Pier Quays is a Unite Students residence on Blake Avenue in Gillingham, Medway, ME7 1FL. It houses around 1,100 students in en-suite rooms and studios, sits on the River Medway, and is roughly a 10-minute walk from the shared Medway campus. Rents run from about £131 to £193 per week with all bills included.
It is the main purpose-built student accommodation for students at the University of Kent, while also serving the University of Greenwich and Canterbury Christ Church University.
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Which universities is Pier Quays for?
This is the thing that makes Pier Quays unusual, and it is worth understanding before you apply.
The Medway campus at Chatham Maritime is shared. The University of Kent, the University of Greenwich and Canterbury Christ Church University all operate there. Pier Quays serves students from across those institutions, and the University of Kent lists it as official accommodation for its Medway students.
Practically, that means your flatmates may well be studying at a different university from you. Some students love this. Others find it splits their social life, because your course friends and your flat friends are on different timetables and in different buildings.
Neither is a problem. It is just different from a single-university hall, and nobody warns you.
Where exactly is it?
Blake Avenue, Gillingham ME7 1FL, on the riverside.
| Destination | Distance |
| Medway campus | Around 10 minutes' walk |
| Asda Superstore | 5 minutes' walk |
| Bus stop | Directly outside the building |
| Gillingham railway station | Roughly 15 to 22 minutes' walk |
| Dockside Shopping Outlet | Short walk down the road |
| Rochester High Street | A little further, main pub and bar area |
Reported walking times to the station vary between sources from 15 to 22 minutes. Assume 20 and you will not be disappointed.
There is also a free campus shuttle bus with its own stop at Pier Quays, which is the detail that makes the location work. On a wet January morning the difference between a 10-minute walk and a shuttle is not trivial.
What rooms are available?
Six room types across two broad categories.
En-suite rooms. The Classic en-suite comes with a three-quarter bed, nightstand, wardrobe, desk and chair, drawers and a private bathroom. You share a kitchen and living area with flatmates, fitted with an oven, hob, microwave, breakfast bar with stools, a large fridge-freezer and generous storage.
Studios. Classic, Premium Range 1, Accessible and Accessible Premium Range 1. Studios include the same features as an en-suite but with more space, your own private kitchen and a dining area.
Accessible rooms are available in both categories, and Unite lists rooms that are partly or fully wheelchair accessible.
| Room type | Indicative weekly rent |
| En-suite, lower range | from around £131 |
| Studio | around £163 to £164 |
| Premium range | up to around £193 |
Those figures come from listing sites and third-party marketplaces rather than Unite's own current price list. Treat them as a guide to the spread and check unitestudents.com or the University of Kent accommodation pages for this year's actual rents before budgeting.
What are the facilities like?
Better than most residences at this price point, largely because of the scale. With 1,100 residents, the shared spaces are properly sized.
- Two large social spaces
- Common room with pool table, table tennis and a TV area
- Cinema room with theatre-style seating
- Outdoor courtyard
- On-site shop
- Launderette
- Cycle storage
- Reception for deliveries
- 24/7 security, CCTV and secure access
- On-site management and maintenance teams
- All bills, Wi-Fi and contents insurance included
The cinema room and the on-site shop are the two that residents mention most. A shop in the building matters more than it sounds when the alternative is a five-minute walk to Asda in the rain.
Contract lengths and booking
Through the University of Kent, accommodation at Pier Quays is available for 38, 40, 42 and 51 weeks, with payments made in instalments at the start of each term.
There is no deposit, but an advance rent payment is required when you book, which is then deducted from your first rent instalment.
Kent's MyAccommodation Portal opens in mid-January. To secure a guaranteed offer you need to apply by 30 June and meet the eligibility criteria.
The 38-week option is worth flagging. Most purpose-built accommodation starts at 44 weeks, and a 38-week contract that ends when your teaching does can save several hundred pounds if you have no reason to stay over summer. Compare on total contract cost, not weekly rent.
Groups can apply to live together, whether you are first years arriving with a friend or returning students. Many residents do return for second and third year, often with people they met in first year.
Is Medway a good place to be a student?
Honestly assessed: it is quieter than a big student city and considerably cheaper.
The Medway towns — Gillingham, Chatham, Rochester — have a real history and a genuine identity that does not revolve around students. Rochester High Street is the main pub and bar strip and is pleasant. Dockside Shopping Outlet is close. The river is genuinely nice.
What you do not get is the scale of nightlife or student infrastructure you would find in Manchester or Nottingham. London is reachable from Gillingham station, which is the escape valve most students use.
If you want a large student city, Medway is not it. If you want somewhere affordable, walkable and low-hassle with London within reach, it works well.
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FAQs
Q: Where is Unite Students Pier Quays?
A: Blake Avenue, Gillingham, Medway ME7 1FL, on the River Medway riverside, about 10 minutes' walk from the Medway campus.
Q: How many students live at Pier Quays?
A: Around 1,100.
Q: Which universities use Pier Quays?
A: It serves students at the shared Medway campus, including the University of Kent, the University of Greenwich and Canterbury Christ Church University.
Q: How much does Pier Quays cost?
A: Third-party listings quote roughly £131 to £193 per week depending on room type and contract length, with all bills included. Check Unite Students or the University of Kent for current rates.
Q: What contract lengths are available at Pier Quays?
A: 38, 40, 42 and 51 weeks through the University of Kent, paid in instalments at the start of each term.
Q: Is there a deposit for Pier Quays?
A: No deposit, but an advance rent payment is required at booking, which is deducted from your first instalment.
Q: Does Pier Quays have studios?
A: Yes. Classic, Premium Range 1 and accessible studio options are available, each with a private kitchen and dining area.