|
|
|
University of Kent
From The Student RoomTSR Wiki > University > Choosing a University > University Guides > University of Kent
 Over 18,000 students currently study at Kent, making it an above average sized university for the U.K. The student population is quite mixed, in all senses of the term. The university has more contrasts than other comparable universities founded around the same time (e.g. Warwick, York, UEA…). That begins with the situation of its largest campus, perched on a hill, with stunning views of the cathedral city of Canterbury town on a pleasant day. Among the contrasts is its geographical mix. The biggest and best established campus is at Canterbury, with some 9,000 students, making it comparable in size to York (but it is about to expand greatly from 2009 onwards) and smaller than Warwick. Unlike many other universities, Kent also has several other campuses … in Medway (in the historic Chatham dockyard), Tonbridge and Brussels. Associated colleges include Chaucer College, the University Centre Hastings and Wye College. Kent works in partnership with Canterbury College, South Kent College and Mid-Kent College. Kent also has numerous strong associations, e.g. with IEP Lille. Kent was originally titled University of Kent at Canterbury and is still often referred to as UKC, particularly in relation to its Canterbury campus. The original campus, the University of Kent at Canterbury, is one of the universities created during the sixties. Kent, along with other new universities of the time (like Warwick, York, UEA…), was part of a move away from 'red brick' formal departmental structures. Interdisciplinary approaches to scholarship flourished in a relatively small-scale residential atmosphere. This approach still remains. In addition a year spent in Europe is also a feature of many of the Kent’s degree courses. Some of the other notable features - A strong European mix. A very high number of continental European students at Canterbury. It is probably the highest concentration of continental European students at any UK university. - Mixed in national origins. Well over 15% of students at UKC come from outside Europe. No less than 128 different nationalities are currently represented. Most of the foreigners are on the Canterbury campus. Some of the English students believe that they are in a minority. But that is maybe counting in the continental European and visiting students. - Mixed socially. The university has a policy of “openness”, not just in terms of the cross fertilisation of ideas and geographical outreach, but also in terms of the make-up of the student body. It has a more inclusive student body than other comparable universities founded around the same time (e.g. Warwick, York, UEA…). - Mix in ages. There are a large number of part-time (over 6,000) and mature students, although this is hard to notice on the Canterbury campus. - Students with disabilities seem to be better welcomed than at many universities, with extensive special provision. Kent is currently one of the fastest growing Universities in the UK (along with Warwick and York), partly through acquisitions of other campuses in Kent and partly through Canterbury expansion. Canterbury campusThe Canterbury campus is nice and compact with accommodation, teaching rooms, sports facilities, library etc all within easy reach. There’s a lot of green open space. The campus has a real community atmosphere. The result is breathtaking views of the city which never fail to inspire your whole stay there. The campus is clean, and tidy. UKC students are in general happy bunnies. The campus also has a large population of rabbits and squirrels, most in evidence at night time! In winter the campus used to be great for snowball fights before global warming came along. Summer is when the campus is at its best. Kent has some of the hottest weather in the country and Kent campus is ideal for barbecues, frisbee, football, etc. When the sun shines, everyone goes out onto the fields. You wouldn’t find that in a city university. Canterbury is the UK’s city with the lowest crime rest. Kent is likely to the UK’s safest university… there is excellent security on UKC (with the exception of stolen food from fridges… with Keynes of late a hot spot of thievery).
Collegiate systemThe collegiate system is a bit of a sham, this does not really matter too much, because the whole university community seems to be remarkably close (considering there are around 10,000 students), and you'll soon feel very much a part of things. Indeed UKC cannot be considered collegiate in any true sense - many of the colleges rely on each other, for day-to-day operation. For example, Keynes and Darwin Colleges no longer have dining halls, and so the students resident there are catered by Rutherford and Eliot colleges. Many students are allocated accommodation irrespective of their college, which reduces the ties further. Of course, life on campus varies. It really depends on which halls you’re in, and what people you meet. Some people leave at weekends, but the trick is finding people who don't (after all, who wants to have the choice of going home at weekends, or sitting in your room on your own?). There's a large contingent of international students. Sometimes they can form cliques. However it's not as bad as at some universities, we are told.
AcademicsKent describes itself as the "European university". It's part of the Franco-British University of the Transmanche and there's even a campus in Brussels. But no matter how much it gazes continent-wards, it also takes its regional role seriously. Be careful of league tables and generalisations across the whole of the university. Statistics on Canterbury will look quite different to some of the other constituent colleges. In the world university league tables, Kent is placed in the top 500 world Universities (441st in the world) by the 2007 Quacquerrelli-Symonds / Times Higher Education Supplement (QS-THES) league table. Sixteen departments from Kent appear in the top 20 of either The Times or The Guardian's British subject rankings from 2005 (including six departments in the top ten). The best advice is to fully research whether Kent is good in the particular subject you are studying. Some departments are top-notch, such as Law (the award-winning Kent Law Clinic, providing students with experience of law whilst studying), Computers (the Kent IT Clinic provides students with experience of consultancy whilst studying) and English & Drama (much student activity here too). Kent has a fantastic reputation for each of these. All subjects requiring a European or international perspective e.g. the social sciences and languages, are strong given Kent’s international ties. Kent does very well on measures of “student satisfaction”. While the methodology is often debatable, it does seem to correspond to a reality, with a good balance between having fun and working. Ranked by the Times as having the most “physically attractive” students, for what that is worth (also voted “Fittest” university in 2006 and later by Nuts magazine). Kent draws its students from a wide cross-section of society, in the UK, Europe and beyond. UK undergraduate applicants aiming for AAA will often put Kent as insurance, while at the same time, the university – given its leftwing origins of the 1960s (long since diluted, if not gone altogether) – has always been active in increasing participation. Distinguished alumniDistinguished alumniof the University, which is well represented in the media, include comedian Alan Davies, broadcasters Gavin Esler and Shulie Ghosh, novelist Kazuo Ishiguro, Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Hugh Orde and actor Tom Wilkinson
Teaching qualityMost students seem to think the teaching is of a high standard. Courses at Kent have some particularities… generally 1) more flexible than elsewhere, 2) good IT, e.g. with many recorded lectures and 3) a more “European” or international flavour… among the best in the UK. A year spent in Europe (with far smaller fees, and a living allowance) is also a feature of many of Kent’s degree courses. While often optional, Kent academics say that students who embark on such programmes often achieve better final degree grades. The library is more than adequate and spacious – especially in comparison to other universities. The computing facilities are excellent – there are over 600 public access machines, many giving 24-hour computer and internet access. The computing department is very strong and that impacts the whole university. Brussels School of International Studies The Brussels School of International Studies, founded in 1998, is an affiliate of the University of Kent and grants graduate degrees in International Relations and Law, among other related programs. As the name suggests, it is located in Brussels, Belgium. Chaucer College Canterbury Chaucer College Canterbury is an independent graduate college for Japanese students, founded in 1992 by Hiroshi Kawashima on the Canterbury campus of the University of Kent in the United Kingdom. It offers courses from Shumei University as well as the University of Kent itself. Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology The Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology is a graduate school and institute under the University of Kent, started in 1989 and named in honour of the famous British naturalist Gerald Durrell. It is the first school in the United Kingdom to award degrees and diplomas in the fields of Conservation, Eco-tourism, Biodiversity Management and Ethnobotany. The institute awards diplomas to graduates of the International Training Centre for captive breeding and zoo specialists at the Jersey Zoological Park, founded in 1978 by Gerald Durrell. Kent Business School Located on the way to the student village (Parkwood). AccommodationInformation at http://kenthospitality.kent.ac.uk or http://www.kent.ac.uk/hospitality/staff-student/accommodation/guide.html UKC Hospitality is a private company Accommodation is campus- and often college-based but not always. Each of the four colleges has teaching rooms, living quarters, food areas and a bar. If you are in a certain college it doesn’t mean that you necessarily have your teaching based there or that you can only use your college facilities. "Sharing" at UKC means you share a toilet/shower in the corridor. There are no rooms for 2 individual people at Kent (other than postgraduate families of course). Catered college "shared" rooms are located in Eliot, Keynes and Rutherford. Colleges are a centre of social and educational activity and each has its own character, although Eliot and Rutherford are very much alike. There are no 'proper' kitchen facilities in Eliot, Keynes and Rutherford halls apart from a sink, microwave, kettle and tiny fridge. No more than 6-8 bedrooms share these facilities. These offer the most cost-effective accommodation. Only breakfast is included in "catered" at UKC – other meals are optional. Students get an allowance (currently £1.80) for dinner if no breakfast taken in the morning (closes 0930). You use your student card "KentOne" to take breakfast, and the allowance appears on it if not taken. However if you do not use your allowance, it will not be rolled over to the next day. The self-catered accommodation is located at Darwin College, Darwin houses; Parkwood (a student village on the edge of campus), and Tyler court (A, B, C). Self catered accommodation has full kitchen facilities – generally 2 large fridge/freezers, sink, cooker + grill, kettle and adequate storage space. It is more social in the big colleges as you get to see a lot more people. In contrast Tyler Court is quite strict on things like locking corridors. Plus from Elliot, Rutherford and Keynes, you can just walk around everywhere very easily. Students here may tend to go out clubbing and to bars more. Sharing really isn't that bad. Everyone (just about) is clean and considerate. So there's hardly any fighting over showers. Plus, it’s a grand cheaper! When can you move in?Students can move into accommodation from mid-September. Fresher’s week starts on the third week, and term officially starts the following Monday – the fourth week of September. If on a particular computer course and if it is necessary to move in early you'll have to notify the university who will try and allocate you in another room for the duration - although you will be charged for this. If you're living in any of the colleges, you have to clear out for Christmas and Easter. Overseas students therefore frequently prefer self-catering. If you live in tyler court, you are allowed to keep live on campus during christmas and easter, the same applies to parkwood, anywhere else and you have to clear yourroom at the end of every term, as these are somtimes rented out. If unhappy with your accommodation there will be an opportunity to change if people are willing by early October. In order to do this you will need to go to the hospitality office once you have settled in and ask them to consider you for a swap if any others are willing. Accommodation policiesIf you are thinking to get your deposit back for the accommodation think twice. In a worst case scenario, you may be forced to clean the whole house (if in Parkwood) by yourself the last couple of days, just to ensure you get your deposit back. You are responsible for cleaning the common area so if you are the last one left you have to clean otherwise everyone looses their deposit. Think what will happens if you live with pigs. Noise can be an issue… it is similar everywhere and it is to be expected at times. However if you end up any where on central campus, you can enjoy a ballad of drunken singing, yelling, swearing boys and shrieking girls. Rules are in place to prevent loud noise. If there is any trouble, Campus Watch are only a phone call away. The guards have the authority to tell those making the noise to keep quiet. If they refuse, they can face heavy fines. If you wish to have a TV in your room you have to have a TV license by law, even if you're in a Parkwood house or Darwin Houses. By law if you have a secure lock on your door it qualifies as a separate tenancy and therefore you need your own TV license. IP-TV is available through internet. Regular cleaning is provided. If you are in halls, your corridor and bathroom facilities will be cleaned every day by a cleaner and your room will be hovered once every 7 to 10 days. If you are in Parkwood or Darwin Houses the system is different and a cleaner only comes in every 7 to 10 days to clean your kitchen and vacuum your rooms. All your en-suites are your responsibility to clean. Internet charges are included in room prices. All rooms are connected. Wi-fi on college is free, but often does not reach the rooms. Students with special needsThere are specially adapted study bedrooms for wheelchair users in Rutherford College, all blocks in Tyler Court and in some of the new accommodation at Parkwood. The only circumstances in which you can bring your car to campus would be on the basis that you had a disability which was supported by a letter from a doctor. Validating accommodationOnce accommodation has been assigned (i.e. towards the end of summer), it can be validated on http://www.kent.ac.uk/hospitality/
Eliot CollegeEliot College is the longest established college, named after the famous poet. From the dining hall windows there is a magnificent view of the Cathedral, which is spectacular at night. Eliot College is centrally located and catered. Over 200 basic and mostly small college rooms of approx 12 square metres (7 rooms per corridor). Each room has a basin. And 8 sockets!! Each corridor has a shared bathroom, shower and incredibly small cupboard which is amusingly described as a kitchen (it has a power point and two gas rings). There is a very tiny kitchen (cupboard like) where you are allowed to boil water on the 2-ring stove. There's also a kettle. Don’t try to cook meals on this stove! And don't fry as it sets the fire alarm off. There isn't a fridge; so many people try to hang plastic bags out of the window. It’s ok for making pasta, but difficult for anything involving more than 1 step. Some rooms have an excellent view looking down the hill onto the city and the cathedral. The windows are massive - and one piece of advice is never to mess about near it when open. It's nice and warm in the rooms. Furnishings are reasonable; although I'm sure the curtains and blanket are the original ones from when the university first opened. You get clean sheets once a week...if you can be bothered to change your bedclothes that often. Washing facilities, if you can't take it home to mummy is in the basement. If you can find it! Eliot College is a maze. There is a small shop in the entrance and it sells the essentials. There are also photocopying facilities in the Porters Lodge. A short walk across the walkways is a new set of shops. Beware though it is very expensive! The major advantage is that Eliot at the centre of the campus. Excellent for rolling out of bed in the morning to a lecture. Sometimes it's in Eliot and that's just downstairs. The library is a 2 minutes walk, as is the Computer Centre etc. There's a computer centre and library in Eliot too. Drawbacks are that the walls are very thin and the cleaner comes in and cleans your sink etc even if you are still in bed (as with Rutherford). You can also guarantee that the fire alarm goes off every other week at about 4am! Though Darwin can have several alarms in a day so it's not that bad really. It's also really easy to make friends as you are in corridors and there are about 500 people in Eliot to choose from.
Becket CourtBecket Court is affiliated with Eliot and is near to Eliot College. It has 103 modern en suite small bedrooms, comfortably furnished to a good standard. Becket Court boasts large en-suite rooms with oodles of storage space. The only disadvantage is that you have to go over to Eliot (a short 20 second walk, but in the winter OH how the wind blows across campus, remember to pack lots of warm clothes) to go the bar or get to the vending machines. Beware, Eliot and Rutherford both have test fire alarms one morning a week (you might mistake it for a real alarm though it stops after about the 3rd ring, then repeats). Eliot at 8:15 on Tuesdays, Rutherford- Wednesdays. Rutherford collegeRutherford College was named after the scientist who developed the nuclear theory of the atom. It was felt that he was a particularly appropriate namesake given the University's original desire to break down the boundaries between disciplines. The basic design of the college is to a large extent a mirror of Eliot College, and was inspired by Louis Kahn's design for a residential block at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. The need to have three hundred study-bedrooms and several large areas for distinctive use, such as teaching, and a dining hall plus kitchens, led to the adoption of a section design with the college divided into several square blocks, each containing a distinctive interior space with study bedrooms along all four walls. Rutherford College is centrally located and catered. Over 300 basic single rooms (up to12 sq m) in main college building, each with own sink. Over 50 are large (12-15 sq m), 10 are extra large (over 15 sq m). Typically arranged in corridors of 7. Though some corridors have 4. Rooms have recently been refurbished. Some single en suite rooms that have been specially adapted for disabled users. Each floor has one toilet and two showers, plenty for the 7 living on the corridor. your find that people get up at different times, so there’s never a wait for either. The Standard rooms are of a similar/the same size to Eliot though the ceilings are slightly lower in Rutherford which might make the rooms seem a little smaller. The kitchens at Rutherford are non-existent: you are given a microwave, fridge and kettle. But it is liveable, and although the canteen food isn’t amazing its nice going to dinner with a large group of mates every night. If you do not like canteen food, you may live mainly on pot noodles and bread, unless you persuade a friend in self-catered let you use their kitchen. There's no living room, but again you work round it- You end up all hanging out in one of the rooms on your corridor. Or going to the bar or the dining room. "The Bar" is advertised as RuTHErford BAR. It is commonly considered as a Trendy Wine Bar amongst students, due to its al fresco menu and highest drinks prices on campus. It has no real ale and stout on tap. Rutherford’s bar resembles a school common room but its great for a quiet drink and chat with your mates. You can sit in the Rutherford bar even when it is closed. So it is like a social meeting place and not just a bar. Very popular on footie nights as has large pull-down screen. Don’t let the bar put you off Rutherford, it takes less than a minute to walk over to Eliot. Keynes CollegeKeynes College is named after the leading 20th century economist - John Maynard Keynes. Keynes College is the third oldest college of the University of Kent. It was established in 1968. Keynes is notable for having a much clearer separation between the residential and non-residential areas than the other three colleges, with the teaching rooms and old dining hall concentrated at the front and east of the college. Keynes College (near Rutherford College) offers over 160 en-suite bedrooms. Fairly central. Catered. Has a good common room which is cool for watching TV. -Security of belongings has been an issue here. Keynes also are the proud owners of a newly refurbished study room near the psychology department with a small but open library service and moveable wall for the facility of group work. Darwin CollegeDarwin had strong connections to the historic county of Kent, having lived in Down House at Downe. Typical student housing based around a scene from a garden. Darwin is self catered with newly fitted kitchens from 2007, and like all other accommodation, internet connections in every room. Fairly central, if located at the edge of campus (opposite end to The Venue (nightclub)... a bit further than Rutherford and fairly near to Tyler Court.
ParkwoodParkwood is self-catered. A 10-minute walk on the edge of campus, near playing fields. Residents often find a good community atmosphere here. Parkwood is not a "college" of it's own. So everyone who lives in Parkwood gets assigned to a college which is either Darwin, Eliot, Rutherford or more likely Keynes. All regular and superior Parkwood rooms are shared between 4 and 6 and within the building there are 2 bathrooms. In Purchas and Lypeatt Courts only, the rooms also have their own sinks. Kemsdale / Stock / Nickle / Bossenden Court is the newest accommodation. At least 3 years newer than Tyler Court. The Farthings houses are all different numbers so you're all in different houses. They are usually mixed but can be either. Since Kent has more female than male students, it is more likely you'll have an all-girl house rather than an all male. Usually the sex preferences is cited on accommodation forms. Accommodation may be labelled single or mixed sex. However it makes little or no difference because people don’t pay attention. You can be in an all girl's house by choice - and yet they all can have some random blokes living with them. Also these are meant to be non smoking – not always respected! The accommodation in Ellenden was built in the middle 1990s. It was refurbished a couple of years a go. so the accommodation but its all rather white and clean. There is a shower room upstairs and downstairs with the upstairs shower room containing a toilet and a separate toilet room downstairs. There is also a cloakroom and a kitchen/dinning area. It’s in the middle of the Parkwood area. Ellenden Court is “superior” The community environment that you get in Parkwood is very good. The brand new facilities are second to none (e.g. the exclusive flat screen TV room only available to en-suite Parkwood applicants). A lot of people do ride bikes from Parkwood (quite a fight over bike parking). There is no special need for bikes if in the other on campus accommodation. Parkwood En-suites Upsides: -The newest accommodation. -There are less people, about 4-5 share a kitchen/flat. -These are in the Parkwood student village, so it's quiet but sociable. -Cheaper than Tyler. Downsides: -Friends are often too lazy to walk 'all the way to Parkwood' so make sure you either make friends in Parkwood or you'll be getting fit walking back every night. -The walk through the woods to get to Parkwood is scary at about 3am, but you can walk along the main road instead. You can also get security to walk you back (they're friendly little – sometimes big - guys who have to walk in the cold/rain/snow just to get students home!).
Tyler CourtTyler Court (near and associated with Rutherford College) offers 340 en-suite bedrooms. Self-catered. The dearest accommodation. Fairly central (near Eliot College). Everything is painted a psychologically-damaging shade of industrial magnolia. More importantly, there's no real communal area to speak of in the buildings. If you don't get on with the people you share a kitchen with, then you're looking at a situation where you live with 200 people, none of whom you know. It should be added however ! that each flat is seperated by a fire door, which within the first day of freshers week will be opened up and you will have the chance to socialise with three flats rather than 1. However on each floor there is a 4th flat which is seperated from the rest. Tyler is one of the most popular places to live on campus, albeit the most expensive, but from everyone i spoke to, it was definetly worth it.
Tyler Court B&CUpsides: -Share a huge kitchen with about 7-8 other people, 2 fridges, 2 cookers -The bedrooms are huge and you get a very decent sized en-suite. -Looks like a hotel; each floor has 8-9 bedrooms. -Good location for the whole campus Downsides: -It's very expensive -over £4500 for the year! Tyler Court AUpsides: -It's a lot cheaper than B&C. -It's still en-suite, but the rooms are smaller. -It's sociable because there are so many people around, and anyone can use any one’s kitchen so friends can join you. -Good location for pretty much everywhere. Downsides: - Seen as the poor Tyler’s -The corridors interlink, so there's about 16 people down you're separated part of the corridor, but there's about 3 times that on one floor. -It gets noisy a lot of the time. The windows in Tyler A, when closed, are about as useful as sticking a piece of paper across the window frame when it comes to blocking out noise. -The rooms are a lot smaller than B&C, and it's noticeable. -Security of belongings is an issue here. Virginia Woolf CollegeSelf-catering flats and studios for postgraduates. New in 2008. New Seminar rooms and a lecture theatre with a capacity of 500+ to match that of Keynes. UKC FacilitiesThe laundrettes avaliable on each residence are provided by an off-site company. They are open 7 days a week 7-10, except Tyler court which is open from 7-11. Eliot college contains its own on site shop, open 8-3 weekdays, it sells sandwiches, snacks and drinks. There are 2 launderettes in parkwood- 1 near the flats which is IDcard operated and 1 at the back of Woodys which is coin operated and open 24 hours a day.
Private sectorIn the second and third year the majority of students live off campus in plentiful privately rented accommodation. You won’t have any trouble finding a house – but do think carefully about who you’re moving in with and how far away from campus it is. It is bad enough having to go to lectures and the library without having to face a really long walk to get there. Rent isn’t particularly cheap in Canterbury so you might be advised to hunt around first – I got my house through word of mouth so it’s a good idea to chat to 2nd and 3rd years that might be moving. Also try easyroommate.com and Gumtree for house shares. Stand fast, the letting agents are crooks, it's that simple, so the rents are high, and you have to really push for what needs doing. Be polite, but don't trust them. The large number of students in Canterbury leads many to believe that there are not enough properties to go round, when in fact there is a surplus of rented accommodation. Although we would advise you against leaving your search for accommodation until the last minute, neither would we advise you to rush out and sign up for the first place you see. Take your time and make sure that you have found a place that is, among other things, affordable, in good condition and in the right location. You also need to be confident that, come September, you will still be on speaking terms with the people you are planning to share with! For more, see http://kent-editor.oncampus.net/pages/advice/housing/ FacilitiesLibrariesThe library itself is quite large, containing over 1.3 million books, periodicals and journals. It is a very relaxing place to be and excellent if you need to finish your essay. Library soon to be refurbished and updated with £50,000,000 going into it in the next few years. IT and computingInternet is installed in all the rooms there is also a large library with several computer rooms, serving up to 100 people, these do get very busy though, SportsSporting facilities at kent are excellent. There are two multi purpose halls, squash courts, cricket nets, a climbing wall, outside tennis and netball courts, playing fields, an artificial football pitch, a multi use sandy pitch and a volleyball court. This is along with the well equipped gym. Membership costs £105 a year, excluding the cardio theatre. WelfareThe welfare at the uni is run by a welfare sabbatical, elected every year to provide the best possible serivces. Currently there is focus on housing, student safety, recycling, involvement and community relations. The welfare sabbatical works closely with the student support serives and accommodation ensuring that if you have a problem there is someone to turn to. HealthcareThe University has its own medical centre. It is 10 minutes walk from campus and 5 minutes walk from main campus. It also has a pharmacy next door. ShopsThere are a few shops on campus- Blackwells bookshop Essentials (one on main campus and one in parkwood) Offlicense Eating & DiningUKCH run the food in the colleges (Keynes & Rutherford), as well as the little shops in each college, and the pubs (this includes Darwin's excellent bar). The Student's Union used to really own Woody’s, and the campus shop, but now they also own the Venue (a nightclub) and the Lighthouse (bar serving cheap but reasonable food). The Venue is a typical student club. Small, but full of booze. Not too much trouble, less than in the clubs in Canterbury (be warned, the term for the Work is “Meat Market”). College breakfasts are typically from 7:30am till 9:30am on weekdays and 9am till 2pm on weekends. You get 5 items (which works out as quite a lot), any more you have to pay for. There’s sausages, fried and scrambled egg, hash browns, beans, bacon, fried bread etc Then there’s healthy stuff like cereal, and fruit and yogurts. You also get a hot drink and a cold drink free.
Rutherford canteen dinners have often e.g. fried chicken/chips/potato wedges, veggies and salad etc. And then a changing menu e.g. chicken Kievs! Sometimes you will get a really nice meal! For just a meal it’s about £3.95 in 2008. Mungos - has undergone a total makeover. Serves, burgers, chips (the regulars) as well as yummy deserts like waffles with maple syrup and banana splits. It has become the new 'Venue' on a friday night. The bar and various other bits change colour. Quite stylish. Rutherford bar-the more classy (and expensive) establishment Dolce Vita in Keynes is Italian and doesn't really serve big things, just sandwiches and things like paninis. Gulbenkin cafe also serves food. Under private management. Pricey. Origins bar in Darwin College is a tex mex with burgers and nachos/chicken fajitas etc . Woodies in Parkwood is often called "woody spoons", as it’s quite like Wetherspoons but more expensive. There is also the light house (3rd floor of the venue) which serves lots of things… try its amazing smoothies! The Kitchen in the lighthouse above the venue serves burgers and chips. Good Chinese takeaway place near Westgate called Chop Chop or Super Noodles- yummy! There are large portions and a nice price for students. You can get something like sweet and sour chicken for about £5. What more can you ask for! There’s an al you can eat Chinese in Canterbury BanksThere are 2 banks on campus- Barclays and Natwest. There are also various cashpoints across the campus although there isn't currently one in parkwood. TransportBusses run from the campus to town on a regular service, taking around 10-15 minutes. A day bus pass only costs £2 Careers serviceThe uni offers a jobshop to help find yourself a job. Part-time jobsThe union has its very own 'jobshop' helping students to find work whilst they are at university. Details are published on their website job website as to what jobs there currently are. It is run by a team of advisors helping students in finding employment to help with money issues. Religious facilitiesSocialBars, pubs and clubsCANTERBURY CAMPUSFor those who are up for bit of a rave with good dance/ministry of sound/hip hop music then Monday Night down The Works (in town) is the place to be. The Venue on campus is good on Wednesday and Saturday nights. There is also Indie night on Thursdays. There are 5 bars on campus- Mungos (in Eliot college), Kbar (in Keynes college), The Atom (in Rutherford college), Origins (in Darwin college) and Woodys (in Parkwood). Origins has an indie night on tuesdays called 'Ruby Tuesdays'. Kbar has karaoke on thursdays. Woodys has a kind of pub atmosphere and has a pub/beer garden outside. And on a Friday night Mungos's has an in house DJ open until 1AM with reduced drinks and free entry, in what they call Magic Mungos. A termly event called Massive Mungo's takes place in the eliot hall, and is widely popular anticipated by all.
Popular with the local community is Cinema 3, a cult and arts style cinema that operates out of the Cornwallis Lecture Theatre in the evenings. The campus cinema indeed is very good – showing a lot of low budget independent films – with great handouts about the films EventsKent runs an annual Artsfest day, including a mix of drama and music venues around the campus, finishing with a fireworks display. The uni also hosts a wide range of open lectures, given by public figures and newly appointed professors. Kent also sees the usual 5th November bonfire displays and the 31st sees a wide range of halloween activities. Keynes JCC (Junior College Committee) also holds an annual music festival in the respective college, with more than 1400 students attending every year and running since the university was built. Clubs and societiesThe uni contains a wide variety of societies, ranging from religious socities to sports societies. New ones are constantly being formed, and a full list can be found here Society list If none of those interest you, you can set up your own society, the following tells you how to go about it: Setting up a new soc . However with such a wide variety of socieities already set up you will probably have a lot of things to join anyways. KRED is the University of Kent's student newspaper, founded in 1975. The name is an acronym, standing for Keynes, Rutherford, Eliot and Darwin, the University's four colleges. Kred is one of the best student publication in the country, given it's limited budget. Considering it is run by full time students, it is incredibly professional.
Medway CampusLocated near the old Dockside, there are several clubs and pubs located nearby. You basically have a choice of either Chatham or Gillingham for your clubbing needs. In Chatham, you have several options. The Manor Club is situated on New Road, and is generally considered to be not too bad. It has two rooms (allegedly 'indie' and 'metal', but more like dance music and indie-rock). The main room/indie room is large, with two sets of podiums, a large dancefloor and small stage. The 'metal room is smaller, with a smaller bar and dancefloor. Lots of younger people from local schools tend to go here, most of the people there will be about 16. Alternatively, you could go to Tap n Tin, which is just down the road, under the bridge. There are still several underage people there, but they tend to be a few months shy of 18, rather than a few years. In Gillingham, you have the choice of Preach or Blues Rock Café. I don't know much about Preach, but it has rather a chavvy reputation. It's situated right next to the High Street. Blues Rock Café, or just Blues, is located next to Priestfield football Stadium. It's more like a bar than a club, with a lot of sofas and tables set out, and a small dancefloor. Definitely the more civilised of the Medway nightclubs. It's more a place to hang out and chat, with dancing as an addition, than an actually club to dance. Rochester offers you Amadeus or Casino Rooms. Casino Rooms are next to the High Street carpark. They have regular stripper/poledancing nights, and also kickboxing matches. Amadeus is probably your best bet for a night out. It is a lot more lively than the other clubs and has regular guests, like Signature from Britain's Got Talent, and some celebrities. There is a chavvy element, but it's easy to ignore it really. Friday entry is free before eleven and drinks are £1, rising to £1.70 after 11. Saturday again is free entry before eleven, but drinks are £2.20 all night; Student unionThe University of Kent is proud to run one of the best and most successful unions in the country. Kent Union also runs 'The Venue', a nightclub which won the 'Best Bar None 2007' nationally. Being a member of Kent Union gives you access to loads of free and subsidised services, and also means that you get the support and representation you deserve whilst studying.
The five officer roles are: President, Student Activities, Education, Welfare and Sports.
Student Officers work within guidelines established by all students through referenda and their work is overseen by a larger group of students called Union Council. Any student can stand for election to become an Officer. Elections are held every March. Union council: It meets every three weeks on Thursdays at 6pm in the Senate Building and functions as the Union's 'parliament', in that all of the members represent a particular group. Whether it's students from a particular site or college, or a particular department or a group with specific representation needs (e.g. Women's officer and Students with Disabilities). Any student can attend and speak at Union Council, but you must be elected to a particular position to have a vote. Union Council agrees and sets policy throughout the year and monitors the Union's day-to-day operations and finances. Council consists of the following full members: The Union Chair The 5 Sabbatical Officers The Part-Time Representative Officers The Site Presidents (JCC Presidents) + the Vice President from each site committee. 4 Education Assembly Reps 1 Rep from Sports Council +1 from Societies Federation Ten ordinary members www.kentunion.co.uk EnvironmentLively, safe, friendly, fun... the safest area for students in all of the UK, backed up by statistics that it has the lowest crime rate. ArchitectureLocal areaCanterbury is a beautiful city. The campus is about twenty minutes walk away from the centre of the town of Canterbury. The buildings and architecture are wonderful; the city is centred round the glorious cathedral (where you get to prance around in a gown and hat at the end of your course). There were also some really nice parks and gardens (particularly the ones by the river) – great for relaxing with a picnic and a few beers in the summer. Canterbury itself has pretty much everything you could want, all the main high street stores, some odd little shops selling surprising stuff... And LOADS of pubs. It may be full of pubs, eating places, cinema and shops. However the city might be a bit small for some people … we’re not exactly talking Manchester here, with a population of 30,000. One drawback is the fact Canterbury that it gets completely over run by tourists in the summer – dodging packs of roaming French school children becomes a necessary skill. It's a 90m train ride to London, or a two hour trip by coach (nearly half the price of the train). So if you get bored, you can always saunter up to London. Or else go south, to Calais. It is a 25 minute drive to the Eurotunnel train shuttle. It's not far, and makes for a fun day or 2-day trip from around £40 return and up for a car and as many you can fit inside. It’s in an ideal location to get to France for cheap beer and fags (not that students would want to partake of such sin). However students are not allowed take cars onto campus. Parking in Canterbury is a nightmare, and you need to be 26++ to rent a car. Applying to KentThinking of applying to University of Kent? Why not read some Personal Statements which were used for applying here? Other Kent ArticlesWhy not read these other University of Kent Articles? Links | 
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
