Accommodation prices are scaring me away from firming King's

Up until now I'd been pretty set on going to KCL, I love London and I love the multitude of choice when it comes to the course I'm applying for. I wasn't really surprised to find out that accommodation would be expensive, after all it is central London. However, I'm having worries about how I'm going to fare with all these fees.

I've done the maths and my maintenance loan is going to be somewhere around £11,000. I've looked at the student accommodation fees and the cheapest one with an ensuite (I don't really want to be sharing bathrooms with people I won't know beforehand) is £185. If I am lucky enough to get that accommodation then I'll be looking at £8800 for the whole year, which only leaves me with around £2200 to spend on anything else. I can't help but feel like that's not going to sustain me for my first year. If I wasn't to get that price, the cheapest one after is £204 which is £10,000 - literally only giving me £1100 to spend on food, entertainment and everything else that comes with university (such as textbooks).

I don't know, this is really hindering my choices as I don't want to be somewhere where I won't be financially secure. If I'm only looking at around £1000-2000 left after accommodation I'm questioning on whether that will be sufficient to ensure I can actually live, being that the university is in London after all and everything there is bound to be more expensive. I doubt I'd get much help from my parents either and I only have around £1500 in my savings.

Any advice from current/future KCL students?

@MrDystopia

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 1

imherpacifier

13

Hey, I'm worried about this too! The only things I've found so far are KAAS, king's accommodation scheme

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/accommodation/Inclusive-Living-at-Kings/Rents-affordability.aspx

and King's living bursary

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/fees-and-funding/student-funding/scholarships-and-bursaries/bursaries/kings-living-bursary2017.aspx

I hope some other people give us some advice soon :smile:

Reply 2

Wikia

OP

21

Would really appreciate some further insight.

Reply 3

3121

21

Yeah if you're getting £11,000 I assume you'd also be eligible for the Kings Bursary and their affordable accommodation scheme KAAS as the person above pointed out. I imagine after the discount and bursary you'd have around £4500-5000 to get through the year which seems decent. Also London still has supermarkets with prices equivalent to the national average, sure you can't eat out as often as you could in other places or enjoy city activities as much as you could in other areas but I think beyond rent and nights out, the cost of living in London is fairly exaggerated, you just have to know how to budget, where to shop,go to the right clubs and bars, look out for discounts etc.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 4

ebraico

6

Hey! I would say firstly apply to the Kings Affordable Accommodation Scheme, and then apply to the King's Hardship Fund. I was in the same position as you when I was an incoming fresher. I then got accepted for KAAS which really helped, and then I was given an extra £2000 from the hardship fund which MASSIVELY helped. I've gotten it now every year for being at King's, but unlike the Living Bursary you have to apply for it yourself. The Living Bursary is given to you automatically if KCL deem you eligible. Just be aware you have to apply for the Hardship Fund after you start your time at King's, so it's not something you can do before firming it unfortunately. However, if you show all that budget working out you posted above to them in the application, with bank statements to back it up, then I'm sure they'll be very generous. However, if your parents earn collectively over £50,000 then it's unlikely they'll give a lot.

Reply 5

Wikia

OP

21

Original post by ebraico

Hey! I would say firstly apply to the Kings Affordable Accommodation Scheme, and then apply to the King's Hardship Fund. I was in the same position as you when I was an incoming fresher. I then got accepted for KAAS which really helped, and then I was given an extra £2000 from the hardship fund which MASSIVELY helped. I've gotten it now every year for being at King's, but unlike the Living Bursary you have to apply for it yourself. The Living Bursary is given to you automatically if KCL deem you eligible. Just be aware you have to apply for the Hardship Fund after you start your time at King's, so it's not something you can do before firming it unfortunately. However, if you show all that budget working out you posted above to them in the application, with bank statements to back it up, then I'm sure they'll be very generous. However, if your parents earn collectively over £50,000 then it's unlikely they'll give a lot.

Thank you, this was really helpful!

Reply 6

17ezhoque

2

Guys, how much rent is it with the KAAS?

Reply 7

mimimarinho03

8

Original post by 17ezhoque

Guys, how much rent is it with the KAAS?

£169 i believe

Reply 8

Caz1234567

14

Random question but when do you know if you've been given the living bursary? I was accepted for KAAS and I meet the living bursary criteria but since you don't apply for it I don't know if I've got it or if I'll find out later... Thanks!

Accommodation prices are scaring me away from firming King's

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