Top Tips on How To Start a Business Whilst Studying at Kingston University

With a thriving business school and lots of opportunities for local freelancers, it’s fairly common for students at Kingston University to start their own business, no matter how small. Luckily, Kingston has developed a support system for upcoming entrepreneurs in the form of their Enterprise Education service – read on to find out what exactly they can offer you! :smile:

Workshops and Events
Throughout the year, Enterprise Education host numerous workshops and events where you’ll have the opportunity to network with employers, entrepreneurs, business owners and other self-employed guests, whilst also building your skills in leadership, communication and problem-solving. One of the best regular events includes the monthly ‘Meet The Expert’ series, where entrepreneurial guest speakers host a question and answer session to give student entrepreneurs advice on how best to get their business rolling, with previous speakers including Levi Roots, Jamal Edwards (SBTV) and Ratheesan Yoganathan (co-founder, Lebara). If you’re interested in attending, make sure to sign up to the mailing list through MyKingston for more details closer to the time!

Start-Up Visa
If you’re an international student with a great idea who’s focused on running a business in the UK long-term, you may be interested in the Start-up Visa: a new visa route in the UK that allows entrepreneurs from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland to set up a business in the UK. Although a highly competitive route, Kingston University is willing to consider endorsing students that have businesses with a high level of innovation, viability and scalability. One way you can show a passion for running your own business and increase your chance of endorsement is by taking part in Kingston University’s Bright Ideas Competition – more on that below!

Bright Ideas Competition
Open to any KU student at any level, this annual competition offers £1,000 to any individual/group that can best develop and pitch a new business idea, with smaller prizes being offered in various categories. Typically running from October to February of the academic year, the Bright Ideas Competition is an excellent way to boost your business confidence, get more involved in the uni, and develop your CV all in one!

Crowd-Funding: KUBacker
Unlike many other universities, Kingston has its own crowd-funding platform – KUBacker! Here, you can gain additional financial support for any creative or business endeavours you’re looing to pursue, whilst also giving students experience in pitching and marketing ideas to an online audience. KUBacker can also be used for supporting philanthropic endeavours, with one recent project being the Student Hardship Fund Appeal, which helps support low-income students struggling with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Enterprise Grant Fund
Every year, Kingston is able to offer a handful of £500 grants to the most enterprising students to help develop their ideas even further. Make sure to sign up to the Enterprise Education mailing list if you’ve already participated in any of the above-mentioned competitions or events, as you might be eligible to apply! Applications open in March and end in April.

Whilst I hope this was helpful, it’s important to mention that this is only a fraction of the services Enterprise Education offer – make sure to check out their page on MyKingston for more information! :biggrin: