Kent Institute - In Depth

Founded: 1987 by merger of Canterbury College of Art, Maidstone College of Art and Medway College of Design.

Site: Three separate campuses (Canterbury, Maidstone, Rochester), each shared with other educational establishments and close to a town or city centre.

How to get there: All sites easily accessible from London, Kent, South East and Europe by coach, bus, rail and road.

Academic features: International links; range of design specialisms; record of student awards and commissions; professional facilities (eg computers, video studios).

Awarding body: Kent University, Greenwich University.

Main undergraduate award: BA.

Length of courses: 3 years; 4 years European fashion.

Library & information services: 3 campus libraries and learning resource centres (brand new at Canterbury): co-ordinated stock of 70,000 monographs and 250+ journal titles. Access to IT facilities 11+ hours per day. Annual expenditure on information provision, £47 per (FTE) student. Web-based catalogue. Induction, library and information skills workshops offered to all. Technician supported IT resources - ratio 9:1 IT workstations offering wordprocessing and internet access and other electronic resources. CAD workstations based in studios.

Study abroad: Students can study abroad as part of degree course. Exchanges with Dusseldorf (architecture) and links with many colleges in 16 European countries, in India and New Zealand.

Student advice & services: Accommodation, careers, counselling & welfare officer at each campus.

Amenities: Refectory, student bar and shop on each site. All students have subsidised access to local leisure centres.

Accommodation: Most first years housed in halls of residence or KIAD-owned properties. 450 self-catering places in halls (220 at Rochester, 130 at Maidstone, 100 at Canterbury): £63-£70 per week (incl heating and lighting). Also Institute owned and managed houses and hostels. Privately owned accommodation approx £50-£65 pw for self-catering, £60 pw for half-board and weekend meals.

Living expenses budget: Minimum budget of £6160 pa (excluding tuition fees) recommended by institute.

Term-time work: Term-time work allowed for full-time students, some available on campus in bars.

Financial help: Total available £123,000 government hardship funds; £18,400 mature student bursaries; £1000 emergency loan fund; average award £1000. 7 bursaries for overseas students (£1000).