We’re doing everything we can to make sure you can get help, support and access to affordable, nutritious food if you need to self-isolate.
If you are quarantining, self-isolating or need urgent support
We have a dedicated webpage with all the help and support you need if you are self-isolating or quarantining with us.
We’ll ask you to fill in our self-isolation form to help us ensure you have what you need and that you are well supported during your isolation period. Once we have all your details, a member of our wellbeing team will make contact with you to discuss the support you need and arrange for your ongoing support – all at the pace that’s right for you.
We’ll also make sure your department knows you’re isolating and will support you in your study needs both during and after your isolation period.
Any questions can be sent directly to our wellbeing team on wellbeing@essex.ac.uk and we are running daily wellbeing self-isolation drop-in sessions, too.
Take a look at our self-isolation support webpage for everything from how to self-isolate safely, to ordering food and groceries and seeking medical advice.
Arrivals
If you are arriving from overseas and need to go straight into a quarantine period, we’re providing free quarantine arrivals packs including a bedding pack, a kitchen pack and a food box.
You can also order an essential food box online before you arrive. The boxes contain a range of basic food supplies, from tea, coffee and sugar to pasta and a range of tinned goods all designed to provide you with the basics while you settle in over your first few days.
If you urgently need support our food services will also issue complimentary emergency food packs.
Full details are available on the Essex Essentials website.
Meal Service Plans
We are also offering seven and ten-day meal service plans, delivering either breakfast and lunch, or breakfast, lunch and dinner directly to rooms on campus. The meal plan includes a continental breakfast, cold sandwich lunch and ready meal for dinner. They start at £70 for a seven-day breakfast and lunch plan.
Just Eat at Essex
Our partnership with Just Eat means you can order food from Fusion between 5pm and 10pm Wednesday-Saturday, delivered to your door. Beef burgers start at £3.50 and pizzas at £5.
More about our Just Eat/Fusion delivery service on our website.
Our restaurants and cafes
Some of our campus food outlets are offering take away services and some eat-in spaces are also available. We are operating with social distancing and with enhanced cleaning regimes, signage and hand sanitising stations. Find out more about our Colchester Campus eateries, our Southend Campus food offer, and food on campus at Loughton.
Our Essex Food Rewards offers multi-buy deals on a selected range of products bought in store as well as our multi buy deal on hot drinks. Buy nine get one free.
Linking with supermarkets
We have worked closely with our local supermarkets to ensure a smooth ordering and delivery service is available. We’ve simplified the ordering process and have arranged for a wide range of delivery slots to be made available along with multiple drop-off points and delivery to the door for any self-isolating students.
Contact details for all our local supermarkets are listed on our self-isolation support webpage.
Online information
Check out our food and drink webpage for up-to-date information on all catering outlets and food delivery options. Our Students’ Union also have a range of shops and food and drink on offer, find out more on their eat, drink, shop webpage.