Single bus price cap increase 

The Government’s £2 single bus ticket cap will increase to £3 from the start of 2025. This means single bus tickets will likely increase and be a maximum of £3. A Stagecoach single bus ticket from campus to Canterbury city centre will be £2.60. 

Unirider bus pass 

The Unirider 5 is a bus pass exclusively for University of Kent students that is effective from 13 January 2025 until 13 June 2025 (the rest of the UG academic year). The Unirider 5 will cost £157, which is the equivalent to about £1 per day for unlimited bus travel! 

Students can save up to 75% with this bus pass as the public price would equate to £630.80 (calculated using the best value combination of tickets for that period of time – multiple of 28 day SE MegaRider Tickets). This ticket is valid throughout Kent and East Sussex on Stagecoach buses so you can explore the local area more widely.   

The UniRider can only be purchased on the Stagecoach Mobile App and will be available from Friday 13 December 2024.  

Universities should play a leading role in their communities and recent discussions about the sector have highlighted the importance of civic activity and the role of the sector in ensuring the health, wellbeing and prosperity of the local region.

To discuss how this looks at Kent – and what the plans are for the future – we are hosting an event on Wednesday 4 December at the Canterbury campus (Sibson building, between 18:00 and 20:30) asking “How can we make universities more beneficial to their communities”.

Institutions can maximise their regional impact, leading positive change by widening participation, supporting entrepreneurship, and collaborating and inspiring on joint projects with community partnerships.

The Secretary of State for Education has written to Higher Education Institutions setting out her headline priorities for reform of higher education – explaining that universities are expected to “play a greater civic role in their communities.”

The event will give key stakeholders in the region the opportunity to discuss what this could look like in Kent, and how businesses, community groups and the university can work together to deliver these ambitions.

After a welcome from Professor Shane Weller, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, and Innovation about our ongoing civic work – including examples of current projects – and strategy and goals for the next year, there will then be a short panel discussion. A range of speakers from the world of public engagement will discuss “How to make universities more beneficial to their communities, and what changes need to be made for them to be truly civic in their work”. This will be followed by a Q&A before drinks and networking bring the evening to an end.

Find out more about the event and if you are interested in attending please contact events@kent.ac.uk.

Are you travelling overseas over the winter break? You can use our airport transfer service for your return to campus in the new year.

Our Airport Transfer Service will operate from London Heathrow airport on Thursday 9 January 2025. The service will meet students whose flights arrive between 06:00-15:30 and will travel to both the Canterbury and Medway campuses. The price is £45 per person.

Booking is now open and will close at 23:59 (UK time) on Monday 6 January 2025.

Find out more and book your place.

The biggest gathering of students and staff from the whole of the University takes place each December at the University Carol Service. Organised by the Chaplaincy and students from church groups and religious societies on campus, nearly 2000 people attend a memorable evening of readings, carols and choral singing in the awe-inspiring atmosphere of Canterbury Cathedral.

The 2024 Carol Service is on Monday 9 December at 19:30. Although the event is free of charge, admission to the Cathedral on the night is by e-ticket or previously issued paper ticket only because of the demand for seats.

This year’s appeal, for homelessness charity Porchlight, is online via the Justgiving platform.

How to Get Your Tickets

Please book online via Eventbrite. In addition, for those who prefer paper tickets are available from the Catholic Chaplain Fr Mark Wharton m.wharton@kent.ac.uk

Accessibility

We can make different arrangements for students with disabilities or mobility or sensory conditions, please contact Fr Mark Wharton m.wharton@kent.ac.uk to indicate how we can support your participation.

Volunteer as a steward

Every year we welcome offers from students who would like to act as Volunteer Stewards at the Carol Service. Volunteer Stewards are given duties to perform, such as issuing programmes, checking tickets etc., and are instructed to sit in their designated places at the Carol Service.

Volunteer Stewards need to be available for a training session at 17:15 on Thursday 5 December OR at 17:15 on Friday 6 December. You may also be needed at the Cathedral from 14:30-15:30 on Monday 9 December, and from 18:20 that evening (i.e. just over an hour before the service starts).

If you are interested in volunteering for this rewarding role, please e-mail Revd Dr Stephen Laird s.c.e.laird@kent.ac.uk or Fr Mark Wharton m.wharton@kent.ac.uk as soon as possible!

Together with Kent Students’ Union, we are hosting Cultural Celebration Week from 27 November to 4 December.  

What is Cultural Celebration Week? 

It is what it says. It’s our way of celebrating culture, highlighting the richness of cultural fusion, and helping people understand what culture actually is.  We have such a diverse student body and we feel that is something to celebrate. 

How can you get involved? 

There’s a variety of events and workshops for you to join in, including our Global Food Fair, on the plaza from 25 November.  Share your culture as well as learn about others.  Some of the highlights are shared below: 

Wednesday 27 November – we start the week with a workshop about Exploring Cultural Identity, part of our Talking Cultures series, where in this interactive session, you will identify what culture is and what it means to you.  It is envisaged that by exploring and understanding your own cultural identity, you are better able to understand other cultures and identities and further cross-cultural understanding.  

Thursday 28 November – Kent Students’ Union Cultural Food Festival, where student societies will be working with chefs to share their cultural dishes with you.

Friday 29 November –  you can join our student Global Officers for a Cultural Quiz, putting your knowledge to the test and learning something new. 

Tuesday 3 December – join us for a Winter Global Hangout, celebrating winter festivities around the world and even make a Christmas decoration to take home with you.  In the evening, why not try a language with some of our taster sessions from the Language Centre.  You could try Irish Gaelige, Russian, Ukraine amongst others.  

The week will end on Wednesday 4 December, with an array of activities from Kent Students’ Union’s  International Student Voices Project Conference in the afternoon, where research will be presented on the biggest shocks for students, and identify key recommendations.  The Postgraduate Talks series continues with Exploring Global Cultures, where postgraduate students will present on their own culture to their peers. Finally, the event not to be missed is the Kent Students’ Union Cultural Showcase, from 18:30 at the Gulbenkian where we showcase the talents of our students. 

You can also find more events on the KSU Cultural Celebration Website.

Cultural Events Fund 

Inspired by the week or feel that we may have missed something about your culture?  Consider applying for a small financial award from our Cultural Events Fund to help fund your own cultural event. To find out more about eligibility and how to apply, check our webpages.   

Tell us what you may like to see and look out for and join us for our WorldFest Cultural Celebration Week taking place February/March 2025. 

See more events and support for international students.