Your Essex ID, along with your password, gives you access to all of the services that are available to you, for example email, eduroam wifi, computer labs, Moodle etc.

Your Essex ID will look something like this: dw16902@essex.ac.uk. Your Essex ID is also your email address, however if you're a PGR student you can choose a preferred email address.

You should change your password as soon as you get your IT account. After that you'll need to change your password at least once every four months - we'll email you a reminder when this is approaching.

The easiest way to change your password is online, using either your most recent password, your external email address and passphrase or a one-time password.

• Change your password

You can also log on to any computer in an IT lab using the username and password below.

• Username: pwchange
• Password: changepw

Our campus wifi network is called eduroam. It's free to use and you can connect to it as soon as you arrive on campus – simply sign in with your new Essex email address and password. See our wifi how-to guides if you need help connecting.

Please note eduroam is not part of the accommodation network, StudentCom, which is run separately.

• More wifi and network services

It's important to check your email regularly, at least one a week, so you don't miss important messages.

You can access your email on any IT lab computer via Outlook or by using Webmail: email.essex.ac.uk

You can also set up your email for your personal smartphone, tablet or computer.

• Go to email and Office 365 services

We provide a range of technologies to extend learning into the online world to make it as accessible, innovative and interesting as possible.

Moodle, FASER and Listen Again are known as 'the big three' and support the majority of online learning activities.

• Moodle is our virtual learning environment.
• FASER is our online coursework submission, assessment and feedback service.
• Listen Again is our lecture capture and playback service.

Find out more about learning technologies.

Get Microsoft Office, for free!

As an Essex student you're entitled to download a free copy of the latest version of Microsoft Office on your PC, Mac or mobile device.

• Go to download instructions

Pocket Essex mobile app

Pocket Essex is the University's official mobile app for students. It gives you instant access to Essex events, your course info, timetables, modules and marks, library loans, contact details, opinion polls and much more.

Pocket Essex is free to use and is available on Android and iOS.

• Get the app for iOS (App store)
• Get the app for Android (Play store)

Find Your Way mobile app

Find Your Way is our interactive map app that will give you directions to and from a location, and show you where to find useful places such as the Campus Shop or the IT Helpdesk.

Find Your Way is free to use and is available on Android and iOS.

• Get the app for Android and iOS
• Use the web browser version

We have many IT labs and group study pods dotted around our three campuses running Windows 7, Office 2010 and a wide range of software. Some of our labs are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• IT lab locations and opening hours

You get a 300 MB home directory, also known as your M:\ Drive, to save your files and folders. It can be accessed from any computer on campus.

As part of your Office 365 account, you get a OneDrive for Business account that gives you a massive 1 TB of cloud storage which you can access via Webmail: email.essex.ac.uk

You can print in most of our IT labs and study spaces. Printing is charged for, so you'll need to purchase print credit before you can print - the easiest way to go this is via our online web shop.

• Printing locations and costs

You get free and unlimited access to Lynda.com - a leading provider of online video training with thousands of high quality courses delivered by industry experts and respected authors covering a range of topics in education, business, design and creative media.

• Sign in to Lynda.com

Online self-service

Check our A to Z of services and knowledge base for how-to guides and answers to frequently asked questions.

Contact the IT Helpdesk

Our IT Helpdesk is your first point of contact for all IT problems and queries. There’s an IT Helpdesk at each of our three campuses which you can find at:

• Colchester: Learning Hub, Silberrad Student Centre (ground floor)
• Southend: Info Point in the Learning Hub
• Loughton: Library first Floor, Main House