Are you eligible for funding?
You must fulfil all of the following:
1. Be a current undergraduate at the University of Kent, studying in the UK, in your Foundation, 1st or 2nd year
2. Be eligible for the Empower scheme (see FAQs for eligibility criteria)
3. Be undertaking unpaid work experience, insight or assessment activities or training, that is not part of your degree programme
4. Be actively engaged with the Empower Scheme, which means:
- you must have attended an Empower appointment this academic year
- you must have attended at least one Careers & Employability Workshop this academic year
- you must have completed the Empower employability confidence survey
If you have any questions, please book an appointment with the Empower team.
What the funding can be used for
The funding (up to £200 per year, per student) can be used towards costs incurred for extra-curricular activities (as defined above), for:
- travel
- subsistence (such as the cost of meals whilst working)
- professional workwear
Proof will need to be provided as part of the application process. The opportunity cannot make up part of your degree programme, or be a paid role.
How do I apply?
If you would like to apply, please contact empower@kent.ac.uk or book an appointment to check your eligibility.
FAQs
Eligible for the Empower scheme
This means that you are considered by the Office for Students to be TUNDRA Q1, an area-based measure for state-funded mainstream school pupils in England, and their progression on to higher education. Those assigned TUNDRA Q1 are measured as the lowest rate of participation in higher education. Find out more from the OfS.
Actively engaged with the Empower scheme
This means that you have completed all of the following this academic year:
- you have attended an Empower appointment with Hannah or Melissa
- you have attended at least one Careers & Employability Service Workshop
- you have completed the Empower employability confidence survey.
No, unfortunately you cannot apply retrospectively for experiences which have already taken place
You may be able to claim for volunteering expenses, however, the voluntary experience must be graduate level work. You may only claim expenses for the first 3 weeks (or 120 hours) of the duration of your voluntary position. You can also record your volunteering hours through Employability Points.
Graduate-level work experience counts as tasks and responsibilities that mimic graduate level work. This, for example, does not include making tea and photocopying.
The Careers and Employability Service are here to support you, but you must find your own opportunity. Try these links:
Clothing/footwear necessary for the working environment in which you are placed, for example shirt/blouse, smart skirt/trousers. No single item must cost more than £75.00.