uni comparison

University of Kent or University of Sussex? Which university has a better reputation and can anyone tell me about the location of them both? I’m trying to decide, thanks!

Reply 1

infinitywar

5

I go to University of Kent and I don't know much about University of Sussex.
So Canterbury gives off a large town vibes more than a city. It has a big campus, and it is on top of a hill. The actual town is at the bottom of the hill. During summer times, the town is really pretty, there are cute picnic areas and the people are quite friendly. It is a 50 min train ride to London St Pancras from Canterbury. I think the university accommodation is quite expensive especially for an en suite. Parkwood Houses are the cheapest and that is shared bathroom between 5 people. Elliot College is definitely not worth it, it looks like a prison cell (I think the architect was someone who designed prisons or it was a prison - not sure). This accommodation is flat with shared bathroom with a kitchenette so a small freezer/fridge shared by I think like 13 people. Off campus there are cheaper accommodation. The library is quite nice, it is 24/7. I really think the societies are quite inclusive and they throw great events. Overall, I loved this location.

Reply 2

lamasherif

OP

2

Original post by infinitywar

I go to University of Kent and I don't know much about University of Sussex.
So Canterbury gives off a large town vibes more than a city. It has a big campus, and it is on top of a hill. The actual town is at the bottom of the hill. During summer times, the town is really pretty, there are cute picnic areas and the people are quite friendly. It is a 50 min train ride to London St Pancras from Canterbury. I think the university accommodation is quite expensive especially for an en suite. Parkwood Houses are the cheapest and that is shared bathroom between 5 people. Elliot College is definitely not worth it, it looks like a prison cell (I think the architect was someone who designed prisons or it was a prison - not sure). This accommodation is flat with shared bathroom with a kitchenette so a small freezer/fridge shared by I think like 13 people. Off campus there are cheaper accommodation. The library is quite nice, it is 24/7. I really think the societies are quite inclusive and they throw great events. Overall, I loved this location.

thank you so much! i heard people saying not to get private accommodation because of the hill, is it that bad?

Reply 3

AnamikaM

2

The trek is a bit much when you are trying to carry groceries and things when you go up the hill. Definitely recommend getting a bus pass. Also the nearest shop in the Accomodation area is CO OP. It’s just long when it comes to groceries, or just going to town, if you are walking. I definitely recommend tho, living on campus for the first year, because that’s how I made friends. Living on campus also has their perks too. University is nearby, and there is free gym. There are private Accomodation outside the university which isn’t controlled by the uni. They are a bit too far away and you definitely would need a car or a bus pass to survive. Those accommodations are cheaper. Once you find people in your first year, getting a house is a lot better I believe.

Reply 4

University of Kent

Official Rep

15

Original post by lamasherif

University of Kent or University of Sussex? Which university has a better reputation and can anyone tell me about the location of them both? I’m trying to decide, thanks!

Hi there

I am also a student at Kent, and would echo a lot of the comments in the post above. 😀 As a final year law student, hopefully I can also provide some insights into studying at Kent. Do you know what course you would like to study?

The canterbury campus is located close to town, approximately a 30 minute walk, so it a really convenient when going for socials or doing weekly shopping. 🙂 In terms of accommodation, the University has a wide range of options. I have stayed at: Parkwood flats, Woolf College, and Eliot College (this year), if you have any questions about these, I will be happy to answer them. Admittedly, I was reluctant to choose Eliot accommodation at first, however, since I am in my final year, I thought it would be a good idea to be close to the main campus (Parkwood is a little bit further out) so I could attend all my lessons. Furthermore, students living in Eliot also do not need to cook their own meals, which has saved me a lot more time for doing any coursework. I have been really happy with all my accommodation rooms, so you could definitely check out on campus accommodation if it interests you.

For Private accommodations off campus, I know several friends who have decided to live together off campus after meeting each other in second year. 🙂 Many students often go for on campus accommodation in first year to meet new people before arranging where to live together next year. 🙂 The downside to private accommodation though is the commuting time, so many students living off campus choose to study or chill in the library between their lessons.

In terms of studying, students at Kent receive a lot of support, whether that is wellbeing, career, or academic related. Since first year, we were assigned to academic advisors who we can go to regarding anything queries about the course. We were also assigned student mentors who are from upper years, this made accessing support really easy. Furthermore, the lecturers and seminar leaders are really approachable, and you can always ask any queries during or after lessons. 🙂 Kent also has excellent careers service. The team of professionals are there to give students tailored career advice, guidance, and provide feedback on any draft applications or CVs. Overall, my experience at Kent has been really amazing, if you have any more specific questions, do feel free to ask. 🙂

I hope this helps.
Chloe
University of Kent Student Rep

Reply 5

Anonymous #1

It depends which course you’re looking to do, but in general I’d say the university of Kent is significantly better than the university of Sussex (from an academic standpoint). I live near Canterbury (where Kent uni is located) and the city is a bit dry, feels more like a large town than it does a city. Uni of Sussex is in Brighton which is a way nicer city, especially if you’re queer. They’re both kinda on the outskirts of the cities they’re in, and they’re both relatively close to London. In all honesty, they’re both mid-range universities with a lot of similarities, if you get the chance you should definitely go to their open days as this will help you make a decision

Reply 6

University of Kent

Official Rep

15

Original post by Anonymous

It depends which course you’re looking to do, but in general I’d say the university of Kent is significantly better than the university of Sussex (from an academic standpoint). I live near Canterbury (where Kent uni is located) and the city is a bit dry, feels more like a large town than it does a city. Uni of Sussex is in Brighton which is a way nicer city, especially if you’re queer. They’re both kinda on the outskirts of the cities they’re in, and they’re both relatively close to London. In all honesty, they’re both mid-range universities with a lot of similarities, if you get the chance you should definitely go to their open days as this will help you make a decision

Hi Anon and @lamasherif ,

I just want to add to what Anon has mentioned about open days.

Open days are a great opportunity to not only have a look around the university but also find out what the surrounding area is like. If you want to find out more specifically about your course and the staff you can also do this on open days but applicant days allow you to experience what it might be like to be a student for a few hours!

Here is a link to open day and applicant day information:
Open day: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/visit/open-days?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ec_ug24_101420&utm_content=gb_b_open_day&gad_source=1

Applicant days: https://www.kent.ac.uk/applicants/applicant-days#:~:text=Applicant%20Days%202024,Day%20on%20Saturday%206%20July.

If you are planning to visit Kent and you have commuted a fair bit, I would recommend turning it into a weekend, so you can allow yourself to have a wonder round Canterbury in your own time.

I would also recommend doing the same for the other university so you can make a fair judgement and pick the university that is right for you. I do understand picking between 2 universities is a difficult choice so hopefully these days can give you more of an insight. If you cannot make the open days, there are many videos on Youtube, TikTok and other social media platforms such as instagram to help give you a peek at what Canterbury and our university is like. Finally, there are virtual applicant days too but these tend to occur less often so keep an eye out for those if you wish to join online.

Last but not least, you can always take a virtual tour in your own time:https://virtualexperience.kent.ac.uk/personalise/. It is not quite the same but it will help you build a picture in your mind about the university.

Alia
University of Kent Student Rep

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