At the University of Kent we foster a supportive community of belonging to anyone, irrespective of their background, supporting those who may not have dared to dream to realise their ambition.
This includes carers and care leavers, female students looking to enter the world of STEM and students who are First Generation – those who are the first in the family to go to University. By offering a range of support options – including bursaries and scholarships, dedicated events and skills workshops and the chance to meet other students in a similar situation – these students can belong and thrive at Kent.
To do this, we work closely with schools and colleges in the region to offer financial and practical support to their students – before they even start at university. Building on our strong foundations in this space, we kick off 2025 with the launch of two new schemes designed to support regional school and college children, prioritising students who may not traditionally have gone to university, or thought higher education was for them.
Ambition to Succeed
Building on our extensive activity which includes talks, workshops, campus visits and a residential Summer Schools, we are launching a brand-new scheme this year. The Ambition to Succeed Programme provides the space and the time for students to make informed choices about their future by exploring the opportunities available through Higher Education.
Aimed at young people in Kent and Medway in year 12 or the first year of a level 3 course at college, this series of events and resources will help young people work out their next steps after school or college. Combining information, exploration and experience, the programme will give you a broad view of university and will encourage you to decide whether it is the right choice for you.
Clare Alison, Director of Outreach at the University of Kent says: ‘Students are at the heart of all we do at Kent, and supporting students who face systemic disadvantages and who are underrepresented within HE is a core part of our mission. We are committed to supporting students to thrive at University – we know how transformative higher education can be, but we also know it can be difficult to navigate, particularly if you don’t have family or friends who have attended university before. ‘Ambition to Succeed’ is designed to support students make informed choices about their next steps, but also to show students the amazing experiences had on our campuses and the pastoral, financial and academic support they can expect if they come to Kent.’
All students who complete this programme and study at Kent for their undergraduate degree will also secure a scholarship of between £500-£2,000 for each year of their study.
The Kent Ambition Scholars programme
Another new initiative this year is our Kent Ambition Scholars programme – a bespoke skills programme for anyone studying at Kent who is on means tested support. This includes our ambition to succeed scholars and a range of other students who receive any of our key financial support and would benefit from wider support during their studies – including carers, care leavers and widening participation students.
This year we will invite 500 students to join our Kent Ambition Scholar programme, which has been co-developed by current students and ranges from personal development skills, such as money-management and accessing opportunities including Study Abroad, to developing academic learning and employability skills.
Riley Clowes, Student Success Manager and lead for the project says: ‘The KASP programme is open to a range of students who are receiving funding and scholarship opportunities from the University of Kent. It will create a community for these students and, by pulling together a range of workshops in one place, make their lives a bit easier. We are really excited to launch it and can’t wait to see how our students develop their skills over the year and get the most out of their university experience.’