Consumer Rights Protection Law and You
CMA guidance sets out your consumer rights as a (prospective) student and outlines three key laws that protect your rights as a consumer.
These are briefly described below alongside the explanation of how Kent ensures its compliance.
1. Information Provision
Universities are required to provide up front, clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information.
FAQ list
This information includes all advertising material – anything from the hard copy of prospectus to online marketing and information communicated during Open Day and applicant events.
We are committed to be transparent in our communications. You can access information related to your course via Online Prospectus. If, for any reason you cannot find the information you are looking for, contact information is available at the bottom of each course page.
We periodically review the content of our courses to ensure that it remains up-to-date and relevant. In the event that we need to make some changes, we follow established practices to evaluate any risks involved and to ensure that any such changes are necessary and mitigated if appropriate.
Examples of changes that can result in changes to course structure or content include:
- Changes required by Professional, Statutory and Regulatory bodies (PSRBs).
- Incorporating external examiner and/or current student feedback.
- Reflecting any recent research to ensure that the content is up-to-date and relevant.
We will always communicate with prospective and current students in the event of changes to material information.
Kent also has a Student Protection Plan that sets out what we will do in order to protect your interests and ensure the continuity of your studies should you be negatively impacted by substantial changes to your course of study (both in terms of content and location).
2. Terms and Conditions
Universities must ensure that their Terms and Conditions that apply to students are fair and balanced.
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Universities have an obligation to ensure that terms and conditions are easily available, are written in plain English and do not allow higher education providers an unreasonable wide discretion to make changes and/or avoid liability.
Our Terms and Conditions of Offer are available online to be viewed before you decide to apply at Kent. They also highlight a number of policies that will be applicable to you as a student.
The University of Kent Regulations are constantly reviewed and updated, where appropriate, in response to external bodies' requirements, in order to make general improvements and make changes that will ensure that our awards hold their value at the point of qualification and over time (this list is not exhaustive).
All the changes are considered in various settings with the designated member of a student body present. Information about these changes is subsequently communicated to the Divisions and published online. In addition, we inform our students where changes to any Regulations are of particular importance to them.
3. Complaint Handling Processes and Practices
Universities are required to ensure that their complaint handling processes and practices are accessible, clear and fair to students.
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All higher education providers must ensure that their complaint handling process is clear and accessible. This is because lack of information and/or complex processes may deter students from submitting a complaint where they have a valid reason to do so.
Kent operates two separate complaint procedures in relation to the Consumer Protection Law - one for applicants (that have submitted an application) and one for current students and applicants who have accepted an offer. For more information please see CMA Complaints pages.