Students are assessed for KFSP according to their year of entry to the University of Kent.

Started at Kent in 23/24? Find out about Kent's Financial Support Package (KFSP) for 2023/24.

Started at Kent in 22/23? Find out about Kent's Financial Support Package for 2022/23

Started at Kent in 21/22? Find out about Kent's Financial Support Package for 2021/22

For any other year of entry please contact financialaid@kent.ac.uk

The Kent Financial Support Package (KFSP) 2024/25 is open to new undergraduate UK students studying towards their first degree and have a household income of less than £30,000 as well as meeting other eligibility criteria. 

Full-time students

For 2024, Kent has a £3,000 financial support package for eligible students across three stages of full time study:

• Stage 1: £1,000 (cash payment)
• Stage 2: £1,000 (cash payment)
• Stage 3: £1,000 (cash payment)

Students studying a full time four year undergraduate programme with a sandwich year or an integrated Masters year will receive a further cash bursary of £1,000:

• Stage 1: £1,000 (cash payment)
• Stage 2: £1,000 (cash payment)
• Stage 3: £1,000 (cash payment)
• Stage 4: £1,000 (cash payment)

Students studying a full time four year undergraduate programme with a foundation year will also receive a further cash bursary of £1,000:

• Foundation Year: £1,000 (cash payment)
• Stage 1: £1,000 (cash payment)
• Stage 2: £1,000 (cash payment)
• Stage 3: £1,000 (cash payment)

Students who need to repeat a year of their studies will be eligible for a maximum of one additional year of KFSP.

Part-time students

New part-time students starting in the academic year 2024/25 may be eligible for a pro rata cash bursary in each stage of study as part of the Kent Financial Support Package. The value of the cash bursary available will depend on the student's level of study, i.e. if a student is studying 50% of a full-time course they would be eligible for £500 each year.

Part-time students who need to re-sit a stage may be eligible for a maximum of the full-time equivalent of one additional year of KFSP.

All students

The KFSP is paid in two instalments throughout the year, the first on 5 December 2024 and the second on 10 March 2025, providing that students remain on course for the whole academic year.

The cash bursary does not have to be repaid.

The KFSP is awarded in addition to any funding you receive from Student Finance England, or any other support packages or scholarships you may be eligible for from Kent. Receipt of the KFSP will not affect your entitlement to these.  

Students will automatically be assessed for the Kent Financial Support Package (KFSP).

If you meet the postcode criterion or are in receipt of Disabled Student Allowance (DSA), there is no application form to complete. As long as you have made your application to Student Finance England, you have been income assessed by them, and you and your sponsor(s) (the person(s) income assessed by SFE, where relevant) have given your consent to share your financial details with the University, you will automatically be assessed for your entitlement.

In certain circumstances you will need to complete an application form. This will be for students who are eligible under the Care Leaver, Young Independent, Carer, Estranged or Foyer/Homeless categories.    

For any further information please contact the Financial Aid Office.

Students who have been automatically assessed should receive written confirmation of their entitlement from notifications@slc.co.uk by the end of November 2024. 

Please read the full list of eligibility criteria for the 2024/25 academic year.

You will be assessed for the KFSP against the year you started at the University of Kent i.e. if you started at the University of Kent in 2023, you will be assessed against the KFSP 2023 criteria. Students must meet the eligibility criteria at their point of entry to the University of Kent. 

From 2024, Students studying a degree with an integrated foundation year will be eligible for the package of support, provided that they are paying the higher tuition fee. 

Students receive the KFSP 2024 once for each stage of their course i.e. foundation (if applicable), stage 1, stage 2, stage 3 and stage 4 (if applicable). If any stage is repeated, then the KFSP 2024 will be paid for one repeat year only. Students must be repeating at least 50% of their credits to be eligible for KFSP and attendance must be required (those re-sitting exams or re-submitting coursework without repeating the year will not be eligible for the additional payment).

If a student intermits or withdraws part way through an academic year, any unpaid bursary will be cancelled.

If a student returns from intermission, providing that they still meet the household income element of the eligibility criteria, they will be eligible to receive ONLY parts of the award that they did not receive in the year that they suspended their studies, regardless of whether they are starting the year from the beginning again, or returning at the point from which they left.

Students who already hold an undergraduate degree and/or are studying towards a postgraduate qualification will not be eligible for this bursary.

Students who have not been made an award from the Kent Financial Support Package (KFSP) can appeal against the decision. However, appeals where students do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be considered.

All information already held regarding a student's KFSP assessment, along with any additional information supplied with the appeal, will be reviewed by the Head of Student Financial Services, where an independent decision to the original assessment will be made. The Head of Student Financial Services' re-assessment will be communicated to the student by letter within 28 days of receiving the appeal.

Students must be fully registered in order to make an appeal.

Any appeal must be made in the form of an email to FinancialAid@kent.ac.uk with the subject line of 'KFSP Appeal'.

All appeals must be received by 31 May 2025. Appeals received after this date will NOT be considered.