my research. That said, there are some downsides. I’m not a big fan of the campus environment—the brutalist architecture feels more depressing than inspiring to me—and Colchester is quite quiet, although London being just an hour away helps a lot. I’m also not especially impressed by campus services, particularly the value for money in student housing and the limited affordable healthy food options. Overall, though, I’d rate my experience a strong 4+ out of 5. The academic support, funding opportunities, and supportive research culture more than make up for the negatives, and I feel taken seriously as an overseas student.