From Professor Richard Reece | Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience

As you will be aware, the Government has now published updated guidance and a roadmap for how the country will move out of national lockdown. This further extends the length of time that many of you have been unable to return to your University on-campus accommodation.

I appreciate that this continues to be worrying for many of you, and I would like to assure you that supporting your studies and wellbeing remains our priority.

This email contains details of a rent reduction scheme extension for those who remain unable to return to campus as well as a two-week contract extension provided free-of-charge for all students whose contracts would normally run out at the end of the Summer Term on 19 June 2021.

Rent reduction scheme

The University is extending the rent reduction scheme for all students with contracts for accommodation on the Canterbury campus who are unable to return due to the current Government lockdown restrictions.

Students who have not yet been able to return to campus and will not be returning until at least 26 March can now apply online for the equivalent of a further four-week reduction of your second term accommodation fee. The deadline for applications is 14 March 2021.

In order to allow time for the application process and for us to apply the reduction, we will also be delaying this term’s rent payment date until 29 March 2021. A revised statement will be sent to you during the week beginning Monday 22 March 2021 to confirm the new amount.

As before, the amount of the reduction will take into account whether or not you have ‘Bed and Flex’ or ‘Bed and Bistro’ packages as part of your fee. Those students who have purchased the Flex catering package in addition to their accommodation fee will be contacted by the Catering team separately.

If you have already paid your rent for this term, you will be eligible for a rent refund. Refunds will be processed after 29 March 2021. Alternatively, you can use the overpayment against your next terms charges, or your tuition fees. Please note, no refunds will be given if you have outstanding debt.

If you have already paid your rent for this term and wish to request a refund, please submit the refund application form.

For urgent questions only regarding payments and refunds, please email accomfinance@kent.ac.uk. If you have questions about the scheme, and whether you are eligible for it, please email accomm@kent.ac.uk.

Summer Term

As I mentioned last week, we are hopeful that the roadmap will allow us to offer greater access to on-campus facilities and more on-campus events for a much larger number of you from the beginning of May.

To help you take advantage of any summer on-campus educational, social and cultural activities we will also be offering a two-week extension to contracts due to finish 19 June 2021 free of charge, taking them to 3 July 2021. This applies to all students with those contracts whether-or -not you have been able to return so far this term. More information about this, and our planned activities, will follow soon.

Financial support

Please be aware we have emergency short term loans and other hardship funds available if you do find yourself in financial difficulty. Please contact our Financial Aid team or Kent Union’s Advice Service (Canterbury) or GKSU’s Advice Centre (Medway) for more information on what fund may be suitable for you.

Support for students in private accommodation

We will continue to work with the large private providers (e.g., Unite at Pier Quays) to encourage them to do the right thing by students. Moreover, we are continuing to work with Kent Union and GKSU to lobby local landlords to recognise the difficulties that the travel restrictions are causing.

There is more information on the Kent Union off-campus renting page and you can get free advice and guidance from Kent Union’s Advice Service (Canterbury) and GKSU’s Advice Centre (Medway).

If you have any concerns or queries, please check our student Coronavirus webpages or email CovidSupport@kent.ac.uk and we will respond as soon as possible.

With my best wishes,

Richard

Professor Richard Reece | Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience