Uni of Essex to close Southend campus after drop in international enrolments

International student numbers at the site have fallen by 52% since 2021/22, the university said in a statement.

Approximately 800 students currently enrolled at Southend are expected to transfer to Essex’s Colchester campus from September 2026. 

The university said the decision was taken after “reviewing all reasonable alternatives”, but concluded that concentrating resources on fewer campuses was necessary to address mounting financial pressures that have affected the UK higher education sector. 

As part of the restructuring, the university said that it will begin a phased redundancy programme, with the number of academic posts set to fall by around 200 this academic year, and a further reduction of 200 professional service roles over the next two years.

By concentrating teaching, research and student services on their Colchester and Loughton campuses, where student numbers are higher, the educational institution will be able to better respond to the rising costs and falling enrolment levels, it said. 

According to HESA data, the university enrolled 5,905 international students in 2021/22 across all campuses, before numbers began to fall at the Southend site.

A University of Essex spokesperson said: “Essex will continue as an internationally recognised UK degree awarding body and there is no intention to step back from partnership or transnational education provision.”

Essex will continue as an internationally recognised UK degree awarding body and there is no intention to step back from partnership or transnational education provisionSpokesperson, University of Essex

Tuition fee income has overtaken traditional government funding for many education providers, with institutions depending heavily on overseas fees to subsidise teaching and research. 

Last month, the government unveiled plans for a flat £925-per-international-student levy from 2028. Under the proposed levy, which will apply to England only from 2028, each institution will receive an allowance covering their first 220 students each year.

The government projects that once introduced, the levy could raise £480 million in its third year.

However, the plans could result in a net income loss of £330 million for the higher-education sector annually from English universities in the same year.

Combined with falling international recruitment, the levy could force more English universities like the University of Essex to scale back provision or merge departments in order to remain financially viable.