Our self-contained, spacious campus in Canterbury offers a welcoming environment to thousands of students from over a hundred countries. The extensive, green campus is set in 300 acres of Kent parkland and houses shops, accommodation, plenty of places to eat and drink, and even a cinema.
Canterbury itself offers a warm and inclusive atmosphere – the city is an eclectic mix of medieval buildings (including the world-famous Cathedral), lively bars and clubs, atmospheric pubs and both national chains and independent shops. If you fancy a bite to eat, you can enjoy almost any type of cuisine you can think of: fajitas to sushi, meze to fresh seafood, pizzas to BBQ, with lots of vegan outlets to choose from! The city centre is a 25-minute walk from campus, making it easily accessible when you want a break from studying.
Canterbury is a vibrant city, offering you plenty to do and see. Visit a gallery or one of the city’s three cinemas, which showcase everything from the latest Hollywood blockbusters to arthouse and independent films. Another popular student venue is The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge. Located on the High Street, this is an art gallery, museum, library and café all rolled into one.
The annual Canterbury festival attracts thousands of visitors from across the UK and throughout Europe; and the Marlowe theatre hosts touring productions of West End musicals as well as plays, ballet, contemporary dance, opera and live bands. The main theatre welcomes some of the biggest names in stand-up comedy, while the Marlowe Studio is the place to see up-and-coming talent from across the country.
Canterbury has excellent transport links, both to Central London and to mainland Europe. Take the high-speed train and you’ll be at London St Pancras within an hour; from there, the Eurostar service gets you to Paris, Brussels or Lille in just over two. This gives you plenty of options for exploration, over a weekend or even just a day. If you feel like exploring the local area, why not take a stroll or a bike ride along the Crab and Winkle Way – a six-mile disused railway line – to the seaside town of Whitstable. Here you can enjoy paddle-boarding, kayaking, kitesurfing, boat trips and more.
Back on campus, spend time at the Gulbenkian arts centre, which hosts a varied selection of events including theatre, live comedy, cinema and even slam poetry. There is also a wide variety of food venues across the campus including a range of vegan options. In fact, the vegan options for students at Kent have secured it a place in PETA’s list of the most vegan friendly universities in the UK. We have a commitment to sustainability and Kent Union run the Campus Pantry, which includes freecycling and waste reduction.
When you’re studying, the Templeman Library offers outstanding facilities and is often open 24/7 – so you can do your work at a time to suit you. In the evening, our onsite nightclub The Venue offers two floors of state-of-the-art design, sound and lighting and hosts a huge range of music acts and celebrity guests.
Kent Union offers hundreds of different clubs and societies, covering everything from skiing to k-pop dance; gaming to hip hop, improv to baking. Whatever you are interested in, there’s sure to be a group to suit you – and if there’s not, you can set one up!
Join Ogo on a tour of our Canterbury campus.
