Content page 1

We have over 5,000 rooms for students on our Canterbury campus (about 60% are en-suite). 

At Pier Quays, near the Medway campus there are over 1,000 en-suite rooms available for students.

Everyone has different priorities when it comes to their room 'must haves'. Whether your top spot is it's distance to lectures, how many people you share a bathroom with or how much it costs these are all things you'll need to consider when making your room choices. It can seem overwhelming but take a look at our blog which covers the four questions you need to ask yourself to find the right room for you. 

We are proud to be able to offer many of our students a guaranteed room offer. All new first-year students will receive an offer of accommodation if they: 

• Are applying for a full time course at Canterbury or Medway 
• Apply before 30 June on the year of entry
• Make Kent their firm choice 

Read our accommodation guarantee for more information.

Subject to availability, we also make the decision every year if this guarantee can be extended to late, adjustment or clearing applicants. This information will also be available on the accommodation guarantee page when available.  

Yes, we have a number of accessible and adapted rooms at both our campuses for students with disabilities or special requirements.

Please find out more about the rooms we have available and support in place on our accessible accommodation page.  

You can find out all you need to know on our how to apply for accommodation blog post. 

In short, you need to register your details at our website and apply for accommodation online once our applications pages go live in mid-January. You will need to provide the following information:

• Your last name (or family name)
• Your UCAS ID number (10 digits) or your Kent student ID number (8 digits)
• Your date of birth, eg 03/01/2003
• An email address (a school email address is probably not suitable).

Once you have successfully applied online, you will receive an automated email message confirming receipt of your application.

You will receive another email message advising you where you have been allocated University accommodation (subject to eligibility and availability). This message will be from accomm@kent.ac.uk, so please ensure that this address is saved.

We allocate our rooms on a first come first served basis, meaning the earlier you apply the more likely you are to receive one of your top two preferences. 

We do have a number of other considerations we also factor in to room allocation which you can read about via our blog: www.blogs.kent.ac.uk/accommodation/canterbury-allocation-procedure

Yes, you can change your accommodation preferences at any time before 12 July 2026 for new students, or 13 February 2026 for returning students.  

All you need to do is log back into your account and amend your choices. There are no penalties for this and any preference changes will not change your initial application date.

If you have received a room offer that you are not happy with, then please do not immediately reject your offer as this could remove your application from our systems. Instead contact the Accommodation Team who will be able to discuss your options.

Accommodation prices are located at the top of each accommodation area's page including for Pier Quays in Medway.

All our Canterbury accommodation prices are available on our dedicated prices page as well as the price list for the previous academic year as well.

All accommodation contracts include your utilities (water, gas, electricity, heating and Wi-Fi) and Kent Sport membership. If you live in part-catered accommodation your accommodation fees will also include the cost of your meal plan.

For many this will be your first time moving away from home and experiencing independent living. 

Living at university is different from being at home as aside from living with new people the biggest change for some is getting to grips with independent living as you become responsible for everything from making dinner, what time you come home on a night out, to cleaning, but this is what moving out is all about.

Of course all home environments are different, and some of you will have already experienced independent living, so whilst life will be different, there are still some rules in place in University accommodation. Any rules in place are to ensure that every resident and member of staff can live in an safe environment which promotes a positive experience for all. When you move in to University accommodation you are agreeing to the terms and conditions, which are effectively the rules for you and us to adhere to. Further information is also available in the Accommodation Handbook.   

All our Canterbury campus accommodation adheres to the Student Accommodation Code (SAC) and our Pier Quays accommodation in Medway is part of the National Code of Assured Accommodation (NCAA).

We are also committed to managing our accommodation in accordance with the best practice guidelines set out in the national Universities UK Code of Practice for Student Accommodation. This means our halls meet recognised standards, and we’re regularly reviewed to make sure we continue to provide a safe, fair and high-quality living environment.  

You can find out more about these independent regulators at their websites: The SAC, the NCAA and Universities UK Code of Practice for Student Accommodation

Yes, we set aside a number of rooms across our Canterbury campus and in Pier Quays at Medway for returning, full-time students and can even guarantee a room offer for early applicants!

In Canterbury, you can live in any of our accommodation options except Turing College which is reserved for first year students, and in Pier Quays we prioritise allocating returning students to phase 2 rooms (subject to availability). We also have KMMS returning student accommodation.

Accommodation applications made directly through Kent for returning students open in January and you can apply with your friends so you can live together and enjoy all the same benefits as your first year (no deposits, free sports membership, bills and insurance included, and shorter contracts to name a few).

Find out more about returning student accommodation and the great included benefits.

You will need to apply between 1 November and early-mid December (the deadline will depend on your course start date).  Learn more about application deadlines and arrival dates January starters.

Students on programmes with a term abroad should apply to live in Darwin Houses where shorter fixed term accommodation contracts are offered. 

Kent and Medway Medical School students should refer to the KMMS accommodation pages.   

Medway School of Pharmacy students have the choice to live at either Kent's Pier Quays accommodation or Greenwich University's hall of residences. 

More information about both these options is available online.  

Students undertaking a foundation year can live in any of our undergraduate accommodations, and you apply online just the same as all students seeking accommodation at Kent.

As long as you apply before 30 June and meet our criteria you will be guaranteed to receive a room offer from us. 

You can also apply to live on campus for your official first year and the remainder of your course as a returning student. 

We offer accommodation in Canterbury for students who prefer to live with other LGBTQ+ identifying students or in a quieter, Lifestyle Moderate environment.

Lifestyle Moderate residents are expected to keep noise to a minimum and be considerate about alcohol use, amplified music, and how they socialise. While we can’t guarantee a permanently quiet or alcohol-free setting, grouping like-minded students helps support this lifestyle choice.

These areas aren’t monitored more closely than others, as residents are expected to self-manage their environment.
Availability is limited, so not all applicants may be successful.

Find out more about Lifestyle Accommodation.

Yes, in addition to other financial support available at Kent to students, we have three accommodation specific schemes. 

For new and returning students based on the Canterbury campus, you can sign up to our Open Day Show Flat scheme when applying for accommodation. If you take part will receive a £10 credit per hour towards your accommodation fees.

For postgraduate and returning undergraduate students, our ResLife Team recruit ResLife Ambassadors for each college (Canterbury and Medway). Successful applicants receive a discount on their accommodation fees.

Please note, both of these schemes are popular with students, meaning it is always best to apply early to increase your chances.

If you have an essential need for a specific type of accommodation due to a disability, medical condition or mobility issue, you may also be eligible for a reduction in accommodation fees. 

Images across this site are for illustrative purposes only and are meant to be used as guides for what a room/kitchen looks like in that area. Individual rooms will vary and with 5,000+ rooms on our at Canterbury campus alone there's a high chance that the room pictured won't be the room you end up moving into. 

In the videos/images on our website, these rooms have either been dressed with products from our partner supplier UniKitOut and a range of high-street stores or using items brought by the student living there at the time of recording/photographing. You can see what is included in your room for when you arrive by visiting our Canterbury Living On Campus webpage (or What's included at Pier Quays)