How will I afford my accommodation?

Hi everyone,

I've had my heart set on a course at a uni for a few months. I'll be going to uni next September.

My parents were always planning on helping me pay for my groceries and stuff, but I've been on the student finance calculator and I'll only be able to get £5,256 in maintenance - the lowest you can get.

I've been through all of the city centre accommodation options for student halls and all of them cost >£5,256 per year, apart from one where I'd be left with around £50 a year.

I know some people will just say "just get a job" and I'll look for one, but it's not always that easy and I'm worried about jumping in and committing to pay for my student accommodation when I'm not sure I'll have enough money. I've been applying for jobs at the minute so if I could get one I could start to save up, but it's hard to find a job that fits in with your A Levels.

I've heard about extra bursaries that I might be able to claim on my course, but I can't find any information on it now and it only gets awarded to five people on the course anyway.

If any of you have experience in a similar situation let me know what you did and how I can solve my problem.

Thanks :smile:

Reply 1

claireestelle

22

Original post by Amefish

Hi everyone,

I've had my heart set on a course at a uni for a few months. I'll be going to uni next September.

My parents were always planning on helping me pay for my groceries and stuff, but I've been on the student finance calculator and I'll only be able to get £5,256 in maintenance - the lowest you can get.

I've been through all of the city centre accommodation options for student halls and all of them cost >£5,256 per year, apart from one where I'd be left with around £50 a year.

I know some people will just say "just get a job" and I'll look for one, but it's not always that easy and I'm worried about jumping in and committing to pay for my student accommodation when I'm not sure I'll have enough money. I've been applying for jobs at the minute so if I could get one I could start to save up, but it's hard to find a job that fits in with your A Levels.

I've heard about extra bursaries that I might be able to claim on my course, but I can't find any information on it now and it only gets awarded to five people on the course anyway.

If any of you have experience in a similar situation let me know what you did and how I can solve my problem.

Thanks :smile:

Go for private shared housing instead of halls, in most cities that will make things cheaper or find that course at a cheaper place to live

Reply 2

Devify

19

Look at private student housing. A shared house is usually cheaper than university accommodation.

It depends on the city you go to but where I go, uni accommodation is about £150 a week on average and an average shared house rent is something like £75 a week. Basically half the price. Obviously, like I said, depends on the city but you should be able to find something cheaper.

Try looking on gumtree, easyroomate, spareroom and such to figure out the usual prices nearby.

Reply 3

Amefish

OP

20

Original post by claireestelle

Go for private shared housing instead of halls, in most cities that will make things cheaper or find that course at a cheaper place to live

Original post by Devify

Look at private student housing. A shared house is usually cheaper than university accommodation.

It depends on the city you go to but where I go, uni accommodation is about £150 a week on average and an average shared house rent is something like £75 a week. Basically half the price. Obviously, like I said, depends on the city but you should be able to find something cheaper.

Try looking on gumtree, easyroomate, spareroom and such to figure out the usual prices nearby.

Most unis encourage you to go into student halls in the first year of your study, does it make that much of a difference? Also I won't know anyone in the city I move to, which will probably make it harder to find someone to share with?

After speaking to my parents I've updated my estimated maintenance loan and it now sits at around £4,000 :frown:

Reply 4

Airmed

21

Original post by Amefish

Most unis encourage you to go into student halls in the first year of your study, does it make that much of a difference? Also I won't know anyone in the city I move to, which will probably make it harder to find someone to share with?

After speaking to my parents I've updated my estimated maintenance loan and it now sits at around £4,000 :frown:

You will still meet people on your course and in societies. Other first years (when you go) will be in your situation probably, so you can always check Facebook pages or even on TSR, the uni's forum, and see if you can even organise a private rented flat of first years.

Reply 5

claireestelle

22

Original post by Amefish

Most unis encourage you to go into student halls in the first year of your study, does it make that much of a difference? Also I won't know anyone in the city I move to, which will probably make it harder to find someone to share with?

After speaking to my parents I've updated my estimated maintenance loan and it now sits at around £4,000 :frown:

I lived in the cheaper private halls and had no trouble meeting anyone. The government expects your parents to contribute around 4K it seems so I would have an honest adult conversation with them as to how much/what they are willing to contribute .

Reply 6

kkboyk

21

Original post by Amefish

Most unis encourage you to go into student halls in the first year of your study, does it make that much of a difference? Also I won't know anyone in the city I move to, which will probably make it harder to find someone to share with?

After speaking to my parents I've updated my estimated maintenance loan and it now sits at around £4,000 :frown:

It won't be hard. You can meet and talk to people through facebook pages (each uni has their own pages for students looking for private accommodation), as there will be many people in the same position as you (also many clearing applicants who were rejected for accommodation).

You'll likely be living in an area full of students, so you'll be able to meet people.

I'm a first year and will be sharing a house with 6 others, and I'm actually glad about this because our rooms are far better than whats offered by the university (rooms are more spacious, double bed provided); for a cheaper price.

Reply 7

Devify

19

Original post by Amefish

Most unis encourage you to go into student halls in the first year of your study, does it make that much of a difference? Also I won't know anyone in the city I move to, which will probably make it harder to find someone to share with?

After speaking to my parents I've updated my estimated maintenance loan and it now sits at around £4,000 :frown:

It's simply recommend because it's the easier choice. You're guaranteed to have a room, they can be flexible with payments and you will share with people in the same situation.

You don't need to know anyone for a shared house. Plenty of people already live in shared houses and then someone leaves so they look for someone else to replace them. There are also Facebook groups and such, so if you want to get a place with all first years, you can. You will just need to find people in the same boat as you and find a big enough house for all of you. Although that's a bit harder as you'll have to deal with finding and renting a whole house out while you could just find a spare room in one already rented so everything is sorted out by someone else.

Before my 1st year I was in multiple groups on Facebook already making friends both with my course mates and people who chose to live somewhere other than the university halls. So there's plenty of time to meet someone. Then you'll go to fresher's and societies and make friends there. Believe me, you won't be the only first year who decided to rent privately instead of going into halls

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 8

Jackieox

19

I get just under £4000 for my loan, it sucks but your parents are expected to help and I work three jobs to make up the shortfall

Reply 9

Inazuma

20

Can you ask your parents to pay for accomodation? That's essentially what they're expected to do, as their income is too high.
I understand some parents have many commitments (mortgage / other kids), but at their level of income they should be able to help more.

Reply 10

999tigger

19

Original post by Amefish

Hi everyone,

I've had my heart set on a course at a uni for a few months. I'll be going to uni next September.

My parents were always planning on helping me pay for my groceries and stuff, but I've been on the student finance calculator and I'll only be able to get £5,256 in maintenance - the lowest you can get.

I've been through all of the city centre accommodation options for student halls and all of them cost >£5,256 per year, apart from one where I'd be left with around £50 a year.

I know some people will just say "just get a job" and I'll look for one, but it's not always that easy and I'm worried about jumping in and committing to pay for my student accommodation when I'm not sure I'll have enough money. I've been applying for jobs at the minute so if I could get one I could start to save up, but it's hard to find a job that fits in with your A Levels.

I've heard about extra bursaries that I might be able to claim on my course, but I can't find any information on it now and it only gets awarded to five people on the course anyway.

If any of you have experience in a similar situation let me know what you did and how I can solve my problem.

Thanks :smile:

Am glad your thread showed up again as I lost track of it from this morning.

I see what the others say about private housing and I see their point, but I would have a different approach.

1. Your priority is to get good grades, so your focus is A levels because if you dont do well, then there will be no uni to worry about.

2. You can get a job, but it looks like the amount you need will be substantial.

3. You need to work out a pros and cons of the relative merits and costs of both options.

4. Do remember that private might be cheaper per week, but it wont include food plus you will have bills plus you will beed to be paying for 52 weeks v 39 weeks on a uni contract.

5. Your grant is low presumably because your parents earnings are high. Why arent they willing to pay their share?

6. If they arent willing , then you can get a job, but potentially weaken your A levels. It may take more time than you realise to save up the amount needed? Calculate how much that might be.

7. imo if it isnt possible and knowing you will have the same issue in your 2nd and 3rd years, then I would take a gap year so I could get a full time job and build up enough savings so I could enjoy Uni without constantly worrying about money.
8. They tend to recommend halls because its an easier way to adjust to living away and there are hundreds of new people you can socialise with rather than just the 5,6 or 7 in a house. Syduent hosues ist better to gel wit your housemates then it cna be tight but it cna also be hit and miss, whereas in a hall you can afford not to make friends with everyone because tere are so many people. You cna make friends in other ways if you live in a house. You cna join societies, hang ouut with people on your course and network through other friends to just being sociable.

9. Just to repeat imo its success in your A levels that are important. Finance is just practical and dont rule out if its impossible one year, then earn some money by taking a gap and go the following year. Its no fun being at uni but constantly being really poor and not being able to afford food or to go out with friends.

Reply 11

Arianax

20

Your parents should help you considering they have a high income. If they don't, get a job or find cheaper accommodation.

Reply 12

Aleveltimes

2

It's crap but you just have to work through it. I get £3826 from student finance in terms of maintenance (even less than what you do) and I've had to work all summer and all the way through my a levels to even be able to afford the accommodation. My parents are helping me with food and stuff but apart from that im going be poor

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