Top UK university to cut 400 jobs and close major campus after severe decline in overseas students

The announcement, made on Tuesday, comes after international student numbers at the campus fell by 52 per cent since the 2021-22 academic year.

The university faces a financial gap of roughly £29million, having already launched a voluntary redundancy programme last November that proved insufficient to address its budgetary challenges.

Approximately 800 students currently studying at Southend will need to relocate to the main Colchester campus from September 2026.

The University of Essex is ranked 12th overall in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2026. It is also ranked 29th out of 130 in the UK by the Complete University Guide 2026.

The job losses will comprise 200 academic positions during the current academic year, alongside approximately 200 professional services roles over the following two years.

Vice-chancellor Frances Bowen, who took up her post in August, communicated the decision to staff via email, acknowledging the severity of the situation facing the institution.

"The sector is under severe strain and while we have weathered the storm for a few years, and taken action to reduce our exposure to these pressures, it has not nearly been enough," she wrote.

Ms Bowen described the campus closure and workforce reductions as the sole options available to safeguard the university's future viability, stating that maintaining operations in Southend had become "unsustainable."

The redundancies at Essex form part of a broader wave of job cuts sweeping Britain's higher education sector, which has been squeezed by prolonged funding constraints and unpredictable overseas recruitment.

International enrolments have been affected by the former Conservative government's restrictions on dependants, combined with stricter visa sponsorship regulations introduced in September.

Essex is among five universities currently operating under a Home Office "action plan" due to visa sponsorship compliance issues, which union representatives say has substantially hampered its recruitment efforts.

Dr Jordan Osserman, co-president of the Essex branch of the University and College Union, described the impact of new rules as "significant, possibly catastrophic" but argued the full consequences remained unclear, calling the redundancy programme "really premature."

David Burton-Sampson, Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, expressed his dismay at the news.

"The priority must be ensuring the continuity of studies for those already engaged in their degree," he said.

His colleague Bayo Alaba, Labour MP for Southend East and Rochford, warned the campus would represent a "big loss" for the city, with ramifications for both the local community and economy.

Mr Alaba pledged to seek clarification from the university regarding its decision. "And I will do everything I can to work with the university to ensure a smooth transition for students," he added.