What is an Academic Adviser?
Each student is assigned an Academic Adviser, who is an academic from your School dedicated to supporting your academic journey.
Think of your Academic Adviser like a Personal Tutor you may have had in school or college - someone who checks in with you regularly, supports your progress, and helps you succeed.
You will have a minimum of two Personal Feedback Meetings and one Group Meeting per year. You will have:
- A Personal Feedback meeting in the Autumn term
- A group meeting in the Spring term
- And a Personal Feedback Meeting in the Summer term
You can also request extra 1:1 meetings at any time. You can do this by emailing your Academic Adviser. Find their email address in KentVision.
How do I find my Academic Adviser?
- Go to KentVision
- Click ‘My details’ and then go to ‘My Course Details’.
- You will find your Academic Adviser’s name and their email on the right-hand side.
What does an Academic Adviser do?
Your Academic Adviser will:
🧠 Help you understand academic expectations
📝 Discuss your progress and feedback
📚 Provide guidance on module choices and academic development
💼 Support your career planning
🧭 Help with personal development and life at university
💬 Refer you to additional support services when needed
🖊️ Write references for job or further study applications
🗣️ Share concerns and feedback with the Student Experience Lead in your School
📂 Keep track of Academic Adviser meetings using Presto
Register your attendance/absence
These meetings are a core part of your student journey and are a compulsory part of your studies. They count as engagement activities under the University's Attendance and Engagement Policy.
If you are unable to attend for any reason, you must contact your Academic Adviser as soon as possible to reschedule the meeting, you must give a reason so that this is logged on Presto.
How to prepare for an Academic Adviser meeting
- Come prepared with questions, updates or concerns
- Review your grades and feedback before meetings using Progress Profiles
- Set academic and personal goals
- Follow up on action plans, referrals, and advice
Your Voice in Academic Advising
Your feedback matters—and it helps shape the Academic Advising experience for you and future students. If you have thoughts about how your academic advising is going—whether it’s about your Personal Feedback or Group Meetings, how easy it is to contact your Adviser, or how well they support your academic and personal needs—you can share this through your Student Rep.
Student Reps attend School-level Student Voice Forums, where they can raise common themes and ideas (anonymously) on behalf of students. Your honest reflections help us understand what’s working and where we can improve. Whether your experience has been positive or needs a rethink—we want to hear your voice. Speak to your Student Rep and help shape better advising at Kent.
School Student Experience Leads
- School of Psychology: Angela Nyhout
- School of Economics, Politics and International Relations: Rubrick Biegone
- School of Social Sciences: Triona Fritton
- Kent Law School: Guevara Leacock
- School of Computing: Dan Bard
- School of Engineering, Mathematics and Physics: Manuel Marques
- Kent Business School: Joel Montgomery
- School of Humanities: Claire Hurley
- School of Natural Sciences: Alex Moores
- School of Arts and Architecture: Shaun May
- Language Centre: Alvise Sforza Tarabochia
How to change Academic Advisers
Your comfort and success matter - don’t be afraid to raise your concerns.
If you are unhappy with or would like to change Academic Adviser, firstly discuss this with your Student Representative, so that they can highlight this in the Student Voice Forum. Academic Advisers will remain anonymous in these forums.
If you have deeper concerns regarding your current Academic Adviser, you can:
- Speak to your Student Experience Lead.
- In the first instance, they will meet with you to discuss the challenges and aim to find a way to resolve the issues.
- If there is a continued concern, the School Leadership Team will initiate formal resolutions between yourself and your Academic Adviser.
- If a resolution cannot be found you can then complete the Change of Academic Adviser Request Form.
If the request for a change is upheld, the Student Experience Team can then help arrange a new Academic Adviser for you.
FAQs
Most Academic Advisers will reply to emails within 2–3 working days during term time. If your query is urgent (e.g. illness, assessment deadline, or crisis), it’s best to copy in your Student Support team and Student Support and Wellbeing so you get timely help. Remember advisers will not check emails in the evenings, at weekends, and during university holidays.
To make the most of your time:
- Bring any recent feedback or grades you would like to discuss.
- Think about questions you have about your studies, assessments, or career planning.
- If you have personal concerns, you do not need to prepare notes unless it helps you feel more comfortable.
- Arrive a few minutes early (if on campus) or check your internet connection (if online).
Academic Advisers may have limited availability during holidays, especially in summer when staff take annual leave. If you want support outside of term, email your Academic Adviser to ask. For urgent matters during holidays, you can contact your Schools Student Support team or Student Support and Wellbeing.
Individual Personal Feedback Meetings will be scheduled to last around 20 minutes. Group meetings will run for 1 hour. You will need to check your Presto Timetable to determine when these meetings will be scheduled.
Group meetings are a chance to:
- Meet other students in your year and on the same course.
- Hear shared guidance (e.g. study skills, preparing for assessments, placement info).
- Raise questions in a supportive environment. You don’t have to share personal details in group sessions. Anything sensitive can be followed up in a private one-to-one meeting.
Your Academic Adviser will make short notes during or after your meeting and add them to Presto. If you agree on action points (e.g. contacting a service, booking a skills workshop), they may email you a summary. This ensures you both remember what was discussed and can follow up next time.
Email your Adviser as soon as possible to let them know. If you are unwell, it’s helpful to say when you would like to rearrange the meeting for. For repeated missed meetings, your Academic Adviser may check in with you to make sure you’re OK and offer extra support. Remember these meetings are compulsory to attend and you will benefit from them in your studies. You should mark your absence to the meeting in Presto just like any other timetabled event.
If your Adviser isn’t there at the arranged time or you cannot locate them:
- Wait at least 10–15 minutes — sometimes meetings overrun or staff are delayed.
- Check your email— your Academic Adviser may have sent a last-minute message about running late or needs to reschedule the meeting.
- If you still can’t find them, email your Academic Adviser to let them know you attended but were unable to meet.
- If it’s urgent (e.g. you need immediate academic or wellbeing support), contact your Schools Student Support team or Student Support and Wellbeing for assistance.
If your Adviser needs to reschedule, they will usually contact you with a new time. Don’t worry — missing a meeting because of Academic Adviser availability will not count against you.
If your Academic Adviser is unavailable (e.g. on research leave or long-term illness), you will be temporarily assigned to another adviser so you do not miss out on support. Your School Student Experience Lead will let you know who to contact in the meantime.
Yes — many Academic Advisers are happy to write references to support job, placement, or postgraduate applications. To help them prepare a strong and accurate reference:
- You should give your Academic Adviser at least two week’s notice before the deadline. More notice is appreciated, especially during busy teaching or marking periods.
- Provide details of the opportunity (job role, course, or placement) and any specific skills or experiences you’d like highlighted.
- Share your updated CV or personal statement if possible — this helps your Academic Adviser tailor the reference to your strengths.
- Remember, your Academic Adviser may not always be the best person to provide a reference. For example, for research roles you may wish to ask a project supervisor who can speak in detail about your skills.
If you are unsure who to approach for a reference, ask your Academic Adviser for guidance.
Yes, but usually only in exceptional circumstances. The Change of Adviser Request Procedure is available on this website.
No, there are important limits: if you disclose something that suggests you or someone else is at risk of harm, your Academic Adviser has a duty of care to share this with the relevant support team. In most cases, they will explain what will be shared and why.
No — you can contact services directly whenever you need them. Academic Advisers can signpost you to the right place, but you’re welcome to approach services such as:
- Student Support & Wellbeing (SSW) for mental health, disability, or wellbeing concerns.
- Skills for Academic Success (SAS) for study skills and academic development.
- Careers and Employability Service (CES) for job, placement, and CV advice.
At a minimum, you will meet your Adviser at least once per term. However, if you feel you need more support, you can request additional meetings. Advisers will usually try to accommodate this, especially around key transition points (e.g. exams, placements, dissertation planning).