If you’re looking for a quieter environment, our Lifestyle Moderate<\/strong><\/a> rooms are designed to group like-minded students together. Plus, for peace of mind, we offer a guaranteed room promise<\/strong><\/a> for most new students who apply before the deadline.<\/p>\n Wherever you decide to live, it\u2019s important to get a feel for your future home. We highly recommend attending one of our upcoming Open Days<\/strong><\/a>, where you can tour our on-campus accommodation and chat with current students. Can\u2019t make it in person? No problem – check out our virtual tours<\/strong><\/a> online to explore all our accommodation options and campus facilities at your convenience.<\/p>\n It might not be the most exciting question, but it\u2019s definitely one of the most important. Your accommodation needs to fit within your maintenance loan, savings, and any bursaries or grants you may receive, while still leaving room for everything else you\u2019ll need as a student<\/em>.<\/p>\n Start by writing down your likely expenses. Beyond rent, think about:<\/p>\n Essentials<\/strong> like food, toiletries, and course materials<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Extras<\/strong> such as clothes, nights out, cinema trips, or societies<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Unexpected costs<\/strong>, because life happens!<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n One big perk of living on campus is that lots of your bills are already covered. Rent includes<\/a> utilities (water, heating, electricity), Wi-Fi, personal possessions insurance, and even a gym membership<\/a><\/strong>\u2014so you can cross those off your budget list straight away.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve got a rough monthly budget, compare it to your loan or income. This will help you decide which price range is realistic for you and where you might be happy to compromise (e.g., sharing facilities<\/a> instead of having an en-suite room<\/a>).<\/p>\n \ud83d\udca1 Top tip:<\/strong> If your budget\u2019s feeling tight, consider options like shared facilities or self-catered rooms, which are often cheaper and free up cash for other parts of student life.<\/p>\n There are lots of free tools to help with this. Try:<\/p>\n Kent\u2019s Student Finance Timeline<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 to plan ahead<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Save the Student\u2019s rent calculator<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 to balance rent with lifestyle<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Blackbullion<\/a> and MoneySavingExpert<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 for budgeting tips<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n And remember: your accommodation is just one part<\/em> of your university experience. Make sure you\u2019re leaving enough in your budget to enjoy everything else uni has to offer, from meeting new people to trying new things.<\/p>\n Looking for more tips? Check out our blog posts on Is university accommodation really worth the cost?<\/strong><\/em><\/a> and Smart ways for students to save money<\/em><\/strong><\/a> for even more advice.<\/p>\n For some of you, this might be an easy decision.\u00a0If you\u2019re confident in the kitchen (or keen to learn), our self-catered accommodation<\/strong><\/a> for both undergraduates and postgraduates includes spacious, well-equipped communal kitchens. These kitchens often become the social hub of your flat or house, perfect for cooking together or sharing a meal with new friends.<\/p>\n Prefer convenience? If you’d rather not worry about cooking every day, our meal plan accommodation<\/strong><\/a> options in Canterbury might be a better fit. These rooms include a daily \u00a314 meal credit<\/strong> (2025\/26) to spend at a range of catering outlets across campus. This plan is included with accommodation in:<\/p>\n Becket Court<\/strong><\/a> (en-suite)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Keynes College<\/strong><\/a> (en-suite)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Even in these catered halls, you\u2019ll still have access to a small kitchenette – perfect for making tea or a quick snack.<\/p>\n And if you\u2019re leaning toward self-catered or off-campus living but still want the flexibility of having meals on campus, you\u2019re in luck. Our Flex Catering Plan<\/strong><\/a> is available to purchase separately and gives you the same \u00a314 daily credit<\/strong> (2025\/26) to spend on food at participating outlets on campus. It\u2019s a great way to save money too. Students can save up to 40% compared to buying food on a pay-as-you-go basis.<\/p>\n So, whether you’re ready to cook up a storm or prefer someone else to do the chopping, there\u2019s a meal option to suit your lifestyle.<\/p>\n Ah yes, the big question everyone wonders about!<\/p>\n If you’re heading to Medway<\/strong>, you can relax – all rooms at Pier Quays<\/strong><\/a> are en-suite<\/strong>. But if you\u2019re coming to Canterbury<\/strong>, it\u2019s something to consider carefully.<\/p>\n Over half of our 5,000+ rooms<\/strong> at Canterbury have en-suite rooms. They\u2019re popular and can fill up quickly, so if having your own bathroom is a must, we highly recommend applying as early as possible<\/strong><\/a>. Accommodation offers are made based on the date you apply, so the sooner you apply, the better your chances of getting your first choice. (FYI: applications open mid-January<\/strong> every year.) For more information, see our blog: ‘How We Allocate Accommodation at Our Canterbury Campus’<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n When applying, you\u2019ll be asked to list four accommodation preferences, <\/strong>but only two of these can be en-suite options<\/strong>. That means it\u2019s important to explore our shared-facility accommodation too, which includes any accommodation listed as a ‘house’ and Darwin College. Our virtual tours<\/strong><\/a> are a great way to get a real feel for each option before making your choices. Alternatively, if you’re enjoying our blogs, check out ‘Your guide to university accommodation’.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n So what\u2019s shared accommodation really like?<\/strong><\/p>\n In shared-facility housing, you\u2019ll share toilets\/showers with others in your house. The number of people you share with depends on the accommodation type:<\/p>\n Turing<\/strong><\/a> and Keynes Houses<\/strong><\/a> have multiple toilets and showers, so when divided between residents, it works out that just two students share a bathroom.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n In Park Wood five-bed houses<\/strong><\/a>, five students share two toilets and one shower, while in Park Wood six-bed houses<\/a><\/strong>, six students share two toilets and two showers.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n As a rule of thumb, the more people you share with, the lower the cost of your rent, <\/strong>so shared facilities can be a budget-friendly option.<\/p>\n Worried about sharing? You\u2019re not alone – but most students say sharing a kitchen or shower room isn’t nearly as bad as they expected. With different timetables and routines, it\u2019s rare that everyone needs the kitchen\/shower at once, so there\u2019s usually no morning \u201crush hour\u201d like you might get at home.<\/p>\n Once you’ve considered these four key questions, you\u2019ll be in a strong position to choose the accommodation that suits your needs, and don\u2019t forget to check if you qualify for our guaranteed room offer<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n We hope this blog has helped you get a better grasp of the different types of accommodations out there and how to pick one that\u2019s perfect for your budget. Now, hop online<\/a> and start your adventure! Happy searching!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/accommodation\/files\/2024\/04\/Wordpress-thumb-10.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n2. What\u2019s my budget?<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n3. Do I want to cook for myself or have meals included?<\/h3>\n
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4. Can I see myself sharing a shower room with other students?<\/h3>\n
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