The Student Room Group

How feasible is it to live alone at university?

As the title asks.

I've lived in halls and a student house and now I'm thinking that living alone would be best for me, but how possible is it to live alone at university (and for the cost to still be reasonable). I wouldn't expect luxury, just the basics.

(Not thinking about London because it wouldn't be possible)
well generally living alone means getting a studio which will always end up being more expensive than sharing somewhere, however i guess it depends what budget you have and how sensible you can be with bills, but definitely possible if you re sensible.
Reply 2
I would not recommend it, because you would be spending more as its just you to cover the cost rather than splitting it. If you're just on a standard student loan then it would be difficult, but if you receive money off parents ect it may be different.

Hope this helps!

Posted from TSR Mobile
I moved into a professional house share and got the rent for £360pcm with all bills included.

Might be worth looking into something similar?
Original post by claireestelle
well generally living alone means getting a studio which will always end up being more expensive than sharing somewhere, however i guess it depends what budget you have and how sensible you can be with bills, but definitely possible if you re sensible.


Disagree. Studio is not generally any more expensive that student accommodation or sharing. Sure in certain places like London where housing is more expensive in general yes, but in reality in many places its cheaper to live in studio than in some student halls. the idea that living alone is automatically more expensive is a myth, it all depends on where you live, the price or rent and bills.

many studio flats (majority) come with bills included. It all depends on the agent/landlord. You can choose to either look for flats with bills included or bills separately. the only thing you'll usually have to pay for separately is wifi/broadband which is only anywhere from £12 to £16 a month.


To OP: to answer your question. YES it is more than feasible if you can afford it. I started living alone during my last year of A levels and right before A level exams. Moved into a studio flat 19 miles away from my school. Drove to school everyday, managed well.

I possible its always wisest to pay anywhere from 3 to 6 months rent in advance because 1) landlords prefer it/trust you more because students have a bad reputation and if want to rent you will need a guarantor. 2) its always safer especially if you dont feel confident handling a budget. rent will be one less thing to worry about

I will say though that living alone while studying at uni is NOT for everyone. You have to have a certain level of maturity and adult mentality to be able to do it. Don't expect to have other people solving your problems for you. You will have be able to budget and plan ahead. You will need to have certain skills, such as cooking, cleaning and self care. Dont think it will be wise or sustainable to live on ready made mills and takeout. its unhealthy and bad use of money. I usually cook once or twice a week enough food to last me a whole week. saves money, time, is healthier and tastes better.
Cleaning is a must. You need to be able to look after yourself and enjoy being in a clean environment. Self management: you wont have anyone else around to remind you to go to classes or lectures or encourage you to study or do your work. You need to have an adult mindset already in place to know when to do those things and manage your time and obligations.

My brother who is a few years older than me moved out a year before me to live in a shared house and had to move back in with parents after 7 months because he simply didnt have the maturity to handle it. wasted his money on takeout and instant meals all the time, ended up with weeks of no money for food and living off cans of baked beans. got into gambling and stopped attending classes and lectures at his uni entirely. failed the year completely and almost got thrown out of uni. parents had to go there and beg for the uni to give him another chance. now he lives back at home with them which is pretty much the main reason he's now thriving in his degree and not missing classes.

I'm 18 (19 in a few days) and been living alone for a year. Starting uni as well next month and am renting a 1 bed/2 bedroom house alone as I have a dog and also need a lot of space. when you can handle it and have the maturity, living alone is great and wonderful. If you cant handle living in your own place alone, then look into shared accommodation with fellow students at your uni.

Quick Reply

Latest