A Black-centric guide to navigating student life at Kent
We've teamed up with current Black students and staff to put together a guide featuring local services. Our goal is to make this guide helpful for new students.
If you have any feedback on the recommendations here or know of a great place that should be included, please feel free to let us know. We'd really appreciate it!
When we asked for recommendations for Black hair and beauty, many students mentioned using products or services suggested by another student on campus.
Kent student, Chidinma, was a student hair stylist on campus. Check out a recent retwist she did.
"When I tell people that I do hair they usually tell me that they typically go back to London to get their hair retwisted. [But there's] no need to wait till you're back home to get your re-twist, there are stylist here in Canterbury!" Chidinma Onyemaechi
"Bringing braiding hair from home that is enough for at least one hairstyle is advisable. It reduces the effort of trying to find one here. There are a lot of hairstylists, nail artists and lash technicians on campus and in Canterbury. A lot of options to choose from.
I found them on Instagram and also through word of mouth through recommendations from friends." Esther Adebiyi
"Bulk buy hair products whenever you have the chance to save money. The best option to get your hair done (braids or wig installs) are other students. Or learn yourself, with YouTube videos." Jennifer Onyemeachi
Hair products
You might find what you need in one of our recommended salons above, or "for hair products such as Pomade, Expression (and other hair extension brands), combs/brushes, shampoo and conditioner, there is a salon by Northgate called Visionary Unisex Hair Salon. They specialise in Afro-Caribbean hair too." - Student: Iris
Alternatively, why not check out Superdrug? If they don't have the product you need in-store, you can still order online. "They have a lot of popular black hair care brands such as Cantu. They also recently came out with a Superdrug hair care line for curly hair." - Student: Jennifer Onyemaechi
If you're wondering where to grab your groceries, we've compiled a list of top recommendations from fellow shoppers. Whether you're looking for everyday essentials or speciality ingredients, there's something for you.
Kent Foods Convenience Store, Canterbury
A selection of grocery items including Asian, African/Caribbean, Chinese, Filipino, and Thai products.
Kent Foods Convenience store is especially great for international students. They cover both African and Asian foods, meaning you won’t miss your local dishes and delicacies back
home.
Eating out
If you're looking for a place to eat out, we've got you covered. We've gathered the top restaurant recommendations from fellow students and added some thorough research to bring you a taste-tacular guide to dining out.
Three Little Birds at the University of Kent
Authentic Caribbean cuisine from our campus pop-up, Three Little Birds.
Follow Amarachi as she pops out to the local salon and grocery shop, located near to Pier Quays.
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I love St Smokeys BBQ House, they have the best mac and cheese. There are a lot of great restaurants to check out! I love
St Smokeys BBQ House, they have the best mac and cheese. I also recommend The Foundry for dinner out with friends.
The campaign, launched on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, centred around a 2-part film series which sees 8 student athletes from racially and ethnically marginalised (REM) backgrounds share their stories, speaking about how their experiences have been shaped by racial discrimination and prejudice in sport.
The aim of the campaign was to recognise that racism has no place on our campuses. As well as the taking of the knee, students wore armbands to signify “one love” and banners were located all around campus in relation to the campaign.
We are committed to actively amplifying the voices of marginalised individuals within our community, striving to cultivate an environment where discussions on race are not avoided but welcomed by all.
Find your people
Remember to explore the various faith group options on our Canterbury campus. With over 250 societies run by Kent Union, there's something for everyone. You can find the full list of societies online or visit the Welcome Fair to speak to Kent Union representatives in person.
I joined a society called Black Intellectuals Society. I was able to meet other black students like me. They have a book club which helped me get back into reading, and they had other events like sip and paint and general talk about black hair.
Useful links
Feeling uncertain about navigating university life as a Black student?
Student Space, run by Student Minds has tailor-made resources for and by Black students. Explore our resources to help you navigate university life as a Black student with articles, toolkits, videos and podcast episodes.
Colourful Minds is a mental health charity dedicated to enhancing public awareness and understanding of mental health and mental illness, with a focus on educating Black and minority ethnic communities.
Every October, Black History Month is celebrated across the world, with all being invited to explore the rich culture, origins, histories, and achievements of African and Caribbean communities and their diaspora. Explore the exciting range of activities we have on at Kent around the theme of Reclaiming Narratives.
Where did it all start?
In 2022 Unite Students, alongside Halpin Partnership,
investigated and released a report that shone a light on the
experiences of Black university students in UK student
accommodation.
At Kent we read that report and decided we needed to do better too.
We asked Black Kent students to share their experiences with us, to come up with this helpful student guide.
Last year, we introduced a welcome booklet to aid our Black students in adjusting to life in Kent and at the University. Based on their feedback, we created a webpage with advice from Black students about settling into life at Kent. And here it is, we hope you find it helpful!
I have the honour of being one of the commissioners of the
Living Black at University (LBU) report published by Unite
Students. My hope is this website gives you a head start in getting settled into your new
surroundings and finding your feet in your new home.
Melissa Brown | Deputy Director of Commercial Services and Estates
I’m passionate about improving the lives of our students and set up the Living Black at University (LBU) Working Group in response to the LBU report published by Unite Students.
Laura Mclean | Head of Accommodation and Customer Services
Co-chairing the Living Black at University (LBU) Working Group is my way of helping Black students find their place in a community at Kent that is authentic, supportive, and enriching.
These are recommendations from our students, we hope they meet expectations, however, the University of Kent cannot guarantee or take responsibility for any poor experiences.
