Author Archives: Helen Kirk

How to save money on your food shop

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 This also helps you use up food before it goes out of date.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. You could also freeze items and have them at a later date.

(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.

Chance to win £500 in food vouchers!

Our partner Santander is helping students with the cost of living by offering the chance to win £500 in food vouchers through the Fuel Your Studies prize draw.

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. 

International Student Advisory Board group photo

Join an Advisory Board and get rewarded!

Advisory Boards bring together groups of students to discuss and advise on specific topics. Working in collaboration with Kent Students’ Union and University of Kent, students on Advisory Boards help to plan University activities and campaigns, contribute to enhancing University student support and services, and make recommendations to feed into changes to University policies and practices.

Students who join Advisory Boards will earn Employability Points, and will be compensated for their time and active participation.

Joining an Advisory Board is a chance to actively contribute to positive change on topics that interest you, and also provides experience to help you develop your leadership and communication skills.

Current Advisory Boards focus on the following student areas:

  • International Student experience
  • Wellbeing
  • Widening Participation
  • Postgraduate Research

Now recruiting for the International Student Advisory Board! See the webpage for details.

Changes to the academic year

We’ve listened to your feedback through Student Reps, Student Voice Forums, Module Evaluations and more and been hard at work implementing changes based on your feedback.

There are several significant changes for 2025-26 to the academic year, here’s what you need to know.

  • Three 10-week terms for undergrads and four 10-week terms for postgrads
  • You will study 40 credits per term, usually two 20-credit modules
  • Exams will be at the end of each term
  • Key dates for Autumn 2025 term

This means more time to focus on the topics you are studying and assessments while things are still fresh in your mind. Plus it means more evenly spaced deadlines and less pressure to study over Christmas and Easter!

These changes have enabled us to get your timetable to you earlier than ever before, you can find your timetable on KentVision.

You have told us loud and clear that you wanted more regular and timely feedback on how you are doing in your studies. The changes above will help enable this, and we’ve also made a major update to Academic Advising across the University.

Your Academic Advisor will meet with you each term, as scheduled in Presto, to provide a more consistent way for you to access support to succeed in your studies.

Food on Canterbury Campus

You’ll likely notice a lots of changes to food outlets on Canterbury campus. As students asked for better options and more variety, Chartwells have taken over much of the catering since 1 June. You’ll see a couple of outlets have been refurbished over summer and will be offering new as well as familiar menus.

This means some changes to ordering and paying.

Keep an eye out for further updates to menus, offers and future refurbishment plans

My Kent Student Communications

We know students receive lots of emails, which can make it tricky to keep on top of all the important stuff, so we have been working to streamline communications with you.

We will send you one My Kent Weekly email a week during term with all the news you’ll need, reducing the overall number of emails you get.

We’ve also made it easier to filter and find the information that you need on our student news page with a range of categories you can filter by, such as Careers and opportunties, International, and Health and wellbeing.

Kent launches 60th anniversary celebrations

Kent is proud to announce the launch of celebrations marking its 60th anniversary – a milestone that reflects six decades of progress, innovation, and transformation in higher education. 

Since first opening its doors to ‘the First 500’ students in September 1965, Kent has remained committed to breaking down barriers to education. Born during the 1960s wave of new universities, Kent was created to offer something distinct: an inclusive, forward-thinking academic environment set within a vibrant campus that plays a vital role in the region’s life and identity.

Now, as we mark 60 years, we are celebrating the people who have shaped Kent – our students, alumni, staff, and partners – by sharing their stories and creating opportunities throughout the year to bring the community together. From pioneering research to life-changing collaborations, such as our newly awarded University of Sanctuary status – these stories reflect the powerful connections formed at Kent and their lasting impact.

‘This is a time to recognise everything that makes the University of Kent special,’ said Professor Georgina Randsley de Moura, Interim Vice-Chancellor and President. ‘We are proud of the innovation and determination that has driven us from our earliest days, and excited to build on that legacy to ensure the University of Kent continues to be a place where everyone can thrive.’

The anniversary year will also spotlight Kent’s ambitious plans for the future, including industry-linked teaching, community partnership, and inclusive research that tackles local and global challenges. As we navigate the demands of a rapidly evolving world, Kent is reshaping the student experience to ensure future generations are equipped with the skills, confidence, and sense of belonging they need to succeed. 

Events and initiatives will run throughout the 60th anniversary year, inviting alumni, students, staff, and community members to celebrate Kent’s rich heritage and help shape its exciting next chapter, including special guests from our history, light projections and digital stories from across the decades starting with Voices for Sanctuary, An evening of Gospel Music at Canterbury Cathedral this autumn and culminating in a Big Campus Picnic next summer. More details will be shared in the coming weeks. For now, we would love to hear your stories which you can share on our website: Kent is 60.  

Dealing with worldwide events

The recent escalation in conflict between Israel and Iran has caused widespread concern and we are thinking particularly of our staff, students and all those affected by the increased violence over the past week. As a University of Sanctuary, we encourage initiatives and dialogues in support of peace worldwide and work with organisations to help preserve the right to education across the globe wherever it is impacted by war.

We are also very aware that staff and students may be feeling worried about the safety of loved ones. Also that some of you may be feeling anxious and disturbed by the images on the news and social media. If you have lived through similar events yourself, the current crisis may be bringing up some very traumatic memories. There is support available at Kent for staff and students that’s here for you during these unsettling times.

Support available at Kent

24/7 support services

For support at any time of day or night, check out the Emergency Support page with details on online and telephone support available round the clock for Kent students, including our support partners:

  • Spectrum Life, who you can call in the evenings and at weekends on 0800 0318227 pressing option 1, and
  • Togetherall, the safe anonymous peer to peer online support forum free to Kent students.

Financial support and help

During an international conflict in some instances there can be issues with banking or you circumstances may change. If you are experiencing financial issues as a result of what is going on then please look at our emergency funding pages. We would recommend you look at

If you are currently living in university accommodation and are in difficulty with money due to the recent events, you can contact your student accommodation controller who will be happy to work with you to review any upcoming accommodation payments please email accommfinance@kent.ac.uk who can help you with this.

You can also get help with financial advice from Kent Students’ Union Advice Centre at Kent or from the Student Welfare Team.

Student Support and Wellbeing – professional support at university

Did you know that Kent has a professional support service of over 100 specialist staff? We’re here to support you with mental health, disabilities, and neurodiversity such as specific learning difficulties or autism, through 1:1 support as well as peer support groups and events.

Wellbeing advice and self-care

Although you may wish to stay informed, it is important to be aware of your limits.

Distressing world news can certainly affect our mental health. Here are some things you can do to retain some balance.

Try to be intentional in how you are consuming news, avoid long ‘scrolling through’ sessions

  • Take a break from watching the news – consider checking in at certain times of the day only.
  • Mute or turn off news notifications on your phone.
  • Mute or unfollow social media accounts if you are feeling overwhelmed, or limit your news intake to once or twice a day.

Make time for people, activities and actions that are positive for your wellbeing

What helps will be different for each person, but here are a few ideas;

  • Connect with friends and family members.
  • Go for a walk in the fresh air.
  • Listen to a podcast.
  • Listen to some soothing or inspiring music.
  • Write out your thoughts and feelings in a journal.
  • Go to the gym.
  • Grab a coffee with a friend.
  • Connecting with nature can be very soothing, there are some lovely walks on campus or along the river Stour.
  • Have you caught the bus to Whitstable yet, why not have a walk along the beach?
  • Try to have a regular sleep pattern.
  • Try to eat healthily which will help when you are feeling emotionally depleted.
  • Listen to some guided meditations as these can really help as a distraction from racing thoughts.

Focus as much as you can on hope

Remember that distressing events are relatively rare and amidst all the horrors, there are also reports of wonderful acts of courage, bravery and compassion.

Positive news

It can seem like mainstream media is overwhelmed with bad news, but good news itself is not in short supply; the broadcasting of it is! Positive News has articles about what you can do to make a positive impact in the world today, such as How to help people in Ukraine and What can I do about climate change?

Calling Black Student Changemakers: A National Opportunity to Influence and Inspire

The Living Black at University Commission is excited to launch recruitment for the Living Black at University Co-Creation Partnership Group, an initiative that brings together Black students from across the UK to help shape national toolkits, guidance, and best practice for improving the experiences of Black students in student accommodation and beyond. Kent has been involved in the project from the outset, developing Living Black at Kent, supporting and working with our Black students.

This paid opportunity offers students the chance to collaborate, co-create published works, and influence change at a national level. Participants will engage in monthly virtual meetings and have the opportunity to attend and speak at in-person sector events.

Applications are open until Friday 27 June – apply here.

Photoshoot Opportunity

We are recruiting students to take part in a subject specific photoshoot during the week starting 19 May 2025.  The aim is to capture a set of images for each subject that can be used by the University on web, emails, socials – including paid ads etc.

This opportunity is open to all current Kent students, all students that take part will receive a £50 Amazon voucher for your time.

Apply here.

The Kent 2030 Student Advisory Panel

Students from all backgrounds and levels of study have joined the Kent 2030 Student Advisory Panel, working alongside the Kent 2030 Student Experience Working Group. The panel members provide insight, feedback, and ideas that will directly influence student-centric decision-making and co-creation opportunities #YourUniYourSay

Students of all levels of study and from both of our Kent campuses, including those from underrepresented and marginalised communities were encouraged to apply. Their lived experiences and perspectives are invaluable in shaping an inclusive and diverse student experience at Kent.

Further details about the panel, it’s remit, outcomes and discussions in the meetings below will be published shortly.

Planned Meeting Dates:

  • 26/03/25, 12:00 – 14:00 (In-Person & Online)
  • 23/04/25, 13:00 – 15:00 (Online)
  • 20/05/25, 15:00 – 17:00 (In-Person & Online)
  • 12/06/25, 15:00 – 17:00 (In-Person & Online)