Hear from a Chinese Student
Wansu talks about her experiences of being a Chinese student at Kent.
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Notable Kent alumni
Madame Fu Ying 傅莹
Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress of China
MA International Relations (Rutherford 1985)
Madame Fu Ying is the current serving Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress of China. She was previously the vice-foreign minister of the People's Republic of China, only the second woman to hold the role since the founding of the People’s Republic. She was the Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom from March 2007 to 2009 and Chinese ambassador to Australia from 2004 to 2007. Madame Fu received an honorary Doctor of Civil Law from the University of Kent in 2008.
Jiang Jiang 姜江
Ambassador
MA International Relations (Rutherford 1987)
Jiang Jiang studied at Beijing’s Capital Normal University, where he received a bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature, and at the University of Kent, where he received a Master's degree in International Relations. At the age of 29 he was President Jiang Zemin's personal interpreter. Following his studies at Kent, Jiang joined the Department of Translation and Interpretation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Deputy Director and, later, Director. Subsequent roles have included Chinese Ambassador to the Republic of Lebanon, and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Peoples’ Republic of China to the Republic of Malta.
Li Ruiyu 李瑞宇
Ambassador
MA International Relations (Rutherford 1989)
After a series of senior government roles, Li Ruiyu was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Italy and San Marino in June 2013.
Entry requirements
At Kent we consider all applications on their individual merit and welcome students from China with a wide variety of qualifications and experience. Please note that some departments may have slightly different entry criteria.
If you have any specific queries or questions please contact us at internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk
Foundation programme
Students from China wishing to pursue a foundation programme at Kent will need to obtain one of the following:
- a final grade of at least 70% in the Senior High School Certificate (Huikao) or Senior Secondary Academic Proficiency Test (Xueye Shuiping Ceshi/Kaoshi).
- the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao), with an average score of 60%.
We will also consider applicants with high grades (minimum average score of 75%) in their Vocational and Technical Secondary School Diploma (Zhigao/Jixiao) or Specialised School/College Diploma (Zhongzhuan) on a case-by-case basis.
We offer two types of foundation programme which enable progression onto a wide range of our undergraduate degrees: the International Foundation Programme (IFP) and 4-year integrated programmes which include a foundation year:
- The International Foundation Programme (IFP) is for international students whose school-leaving qualifications are insufficient for direct entry to undergraduate study and/or whose English language standard is below the necessary level. The IFP gives you a year’s preparation in academic subjects, English language and study skills up to the required level for progression onto undergraduate degree study. The IFP is delivered at our Canterbury campus by University of Kent academics and successful completion of the programme provides entry into a wide range of Bachelor degrees in our faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences and Sciences. We offer September and February start dates depending on your chosen pathway and the degree you intend to progress on to.
- We offer 4-year integrated programmes which include a foundation year in Actuarial Science, Chemistry, Computer Systems Engineering, Electronic and Communications Engineering, Forensic Science, Mathematics, Pharmacology and Physiology, and Physics. These are designed for students with acceptable English language ability but school-leaving qualifications below the level required for direct entry to an undergraduate degree. Entry to these foundation programmes may require you to have studied specific subjects at high school.
Please note: you only need to take a foundation programme if your qualifications are not suitable for your chosen degree.
Undergraduate
For entry to a Kent undergraduate degree programme, Chinese students typically need to have completed one of the following:
- Foundation programme in China or the UK – requirements will depend on the programme taken
- The National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) with an average score of at least 70%
- The first year of a Bachelor degree (Xueshi) with an average grade of at least 70% from a 211 university, or 75% from other recognised institutions
- Vocational Diploma (Gaozhi) with a final grade of at least 75% or equivalent
- 2 or 3-year Diploma (Zhuanke or Da Zhuan) with a final grade of at least 70% or equivalent
Please note that some programmes may ask for a higher level in a particular subject, such as Maths.
Students who have completed a 3-year Diploma (Zhuanke/ Da Zhuan) may be considered for 2nd year or 3rd year entry on a case-by-case basis if they have studied similar content to Year 1 (or Year 2 where relevant) of the Kent undergraduate degree applied for.
NCUK International Year One
Kent Business School now accept the NCUK International Year One for entry to Year 2 of many of their undergraduate programmes. For details of NCUK centres in your country, please see the NCUK website.
US qualifications
If you are studying, or have studied, US qualifications such as SATs, ACTs, Advanced Placement tests or an Associate Degree, please see our USA country page for details of the US qualifications we accept.
International Baccalaureate, European Baccalaureate and A levels
If you are studying, or have studied, the International Baccalaureate, European Baccalaureate, or A levels please see our General entry requirements for details.
We have a standard International Baccalaureate Diploma offer of 34 points across all programmes of study including any specific subjects at higher or standard level required by the particular degree programme. As an alternative to achieving 34 points, for most programmes, the University will also make IB students the offer of passing the IB Diploma with specific achievement in higher/standard level subjects.
IB Career-related Programme (IBCP)
The University welcomes applications from students taking the IB Career-related Programme (IBCP). We do not make standard offers for this qualification, however we are happy to advise prospective students based on the component IB courses they are taking as part of the IBCP. For specific advice on grade requirements, please contact us listing the IB courses and additional courses you are taking.
Contact us
If you have questions about which qualifications we will accept, please email internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk for information on our entry requirements and details of how to apply.
Postgraduate
For entry to a Kent postgraduate degree programme (Master’s), Chinese students typically need to have completed a Bachelor Degree (Xueshi) at a recognised institution. Exact requirements will depend on the postgraduate degree you are applying for and the undergraduate degree you have studied.
- For programmes that require a 2:1 we usually ask for a Bachelor degree (Xueshi) from a 211 university with a final grade of 70%. For Bachelor degrees from other recognised institutions you will need to achieve a final grade of 75%
- For programmes that require a 2:2 we usually ask for a Bachelor degree (Xueshi) from a 211 university with a final grade of 65%. For Bachelor degrees from other recognised institutions you will need to achieve a final grade of 70%
Applicants with relevant work experience may be considered with lower grades.
Some, but not all, postgraduate programmes require your undergraduate degree to have a related major. Some postgraduate programmes may require work experience in a relevant field or at a certain level.
MBA
For details of our MBA programme, please see the MBA course page.
PhD
For entry to a Kent PhD programme, Chinese students typically need to have completed a Master’s degree (Shuoshi) at a 211 university with a minimum final grade of 70%. Students with Master’s degrees from other recognised institutions will need to achieve a final grade of 75%.
If you would like to pursue a PhD at Kent, you should visit the relevant department website and our find a supervisor page to identify potential supervisors for your research and thesis. You are encouraged to then make direct contact with the appropriate academic to discuss your research proposal.
English language requirements
Applicants will also need to meet University of Kent's standard English language requirements. These are set at a level that meets both the academic needs of the University and the minimum requirements for a Tier 4 (General) student visa.
Applicants for the International Foundation Programme or pre-sessional English programmes are required to have a UKVI recognised SELT (Secure English Language Test). These must be taken at one of the UKVI approved test centres.
Applicants for postgraduate programmes who have studied to at least Bachelor’s degree level entirely in the medium of English or who have worked in an English speaking environment may be considered for exemption from standard English language requirements on a case-by-case basis. A letter confirming the medium of instruction of English will be required.
Pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
If you need to raise your English language skills, you can attend one of our intensive pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes. Satisfactory achievement on one of these courses can be used to meet Kent's English language entry requirements in place of other external language examinations.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
For the latest details on fees, see our course fees look-up table.
Funding
The University offers a wide variety of financial support and scholarships, including awards for academic, musical and sporting excellence. Scholarships include our International scholarships for undergraduate students and International Scholarship for Taught Masters Students.
For details of all the scholarships available, please use our scholarship finder.
British Council GREAT Scholarship - China
Together with the British Council, we are delighted to offer a Scholarship of £10,000 to Chinese passport holders, available to applicants applying for a taught master's programme based at one of our UK campuses. Find out more...
Postgraduate Taught tuition fee deposit scheme for international-fee paying applicants
A deposit payment of £2,000 is required to secure your acceptance of an offer for a Postgraduate Taught programme at Kent. This deposit will be deducted from the overall tuition fee you are required to pay at enrolment.
We advise early payment of the deposit, and the final deadlines for us to receive your tuition fee deposit are:
- Postgraduate Taught Master's with a September start date: 1 July
- Postgraduate Taught Master's with a January start date: 1 December
The University reserves the right to withdraw your offer if the tuition fee deposit is not received by the relevant deadline. If this occurs, your application will only be re-instated subject to receipt of the deposit and places being available on your chosen course. If you are offered a place after the given deadline, an immediate deposit payment will be required to secure your place.
If you require a CAS for visa purposes, this will not be issued until the depositve that has been received for your chosen course.
Please note: The deposit is only applicable to postgraduate programmes that start in the UK. A deposit is not required for postgraduate programmes that are taught exclusively at our centres in Brussels and Paris.
Deferrals
The University will consider deferral requests for postgraduate applicants for up to one year if they have fully met the conditions of offer and have paid the fee deposit.
Further information
For full terms and conditions, including details of our deposit refund policy and application deferrals, please visit our Online Store. If you have any questions about the deposit scheme, please contact the Admissions Team via your online application portal or email international@kent.ac.uk.
How to apply
Undergraduate applicants
Full-time courses
If you are from the UK or Ireland, you have to apply through UCAS.
If you meet the following conditions, you may choose to apply through UCAS or directly on our website:
- You are NOT from the UK or Ireland.
- You do NOT pay home fee (i.e. you pay international or special EU fee)
- You have never used UCAS AND you do not intend to use UCAS in the future
Please remember if you are eligible and intend to apply directly on our website, you should NOT use UCAS at any point. Submitting your application to both UCAS and our website will cause issues to your application.
Our dedicated international team are here to help support you through the application process. Please do get in touch if you require any advice or support.
Special courses
If you are applying for a subject-specific foundation programme, you apply in the same way as for a three-year undergraduate degree.
Applications for our International Foundation Programme (IFP) can be made:
- directly to Kent via the International Foundation Programme site
- via one of Kent's overseas representatives
- via UCAS. If you are submitting other applications to Kent through UCAS, your IFP application must also be made through UCAS.
Part-time courses
Apply directly on our website.
Apply via our representatives
International students can also apply with the assistance of one of Kent's overseas representatives.
Late applications
A process called 'Clearing' takes place in July and August, running from 1st July annually. We will provide an updated list of all of the Kent degrees that still have places available once Clearing opens – this can give you another chance to apply. For more information on how the Clearing process works and how to apply, please see Clearing at Kent for details.
Postgraduate applicants
See how to apply for postgraduate study.
Important dates
- For international students, the deadline for applications to taught Master's programmes is 31 July.
- Although there is no fixed closing deadline for applications to the majority of our research degrees*, we strongly recommend that you apply as soon as possible; no later than three months before your intended start date. The University has three PhD entry dates during the academic year: September, January and May. Entry to a Master’s by Research is in September only.
*Applications to PhD degrees for Kent Business School have a deadline of 31 July.
Contact us
If you have any questions about applying to Kent, please contact us.