Any student on a full time course which lasts more than six months can get medical treatment on the National Health Service. Treatment is mainly free although there may be some charges towards the costs of medicines, eye and dental treatment. You must register with a doctor near where you are living as soon as possible after you have taken up residence. Students attending short courses of less than six months and who are not from the European Union are advised to take out insurance for the period of their stay. The College has staff qualified to administer first aid for minor accidents.

Our Students Services staff are available to help with advice on accommodation, finance and many other aspects of living away from home. We also have counsellors to deal with the more personal problems and you can be assured of a sympathetic hearing and complete confidentiality.

There is an indoor sports and fitness centre in Tonbridge and full time students at West Kent College may be offered a discount on the annual membership fee. There are also local gyms, and a large swimming pool in the Castle grounds that has its own health suite. Neighbouring towns also have sports, swimming and recreational facilities. Most sports are catered for in and around Tonbridge, rugby, football, tennis, netball and hockey etc. In addition the College has its own Sports Development Officer who arranges sporting activities for students.

Tonbridge is ideally placed geographically for ease of access to London and the Channel Ports. The main College campus is at the south end of the town within a few minutes walk of the railway station, main shopping centre and bus service. There is a fast and frequent train service from Tonbridge to London, usually running at three trains per hour, and you can be in central London in a little over thirty minutes. Trains also run to the South Coast and Channel ports direct from Tonbridge and there is an hourly service to Gatwick Airport which takes about 40 minutes. There is also a direct link to Heathrow Airport from London.

Most banks are open from 9.30am-17.00 Monday to Friday. Travel agencies also have bureaux de change which are open Monday to Saturday. When you travel to England it is a good idea to have some £1 coins and notes of small denominations, such as £5 and £10 to meet immediate costs such as meals, transport and telephone calls.