Welcome to the University of Kent
Whether you are joining us for the first time or are a returning member of staff, our experienced HR team will guide you through the onboarding process to ensure the best possible start to your new role at Kent.
Read our FAQs on the onboarding process, including what to expect from accepting your job offer all the way up to your first day.
Onboarding FAQs
Once you have verbally accepted your job offer and have agreed a start date with your new line manager, you will then receive a written offer of employment.
This written offer will outline conditions you will need to meet in order to commence employment. This usually includes the following:
- Evidence of eligibility to work in the UK (Also referred to as a right to work)
- Proof of your most advanced academic qualification and any other qualifications listed as essential in the Job Description
- Receipt of satisfactory references
You will also be requested to check your personal details and add any missing information as part of your onboarding.
It is important that you complete the forms as soon as possible as these will need to be completed to set up your HR staff record and Kent IT account.
If you are a returning member of staff (you have previously left the University and are now re-joining) you will follow the same process as if you are starting out as a new member of staff.
This means you will need to complete a right to work check, fulfil the conditions listed in your written offer of employment and sign your contract, onboarding & starter checklist and bank detail forms.
Your previous Kent IT account will be reinstated so you will hold the same work email address when you were last employed by Kent.
The type of right to work check will depend on Passports, visas and eligibility to workthe type of document you are providing for the check.
If you are a British or Irish citizen, the right to work check will usually take place on campus with your passport or other accepted document(s).
A scan of the passport/accepted document will not be accepted as proof of your right to work.
If you are not a British or Irish citizen, the right to work check will usually take place online, once your visa has been approved.
In all instances, our HR team will contact you regarding the right to work check and will advise on what is required.
Contact your HR team as soon as possible if you have any questions about your contract.
You may receive a TBC (to be confirmed) start date on your written offer of employment and contract.
If you are not aware of why you have a TBC start date, this is usually for either of the following reasons:
- You require a visa to work in the UK and your visa has not yet been confirmed.
- You are currently in discussions with your line manager on when you can start work and do not yet have a confirmed date.
Once either of the above has been resolved you will receive an amended version of the contract with a start date to sign. It is important that you sign the amended contract, so you can be paid correctly in the next pay run.
If you are not able to open a UK bank account (for example, if you are relocating to the UK), you should still sign your contract as normal and complete as much of the starter checklist form as possible, leaving the bank details page blank.
It is important that you still sign your contract to avoid delays to your employment start date.
Inform our HR team that you do not currently have a UK bank account and get in touch once this has been set up.
The team will resend the bank details form for you to complete and upload this to your HR record to ensure you are paid each month.
For more information on setting up a UK bank account, you may wish to read the guidance here.
In order to set up your Kent IT account, you will need to do the following:
- Complete the onboarding forms (found in your written offer of employment)
- Sign your contract
- Complete your starter checklist & bank details
You will then receive an automated email detailing how to set up your Kent IT account.
Your Kent One card is used as your ID at Kent. You will be contacted prior to your first day for a electronic photo to use for your Kent One card.
The Kent One card will allow you to access the building where you will be working and other areas around campus.
You will pick up your Kent One card on your first day with your line manager along with your IT equipment (if applicable to your role).
Your line manager will let you know in advance where you need to go on your first day.
If you are unsure where certain buildings/rooms are on campus, you can use our maps here to best plan your journey.
You will first need to have set up your Kent IT account in order to access and set up parking permits.
If you are unable to activate your IT account for any reason, you can be provided with 2 consecutive days to park (from your start date) while the account is being activated.
To arrange this your line manager will need to contact the Transport Team. More information can be found in the guidance linked above.