University of East Anglia: what it's really like

If you want to study at a green university in a creative city, UEA could be for you!

UEA at a glance:

Emily, who’s a Business Management student at UEA currently working for the university on her placement year, tells us what student life at UEA is like.

What's UEA like?

I’d describe UEA as an industry-leading institution with a strong sense of community.UEA pioneered the teaching of creative writing courses in the UK. The university established the first master’s degree in the subject in 1970 and the first PhD in Creative and Critical Writing in 1987. It now has one of the UK’s most prestigious creative writing programmes!

Students at UEA come here from all over the world and progress to careers across creative industries. The publishing success of our graduates speaks for itself – in 2017 one of our alumni, Kazuo Ishiguro, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

UEA’s department of Art History and World Art Studies is the only art history department in the UK which is housed in a major museum: The Sainsbury Centre. This gives students a unique working environment where they can explore art’s rich relationships with archaeology, anthropology, history, heritage, and museum studies.

And here’s a fun fact: The Sainsbury Centre also featured in ‘The Avengers: Age of Ultron’ in 2015!


What facilities does UEA have that make it stand out?

One of UEA’s most exciting facilities is Productivity East, an engineering, technology, and management space. It’s home to an Additive Manufacturing Lab, which contains 3D printers; a Computer Aided Design Lab; and a Computer-Controlled Lathe that can machine cylindrical materials. Here, you can use tech to explore global challenges like the sourcing of renewable nuclear and fossil fuels.

For journalism students, most practical teaching is at our city centre newsroom in Broadcast House. It’s home to three soundproofed studios: one for radio, one for TV, and one for podcasting. We also have a 24-seat newsroom with Adobe Audition, Premier Pro, our newsroom production software, and a TV gallery.

In between studies, most students head to the Students’ Union, where you can play pool and darts and grab a pizza. There are also plenty of cafés on campus for a catch-up with friends, or a study session fuelled by coffee!

What is the accommodation like?

UEA has over 3,600 rooms on campus, so if you live in our halls, your classes will be on your doorstep!

If you’re an undergraduate student from the UK, you’re guaranteed a room with us in your first year. If you’re an international student, you’re guaranteed accommodation for the duration of your course. We offer rooms with en-suite facilities or a shared bathroom. The number of people per flat varies from 2 to 14, depending on which accommodation building you choose, so you can find a flat that’s right for you. UEA accommodation is also all self-catered.If you’d prefer not to live on-campus in your first year, there are plenty of private accommodation options in the local area.

Do you offer any work placements or study abroad options for students?

Most courses at UEA offer a placement year as an additional year within your degree. Students have worked with NHS trusts, academy schools, and charities like the Literacy Pirates, the Rio Ferdinand Foundation, and the National Wildfowl Trust & Zoological Society of East Anglia.

The university also has over 200 partnerships around the world for exchange programmes. You can take either a full year, one semester, or a short course like a summer programme. 

The American studies course comes with a year abroad option, with one of our students going to study in New Mexico. Meanwhile, one of our English literature students spent a semester studying at Palacký University in Czechia.

Do you offer any unusual or unexpected courses?

UEA has a really broad portfolio of courses spanning subjects like social psychology, medical research, geophysics, and our course which combines translation, media, and modern languages.One example of a more unusual course is the digital media and creative computing degree. If you’re eager to launch a career as a game developer, it’ll help you master the art of creating compelling narratives, graphics, and code, as well as investigating digital media and the latest possibilities of AI. It’s a flexible course where you can tailor the balance between digital media and computing science to suit your ambitions and develop the skills you’ll need for your dream career.

Want to explore more UK universities? Remember, Unifrog’s Shortlisting tool can help you put together a list of great potential courses.