Applying to Kent and Clearing
If they have applied through UCAS, used all five choices and they aren't holding any offers, they might be able to apply through UCAS Extra for another course.
In UCAS Extra, they can apply for any course with vacancies. UCAS Extra is open between the end of February and early July.
To use Extra they need to have:
- already made five choices
- received decisions from all these choices, and
- either had no offers or declined all the offers they have received.
Please note: If they decline their offers and add a UCAS Extra choice, they will not be able to accept any of their original choices later.
Response times vary depending on how many application we have to deal with. We try to get back to everyone as quickly as we can, but at busy times of year it can take a few weeks.
Have a look at our Application Timeline for key dates and deadlines.
Yes. If they send their application to us by 30 June, we will send it to their chosen universities and colleges. If we receive their application after this date, they will be entered into Clearing.
The University is bound by the Data Protection Act and by other legalisation in relation to confidentiality and disclosure of information. Staff are unable to give any information about a student applying for a place at the University to a third party (including parents), without that student's expressed permission.
More information: Our relationship with you
Your role is to be positive, no matter what the outcome and take the lead in suggesting practical next steps if your child decides to apply through Clearing (see the next FAQ).
Practical tips:
- Find out which courses have vacancies. Official vacancy lists are published on the UCAS website and on university websites
- They don't have to stick to the subject choices they made originally - there may be other areas which might suit them better.
- Make a Clearing shortlist and contact the universities as soon as possible on results day
- Write down questions before phoning
- Emphasise the effort they have put in and how hard they have tried. Knowing that they have your support will mean a lot.
We aim to be as flexible as possible at results confirmation and in a lot of cases we are able to accept applicants who have narrowly missed their grades. However, it is not always possible in all cases.
Clearing is an opportunity for your child to explore their options and consider other possibilities if their plans have changed, or they are having second thoughts about their course. It’s organised by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
If your child wants to make an application to Kent then they need to do this themselves. They should apply online via our Clearing website
If they can’t apply online then they can call us and we can make the application on their behalf. It’s much better if we talk to your child themselves, but if they give verbal consent over the phone we can discuss their application with you.
We guarantee accommodation for every student offered a place in Clearing. See our Accommodation FAQs for more information about University accommodation.
We appreciate that you may have been kept informed of your child’s progress while they have been at school or college. All applicants to the University of Kent are welcomed as adults and the Data Protection Act 1998 prevents us from sharing information about students with you or other third parties.
University of Kent staff are unable to give any information about a student either applying for a place at the University or a student currently studying at the University, to a third party, without that student's express permission. This includes parents, spouses, siblings etc.
If you child will be under 18 when they start their course, please refer to our Minimum age of admissions policy for further information.
All universities in the UK follow similar guidelines.
Accommodation
Use our ‘Find my room’ feature to view all our Canterbury campus rooms or filter by your study level, facilities or catering options. All rooms include Kent Sport Premium Plus membership, all utility bills, Wi-Fi, and personal contents insurance. View all undergraduate accommodation at Canterbury
If your son or daughter is interested in studying at our Medway campus, they can choose to live in Pier Quays. There’s 1,000 self-catered en-suite rooms arranged in flats, with five to eight students per flat. More information about Pier Quays
See our handy application timelines for full details:
We’re proud to be able to offer a guaranteed room offer to many of our students studying at Canterbury or Medway. Your son or daughter will be guaranteed a room if:
- They are a new full-time undergraduate student applying by 30 June, over the age of 16 and they make the University their firm choice
- They are one of the first 500 Clearing applicants to firmly accept their offer to study at the University of Kent. They don't need to apply for accommodation separately. They only need to tell us when asked within their Clearing application if they need accommodation - we'll do the rest. More information about our guaranteed room offer for Clearing applicants
- They are on a short course and studying with us for less than nine months
Yes, we set aside a number of rooms for returning students . First year and returning students typically live separately, although returners can apply for any accommodation option on campus except Turing College which is reserved only for first year students.
Accommodation applications for returning students open in mid-November and students can apply with their friends so they can live together or individually. Returning students enjoy all the same benefits as first year students such as no deposits, bills and insurance included, shorter contract offers and free Kent Sport membership.
Take a look at our Arrivals pages for what to bring:
More information can be found on our Accommodation FAQ
Studying at Kent
Contact hours vary depending on the course. Most courses will give a suggestion of contact hours on our course pages.
The University of Kent has extensive computer suites available for all students to use on campus. Study bedrooms do not have a computer but do have data points should the student wish to bring a laptop/computer, as lots of students do, but it is not compulsory (unless told otherwise specifically for the course)
Find out more:
Yes. We offer support to students with disabilities, autism, specific learning difficulties and long-term health conditions. We also have mental health advisers, a counselling service and peer support groups.
You can find out more by contacting our Student Support and Wellbeing Service or looking at the resources available on their website.
The first point of contact is usually their academic advisor in their academic school.
We have an extensive range of study support resources, and your son or daughter can make an appointment with our Student Learning Advisory Service where they can speak to an adviser and get access to study support.
If they have a disability, specific learning difficulty or existing mental health condition they can register with Student Support and Wellbeing before starting at Kent so we can help them get any learning and/or wellbeing support in place before they arrive.
Funding their studies
Visit our Applying for Student Finance page
You might need to provide information about your income if your child has applied for student finance in England. Your child will make their finance application via gov.uk/student-finance and will be guided step by step through the process.
Student loans are different from other types of borrowing because they do not appear on your son or daughter’s credit file and their credit rating is not affected. However, if they apply for a mortgage, lenders may consider if they have a student loan when deciding how much they can borrow.
There is no obligation for you to contribute to the cost of your son or daughter studying at university. You may wish to have a conversation with them about finding a part-time job before they begin their studies, and most universities can also help students find part-time work while they study.
We estimate that all students at Kent will need some financial income outside their maintenance loan, whether that be from family, scholarships, or a part time job, and it is important you and your child discuss this before they start their course.
We offer an extensive programme of online career development workshops as well as 1:1 appointments with the Careers and Employability Service These are tailored to you son or daughter's needs, and cover topics such as career and further study options, writing CVs, cover letters and applications and preparing for interviews and assessment centres.
Our advisers offer objective and tailored careers support for up to three years after your son or daughter has graduated.
Read more about Careers Employability at Kent
Finding part-time work
Kent Union run Jobshop, an online employment service to assist University of Kent students in Canterbury and Medway to find part-time, temporary and seasonal employment. Jobshop’s mission is to ensure that as many students as possible have access to opportunities to gain valuable work experience, develop employability skills and earn some additional income while they are studying.
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Social
Academic groups (groups affiliated with academic schools) are free to join.
General societies (faith, culture, performance and interest groups) are usually between £0 - £20
Sports clubs are more expensive and would range between £30 - £300, although the average is around £70. Most sports clubs run from Kent Sport facilities, so members also need to have a gym membership which is included in the cost of on-campus accommodation.
Find out more about each of our student groups, along with membership prices Memberships for the 2022-2023 academic year will be available to purchase from August.
Yes. Kent Union runs an Advice Centre at Canterbury and Medway. The Advice Service offers free, impartial and confidential advice across a large range of topics, from academic concerns to housing issues and many more.