Canterbury Accommodation Arrivals

Canterbury Accommodation Arrivals

Your guide to arriving at your Canterbury accommodation.

Need to arrive at the Pier Quays? Visit our Medway arrivals page.

Blog: Arrivals advice

Medway arrivals

Short stay accommodation

Book your mini stay

Because, sometimes commuting just isn’t the easiest option.

Early starts, late nights, coursework deadlines, or a disrupted week at home, add in poor weather, transport delays, or reduced services, and getting to and from campus can quickly become stressful.

Being on campus means you’re close to lectures, study spaces, facilities and social activities, making it easier to focus on your work and manage busy weeks.

It’s a practical, comfortable option that can help reduce travel worries and take some pressure off when things feel full on.

Find out more

Quick links

Arrivals Day

Parking/unloading

Arriving late?

Useful information

Packing advice

When can I arrive?

Arrivals Weekend is from Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September 2026.

Unfortunately, we're unable to offer early arrivals or early check-in. If you expect to arrive before your contract begins, you may wish to ship your belongings so they arrive on campus on the Sunday of Arrivals Weekend, then stay in a local hotel or B&B until you're able to check in.

If you're a KMMS student, your arrival day is 12 September 2026.

Get your documents sorted

The Accommodation Team won't need to see your ID, but its a good idea to keep some form of official ID on your, as you may need it later on.

Download your Arrivals Pass

Before you arrive, log in to your MyAccommodation portal to download your Arrivals Pass, ready to show when you check in.

Print your Parking Permit

If arriving by car (except by taxi), you'll need to print your unloading permit to generate a QR code and display the permit in your car whilst you unload your belongings.

Check before you travel

Before you set off, check for any travel disruption and make sure you know your accommodation reception's opening hours, so you can plan your journey with confidence.

Arriving later than planned?

If you expect to arrive outside reception hours, watch our video for guidance.

You can update your arrival date in the portal up to 48 hours before arrival to receive a new arrival pass. Within 48 hours of arrival, please contact us directly.

Download the Home@Halls app

Once you've checked in, download the Home@Halls app to complete your room inventory. This way we can note any marks or defects in your room on your arrival so you don't get charged for them later down the line!

International Students

If you're an international student, you'll find everything you need to know about travelling to campus, including guidance on planning your journey, arriving in the UK, and the support available to help you settle in during Arrivals.

International students support

Parking and unloading

Each college area has a designated car park for unloading, which will be shown on your unloading permit.

Due to limited parking at unloading areas, you’ll have around 20 minutes to park and unload your belongings before moving to a larger overflow car park off Giles Lane.

How to make the most of your unloading slot:

Focus on unloading your items and collecting your key first
You can return later to collect your KentOne card or meet the Student Support and Wellbeing team - there’s no rush for those steps
Traffic Marshalls will be on hand to guide you to unloading zones and direct you to long-term parking afterwards - please follow their instructions.

Becket and Giles Court arrivals

For students living at Giles Court

There is no parking available at Giles Court. Please arrive at Keynes College car park (CT2 7NP)
Make sure you have printed and completed your Unloading Permit before you arrive.
Collect your room fob from Keynes College reception before moving your car.
After collecting your fob, follow the directions of the traffic marshals to the Giles Court unloading area.
Arrival slots run from 8am – 7pm. Please stick to your booked slot and follow the marshal's instructions
You will have 20 minutes to unload your belongings once you arrive at Giles Court, before relocating your vehicle to the visitor's car park.

For students living at Becket Court

Please arrive at Becket Court car park (CT2 7NS).
Make sure you have printed and completed your Unloading Permit before you arrive.
Follow the directions of the Traffic Marshals during their operating hours. You will have 20 minutes to unload your belongings.
After unloading, drivers should relocate their vehicle to Giles Lane, Oaks or Pavilion car park. Outside Traffic Marshal operating hours, please park in a marked bay within any campus car park.
Collect your key fob from Keynes College reception before unloading.

Late arrivals

Arriving after college receptions close?

You can either stay in a local hotel and arrive the next day or call Campus Security at +44 (0)1227 823300. They’ll let you in after verifying your Arrivals Pass.

Just pop back to reception in the morning to finish check-in.

A paved walkway leads toward the Marlowe building on a sunny campus with a large, modern metal sculpture to the left.

Useful information

We all know how quickly things change, and we update our web pages and social media regularly to contain all the latest information to help your transition to university as stress free and simple as possible.