How to Cover the Cost of Uni Essentials
If you’ve ever been a student – or a friend, partner, parent to one – you’ll be aware of the cost of tuition fees these days. Even though for most people they contribute to a large extent of university debt, there’s also the problem of covering essentials at university whilst in full time education – like course materials, rent, energy bills, travel, food and clothes. According to this study from the Office for National Statistics, 65% of students surveyed had to cut back on general living expenses like food shopping due to the rising cost of living. Although this might seem intimidating, fear not. There’s many ways to help with the cost of living essentials at university, from government grants to support services, expense management and also crowdfunding.
What Are Uni Essentials?
When looking at the range of costs incurred by going to university, there are parts to consider that go well beyond tuition fees. If you’re thinking about going, it’s important to consider that you also need to pay for:
- University Fees – this may include things like tuition, any course fees or fees for related materials like books and sometimes you are charged to apply for certain courses.
- Accommodation – firstly you have to consider a deposit up front, but then monthly rent payments. This may be in halls or in a student house.
- Food – it’s important to consider the weekly cost of food. Consider grocery shopping but also budgets for things like eating out or the occasional takeaway.
- Study Materials – The basics like stationary, plus if you need to pay for a laptop or tablet to complete your studies.
- Transport – bus or train tickets, season passes or even something like a bike or car to get around to university classes or placements if your course requires.
- Laundry – if laundry isn’t included in your accommodation and you don’t have a washing machine, launderettes can be expensive to use.
- Clothes, toiletries and homeware – it’s important to include these basics in your budget too. Remember you’ll still need things like toothpaste and shampoo, even if you’re adding them to your grocery shop every so often rather than every time.
- Hobbies and social activities – bear in mind that hobbies like sporting activities can also incur a cost.
How much will you pay for uni essentials?
- The cost of going to university can differ a lot depending on a multitude of factors – where you go, what you study, if you choose to live independently etc. For example, if you choose to go to university in London, you may find that the cost of living is higher than a different location in the UK (and it’s worth checking the average cost of living at the city your uni is in before choosing). Student halls often have different levels of accommodation to suit different budgets too – for example, shared bathrooms and kitchens vs en-suites or individual flats. Some courses will require more materials to be bought too and also it’s worth thinking about lifestyle. If you’re someone who enjoys going out and socialising a lot, you will end up spending more.
- We’ve taken a look at some of the costs to help you out:
- Tuition Fees – £9,250 per year. The UK government has set this as the maximum tuition fee for full-time uni students in the 2024-2025 academic year. Most people are entitled to a loan to cover this completely.
- Accommodation – £7,475 per year. This is an average of 10 UK cities as studied by Unipol. But it’s worth remembering that accommodation costs specifically can vary widely depending on where and what kind of accommodation you want to live at.
- Food – £44 per week. This is an average figure from a 2023 study by UCAS. Again, this is a figure which may vary widely from person to person so it’s worth doing your own research on what you spend before you go.
- Study Materials – £31 per week. Again, this figure is from the UCAS Student Lifestyle Report, but some courses require more materials than others.
- Transport – £2-£5 per journey. Most local bus and train fares to get to city locations from campus, or around city universities are reasonable – but can add up. It’s worth exploring travel card options.
- Laundry – If you need to use a launderette every time you need to wash clothes, it can be £10-£25 per time.
- Clothes – £37 per week. Again, this is an average figure looked at from the 2023 UCAS Report. There are ways and means of getting a new outfit for a discount though, from student cards to buying second hand (or doing clothes swaps).
- Homeware – £29 per week. Even if you’re not buying homeware every week, it’s worth considering what you’ll need before you go. It might be a bigger financial outlying when you first move – plus accounting for any breakages! Report from UCAS .
- Hobbies and social activities – The average person’s hobbies and activities cost £84 per week according to 2023 statistics collated by confused.com. If you’re a keen sportsperson and have to pay for club memberships for example remember to budget for this.
How to Get Help Paying for Uni Essentials
The cost of university might seem daunting – but for many it’s an essential step towards a passion or what you want to do with your life. And fear not, there’s plenty of support in the UK for those wanting to attend university, from student finance loans to bursaries. You can even crowdfund with GoFundMe for your needs.
Student Finance Loans
The UK government helps students cover the cost of university with repayable loans. This includes a tuition fee loan of up to £9,250 which covers the actual course fees rather than living costs. This gets repaid after you start earning above a certain income threshold. Then for living costs there’s also a maintenance loan. This is means tested and depends on your total household income plus location. You can check your eligibility for a maintenance loan here.
Scholarships and Bursaries
Another option to consider when thinking about attending university is there’s a wide range of scholarships, bursaries and grants to help you get there. These can be awarded based on things like means or academic achievement and can differ based on each individual university.
- Scholarships are usually paid on a once-off, annual or termly basis, and are offered to students who excel in academics, music or sports.
- Bursaries are one-off payments which are designed to help with general living costs, and are offered to disadvantaged students based on low household income, disability, personal circumstances or location.
- Grants are generally reserved for specific situations like studying abroad, but can also be offered to students from low-income or underrepresented backgrounds. They’re usually provided by charities and trusts rather than universities.
You can take a look at The Scholarship Hub to take note of the different scholarship opportunities across the country.
Hardship Funds
Some universities also offer hardship funds – however, these are emergency payments for people facing extreme financial difficulty. This may include if the student has children, are disabled, homeless or come from low income backgrounds. Hardship funds vary by institution so if you’re looking into applying for one, it’s best to contact your specific university. There’s also a range of differing criteria from institution to institution.
Student Discounts
A wonderful advantage of being a student is the absolute plethora of discounts you can enjoy – from cinemas to clothes. Many of these can be redeemed with a valid student card, which you normally get when you start at university. The TOTUM card is the only student discount card recommended by the National Union of Students in the UK and international students can also get ISIC cards, which will be accepted for most UK discounts.
Budgeting
Perhaps the most stereotypical part of the university experience – budgeting, often for the first time as an adult. But don’t worry – if you do it properly it doesn’t have to be a pain. Start early on to find a budget which works for you for essentials and stick to it so you don’t blow your maintenance loan all at once. It’s key not to create one that is too complicated either.
- Work out the total amount of income you’ll receive each term – from loans, grants, family, part-time jobs and savings.
- Work out the total amount of money you’ll spend each term – including uni fees, accommodation costs, household bills, transport and any extra costs.
- Subtract your total expenditure from your total income, and divide by the number of weeks in a term to calculate your maximum weekly allowance.
Crowdfunding
Another great option for reducing your university costs would be to crowdfund on GoFundMe.You could start a crowdfunder to get you the essentials to actually get to university – maybe homeware for your accommodation or money towards materials. It’s easy and free to set up a GoFundMe and it allows you to post the fundraiser on social media, circulate it around family and friends on email, post it to your group chats, without anyone feeling the pressure to donate there and then. Plenty of people want to help with these things when it is convenient, and GoFundMe provides a place to do so.
How to Fundraise for University Essentials
If you’ve decided to start a fundraiser for your university essentials, it could not be easier to get going. All you need to do is start your GoFundMe, come up with a snappy title, add a compelling picture and write your story – which in this case should include why you’re fundraising, what you’re fundraising for and how kind donations will help.
When you’ve built your GoFundMe, it’s easy to share the link on social media.
GoFundMe is a custom built platform for crowdfunding, so you can keep kind donors up to date with your journey every step of the way. Don’t forget to thank people for their contribution and let them know how you’re getting on – plus post pictures of your new university life when you get there.
If you’re feeling inspired to fundraise for university life, we’ve got a page looking at fundraising ideas to help inspire you too.
Start Your Fundraiser Today.
Now it’s time to go go go – you’ve read about how easy and helpful it can be to start a GoFundMe, so get going! It’s fast, safe and easy to fundraise with us. Best of luck in your new student life!