Living costs

£120 - £295 per week 

The cost of accommodation depends upon location, room type and facilities. We have a range of accommodation available on campus with self-catered and part-catered options. These rooms all include electricity, gas and water bills, as well as personal possessions insurance cover.

Full accommodation prices are available on the accommodation website.

Council Tax

Students do not have to pay council tax, but you do have to get an exemption certificate. For information on how to request your exemption certificate please see our Guides website. It is up to you to make sure the certificate is given to the local council where you live.

Utility bills - off-campus students only

£19-31 per week

If you decide to live off-campus, you will need to budget for gas, electricity and water bills.

£52 - £93 per week

The amount you spend on food varies according to what sort of accommodation you live in and personal taste. Students living in college ‘bed and flex’ accommodation on the Canterbury campus can prepare drinks and snacks in small kitchenettes but have to buy their other daily meals. If you live in self-catering accommodation (on a 39-week lease or off campus on a 52-week lease), you must buy and prepare all your own food, although you can of course take advantage of campus catering.  

£18 - £25 per week

Academic costs include books and course materials, as well as photocopying and printing costs. These can vary tremendously depending on what subject you study. You should allow £18-£25 per week on average, although the bulk of this expenditure usually comes in the first term when you buy books for the year. You can reduce costs by purchasing second-hand books and by using the library.

Most rooms on the Canterbury campus are connected to the network via the Study Bedroom Service. This service includes a free high-speed 24-hour connection to the internet and access to email, newsgroups and library materials. All bedrooms at Pier Quays in Medway are connected to the network and there is Wi-Fi throughout.  

£18 - £54 per week

This includes purchasing clothes for everyday wear, sportswear and replacement clothing items as well as use of local laundry facilities. 

£13 - £24 per week

Costs of personal items (for example, toiletries) vary considerably from individual to individual, but we estimate between £12 and £23 per week.

£32 - £80 per week

You should set yourself a budget so you can enjoy everything the University has to offer for the whole term, not just the first few weeks. Make sure you get an NUS Extra card, which offers exclusive discounts and potential savings of over £500 per year. 

£5 - £16 per week

The amount you spend is up to you - keep an eye on your bills. You should shop around for the cheapest tariff to suit your circumstances.

£3.26 per week (calculated over 52 weeks)

If you decide to have a television in your room, you are required to have a TV Licence.

£12 - £18 per week

Depending on where you live, you may need to budget for daily costs and weekend journeys if you travel home or away on visits. If your home is some distance from the University, you will also have to consider the cost of travelling to and from the University at the beginning and end of term.

For local University travel, you can take advantage of local bus ticket discounts.

£13 - £18 per week

You should budget for occasional expenses such as medical or dental costs

£6 - £22 per week

You should budget for emergency expenses such as lost/damaged study items or emergency travel.

Costs for University accommodation include insurance for loss of personal possessions up to £6,000 in respect of claims arising from fire, flood or theft within the accommodation area, including losses by walk-in theft. Students can arrange additional cover online at the insurer’s website, for accidental damage or all risks on high-value items such as smart phones and laptops.

For students living off-campus, you should consider whether you will need insurance to protect your belongings.