Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Kent's main campus sits on a hill above Canterbury, with 300 acres of parkland and views over the cathedral city. Most first years live on campus in halls and colleges, so lectures, the Students' Union and your friends are all close by. There's a smaller campus at Medway too.
Accommodation is good value at the cheaper end, with shared houses from about £139 a week for 2026/27, and bills are included. En-suite flats are pricier at £250–£290. Canterbury is a small, historic city with a decent nightlife, and London is about an hour away by train.
Known for
The University of Kent is 66th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 47.8, below the UK median of 48.5. Our rankings are built around the student experience, combining employability, freshers experience, happiness, nightlife, sustainability, inclusion, innovation and societies. That means big research names don’t automatically top the table. See how we score universities.
Marker shows the UK median across all ranked universities.
| Rank | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 63 | University of York | 48.5 |
| 65 | Sheffield Hallam University | 47.8 |
| 66 | University of Kent | 47.8 |
| 67 | Glasgow Caledonian University | 47.6 |
| 68 | University of Derby | 47.2 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
17th of 124 · Inclusion Score 74.4
31st of 124 · Safety Score 53.6
46th of 124 · Innovation Score 59.5
48th of 124 · Value Score 50.2
52nd of 122 · Careers Score 32.9
54th of 124 · Employability Score 32.4
55th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 52.7
61st of 124 · Sustainability Score 52.6
68th of 124 · Affordability Score 53.1
76th of 124 · Freshers Score 52.3
77th of 123 · Happiness Score 44.1
82nd of 124 · Balance Score 38.3
86th of 124 · Societies Score 44.8
105th of 124 · Nightlife Score 35.4
113th of 124 · Social Score 36
Canterbury as a student city
Ranked 50th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 47.5.
The University of Kent appears in 33 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performing Arts | 5th | of 37 | 108 |
| Social Work | 10th | of 67 | 164 |
| Data Science | 8th | of 50 | 120 |
| Drama, Theatre and Performance | 10th | of 60 | 135 |
| Biochemistry | 11th | of 60 | 136 |
| Sports Science | 15th | of 78 | 158 |
| Forensic Science | 6th | of 31 | 96 |
| Law | 22nd | of 97 | 163 |
| Computer Science | 24th | of 102 | 173 |
| History | 19th | of 76 | 140 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Politics | 22nd | of 78 | 138 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 19th | of 66 | 102 |
| Mathematics | 18th | of 61 | 123 |
| Chemistry | 13th | of 44 | 104 |
| International Relations | 21st | of 71 | 130 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 23rd | of 77 | 146 |
| Economics | 26th | of 85 | 143 |
| Criminology | 31st | of 94 | 158 |
| Psychology | 37th | of 108 | 156 |
| Graphic Design | 24th | of 68 | 134 |
| Film Production | 31st | of 87 | 155 |
| Business and Management | 42nd | of 114 | 167 |
| English Language and Literature | 20th | of 54 | 105 |
| Cyber Security | 22nd | of 58 | 121 |
| Software Engineering | 22nd | of 58 | 118 |
| Architecture | 21st | of 55 | 110 |
| Sociology | 34th | of 86 | 144 |
| Classics | 8th | of 20 | 61 |
| Biomedical Science | 38th | of 93 | 134 |
| Physics | 21st | of 45 | 95 |
| Biology | 24th | of 51 | 91 |
| Information Technology | 11th | of 21 | 57 |
| Actuarial Science | 9th | of 14 | 40 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Kent Students' Union runs over 250 societies plus sports clubs, venues and events, and campus is where most first-year social life happens. The university says Rutherford offers £3 hot meals, and there's a wide choice of food on campus. Canterbury's centre is just down the hill, with pubs, bars and clubs including Club Chemistry. The seaside towns of Whitstable and Margate are easy to reach.
University halls cost £128–£315 per week (2026/27 Canterbury undergraduate rooms; 31- to 52-week contracts, bills included) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
Kent guarantees a room to full-time students who make Kent their firm choice and apply for accommodation by the deadline. For 2027/28, applications open in January 2027, and if you apply by 30 June 2027 you'll be guaranteed a room on the Canterbury campus (or at Pier Quays if you're studying full-time at Medway). There's no deposit to apply for Canterbury accommodation. Kent has also extended its guarantee to Clearing applicants who apply for accommodation.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Wood (5-bed houses) | Canterbury campus | room in a shared house | £138.95/wk | One of the cheapest single rooms: £5,280.10 for 38 weeks. Twin rooms in Park Wood flats are £133.84 per person. |
| Darwin College | Canterbury campus | standard or large room | £149.17/wk | Standard rooms are £5,668.46 for 38 weeks. Also offered on a 52-week contract at £127.89 a week. |
| Pier Quays | Medway (Chatham Maritime) | en-suite room in a flat | £157.04/wk | For Medway students: £165.36 a week on a 38-week contract, or £157.04 on 51 weeks. A £250 advance rent payment is due when you accept. |
| Darwin Houses | Canterbury campus | room in a house | £173.53/wk | 38-week contract: £6,594.14. |
| Tyler Court | Canterbury campus | en-suite | £249.62/wk | Block A standard en-suites are £9,485.56 for 38 weeks; blocks B and C are £262.99 a week. |
| Turing Flats | Canterbury campus | large or extra-large en-suite | £272.79/wk | Among the larger rooms; extra-large en-suites are £287.07 a week. |
| Keynes College Catered | Canterbury campus | en-suite with meal plan | £282.24/wk | 31-week contract that excludes the winter and spring holidays (£8,749.44). Includes a £15-a-day meal allowance in term time. |
| Becket Court Catered | Canterbury campus | en-suite with meal plan | £282.24/wk | 31 weeks, with a £15-a-day meal allowance. Large en-suites are £314.86 a week, the top of the range. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
A popular student area close to campus, full of shared houses.
Between campus and the city centre, near Canterbury West station.
Right in the middle of things, but older properties and higher rents.
Seaside town a bus ride away, for those who don't mind a commute.
Top tip
Applications for 2027/28 open in January 2027, and prices are published from mid-January. Apply by 30 June 2027 and make Kent your firm choice to be guaranteed a room. There's no deposit and nothing to pay until your contract starts. If budget matters, look at Park Wood houses and Darwin; if you want meals included, compare the 31-week catered contracts, which don't charge for the holidays.
Kent's accommodation covers a wide price range. For 2026/27, Canterbury undergraduate rooms run from about £134 to £315 a week, with all bills, wifi, insurance and Kent Sport membership included. Shared houses at Park Wood and rooms at Darwin are the budget options, while catered en-suites cost the most. There's no deposit for Canterbury rooms, and prices are fixed in advance.
Getting around
Most first years walk around campus, and Canterbury city centre is just down the hill. London is about an hour away by train, and the university says Paris is within about two hours. Medway students living at Pier Quays are a short walk from the Medway campus. All residents get free Kent Sport membership, which helps with staying active without extra cost.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
The University of Kent is 66th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 47.8. Its strongest results are for inclusion (17th), safety (31st).
Yes. If you make Kent your firm choice, study full-time and apply for accommodation by 30 June (for 2027/28 entry), you're guaranteed a room on the Canterbury campus, or at Pier Quays if you're based at Medway. There's no deposit to apply.
For 2026/27, Canterbury undergraduate rooms cost from about £134 a week (a twin room) or £139 (a room in a Park Wood house) up to £315 a week (a large catered en-suite). Bills, wifi and Kent Sport membership are included.
Kent offers en-suite rooms with a meal plan at Keynes College and Becket Court. The fee includes a £15-a-day meal allowance to spend across campus in term time, on a 31-week contract that excludes the winter and spring holidays.
Canterbury is Kent's main campus, on 300 acres of parkland above the city. Medway is a smaller campus; Medway students are guaranteed rooms at Pier Quays, which costs £165.36 a week on a 38-week contract for 2026/27.
About an hour by train, according to the university. Canterbury is also close to the coast, and the university says Paris is about two hours away.
It's a small city, but there are bars, pubs and clubs (including Club Chemistry) in the historic centre, plus Students' Union events on campus. For bigger nights out, London is an hour away.
About this guide. Rankings data comes from the Unifresher Rankings 2027 (methodology). Facts, hall prices and costs come from the university and official sources listed below. Last updated 23 October 2026.
