University of Essex, England, United Kingdom - ISEP
The is based in the historic town of Colchester on one of England’s best parklands where you’ll feel right at home in the English countryside. The campus is set within beautiful parkland, located two miles from the historic town center of Colchester, England's oldest recorded town. The campus squares are always buzzing with life. With shops, a bustling street market, restaurants, bars, a theater, a cinema, a hairdressers, and even a nightclub. On campus, join friends for a barbecue by the Lakes, grab a meal, coffee, or even a concert, or curl up with a good book in the six-floor library. In town, explore the ruins, picturesque historic neighborhoods, and the classic English High Street. Exploring the rest of Europe is easy when you are a quick train or bus ride from London. The city of Colchester has excellent shopping, dining, and sightseeing, with old Roman ruins, picturesque streets, and interesting museums. Wivenhoe Park, home to the University of Essex, is a 220 acre parkland. Nearby, Southend-on-Sea has the longest pleasure pier in the world, where you can ride on the pier train, play crazy golf, and taste the best traditional fish and chips you'll probably ever eat.
Essex’s academic offer is varied, with strong areas including business, economics, sociology, law, political science, international studies, computer science, mathematics, psychology, art history, linguistics, sports science, film, theater studies, history, philosophy, criminology and biological sciences. ISEP students can join one of the 165 sports clubs and societies on campus during their time at Essex. Essex Abroad is a dedicated team of advisors on campus who are there to support you during your time at Essex. You can call, email, book appointments with advisors, or drop-into the Essex Abroad office.
Location
Colchester, England, United Kingdom
Term
Spring, Fall, Academic Year
Housing
Dormitory
Program Highlights
This study abroad experience is run through the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), a network of over 250 institutions in over 50 countries. 鶹ý and ISEP have had a partnership for over 10 years. This partnership allows KSU students to apply to any of their programs.
September 15 for spring programs (approximately January till May).
March 1 for fall programs (approximately September till December).
March 1 for summer programs (approximately June till August).
Some ISEP Exchange programs and many ISEP Direct programs remain available after these deadlines. You can find specific deadlines on each program page.
Program Dates
Program dates vary based upon the host institution's academic calendar, but the following are general guidelines:
and life-changing, allowing students to gain cross-cultural understanding and respect for others.
ISEP offers an among a global community of universities in more than 50 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, Oceania, and South America.
Students can participate in , , or for any field of study, as well as and .
With programs, you can go abroad anywhere in the ISEP network while paying KSU-equivalent tuition, housing, and meals. This then enables a student from another ISEP member university to take your place at KSU. You might be even able to apply for scholarships or financial aid that you normally receive toward your ISEP program abroad.
programs are often the best value available, offering low-cost options, guaranteed placement at the university of your choice, and a thoughtfully customized experience.
Students will be required to complete three applications:
An internal Kent State Education Abroad application.
An ISEP application.
And a partner university application.
These quick steps below will help walk you through the process.
First, start an Education Abroad Application
Students must also complete an international Kent State application to participate in an ISEP program.
You can begin your OGE application by clicking the “Apply Now” button.
Your Education Abroad application will be accepted upon ISEP placement (see below).
Please note that acceptance to the program by 鶹ý does not serve as final approval. ISEP and the host institution grant final approval for each applicant.
Then, start an ISEP Application
Students must create an ISEP account with their Kent State email. From there, you are required to submit one single application through the for your program(s) of interest. Please follow the application instructions on the ISEP website.
Review the guide to better understand the ISEP Exchange application and placement process.
Next, wait for ISEP Placement
Once the ISEP application deadline has passed, students will be placed at one of their program(s) of interest. Each year, ISEP begins reviewing applications following their priority application deadlines on September 15 and March 1.
ISEP Exchange
For ISEP Exchange applicants, ISEP makes placement decisions based on exchange space available at each host institution and academic fit for the student.
Exchange applicants can expect to receive their placement notification within 2-4 weeks of the priority deadline.
ISEP Direct
For ISEP Direct applicants, there is no limit to the number of program spaces available, so chances of placement are excellent provided you meet the program requirements.
Direct applicants can expect to receive their placement notification within 1-2 weeks of submission, following the priority deadline.
Finally, complete the Host University Application
Once ISEP has placed you in a program, you will receive instructions directly from ISEP about completing an application for the host university.
Please note your final acceptance into the program is contingent on official acceptance from the host institution.
Confirmation of placement usually takes 3-4 weeks while the host institution reviews your application.
With this program, students enroll in courses at a partner (host) institution. You will need to transfer the credits you earn abroad back to 鶹ý.
Upon successful completion of the program, the host institution will issue you an official transcript, which will be needed for the credit transfer process.
You must earn passing grades on the courses you take abroad for the credits to transfer.
Prior to departure, students will meet with their academic advisor to complete a Transfer Course Planning (TCP) Form, which will outline the courses you plan to take while abroad and how the courses will transfer to 鶹ý.
Some courses have already been pre-approved for transfer to Kent State and can be viewed on the Transfer Credit Guide. Please note that this is only a guide and is NOT a comprehensive list of courses available at each partner institution.
Credit Approval
Prior to departure, it is your responsibility to meet with your academic advisor to discuss the courses you plan to take while abroad.
If a course needs to be evaluated for transfer, you are responsible for working with your education abroad advisor to obtain the syllabus and have it reviewed by Kent State faculty.
ISEP also offers for their programs, with many focused on underserved student populations as well as opportunities for students studying a language or in specific locations around the world.
Prior to your education abroad experience, you will participate in a mandatory pre-departure orientation hosted by the Office of Global Education. During this orientation, you will be provided with information including but not limited to:
international travel procedures;
in-country resources;
health and safety resources and information;
culture shock and resources to help prepare for living abroad.
All students are encouraged to register with the prior to departure.
You can also review a wide variety of resources we’ve pulled together for you on our “Before You Go” page.
All ISEP students will participate in additional orientations which include:
A pre-departure health and safety orientation video;
A pre-departure program-specific orientation;
An on-site orientation with your host institution.
Keep an eye out for email invitations to these pre-departure orientations from your ISEP Program Coordinator.
Country Profile
ISEP provides a for all countries where their programs take place. We recommend you review more information about your respective country there.
You can also learn more about your destination(s), including travel advisories, through the .
In addition, we encourage you to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) travel page for for traveling to your destination(s).
If vaccinations or medications are needed according to the CDC, you should make arrangements for appointments with your healthcare provider or the DeWeese Health Center as soon as possible.
Appointment openings at the DeWeese Health Center are limited and vaccines may need to be ordered, which takes time. Please note that not all immunizations are available at the DeWeese Health Center.
A visa is a document required by many countries, in addition to your passport, that allows you to enter the country for a certain purpose (whether that’s to stay, transit, or exit). Essentially, it is the country's government giving you legal permission to enter their country to travel, study, work, etc.
Please note, it is solely the responsibility of the student to:
determine the entry, transit, and stay requirements for the country or countries to which they will travel,
and to apply for any necessary visas, stay permits, or any other immigration requirements of the host nation(s).
It is also the responsibility of the student to:
verify the correct documentation required to apply for the required visa(s),
apply for the visa(s) early enough to ensure there is enough processing time,
and pay any fees associated with obtaining the visa(s).
鶹ý's Office of Global Education is available to provide general guidance regarding student visa requirements and procedures; however, each student who travels abroad is expected to manage their own legal obligations regarding international travel.
It is strongly recommended by the Office of Global Education that you carefully review the appropriate consulate or embassy website for the nation(s) you plan to visit in order to determine current entry/study/exit visa requirements.
Costs and Funding
Costs for the program will differ for every student. You can use our Cost Calculator to get an estimate of what you might expect for your program.
We also encourage you to meet with your Education Abroad Advisor and reach out to the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center to see how your aid may apply to an international program.
