Find out what’s on this week including workshops to improve your confidence, money management and essay writing skills.

Monday 4 November: Prep for Kent Law Fair and confidence workshop

Prepare for Thursday’s Kent Law Fair by attending this online session which will cover the benefits of attending, tips and how to follow up with new contacts.

Do you wish you were more confident? Join this Study Plus workshop all around confidence, courage and self-belief. Learn techniques to build a positive internal monologue and tap into your courage to build you confidence.

Tuesday 5 November: Managing your money workshop, social running for ADHD and US Election coverage

Join this online managing your money workshop to learn about the realities of a starting salary, how to set a budget, understanding money and more.

If you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD (or awaiting assessment), you’re welcome to join the Social Running for ADHD group. All you need is a pair of trainers and a sense of humour. All abilities welcome.

It’s US Election time! You can join experts for a discussion and Q&A session on the US presidential election, brought to you by the School of Politics and International Relations, School of History and UKC History Society. And then later, you can watch the news coverage and early results of the American election with students and staff in Keynes.

Wednesday 6 November: Explore Black history in the Uni’s archives, writing a good introduction and conclusion and ResLife events

Following Black History Month, there’s an opportunity to explore Black history in the University’s archives and book collections. You will learn archive research techniques and your discoveries will be added to our list of sources supporting the study of Black history in the archive collections. There will also be some free pizza!

Could your essays be improved? Join this workshop about the structure and content of a good introduction and conclusion at Canterbury and Medway and find out why it can be helpful to write your introduction last.

There’s also lots of ResLife events on Wednesday including a trip to the local bouldering centre, slime making and a cosy movie night.

Thursday 7 November: Kent Law Fair and answering interview questions (Medway) and Crafternoon (Medway)

Interested in a career in law? Visit the Kent Law Fair on Thursday in Colyer-Fergusson Concert Hall. There will be over 28 stands including law firms, chambers and other legal organisations.

Learn how to answer interview questions at Medway, including common interview questions and types of questions and their purpose.

At The Hub you can join a Crafternoon to paint your own tote bag!.

Friday 8 November: Learn about volunteering and LGBTQ+ friendly social

Interested in volunteering? Join this session to find out how volunteering can give you valuable skills and experience and where to look for volunteering opportunities.

ResLife Ambassadors May and Taylor are hosting an LGBTQ+ friendly social in DG01-02 in the library with hot drinks, biscuits, board games, colouring, Nintendo Switch and more. However you identify, come and chat to others in your community in our safe space in the library.

See all student events.

The Home Office is replacing physical immigration documents with an eVisa. All Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) are due to expire at the end of 2024. If you are heading home over the winter break, it’s important you have created a UKVI account to access your eVisa before you travel, so you can return to the UK for the rest of your studies without issues at the UK Border.

What do Biometric Resident Permit (BRP) holders need to do?
If you have a BRP you need to create a UKVI account to access an eVisa.

If you hold a BRP that expires on 31 December 2024 and have immigration permission to be in the UK beyond this date, you should follow the instructions on this Home Office page to create a UKVI account now.

Creating a UKVI account is free and straightforward. Once you have created your UKVI account, you should update your account with any new passport or contact details.

Who is affected by this change?
Everyone that uses a BRP who does not already have an eVisa is affected by this change, as all BRPs are due to expire at the end of 2024. Please note, this means the card will expire – not your immigration permission. However, you need the eVisa to evidence your continued right to be in the UK.

What if students already have a UKVI account and an eVisa as well as a BRP?
If you already have a BRP as well as an eVisa, then you do not need to do anything else. Students who already have an eVisa should ensure that their UKVI account is kept up to date with their latest contact information and any passport which they intend to travel with.

What happens if students do not create an account to access their eVisa?
BRP holders should take steps to create a UKVI account and access their eVisa before it expires to prevent any unnecessary delays in proving their rights. Students with expired BRPs may not be able to use them to travel internationally.

Further support

Further information, including details of the eVisa support available, can be found at www.gov.uk/evisa.

Kent Students’ Union Advisers are trained to give immigration advice to Kent students, so can help support you with this process. See the KSU Advice Service website to learn more.

The rising cost of living is difficult for many of our students, and we understand that some extra help may be needed at this time. Here are some student tips to help you save on your food shop.

(1) Plan your weekly budget

The best place to start is having a weekly budget to work out how much you can realistically afford to spend each week on food. Start by working out your income – whether you have a part-time job or you’re getting money from your parents, every income you have should be accounted for. You’ll then need to make a note of your regular expenses and subtract this from your income. This should then leave you with the amount you have available for food, activities, shopping, and anything else you need to buy over the week. Make sure you set aside a fair amount for food and necessities, and use this weekly budget to inform your spending decisions and plan your food shopping accordingly. For more information on budgeting, check out our Budgeting Guide.

(2) Take stock and make a list

Make sure you check your cupboards before you head to the shop so you don’t buy duplicate items that you won’t need, and jot down any ingredients you’re missing. This also helps you use up food before it goes out of date. Try to plan what meals you might like to have for the week and make a list of what you need. It can also be helpful to make extra food so you have leftovers for the next day’s lunch. We have microwaves on campus so you can reheat leftovers. Making a list of what you actually need will help to keep you on track with your shopping.

(3) Do your food shop in the evenings

Most supermarkets start reducing the price of food after about 18:00 so that they can get rid of stock before the end of the day, and make things cheaper that they will no longer be able to sell as ‘fresh’ the next morning. This is great for getting a cheaper food shop – the food will still be fine to eat, just less expensive.

(4) If you can, buy in bulk

Buying in bulk can work out cheaper in the long run. For items with a long shelf life that you know you’ll use – like pasta, rice, and washing up liquid – it’s cheaper and easier to buy larger quantities than to keep getting small packets. Look out for the price per kg or per litre on these items to make sure you’re getting a good deal. If you can afford it, it can make more sense to bulk buy items once rather than buying smaller amounts of items each week.

(5) Keep an eye out for student discounts and cheap deals

There are lots of money-saving discounts online and in stores. As students, you should be able to access student discounts for a range of shops and restaurants, so make sure you always ask if this is available when shopping. For discounts on the Canterbury campus, grab yourself a Totum discount card or a Co-op membership to access rewards and offers in our two Co-op stores. It’s also a good idea to do your food shops at cheaper supermarkets (like Aldi and Lidl) if possible, as this will save you a lot of money in the long run.

More cost of living support

You can also access the Kent Students’ Union Campus Pantry at Mandela Student Centre, and can speak to their Advice Service about any extra support or advice you might need. We also offer a range of emergency financial support options. 

See our cost of living website for more support.