Category Archives: Student opportunities

Student and lecturer smiling while listening and watching work on desktop PC

Ever thought about studying a Year In?

The Year In programme can be taken between stage 2 and stage 3 or after stage 3 of an undergraduate programme, and will appear on your degree transcript and in the title of the degree awarded, letting employers know about the additional skills and knowledge you have gained.

There are a range of programmes and you can find out more at the introduction sessions on Wednesday 20 March. These will take place in Canterbury and online:

Living Black at Kent student focus group

Help the University Accommodation team develop their next Living Black at Kent welcome booklet, they rolled out a welcome booklet last year, and work towards improving our Black students’ experience.

The booklet is to help smooth the transition to life in Kent and the University, and the team are all ears to know what you think of it. Honest opinions are needed on what worked and what needs improvement. There are two focus groups lined up and the team are looking for Black students to pitch in their ideas to make this resource even better.

What is a welcome booklet?

The Living Black at Kent booklet is an honest effort to spotlight local services near our campuses. It’s designed to assist Black students in adjusting to living in a new town by making them aware of helpful resources within the local area.

Who created it and what did the report say?

Kent’s staff and students collaborated to create this booklet, following a report by Unite Students, and supported by Halpin Partnership. The report by Unite Students highlighted the experiences of Black university students living in UK student accommodation and indicated that “over a quarter (28%) of Black students felt that they cannot access culturally relevant services close to where they live”. This was just one of the report’s findings which inspired us to launch the booklet and help our students feel more at home.

What can I do?

Join us in the Living Black at Kent focus group and let’s make a difference together! Share your unique experiences as a Black student at Kent, or perhaps some hidden gems of services you’ve discovered that others might not know about yet. Your insights could be the guiding light for the next set of students.

When and where are the Living Black at Kent focus groups being held?

Don’t miss the chance to join our focus group on 20 or 27 March 2024, in the Darwin Conference Suite, from 13:00 to 14:30. We’re looking for 20 participants per session. By participating, you’ll play a critical role in enhancing our community and making a lasting impression. Your contribution can make a real difference, and don’t forget that £20 KentOne credit!

Use the form to register your interest in our upcoming sessions. Once done, we’ll provide you with even more exciting details!

You can also check out the 2023 Living Black at Kent booklet online and if you would like to read the full Unite Students report, you can find this at Unite Students. Please get in touch if you have any further questions about these sessions, by emailing the ResLife Team.

laptop

Choose your modules for the next academic year!

From Monday 18 March to 09:00 on Tuesday 2 April 2024, Online Module Registration (OMR) is open for you to choose the undergraduate modules that you wish to study in 2024/25.

You will receive an email when OMR is open. Prior to this, you should read your Subject Requirements and view our guidance to make sure that you are fully prepared. If you are not sure which modules to choose, please speak to your Academic Adviser.

OMR is not first come first served. In order to give you the best opportunity to register for your preferred choice of module, please ensure that you have submitted your selections by 09.00 (GMT) on Tuesday 2 April 2024.

You do not need to select modules if:

  • You’re on a Year in Industry in 2024/2025
  • You’re going abroad as part of your course in 2024/2025
  • Your modules are entirely compulsory

If you have any questions, please contact the Student Record Administration Office:

Canterbury students – csao@kent.ac.uk
Medway students –  msao@kent.ac.uk

See Online Module Registration guide.

Find your people with umii

Make friends with the Umii app

We have signed up with Umii to make it even easier for you to make new friends at Kent. Create a profile including what you’re studying and your interests and Umii will match you with other students who you might get on well with.

Over 1,000 Kent students have used Umii! So why not give it a try?

Only verified users can access the app, so you can be sure who you’re connecting with is a real student at your uni.

This means you will need to use your Kent email address to register with Umii.

Download Umii now for free

Exercise class

Free exercise classes, 14-15 March

In support of University Mental Health Day (Thursday 14 March) and Red Nose Day (Friday 15 March), Kent Sport will be offering 180 free spaces on our fitness and dance class timetable across both days to allow everyone within our community to join in exercise for free. This includes many popular classes such as Zumba and pilates, as well as our range of exciting virtual instructor-led classes from LES MILLS.

For all class descriptions, visit our Classes webpage.

To book a free class as a Plus, Pay to Play, or non-member, visit the Sports Centre reception and fill out the paper form for the class(es) you would like to join. There are 10 free spaces in each class so sign up quickly before they’re gone! If you’re a Premium Plus member, all classes are included in your membership so you can book online as usual.

If you’re not yet a Kent Sport member, you’ll need to create a free Pay to Play membership before you’ll be able to join the classes. You can create an account quickly and easily through our online booking system.

Donations for Red Nose Day can be made on the Comic Relief website.

Lead Kent

Kent Union elections: voting now open

Voting is now open for your Kent Union full-time Officers.

The full-time Officers work and support the student priorities that are picked by students for students. These make up the core campaigns of Kent Union’s Officer team. We currently have five full-time Officer positions that all focus on different remits for students:

There are three days of voting and there will be five polling stations spread around campus, plus you can vote online at any time during these three days. Voting closes Thursday at 17:00.

There are also chances to win a range of prizes if you vote in the Kent Union elections. Some of the top prizes include an Apple iPad, Xbox X and weekend getaways for two.

Find your housemates with Umii

Find your housemates with Umii

Struggling to find housemates? The perfect people might be waiting…

Find housemates on Umii app

The Umii app connects you with other students at the University of Kent based on your interests, course and societies, helping you to find new friends and housemates all in one go!

“I downloaded Umii as I wanted to make new friends, find out about student life and meet people with similar interests. Umii also helped me secure accommodation with a connection I had made.”

– Mohammad
Postgraduate Student

New housemate signifier

You can now add housemate signifier to your profile to show that you are looking for someone to live with. How to set up your profile:

  • Download the app
  • Select “University of Kent”
  • Add your course, interests and societies
  • Build your profile including choosing the housemate signifier
  • Verify your email
  • Get new matches every day!
Gleaning team

Right to Food: tackling the cost of living on campus

Becoming a Right To Food University means working to ensure that we protect our students from food insecurity and that access to nutritional, affordable and sustainable food is paramount across our food services.

To celebrate our one year anniversary (26th February), we celebrate what we have achieved against this mission and look forward to some exciting projects that will do even more.

Cost of living meals

A number of initiatives are underway already – most notably the £3 meal deal on campus. Starting as a hot meal, served in our Rutherford Dining Hall with a choice of salad or vegetables, but moving on to include a grab-and-go deal in outlets across campus has proven to be extremely popular. We have now sold over 60,000 meals since November 2022.

In addition to this exciting meal deal expansion, the catering team have reduced hot food price on average by 20%. Through reducing food waste, collaborating closely with our primary food supplier, simplifying operations, and managing food expenses effectively, prices across campus have been significantly reduced.

At the Medway campus, the Hub offers free community breakfasts for students, supported by the Universities at Medway.

Giving Week generosity

Alongside the £3 meal deal and reduced prices across our catering outlets, we kicked off our anniversary week with a special free breakfast for students on Monday 26th February. This event was funded by the generosity of staff, students and alumni at last year’s Giving Week, which raised £18,000 to provide meals for students facing hardship.

Zaid Mahmood, Students’ Union President at Kent says: ‘Kent Giving Week 2023 raised money that would directly help in tackling food insecurity on campus. Being a Right to Food University, this is a critical mission for us as an institution because no student should go hungry and be disadvantaged in their university career. These giving week meals will ensure that the most disadvantaged and impacted students are supported during their time at The University of Kent and are set up to thrive in their academics. We want to thank every single person that donated to support this cause, the impact of this initiative will change the lives of so many students!’

As well as supporting over 350 students with a free hot breakfast, the money will help provide meals and other financial support for students who need it the most thanks to a collaborative approach between the university’s student support and wellbeing services and Kent Union.

Gleaning

Our student led gleaning project, ran in partnership with Produced in Kent, has also given students the chance to access free fresh produce. Our student volunteers go to local farms to pick surplus food and veg that would otherwise go to waste. As well as redistributing it to those in the wider local community who need it, the volunteers also get to take home some of the produce for themselves.

Find out more about the gleaning project and sign up to become a volunteer now.

Stay on for a Master's?

Staying on for a Master’s at Kent?

Here at the Kent, we understand your passion to progress. Whether you’re wanting to advance your skills or develop your knowledge further, let us help you reach your full potential. Become a critical, creative and strategic thinker with high-level research, planning and communication skills – exactly the attributes all employers look for.

If you’re a final year undergrad considering staying on for postgraduate study, do make sure to check out the following:

  • Different courses that Kent offers – full time, part time, short courses or conversion courses for those looking for a different route altogether
  • Funding and scholarships that are available to you, with scholarships that could take off up to £5,000 off your tuition fees, you don’t want to miss out applying.
  •  Kent are hosting a series of events throughout Feb – May, including Postgraduate Open Events, Drop-in chat sessions at Nexus and subject specific talks. Do register or attend to find out more about specific course details.
  • The extensive employment opportunities that include work placements, career support, networking and 1-2-1 coaching.

Find out more about the benefits of staying at Kent, hear from student who decided to stay on for a Master’s and sign up to register for updates on our website.