Home or Accommodation?

Hi, I'm going to uni in September, I'm working class and from Cardiff and won't really be able to get much support financially, and my favourite option right now is Cardiff. I'm wondering if it's better to go into accommodation or just stay home? My location is quite convenient, and it would be a lot better financially, and here I've got a job which pays quite well (£10/hr for a 17 year old is pretty good). I was just wondering if its better to go elsewhere or to stay here?

Hi there,

It's great that you have to options to choose from.

Student accommodation has numerous advantages like being located close to the university, the chance to become more indepentent and making new friends.

However, even though you can reach out to your university's finance team who can help you find a funding plan you might be eligible for, if you have a healthy relationship with your family and would not mind commuting to campus, staying home might be your best option.

Living in accommodation can put a financial strain as you would be spending more money on groceries, toiletries, transport and entertainment (e.g. regularly going out to pubs or clubs with flatmates). Whereas at home you have family members who usually help paying for such goods.

Many worry that if they don't live in student accommodation they will miss out on numerous opportunities. But don't worry. All universities offer so much entertainment and social events that there will be plenty of activities for you to join whether you stay home or decide to move to accommodation.

Remember to ask your advisors and family members for honest advice.

I would recommend choosing the option which won't put you through too much stress.

I hope I managed to help!

Best of luck,
Melanie
LSBU Rep

Original post by Anonymous #1

Hi, I'm going to uni in September, I'm working class and from Cardiff and won't really be able to get much support financially, and my favourite option right now is Cardiff. I'm wondering if it's better to go into accommodation or just stay home? My location is quite convenient, and it would be a lot better financially, and here I've got a job which pays quite well (£10/hr for a 17 year old is pretty good). I was just wondering if its better to go elsewhere or to stay here?

Hi there,

I'm a travelling student myself, so I understand the pros and cons of travelling into uni.

There are some benefits to accomodation, such as meeting new people, living on your own, being extra close to campus etc., but there is a drawback that most, if not all, of your financial support would probably go towards the accomodation itself. The university may be able to support you, you still have to take into account buying your own food, toiletries, and any living essentials.

If you feel comfortable living at home, however, and you really feel that this is the best option for you I would say it would be good to do it. It sounds like you have easy transport to Cardiff university, and if you would feel more financially stable with this, it sounds like a good option. It also sounds like you would be close enough to still easily attend events or join other students in outings, which is great if that's the case! You may also be able to arrange something with your family that allows you to be more independent - for example, I pay "rent" which is basically just a contribution to the bills, I pay for most of my food and I'm in charge of getting everything I need. I found it has really helped me 🙂

I'd suggest definitely laying out the pros and cons, and certainly talk to your family as you're thinking of continuing to live with them. If you're still unsure, I'd also recommend talking it out with someone else.

I hope this helps you out and good luck with your future studies 🙂

Susannah (ARU)

Original post by Anonymous #1

Hi, I'm going to uni in September, I'm working class and from Cardiff and won't really be able to get much support financially, and my favourite option right now is Cardiff. I'm wondering if it's better to go into accommodation or just stay home? My location is quite convenient, and it would be a lot better financially, and here I've got a job which pays quite well (£10/hr for a 17 year old is pretty good). I was just wondering if its better to go elsewhere or to stay here?

Hi there,

Deciding whether to live at home or in halls is a tricky decision so I thought I'd also share some pros of each from my experience.

Living at home:

•

Cheaper rent

•

Even if you help out with the cost of food etc at home, it's likely to be cheaper.

•

You can keep the job you have now and earn money.

•

No worries about getting on with your flatmates

Living in halls,

•

Opportunity to socialise and live with people at your uni

•

Get to live independently, and learn new skills such as cooking.

•

Easier commute

Having said all of this, socialising and meeting new people is still definitely possible if you live at home! You may have to put yourself out there a bit more as you don't have that automatic group of people that you live with, but you can still enjoy uni just as much so don't let that put you off living at home.
I would say the main thing to consider is costs- living at home is cheaper but how much will the commute cost? It's really a personal preference and even if you decided to stay at home you could always move into a house with friends for your second year as this is usually cheaper and you will likely have made a group of friends by then and this way you get the best of both worlds!

I hope this helps and good luck with the decision making!

Lucy - SHU student ambassador

Original post by Anonymous #1

Hi, I'm going to uni in September, I'm working class and from Cardiff and won't really be able to get much support financially, and my favourite option right now is Cardiff. I'm wondering if it's better to go into accommodation or just stay home? My location is quite convenient, and it would be a lot better financially, and here I've got a job which pays quite well (£10/hr for a 17 year old is pretty good). I was just wondering if its better to go elsewhere or to stay here?

Hi there! Cardiff University student here 🙂 A lot of the other comments have said some useful things, but I'll just add something more here.

I think it's definitely a smart idea to be thinking about your finances now! The most affordable accommodation is £119.21 for 40 weeks, and it's pretty much bang on campus. A lot of students do work alongside their studies, and it works for them. The Student Union is quite handy sometimes, they do some cost of living support, such as giving free food/housing supplies or doing free breakfast during exam season. I believe the university also offers a bursary automatically for low-income students.

If your location is convenient, then I would say it also boils down to your home life. Do you think you'd be happy studying at university whilst living at home? Do you feel like it's a good space to focus on your studies, or is the environment not too good for that? I think it's really important to consider what is the best learning environment for you - whether studying at home, or away from your family in student accommodation.

I wouldn't say that making friends or socialising is much of a barrier if you did decide to stay home. Honestly, going into student accommodation doesn't guarantee you'd be friends with your flatmates, and there are so many events happening at the Student Union that you'd definitely won't struggle to make friends!

Hope that's helped, let me know if you had any questions :smile:

~ Fatiha, Cardiff University Student Rep

Reply 5

University of Sunderland Student Ambassador

Official Rep

11

Original post by Anonymous #1

Hi, I'm going to uni in September, I'm working class and from Cardiff and won't really be able to get much support financially, and my favourite option right now is Cardiff. I'm wondering if it's better to go into accommodation or just stay home? My location is quite convenient, and it would be a lot better financially, and here I've got a job which pays quite well (£10/hr for a 17 year old is pretty good). I was just wondering if its better to go elsewhere or to stay here?

Hello there!
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your thoughts about your university options. It's excellent to hear you're thinking about Cardiff, especially given your knowledge with the area and present job situation.
Choosing between living at home and moving into university housing is a significant decision with various things to consider. While staying at home may bring financial benefits and convenience in terms of location, relocating to university housing can provide valuable possibilities for independence, socialization, and immersion in the university experience.
Staying at home can be more cost-effective, especially if you can continue working and earning a decent hourly wage. However, keep in mind that additional expenses, such as travel, may have an impact on your capacity to fully participate in campus life.
Living on campus allows you to network with peers, join organizations and groups, and fully immerse yourself in university life. It may also make it easier to get academic support programs and participate in extracurricular activities.
Moving away from home and living independently can be a significant aspect of the university experience, allowing you to acquire important life skills and achieve more freedom.
Ultimately, the selection is based on your own tastes, financial condition, and academic objectives. It's worth considering what's most important to you and how each alternative fits into your long-term goals and objectives.
If you have any more questions or would like further advice, feel free to reach out. We're here to support you as you make this important decision.
I hope this is helpful.
Kind regards,
Mrunali Kalbhor,
University of Sunderland Student ambassador

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