University of Greenwich halls on Medway Campus cost from £173.88 a week for 2026/27, while Pier Quays, where Kent places its Medway students, starts from £165 for 2027/28. Private rooms at Compass House in Gillingham advertise from £105 with a shared bathroom. It is a small market, so these five options are the core choice.
Our picks for student halls in Medway
These are Unifresher’s editorial picks, based on the prices, contracts and locations listed below. No hall paid to be here.
It is a 10-minute walk from campus with bills included, a shop and a common room, and suits students at either university.
Standard rooms are £105 a week with bills included, a 5-minute walk from campus.
The blocks are on Medway Campus at the lowest on-campus rent, £173.88 a week for 2026/27.
Kent places its Medway first years here, and the common room has pool and ping pong.
These are the newest on-campus blocks at £192.43 a week, and Greenwich says they feel more modern.
Medway halls compared on price
The weekly figure is only half the story, because contract lengths differ. The table below multiplies each rent by its charged weeks so you can compare what a year really costs.
Lowest listed weekly rent. Prices are for the latest year each provider has published, so compare the years shown. Your room type and contract may cost more.
| Hall | Type | From/week | Weeks | Contract total | Food | Bills in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass House | Private | £105 | Check | Check | Self-catered | Yes |
| Maritime House | Private | £135 | Check | Check | Self-catered | Yes |
| Pier Quays | Private | £1652027/28 | Check | Check | Self-catered | Yes |
| Merlin and Wolfe | University | £173.882026/27 | 39 | £6,781 | Self-catered | Yes |
| Adelaide, Forte and Sunne | University | £192.432026/27 | 39 | £7,505 | Self-catered | Yes |
The best student halls in Medway
Pier Quays
Pier Quays is the big social option and the place Kent houses its Medway students, so you should have plenty of fellow Kent students around you. The common room has pool and ping pong, there is a courtyard and an on-site shop, and Asda is about five minutes away. No deposit is needed if you book directly with Unite.
Worth knowing: Rents are higher on shorter contracts: Kent's 38-week rate was £165.36 a week against £157.04 on 51 weeks for 2026/27.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Kent, University of Greenwich
Where: Gillingham
Getting in: About a 10-minute walk from Medway Campus.
Best for: Kent students and meeting people
Compass House
Compass House is the budget option in Medway, with standard rooms at £105 and £110 a week and a shared shower room. There are over 64 rooms, lounges with TV, study rooms and free parking. Asda and a new Lidl are close by, so a weekly shop is easy on foot.
Worth knowing: The operator gives no academic year or contract length, so confirm both before relying on these prices.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Greenwich, University of Kent
Where: Gillingham
Getting in: About a 5-minute walk to campus.
Best for: Lowest rent close to campus
Maritime House
Maritime House suits students who want their own space without paying Pier Quays or Greenwich rents. Studios have a double bed and their own kitchen at £160 a week, which undercuts every studio price we could confirm in Medway. Being on St Albans Close, it is near Gillingham High Street and the station.
Worth knowing: It is further from campus than Compass House, and the operator gives no contract length or year.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Greenwich, University of Kent
Where: Gillingham
Getting in: About a 12-minute walk to campus.
Best for: A cheap studio in Gillingham
Merlin and Wolfe
These are the older of Greenwich's five Medway blocks, and that is reflected in a rent about £18 a week below their newer neighbours for the same facilities. You get an en-suite in a shared flat, a cafe and laundrette on site, and gym membership on campus. Eligible first years also get the £1,000 Medway discount, which makes this strong value.
Worth knowing: These blocks are older than Adelaide, Forte and Sunne, and parking permits cost extra.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Greenwich
Where: Medway Campus
Getting in: On Medway Campus.
Best for: On-campus living at a lower rent
Adelaide, Forte and Sunne
Adelaide, Forte and Sunne are the newer Greenwich blocks and, the university says, feel more modern, though facilities match Merlin and Wolfe. It is the most comfortable on-campus choice, with Chatham and Gillingham town centres both walkable. Whether the extra £18.55 a week is worth it, about £723 over the contract, is your call.
Worth knowing: You pay about £723 more over 39 weeks than Merlin and Wolfe for the same facilities.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Greenwich
Where: Medway Campus
Getting in: On Medway Campus.
Best for: Newest rooms on campus
Will the maintenance loan cover it?
The maximum loan for a student in England living away from home outside London is £10,830 for 2026/27. Most students get less, because it is means-tested. Here is how the cheapest and dearest contracts on this page compare with that maximum.
Merlin and Wolfe: £6,781 over 39 weeks leaves £4,049 for everything else.
Adelaide, Forte and Sunne: £7,505 over 39 weeks leaves £3,325 for everything else.
Where students live in Medway
Medway Campus
Greenwich's five blocks are on campus, so they suit Greenwich students who want the shortest walk, plus a cafe, laundrette and gym.
Worth knowing: Parking permits cost extra and depend on availability.
Gillingham
Pier Quays, Compass House and Maritime House are here, 5 to 12 minutes' walk from campus and close to Asda and Lidl.
Rochester
Unite points students to Rochester High Street for nightlife. Rochester Student Village on Doust Way is a private option here, listed by Cloud Student Homes.
Worth knowing: We found no operator price list for it, so it is not compared on this page.
When to apply for Medway halls
- Mid-JanuaryKent's MyAccommodation Portal opens for students starting that year.
- 10 MarchGreenwich opens applications for new students.
- 30 JuneApply by now to fall under the Kent or Greenwich accommodation guarantee.
- Six weeks after 30 JuneGreenwich applicants must confirm they intend to live in halls.
- By 9 October 2026Start your licence by this date to qualify for Greenwich's £1,000 Medway discount for 2026/27.
of the 500 UK students in our 2026 Student Experience Survey had hit at least one housing issue. Housemates (34%), the property itself (32%) and Wi-Fi (29%) came up most, so read the contract and ask about repairs and internet before you commit.
Keep planning your move to Medway
FAQs
What are the cheapest student halls in Medway?
Compass House is the cheapest, advertising standard rooms with a shared shower room at £105 a week, with bills included. Maritime House en-suites start at £135. Greenwich's cheapest on-campus rooms are £173.88 for 2026/27, but eligible first years get £1,000 off. Kent Student Accommodation does not state a year or contract length, so confirm both.
Are first years guaranteed a room in Medway?
Yes at both main universities, if you apply in time. Greenwich guarantees undergraduates with a firm offer who apply by 30 June, excluding insurance choices. Kent guaranteed full-time first years who applied by 30 June 2026 an en-suite at Pier Quays, and still says to apply by 30 June. Check the current cycle's terms before relying on it.
Are there catered halls in Medway?
No, every option on this page is self-catered. Greenwich's blocks have shared flat kitchens, with an in-room kitchenette in Merlin Studios and Apartments, and there is a cafe on campus. Pier Quays and the two Kent Student Accommodation buildings have shared kitchens or studios with their own, so budget for food on top of rent.
When should I apply for Medway accommodation?
Kent's portal opens in mid-January of the year you start and Greenwich opens applications on 10 March. Both use 30 June as the guarantee deadline, so apply as soon as you have firmed your offer. Greenwich also asks you to confirm you want a place in halls within six weeks after that deadline.
Which Medway halls are on campus?
Only the five University of Greenwich blocks, Adelaide, Forte, Sunne, Merlin and Wolfe, are on Medway Campus. Compass House is about a 5-minute walk away, Pier Quays about 10 minutes and Maritime House about 12. Kent describes Pier Quays as off-site accommodation for its Medway students, so expect a short walk in each day.
Is Pier Quays worth it?
For Kent students it is the guaranteed route, and it suits anyone who wants a large social building. Unite lists rooms from £165 a week for 2027/28 with bills and no deposit, and Kent's 2026/27 en-suite rates ran from £157.04 on 51 weeks to £165.36 on 38 weeks. Compare totals, not just weekly rent.
Official resources
- University of Kent accommodation Official halls information
- Greenwich accommodation at Medway Rents, blocks and the £1,000 discount
- Greenwich accommodation guarantee Who qualifies and the 30 June deadline
- Kent accommodation prices Pier Quays contracts for Kent students
- Unite Students Pier Quays Direct booking and room types
- Kent Student Accommodation Compass House and Maritime House rooms
Run student accommodation in Medway?
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How we built this guide: prices, contract lengths and facilities come from university and operator websites where they publish them, and from named listing sites otherwise. We checked them in November 2026 and each price links to its source. Rent for the contract is our own sum of the lowest listed weekly rent multiplied by its charged weeks, before any deposit, booking fee or discount. Rooms sell out and prices change, so confirm with the provider before you book. How we compare student accommodation.