Accommodation guarantee

Accommodation Offer Guarantee

Make Kent your home

Accommodation applications for first-year students

Apply by 30 June 2026 to secure your place.

Apply for accommodation by 30 June 2026, and you’ll be guaranteed a room in Canterbury on campus (or at Pier Quays if you’re studying full-time at the Medway campus).

As long as you’re registering for full-time study in 2026/27 and apply by the deadline, your room is guaranteed - and there’s no deposit required. Just pick your room and apply! 

How our accommodation guarantee works

Finding the right place to live is one of your biggest decisions when starting university. That’s why we’re proud to offer a guarantee of accommodation for all eligible students who apply for accommodation by the deadline. Let’s walk you through how it works! 

Why selecting Kent as your firm choice matters

We allocate campus accommodation on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the date of application and offer status. Students holding an unconditional offer and who have selected Kent as their firm choice will be allocated first, followed by those who have chosen Kent as their insurance choice.

After these groups, we allocate rooms to students who applied after the deadline, and then to Clearing applicants.

This means you’ll have a better chance of getting one of your preferred accommodation options if you make Kent your firm choice and apply as early as possible.

Before you apply

Who is eligible?

If you're a full-time foundation, undergraduate, postgraduate, or international student, you could be eligible for a guaranteed accommodation offer when you apply to study at Kent and make us your firm choice. Here's how it works:

  • January 2026 starters who apply by 8 December 2026
  • September 2026 starters who apply by 30 June 2026*
  • The first 1,500 full-time returning students in Canterbury, plus all Medway returners
  • Clearing students who firmly accept their offer to study full-time at Kent and apply for accommodation are guaranteed a room on campus or at Pier Quays in Medway**

*See more information below

**Medway students will only be guaranteed accommodation at Pier Quays. 

Returning student eligibility 

Please ensure you are a full-time student at the Canterbury campus and intend to live on campus before applying.
If you plan to take a year abroad or a year in industry, wait until you are certain you will not be doing so — once an accommodation offer is accepted, it cannot be cancelled.

Students with medical conditions or disabilities should refer to our Accommodation Application Guide (to be updated).

The University reserves the right to withdraw an accommodation offer if you:

  • miss application or acceptance deadlines or conditions,
  • have outstanding fees or a poor payment history,
  • have a disciplinary record,
  • fail to progress academically, or
  • change your mode (FT/PT) or campus (Canterbury/Medway) of study.

If this right is exercised, you will be notified in writing by the Accommodation Office.
(Section 3.6 ‘Promise of accommodation’ in next year’s Terms & Conditions will reflect this update.)

Accommodation guarantee eligibility

You'll need to apply for accommodation between 1 November and mid-December (the deadline will depend on your course) to ensure you receive a room offer before the University closes in December.

We have extended our guarantee to include all students starting in January. Exchange students, postgraduate students and UKIC students who applied before the 8 December deadline will be contacted by the Accommodation Office via the email they applied with before the University closes for the Christmas break. Students who apply after this date are guaranteed a room offer, however, you will not receive an offer until the beginning of January 2026.

We have accommodation set aside for students who will be studying with us for less than 9 months, with contract lengths to match your course dates. 

You’re guaranteed a place in university accommodation if you apply by 30 June 2026 and meet the eligibility criteria – though we can’t promise a specific room type. The earlier you apply, the better chance you’ll have of getting your first choice.

Whether you’re heading to Canterbury or Medway, it’s always best to get your application in early.

At Canterbury, there’s a wide mix of room types to choose from on campus (all subject to availability). For Medway students, you’ll be based at Pier Quays. No deposit is needed – just pick your room type and apply

As an international student, you are guaranteed on-campus accommodation (off-site at Pier Quays for Medway students), provided you are a full-time student and meet the eligibility criteria. No deposit is required – just choose your room and apply by 30 June 2026.

Plan ahead for next year without the stress! All Medway students and the first 1,500 returner applications for Canterbury are guaranteed an offer of accommodation, subject to the eligibility criteria. Further information will be sent out via email from November, and applications will open in mid-January. Don’t miss out!

Registration will open from the end of November. Register your interest in returning student accommodation before Sunday 4 January 2026 to gain 24-hour early access to our accommodation application pages!  

Returning international students are guaranteed accommodation for all years of study, provided they apply for returning student accommodation by the deadline and meet the eligibility criteria

For guaranteed returning student accommodation for September 2026, international returning students must apply by the stated deadline. Further information will be available from mid-November, and applications will open in mid-January. Don’t miss out!

Registration will open from the end of November. Register your interest in returning student accommodation before Sunday 4 January 2026 to gain 24-hour early access to our accommodation application pages!  

If you accept your offer to study at Kent through Clearing, apply for accommodation by 6 August 2026, and are registering as a full-time student, you’ll be guaranteed a room on the Canterbury campus or at Pier Quays. 

Students applying to the Medway campus will only be guaranteed accommodation at Pier Quays, a short walk from the Medway campus. 

Ready to live at Kent? Here’s how to apply:

If you're planning to start in September 2026, our accommodation application pages open in mid-January 2026 each year.

For courses starting in January 2026, the application pages open in early November 2025.

Meet the relevant criteria and submit your application before the deadline (30 June 26), and you’ll be guaranteed a room offer. Be sure to check our application timeline to know exactly what to expect and when.

Applying for a room through Clearing? 

Make sure you tick that box on your Clearing application which says 'I'd like accommodation'. There is no need to apply for accommodation separately. 

Two students sitting on a bench, talking, outside Turing College reception