The cost of being a student

The biggest cost of going to university is accommodation. The amount you pay will depend on whether you live in a hall of residence, private rented accommodation or lodging. Sometimes, it’s hard to rent privately for just the term you study and you should consider this if you have to rent for the full year.

The National Union of Students estimate the typical annual cost of being a student as follows:

Excluding tuition fees, students need about £150 a week to live on.

You need to talk to your parents to establish how they are going to help you get through university. Will they give you regular monthly contributions or one off gifts or loans? How will they help you if you get into financial difficulty?

It’s a good idea to talk to your parents before you get into financial difficulties.

You may be able to get some support from the government.

Student income support
You may qualify if you are:

• a single parent
• a disabled student who qualifies for certain other allowances
• a couple, where you both study full time and have a dependent child (but you will only receive it during the summer vacation)

Housing benefit
You may be able to get this if you are a single parent or disabled student.

For further information, please visit the Department for Education and Skills’ website.

Council Tax
If you live in college accommodation or a student only home, you are fully exempt from Council Tax. If you live with one adult who is not a student, you can claim a 25% discount on your Council Tax bill.
Please contact your local council for details.