What is the award for?

The Graduate and Researcher College (GRC) invites applications for funding from postgraduate students (of all levels across all of our locations) to run events or projects which have an interdisciplinary and/or external focus which will enhance the community experience of postgraduate students at Kent.

Successful applicants will be awarded up to £1500 to fund their project.

What is the criteria for entry?

Successful applicants will put forward:

• A clear commitment to build community across a number of academic divisions/disciplines.
• A broad interdisciplinary and/or external focus.
• A detailed breakdown of the planning, implementation and budgeting of the event/project.
• A new, innovative idea not currently in existence.

Proposals must also:

• Be planned to take place within the academic year in which the applicant has applied for it.
• Be based on the applicant’s main campus/centre, though external locations (up to 20 miles away) may be considered if vital to the project/event.
• Be consistent with Kent’s regulations on data protection.

We particularly welcome applications engaging with the themes of wellbeing, internationalisation, career or research career development, and equality, diversity and inclusivity.

How can I spend the money?

• Successful applicants will work on the project/event on a voluntary basis, with funding put towards materials/external assistance.
• The GRC will assist with room bookings and small purchases of materials, but all other activities must be managed by the awardee themselves.
• Applicants are encouraged to use Kent services such as Kent Hospitality and Design & Print Services in order to keep costs down.

Funding cannot be used for:

• Serving alcohol unless part of a fully justified reception or dinner.
• Supporting pre-existing projects.
• Donations to charities, groups, or individuals.
• Paying current students to participate or support a project/event. Small incentives may be possible, but the panel will favour voluntary support.

How to apply!

Once you have come up with a great idea to enhance the postgraduate community experience at Kent, you will need to think about how you want to make it happen. Discuss your idea with friends and colleagues, and make sure your supervisor is aware that you want to submit an application. You will need to provide a letter of support from your supervisor or School’s Director of Graduate Studies, so talk to them as well.

When you are ready, you will need to fill out an Application Form and email it to kentgrc@kent.ac.uk by the allocated deadline.

Application deadlines:

Opens Monday 3 October, closes Friday 11 November.

Read about previous winners

The University environment may have provided opportunities for you to notice things about yourself that you might want to explore and talk about. This therapeutic support group will take place online over six sessions and will provide a safe space to explore experiences and themes with others, who you may have things in common with. Commitment to attend all six sessions is required.

The group has been run over the last two years and came about as a response to feedback from students in the context of Black Lives Matter and the pandemic. Having access to others and role models that look like us is fundamental to our wellbeing; all of participants reported feeling a sense of connection and a sense of belonging.  Quotes from previous participants include “everyone listened and supported each other”, “felt a sense of sisterhood”, “felt seen in a way that gave me comfort, topics resonated”.  All participants felt that the group had a positive impact on their sense of identity as a Black woman or woman of colour.

The group will be experiential, and you are expected to bring yourself and be willing to share your thoughts with others and to be able to listen to others. We will decide together in week one which themes we would like to explore each week. Previous themes include; Who am I? – What does it mean to be me? – Relationships – Friend or enemy? – Self-love – Mental health – Self-care. You may have other themes that you want to suggest and explore.

Please note that you need to commit to attending all six sessions which take place on Tuesdays from 12.00-13.30 on the following dates: 1 November, 8 November, 15 November, 22 November, 29 November, and 6 December 2022.

If you are available for all six dates and would like to participate, please email wellbeingevents@kent.ac.uk to book your place, you will then be contacted for a brief 1:1 online meeting with the group facilitator at a mutually convenient time before the course begins. Please think about why you would like to join the group and what you would like to get out of it.

Find out more about the group. If you have any queries, please email wellbeingevents@kent.ac.uk

To be in with the chance of winning a whopping £300 Amazon voucher, take just 10 minutes to fill in the Student Success Expectations Survey.

This questionnaire is for first year students and aims to find out your academic expectations and plans for the year. We use the results to find out what you hope to achieve at Kent, and how best to support you (so taking part is a win-win). 

Complete the survey to be in the running for our star prize, and you’ll also be added to a Divisional draw for a £20 Amazon voucher! The more students that complete the survey in your Division, the greater your chance of winning, so remind your friends to take the survey too (we’ll even organise a Divisional social if enough students take part).

Completing the survey is also worth 5 Employability Points – these can be cashed in to apply for exclusive internships, placements and training on the Employability Points Scheme. The Student Success Team will get in touch directly with any lucky winners to arrange prize collection.

The survey closes on Monday 24 October at 17.00.