University of Kent（肯特大学）entry requirements for Chinese students — minimum average mark, university list tiers and programme extras
Kent's published requirements for Chinese applicants are unusually short to read: a single table converts UK degree classes into a minimum weighted average, split into two columns labelled 211 and non-211. There is no published list of which institutions sit in either column, and no published count of how many sit in each.
The postgraduate minimum average
| UK degree class | 211 | non-211 |
|---|---|---|
| 1st class | 75 | 80 |
| 2:1 programmes | 70 | 75 |
| 2:2 programmes | 65 | 70 |
| 3rd class | 60 | 65 |
Read it as a floor, not a target. An applicant with a Chinese bachelor's degree is matched to the equivalent UK class, and the table then states the minimum average required.
What the two columns actually mean
The columns are categories, not institutions. Kent's material refers to 211, 985 and 双一流 status collectively, and it does not publish the underlying university list, the criteria used to assign an institution to a column, or how many institutions fall into each group. Anyone who tells you definitively that a particular university sits in a particular tier is going beyond what Kent has published.
Kent also states that these requirements apply across all university programmes, that individual colleges may set higher requirements, and that relevant work experience can be taken into account when considering a lower entry requirement. Which programmes actually operate that flexibility, and by how much, is not spelled out — check the university's own pages, which take precedence.
Programme-specific extras
- Several popular programmes accept applications from a different field of study, with business, Computer Science and International Law given as examples.
- Some programmes have a higher bar than the table's baseline; Kent says so in general terms without listing which.
- Undergraduate entry has its own structure, including direct entry to year two or year three. Year-two entry generally requires two years of higher-education study at a minimum of 70% for 211/985/双一流 institutions or 75% otherwise. Year three is restricted to two programmes: BA Business (Top-up), which accepts HND applicants only, and BEng Electronic and Computer System (Top-up), with an HND at Merit.
Undergraduate entry, for orientation
| Route | Requirement |
|---|---|
| A-Level | AAB–BBC |
| Foundation or equivalent | 60% average (40% if the pass mark is 40%) |
| Gaokao | 70% total, or 60% for some courses |
| 2- or 3-year associate degree | 70% or equivalent |
| Vocational / technical high school | 75% or equivalent |
| Completed first year of a bachelor's degree | 70% (211/985/双一流) or 75% (otherwise) |
| Year two or three | assessed case by case |
Foundation routes differ by stage: a high school average of 70% after completing the second year of high school, or 60% after the third year. Vocational and secondary technical schools require 75% or above and are assessed individually. Kent also flags that Gaokao scores do not apply to every programme.
Language
Kent states it is flexible on evidence and accepts a range of tests, naming TOEFL iBT, IELTS Indicator, Duolingo, PTE and language certificates. No minimum scores or band levels appear in the published material — check the university's own pages, which take precedence.
Study modes
Kent's material does not describe part-time or online study modes for these routes. Anything beyond full-time on-campus study needs verifying directly with the university, whose own pages take precedence.
Where to verify each figure
Every number above comes from Kent's published China entry requirements for the 2023 intake year. Intake years move, and the pages change with them. Treat the figures above as the 2023 published position and confirm current thresholds on the university's own pages, which take precedence.