To help support students facing hardship as a result of the increased cost of living, the UK Government has provided additional funding of £15m to English universities. Of that, the University of Kent has been allocated £126k, which must be awarded to students by 31 July 2023, to add to existing hardship funds. 

We have created a Cost of Living Hardship Fund to release these funds to Kent students. The fund can be used to help with rent or any other increased living costs due to the cost of living crisis. The Cost of Living Hardship Fund will open on 6 March 2023. 

Students who are facing financial hardship due to the increased cost of living are invited to apply for an individual award of £300 to help with any increased living costs. Priority will be given to students who have not been awarded other hardship funds. However, if you have previously received a hardship fund but are still in financial need please apply as your application will still be considered.

The Cost of Living Hardship Fund will open on 6 March 2023. We encourage you to read the guidance on how to apply in advance so you can apply quickly once the Cost of Living Hardship Fund opens on 6 March. Once we reach the application threshold, we will close the fund so we can begin processing applications. 

The University is looking to create new content with students who came to Kent via Clearing. This can be video content, written profiles or social posts for use on Kent’s channels.

If you came to Kent through Clearing and would like to tell your story, to help others in a similar position this year, then please contact Sam Charman – Digital Content Officer at s.t.charman@kent.ac.uk for more information.

Students will be able to earn credit on their KentOne card for taking part.

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Are you considering to stay on for a Master’s? Come along to our Postgraduate Open Event on 22 February at the Sibson building, Canterbury Campus.  

Find out more about:  

• Exclusive graduate scholarships and funding for Kent students. 
• Conversion courses – do a different subject for your Master’s. 
• Our EU centres in Paris & Brussels. 
• Discover the Kent postgrad experience.  

Speak to our friendly academic and support staff, as well as our own undergrad to postgrad students. See if postgraduate study may be an option for you.  

Book your place now.

International Programmes is seeking to employ two ambassadors to help organise and provide a programme of social events and activities for Pre-sessional and short course students.

Do you have an interest in, and awareness of, intercultural issues? Do you have an understanding of what it’s like to be an international student in the UK? Do you enjoy working with an interesting and diverse group of people? Would you like to work during the summer holidays?

We’d love to hear from you!

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for two students to work on Band B contract (School Experience Placements; £13.81 per hour), reflective of the level of responsibility required.

The role will be from May to September 2023, with the potential to extend to December 2023.

It will involve occasional work between May and July, with most hours falling in August when we are at our busiest. Applicants need to be available to work flexible hours and this would be discussed at interview stage in greater detail.

Responsibilities

Key duties would include:

• Meeting and greeting students and escorting visiting students
• Providing campus tours and tours of Canterbury
• Assisting & leading on-campus activities run by International Programmes
• Leading outreach trips to local areas of interest on both weekdays and weekends
• Leading enhancement activities on a weekly basis
• Helping to organise and advertise the social programme to students in person, via social
  media and email
• Basic administrative tasks for outreach activities under the direction of a member of
  University staff
• Appropriate additional activities as and when required

We would also like our Student Ambassadors to plan and run weekly online enrichment sessions that will be open for all Pre-sessional students to attend, and potentially opened out to our short course students.

You will work closely with our Student Support and Experience Officers to promote and organise the social programme. You will be expected to use your own initiative to oversee day trips and organise and run online and in-person events as and when required.

What our previous Ambassadors say

Pre-sessional Student Ambassador Rosie says:

My time working as a student ambassador for the International Programmes was incredible, I was lucky enough to explore new places and revisit cities I had not been to for a while, all whilst meeting people from many different cultures. I highly recommend this job to anyone who loves exploring and meeting lots of amazing new people.

How to apply

To apply, please send a CV and a statement of interest by email to Amy Moses at a.moses@kent.ac.uk by Midnight on Sunday 26 February.

If you have any queries, please email Amy Moses.

Subject to selection, interviews will take place on Tuesday 14 March 2023.

For an insight into our Pre-sessional courses and the impact you would have as an ambassador, check out our Pre-sessional Video Competition First Place Winner 2022 and our Second Place Winner videos.