Dreading cost of living in London!

I've finally decided out of all my choices I'm definitely going to accept the offer for Queen Mary :h:

I'm really excited at the opportunity to move to London and experience living there but you have to be committed to being frugal even more than the average student already has to be! Which is a quality I'm not sure I possess lol as I've been working full time for over four years and money burns a hole through my pocket.
Anyone else worried about this? Are there any current students living in London that can advise how their transition was?? The accommodation opposite Queen Mary (I was looking in case I didn't get in to halls) is over £200 a WEEK! That's almost our entire maintenance loan per month SMH

Reply 1

Queen Mary University of London

Hi,

I'm a second year student at QMUL. Whilst the cost of living in London is generally higher than most (probably all) cities in the UK, I don't think it is as bad as most people think.

Firstly, the maintenance loan and grants are generally higher in order to cover the cost of living in London. I see you have mentioned the cost of the private accommodation in Mile End but this price is not representative of the cost of either QMUL's accommodation or the cost of most student houses. In general, the cost of accommodation will not exceed £150 a week (In my house, I pay just over £120 a week). Whilst I understand that this is still high, the cost of accommodation and housing is the only major difference between London and other cities. If you're savvy, the cost of food, clothes, transport, eating out and entertainment are all reasonable if you take advantage of your student status.

It's very understandable that you're worried about the cost of living and our Advice and Counselling service can be very helpful. Most people are in exactly the same boat and you'll quickly get used to handling your money.

https://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/money

I hope this helps,
Will

Queen Mary, University Of London

London

Reply 2