University of Kent
A 1960s campus university on a hill above Canterbury, now part of a two-university group with Greenwich.
- Students
- 15,680
- International
- 28%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 17:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- £21,950
- From · 2027-28
- Founded
- 1965
About Kent
The University of Kent received its royal charter in 1965 and grew up on a 300-acre green campus on a hill overlooking Canterbury, about two miles from the city centre, with a second, smaller campus at Medway. Students come from more than 150 nationalities, and teaching is split across ten academic schools, from Kent Law School and Kent Business School to Computing, Psychology, Natural Sciences and Arts and Architecture, alongside the Kent and Medway Medical School.
Kent is now part of the London and South East University Group (LASE), formed by its merger with the University of Greenwich: the merger legally completed on 1 August 2026 and the group launched on 7 September 2026. Kent keeps its own name, courses and campuses, and students still apply to, study at and graduate from the University of Kent, while the group's 50,000 students can use all four Kent and Greenwich campuses and their libraries. Kent is also reshaping its degrees under its Kent 2030 plan, with updated modules and new term dates.
Entry is moderate rather than fiercely selective: typical offers for 2027 run from BBB for courses such as Computer Science, Economics and History to AAB for Law and Actuarial Science, with lower contextual offers. Kent suits students who want a traditional campus with woodland and a cathedral city nearby, generous starter packages and easy access to London and the Continent.
Cui servire regnare est
“Whom to serve is to reign” — university motto
Why students choose Kent
Home undergraduates get the Kent Start package: £2,000 over the first two years (£1,000 cash and £1,000 for campus food and drink), plus a guaranteed virtual internship in the second year.
International undergraduates starting in September 2027 can receive a £5,000 Kent International Scholarship, taken off tuition over the first two years (Kent says full eligibility details are still to come).
Law students work on real cases in the Kent Law Clinic, and Law at Kent is 15th in the UK in The Times rankings cited on its course page.
The Canterbury campus is a 300-acre green site within walking distance of a UNESCO World Heritage city, about an hour from London by train.
Admissions
2027 entry
Selectivity
Kent does not publish an overall offer rate. Typical offers for 2027 entry range from BBB to AAB (AAA/AAB for Medicine), and most courses list a lower contextual offer.
Typical entry requirements
| A-levels | Course-specific typical offers for 2027: BBB (Computer Science, Economics, History), ABB (Psychology, Architecture), AAB (Law; Actuarial Science with Mathematics at A); contextual offers are lower, e.g. BCC for Computer Science and BBB for Law |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | 30 points (Computer Science, Economics, History), 32 points (Psychology, Architecture), 34 points (Law; Actuarial Science with HL Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches at 6) |
| Medicine (BM BS) | AAA/AAB headline offer; the detailed requirement is AAB including Chemistry or Biology and a second science or related subject; IB 34 points with two relevant HL subjects at 6 |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 80 Most courses need Kent's Good level: IELTS 6.0 with 5.5 in each component, or TOEFL iBT 80 (tests taken before 21 January 2026). Law needs the Very Good level: IELTS 6.5 with 5.5 in each component, or TOEFL iBT 87. TOEFL tests taken after 21 January 2026 use the new 1-6 scale (4.0 overall for Good, 4.5 for Very Good). |
Deadlines
- UCAS (Medicine, Kent and Medway Medical School) Non-binding Next deadline · In 9 days15 October 2026, 18:00 UK time
BM BS Medicine, UCAS institution code K31; UCAT required.
- UCAS equal consideration deadline Non-binding In ~3 months13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
All other courses; Kent accepts applications for many courses after this date.
- UCAS last date before Clearing Non-binding In ~9 months30 June 2027, 18:00 UK time
Kent accepts applications for many courses until this date; later applications go into Clearing.
UCAS dates for 2027 entry. Kent's own application timeline still shows the 2026 cycle, when it accepted applications for many courses until 30 June.
How to apply
UK and Irish applicants apply through UCAS. International applicants can use UCAS or apply directly on Kent's website (no application fee), but must not use both. Medicine is applied for through UCAS under the Kent and Medway Medical School (institution code K31). Every course requires a personal statement.
What admissions looks for
- Grades at or near the typical offer: Kent publishes a headline offer and a lower contextual offer for each course.
- Required subjects and GCSEs, such as GCSE Mathematics at grade C/4 for Computer Science and A-level Mathematics for Actuarial Science.
- For Medicine, AAB-level grades including Chemistry or Biology plus a second science, five GCSEs at 9-6 including English, Mathematics and the sciences, and the UCAT.
- A personal statement, which every undergraduate course requires.
Tips for applying to Kent
- 1 Check whether you qualify for a contextual offer: for Computer Science it drops from BBB to BCC, and for Law from AAB to BBB.
- 2 International applicants who have never used UCAS can apply directly to Kent for free; just don't apply through both routes.
- 3 For Medicine, apply to institution code K31 (Kent and Medway Medical School) by 15 October 2026 and take the UCAT.
- 4 Book an Open Day at Canterbury; the campus's hilltop layout and distance from the city are easier to judge in person.
Costs & financial aid
2027-28 · figures in GBP
Home undergraduates receive the Kent Start package (£2,000 over the first two years), and eligible students can get Kent's £3,000 Financial Support Package across three stages of study. International undergraduates starting in September 2027 can receive the £5,000 Kent International Scholarship as a tuition fee waiver (£3,000 in year one, £2,000 in year two) awarded to eligible offer holders (Kent says full eligibility criteria are still to be published). Sports and music scholarships are also offered.
- £5,000 tuition fee waiver for eligible offer holders (eligibility details to be confirmed)
- Kent International Scholarship (UG, Sept 2027)
- £2,000 over the first two years
- Kent Start (Home students)
- £127.89 to £314.86 per week, bills included
- Campus accommodation
Academics
Academic calendar: Terms (new term dates introduced under Kent 2030)
Law (LLB)
AAB typical offer; students take real cases in the Kent Law Clinic and practise in a dedicated moot courtroom.
Actuarial Science (BSc)
AAB with Mathematics at A, one of Kent's most demanding quantitative degrees, with a year-in-industry option.
Medicine (BM BS)
Taught by the Kent and Medway Medical School, run with Canterbury Christ Church University to serve the region's NHS.
Computer Science (BSc)
BBB typical offer, with modules from Programming and Algorithms to Fundamentals of AI and a final-year group or research project.
Architecture (BA)
ABB typical offer, taught in the School of Arts and Architecture with an MArch route to follow.
Ecology and Conservation (BSc)
Taught in the School of Natural Sciences alongside Kent's Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology.
Research
- Research institutes include the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology and the Institute of Cyber Security for Society.
- Kent cites 38th place in the UK in THE's analysis of research quality in REF 2021.
- Kent is part of the Eastern Arc research partnership and the Growing Kent and Medway regional programme.
Schools & faculties
- Kent Business School
- Kent Law School
- School of Arts and Architecture
- School of Computing
- School of Economics, Politics and International Relations
- School of Engineering, Mathematics and Physics
- School of Humanities
- School of Natural Sciences
- School of Psychology
- School of Social Sciences
- Kent and Medway Medical School
Kent says it is in the UK top 20 for work experience, and it guarantees home undergraduates a virtual internship in their second year.
Student life
Most first-years live on the Canterbury campus, a green hillside site with woodland, two Co-op shops, places to eat, a nightclub, a large library and the Gulbenkian Arts Centre; Medway students live at Pier Quays. Kent has more than 250 clubs and societies and gives students free Kent Sport membership. The city of Canterbury, with its cathedral, medieval streets and large student population, is a 25-minute walk away, and beaches and countryside are close by.
- More than 250 clubs and societies.
- Free Kent Sport gym and fitness membership.
- The Gulbenkian Arts Centre on the Canterbury campus.
- Graduation ceremonies take place in Canterbury Cathedral.
Housing. Kent guarantees accommodation for eligible students who apply before the deadline, with rooms on the Canterbury campus or at Pier Quays in Medway costing £127.89 to £314.86 a week with bills included.
Location
Canterbury is a small, historic cathedral city in south-east England with one of the UK's highest student populations. It has three UNESCO World Heritage sites, independent shops and a compact centre. London is about an hour away by train, and Paris is about two hours away, which makes weekend trips easy.
Nearest airport: London Gatwick (LGW)
Notable alumni
- KI Kazuo IshiguroNovelist; 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature and Booker Prize winner for The Remains of the Day
- AG Abdulrazak GurnahNovelist; 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature; MA and PhD at Kent
- TW Tom WilkinsonActor, The Full Monty and In the Bedroom
- AD Alan DaviesComedian and actor, QI and Jonathan Creek
- SW Sarah WatersNovelist, Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith
- ET Emily ThornberryLabour MP for Islington South and Finsbury
- ST Susannah TownsendGreat Britain field hockey player; 2016 Olympic gold medallist
Frequently asked questions
What grades do you need for the University of Kent?
Typical 2027 offers range from BBB (e.g. Computer Science, Economics, History) to AAB (Law, Actuarial Science), with lower contextual offers. IB offers are mostly 30 to 34 points.
How much are Kent's fees for international students?
For 2027/28, full-time international fees are £21,950 or £23,950 a year depending on the course. Eligible international undergraduates also get a £5,000 Kent International Scholarship over two years.
Can international students apply directly to Kent?
Yes. If you are not from the UK or Ireland, pay international fees and have never used UCAS, you can apply directly on Kent's website with no application fee, or use UCAS instead.
What is Kent's application deadline for 2027 entry?
13 January 2027 through UCAS for most courses (15 October 2026 for Medicine). UCAS passes on applications received until 30 June 2027; after that they go into Clearing.
Has the University of Kent merged with Greenwich?
Yes. The merger with the University of Greenwich legally completed on 1 August 2026, and the London and South East University Group (LASE) launched on 7 September 2026. Kent keeps its name, courses and campuses, and you still apply to, study at and graduate from the University of Kent.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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