Category Archives: Student Guide

Grab a bargain at our pop up shop. British Heart Foundation.

British Heart Foundation pop-up shop, 17 Nov

On Thursday 17 November from 11:30-14:30, we will have a British Heart Foundation (BHF) pop-up shop in the Colyer Fergusson Foyer, on the right hand side of the Gulbenkian. 

Come along and grab a bargain, perhaps a new party dress for Christmas, or a new winter coat! 

You’re also welcome to bring along any donations of clothes, CDs, DVDs and books – BHF donation bags available at each college Reception, Parkwood Reception and Estates Customer Services. 

We hope to see you there. 

CSE Waste & Recycling Team

Students listening

Kent Union Strike Forum dates

Kent Union is holding Strike Forums to gather student opinion about the upcoming University and College Union (UCU) strike action and to decide whether Kent Union should support the action or not.

This is an opportunity to hear both sides of the dispute, with members of UCU and the University’s Senior Leadership offering their perspectives. Students are encouraged to ask questions, and use this as an opportunity to fully understand the background of and types of action that they will see during the strikes.

Strike Forum dates

  • 14 November, 17:30-18:30 (Online – Teams link)
  • 16 November, 14:30-15:30 (Grimond Lecture Theatre 3)

See all Kent Union events.

Grab a jab at a local drop-in clinic

Covid-19 vaccination pop-up at Canterbury, 9 Nov

NHS vaccination teams will be at the Old Bank, Canterbury campus TODAY 13:30-15:30 (Wednesday 9 November) to offer Covid-19 vaccinations.

Who can get vaccinated?

Under 50s can receive the 1st, 2nd or 3rd Covid vaccine. If you’re clinically vulnerable or live within the household of someone who is clinically vulnerable, you can get the Covid booster.

All over 50s can receive the flu vaccine and the Covid booster.

If you are unsure if you are eligible, please go to the vaccination pop-up where the team will advise you.

Find out more information about Covid-19 vaccination. See student FAQs for Covid-19 vaccination.

Head of Security with two winners of SafeZone compeition holding their phones and voucher

SafeZone competition winners

Competition winners

Congrats to our SafeZone competition winners! They each won a £50 Coop gift card, and were  chosen from a pool of students who registered on SafeZone at the start of the year.

Pictured are winners Dan and Roland, along with Mark, Head of Security, and Kelsey, Sustainable Travel Operations Coordinator.

What is SafeZone for?

SafeZone is a free and simple-to-use app for students and staff at the University of Kent. It’s main uses include summoning emergency help and first aid to your exact location on the Medway and Canterbury campus and support on the Canterbury Connected Routes between the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University.

You can use SafeZone:

  • in an emergency for urgent assistance from Campus Security
  • to get first aid and medical assistance for you or a friend
  • to receive notifications if there is an incident on campus that requires you to take action
  • to check-in when working late on campus
  • for general enquiries with quick access to the University of Kent switchboard.

SafeZone only shares your location when you request help, and when you do so this is only shared with the Campus Security team. The team will always call you when they receive an alert, so if you do press a button by accident, be sure to answer the phone so they know you are safe.

Download SafeZone and find out more on the University of Kent SafeZone guide

Connected Routes

If you are living off-campus or regularly walk into the city centre, make sure you have SafeZone installed to access the Canterbury Connected Routes. Any activation of SafeZone on the Connected Routes will give the University of Kent or Canterbury Christ Church University security control room your location, so they can offer you support.

Connected Routes have regular patrols from local services and university Street Marshals, increased lighting and CCTV coverage and are covered by the SafeZone App. There is also refuge points along these routes where you can wait for help to arrive in a safe space, you can find out more information on the Connected routes refuge points.

Find out more about Canterbury Connected Routes, and download a Connected Routes map here.

Student celebrating Holi festival. WorldFest Bitesize

WorldFest Bitesize Fund for cultural events and celebrations

We’ve set up the Worldfest Bitesize Fund so you can apply for a financial award of up to £250 to help run a multicultural event.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis but must be submitted at least four weeks prior to the date of the event.  

Examples of past events and celebrations we have supported include Diwali, Chinese New Year, Thanksgiving, Kent African Summit, Newroz, Holi, African Evening Gala, Discover Islam, Japanese Cultural Festival, Asian Fusion and a Thai Festival.

Open to all Kent Societies and students.

Find out more about how to apply for the WorldFest Bitesize Fund.

Industrial action update

Industrial action update – November 2022

You might have seen that there is talk of strikes at all UK universities at the end of November 2022.

Negotiations are continuing and we’re waiting on more information but keep an eye on your inbox next week for an update.

If there are strikes, we’ll do all we can to make sure we minimise the impact on your studies.

Students chatting in Keynes kitchenette

Register your interest in campus accommodation for next year!

Are you and your friends thinking about where to live next year? Take the hassle out of house hunting and worrying about deposits or rising bill payments by returning to live with us again next year either on our Canterbury campus or in Pier Quays, Medway. 

You can register your interest now and gain access to our application pages 24 hours early when they open in mid-January 2023!  

Any returning student can apply and we’re guaranteeing over a thousand rooms for our Canterbury and Medway returning students for 2023/24. Other benefits include: 

  • Living with your friends – tell us in your applications and as look as you meet our guidelines we’ll house you together. 
  • Pay no bills – all utilities are included (gas, water, electricity, heating and Wi-Fi) meaning there’s no unexpected bills or price hikes. Plus, you get to keep your sport membership for free for another year. 
  • No deposit needed to secure your room – pay nothing until September 2023 for Canterbury campus accommodation and only an advanced rent payment for Pier Quays. 
  • Quick and easy – to register your interest and you can submit for yourself or on behalf of a group You’ll then be ahead of the game when applications go live in January with your early access.  

For Canterbury accommodation you can apply for any area except Turing College (which is reserved for new students). In Medway we also have phase 2 rooms available in Pier Quays which returning student applications are given priority for. 

Find out everything you need to know on our returning student accommodation page or register your interest now.  

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Review your uni for chance to win £2,000

We’re really excited to take part in this year’s Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA).

The WUSCAs are compiled from the reviews which students like you leave on Whatuni, and rank institutions according to the things that students really care about – student support, campus facilities, lecturers and teaching quality, and so on.

Whatuni is the UK’s largest source of independent, real, honest student reviews – reviews which have a number of benefits:

  • They give students like you a really important voice and platform to share your views.
  • They help prospective students make crucial decisions on what and where to study.
  • They allow us to find out what you really think, so we can make improvements to our offering.
  • They could win YOU a £2,000 voucher for taking part!

We’d really love you to participate in the review collection process and give the University of Kent a review! It will only take a few minutes of your time.

Write your review now >

Triangle bus with Cathedral in background

Travel Plan Survey – win up to £150 on your KentOne card

It is that time of year where the Transport Team are working on developing a New Travel Plan and we want to hear from staff and students about your commute to and from the University and travel within the local area.

By completing the survey, you help us plan our future transport strategies, understand what current services are working well, what improvements or changes staff and students would like to the current transport options provided, and help us with our carbon emissions research.

Plus complete the survey for the chance to win £150, £75 or £50 on your KentOne card. Or if you’re based at Medway you can choose a voucher for the Deep End.

The survey closes 23:59 Monday 21 November 2022.

Students Survey: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/VJXA2S/ 
Staff Survey: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/YVTNS2/

Fireworks

Events roundup: 31 October – 6 November

Here’s a roundup of our top events this week:

Monday: Happy Halloween!

There’s some fun Halloween events on Monday including Halloween themed Zumba, Spookyoke at K-Bar, and a Halloween Escape Room at The Hub!

Tuesday: Addiction open lecture and help with CVs and cover letters

Join the open lecture about Addiction from Keith Humphreys, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at Stanford University, California. The lecture is on the topic of ‘Addiction: What it is, how it happens, and how people recover’ and will be in the Moot Chamber of the Wigoder building. Free and open to all, book your place.

Need some help with your CV or cover letter? The Careers and Employability Service are running an interactive session covering the essentials of writing an effective CV and cover letter. The event is taking place in Darwin and will also be livestreamed.

Wednesday: Leading Routes workshop and Sustainability interactive session

Leading Routes aims to empower the next generation of Black academics. Join this session on accessing postgraduate research, open to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Lunch and refreshments will be provided for attendees.

Find out what Kent is doing about the Climate Crisis and your role in sustainability advocacy. You will begin to explore and develop the skills for sustainability – Global Citizenship, Cultural Awareness and Leadership.

Thursday: Waterfront Leisure tours and International Wellbeing Group

Based in Medway? Waterfront Leisure on Pier Road has recently re-opened its doors after an extended period of closure. They are keen to partner with the Universities at Medway, with an Open Day on Thursday 3 November where they will give tours for Waterfront Leisure and discuss discounted membership options.

On Thursday afternoon we have our International Wellbeing Group, an online weekly peer support group for international students at Kent with games, chats and support.

Saturday: Wild Wellbeing crafting and Bonfire Night celebrations

Enjoy some time in nature on Saturday and join East Kent Mind and the Kent Community Oasis Garden team for a craft session making leaf lanterns.

Remember remember the 5th of November… There are multiple fireworks displays taking place on Saturday evening across Canterbury and Medway, including at Great Lines Heritage Park in Gillingham (free), and Tyler Hill in Canterbury.

Or if you’re not a fan of fireworks, head to KLT4 in Keynes for a Bonfire Film Night instead.

See more student events.

Opportunities

See more student opportunities