is 3.5k savings enough for uni in notts

hi i messed up apprenticeships so unis my backup, going to nottingham uni

i have the max maintenence loan, but my parents probably wont be able to help me out much in terms of finance

i have about 3.1k rn, should have around 3.5k when uni starts

the total cost of rent is 5.1k for the whole yea,s im living in halls first year, it should be around half of my maintenence loan (so ill have 5k left for food, and other ****) for first year

I may be using public transport alot so costs would go there as well. I want to try learn some martial arts whilst at notts (prolly just muay thai or smth) and use the gym at notts (ive put down whatever the sports membership is, I think it lets you use the gym there)

Probably wont be going out too much, im kind of a shut in lol

thanks guys, if you need any info lmk

Reply 1

Anonymous #1

oh yea, I would prefer (obviously, if I have to, I have to) not to work part time, I would rather just focus on my education (computer science) and trying to get internships/ work related to software dev in the second / third year for my money (so mostly just like working leetcode, DSA, projects, that type of thing).

University of Nottingham

Nottingham

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Reply 2

Chronoscope

Volunteer Section Leader

Original post by Anonymous

hi i messed up apprenticeships so unis my backup, going to nottingham uni
i have the max maintenence loan, but my parents probably wont be able to help me out much in terms of finance
i have about 3.1k rn, should have around 3.5k when uni starts
the total cost of rent is 5.1k for the whole yea,s im living in halls first year, it should be around half of my maintenence loan (so ill have 5k left for food, and other ****) for first year
I may be using public transport alot so costs would go there as well. I want to try learn some martial arts whilst at notts (prolly just muay thai or smth) and use the gym at notts (ive put down whatever the sports membership is, I think it lets you use the gym there)
Probably wont be going out too much, im kind of a shut in lol
thanks guys, if you need any info lmk

Hey, I'm not sure how helpful this is as I didnt go to Nottingham (I went to Reading) but I had max maintainence loan all of uni, and as long as your loan can cover accommodation you should be fine :yep:

This was actually my parents tip but when I moved into halls each academic year they'd give me a box of long life stuff e.g. pasta, rice, baked beans, tomato/chicken soup, herbs. Definitely was useful and saved a lot of food expenses as well :smile:

It might also be worth looking to see if you qualify for any low income bursaries especially if you're getting max loan (usually about £1000 per academic year).

Reply 3

UoN Students

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

hi i messed up apprenticeships so unis my backup, going to nottingham uni
i have the max maintenence loan, but my parents probably wont be able to help me out much in terms of finance
i have about 3.1k rn, should have around 3.5k when uni starts
the total cost of rent is 5.1k for the whole yea,s im living in halls first year, it should be around half of my maintenence loan (so ill have 5k left for food, and other ****) for first year
I may be using public transport alot so costs would go there as well. I want to try learn some martial arts whilst at notts (prolly just muay thai or smth) and use the gym at notts (ive put down whatever the sports membership is, I think it lets you use the gym there)
Probably wont be going out too much, im kind of a shut in lol
thanks guys, if you need any info lmk

Hello,

A notable part of the costs associated to living at university are derived from your accommodation, which is something that you have already factored in your calculations. Your living costs will depend on a number of aspects:

•

Catered or self-catered accommodation - If you are self-catered, then you would need to take into account the cost of the groceries in your monthly cost estimates.

•

Location - If you live close to university you may either walk or cycle, which would allow you to save more money.

•

Leisure and other costs - The gyms have a membership that lasts for the entire academic year. This one could be useful to minimise costs, albeit you would be required to pay it upfront at the start (Gym Membership).

Our living costs are tied to our spending habits, so it really depends on each individual. I would start by taking a look at the total amount that you have at your disposal and divide it by the 9/10 months, so that you can calculate how much you can spend per month. I would also have a percentage of those funds frozen to account for emergencies and unexpected costs.

You may also have a look at this website for more tips regarding budgeting: Budgeting

All the best,
Abián.

Reply 4

prstudent2026

realistically you'll have way more free time than you think, getting a part-time job not only helps in terms of your finance but also allows you to meet people. Majority of my friends I've met at uni or on my course all have part-time jobs, your loan will not last as long as you think - even if it's 10 to 20 hours a week it will really help you out. Especially if you get your work done earlier or on-time you will get bored.