The Student Room Group

london uni - move out or live at home?

I live in the outskirts of London, and i want to go to a london uni but i'm so torn on whether or not i should move out. i know i would save a HELL of a load of money - and it would be a struggle if i did move out considering my maintenance loan wouldn't even cover my rent (and my parents can't afford to help me out much) but i could definitley make it work if i had a job alongside my studies and budgeted. in addition, my parents would much prefer if i stayed at home as they still see me as their baby.
but my commute from home is an hour and a half at the least busy time of day, let alone at rush hour. i can imagine i'd be so demotivated to go to my lectures knowing i'd spend more time of the day travelling than i will learning. not only that, but i have heard several stories of people i know who have commuted to their universities for their first year and really struggled to make friends. i know it's not entirely out of your control and its up to you to put in the effort to make friends, but i know myself and that i'll probably struggle unless i'm right in the thick of it and having to interact with people, rather than just going home to the middle of nowhere after lectures. i also think i'd enjoy the independence living on my own.

is it stupid of me to waste all that money moving out? is it true that commuters tend to have it harder? someone help - i am SO torn.

Reply 1

Original post
by emptyteacup
I live in the outskirts of London, and i want to go to a london uni but i'm so torn on whether or not i should move out. i know i would save a HELL of a load of money - and it would be a struggle if i did move out considering my maintenance loan wouldn't even cover my rent (and my parents can't afford to help me out much) but i could definitley make it work if i had a job alongside my studies and budgeted. in addition, my parents would much prefer if i stayed at home as they still see me as their baby.
but my commute from home is an hour and a half at the least busy time of day, let alone at rush hour. i can imagine i'd be so demotivated to go to my lectures knowing i'd spend more time of the day travelling than i will learning. not only that, but i have heard several stories of people i know who have commuted to their universities for their first year and really struggled to make friends. i know it's not entirely out of your control and its up to you to put in the effort to make friends, but i know myself and that i'll probably struggle unless i'm right in the thick of it and having to interact with people, rather than just going home to the middle of nowhere after lectures. i also think i'd enjoy the independence living on my own.

is it stupid of me to waste all that money moving out? is it true that commuters tend to have it harder? someone help - i am SO torn.

Is an hour an a half the door to door commute? And what course will you be studying?

I wouldn’t commute that much for university to save my life, that’s not a reasonable commute in my opinion unless you’re in university like 1-2 days a week max. You’ll be knackered before you know it.

I commuted an 1h-1h15m door to door for sixth form and I just got on with it (the only thing that I disliked about the commute was needing to leave the house at 07:00 every day) but I knew that I didn’t want to do the same crap for university. That long of a commute isn’t reasonable in my opinion unless you’re served by a tube station where you live or TFL (not simply railway) and from there can commute.

How much would commuting vs rent cost you? (Total amount per year of each month for each).

Have you properly broken down and done the maths to see if you can therefore realistically afford going to a London university or afford living there? This is something you ought to always do before attending university if cost of living is a factor for you (I.e. you can’t just be like me and be certain that parents or yourself can make up the shortfall without doing arithmetic beforehand which will be the vast vast majority of students).

How much maintenance loan are you looking at getting (number)?

Reply 2

I commute just over 1 hour to uni (from within london) via the underground and i will be honest, it is kinda draining. a commute of 90+ minutes would probably be too much, unless if you’re only going to uni once or twice a week.

i have a friend who commutes from outside of london to my uni in london (same journey time as you) and they only come in twice a week so they make it work

Reply 3

Original post
by Talkative Toad
Is an hour an a half the door to door commute? And what course will you be studying?
I wouldn’t commute that much for university to save my life, that’s not a reasonable commute in my opinion unless you’re in university like 1-2 days a week max. You’ll be knackered before you know it.
I commuted an 1h-1h15m door to door for sixth form and I just got on with it (the only thing that I disliked about the commute was needing to leave the house at 07:00 every day) but I knew that I didn’t want to do the same crap for university. That long of a commute isn’t reasonable in my opinion unless you’re served by a tube station where you live or TFL (not simply railway) and from there can commute.
How much would commuting vs rent cost you? (Total amount per year of each month for each).
Have you properly broken down and done the maths to see if you can therefore realistically afford going to a London university or afford living there? This is something you ought to always do before attending university if cost of living is a factor for you (I.e. you can’t just be like me and be certain that parents or yourself can make up the shortfall without doing arithmetic beforehand which will be the vast vast majority of students).
How much maintenance loan are you looking at getting (number)?

yes 1h30 is the full commute. i'm hoping to do Politics and International relations at lse. i have no idea how many days i'd be expected to come in. i also have to leave my house at 7 latest in order to get to sixth form on time and i can barely cope with that, with my attendance actually being checked and an actual full day ahead of me - i just know if it wasn't checked and if i only needed to be in for like two hours i would not want to get out of bed. which is a me problem but a problem nonetheless.

i've just calculated how much it would cost me to commute and its only about 160 a month, which is less than the weekly cost of any of lse's accommodation options alone. so definitely more cost-effective.

i have done some calculations but it all varies based on which accom i end up in. but say its 250 p/w, my maintenance loan will only give me about 180 per week. i earn about 80-100 a month from my current job which is virtual so i'll keep that at uni, and then i'd want another job like at a fast food chain or something, but i just worry i'll get unlucky and not find a job.
the thing is i dont know exactly how much i'll get for my loan either because i have a twin also going to uni in the same year as me, so SFE will split the amount my parents are supposedly gonna contribute, between the two of us - but the online calculator wont take that into account. also, lse accom is almost all catered which cuts down my food costs a bit, which i worth bearing in mind.

my parents would of course help me when they can, but the problem is that their finances fluctuate a LOT throughout the year and i can't rely on having help from them year-round. also i'd just feel guilty lol

it'll just feel like a waste of a) i end up settling for a non-london uni for cheaper cost of living, but therefore go to a much less prestigious university (my other options are not up to the same standard), or b) i stay living at home and go to lse but i don't make the most of it because i simply couldn't be bothered with the commute. but then again, struggling to support myself is probably even more draining than a long commute.
(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 4

Original post
by emptyteacup
I live in the outskirts of London, and i want to go to a london uni but i'm so torn on whether or not i should move out. i know i would save a HELL of a load of money - and it would be a struggle if i did move out considering my maintenance loan wouldn't even cover my rent (and my parents can't afford to help me out much) but i could definitley make it work if i had a job alongside my studies and budgeted. in addition, my parents would much prefer if i stayed at home as they still see me as their baby.
but my commute from home is an hour and a half at the least busy time of day, let alone at rush hour. i can imagine i'd be so demotivated to go to my lectures knowing i'd spend more time of the day travelling than i will learning. not only that, but i have heard several stories of people i know who have commuted to their universities for their first year and really struggled to make friends. i know it's not entirely out of your control and its up to you to put in the effort to make friends, but i know myself and that i'll probably struggle unless i'm right in the thick of it and having to interact with people, rather than just going home to the middle of nowhere after lectures. i also think i'd enjoy the independence living on my own.
is it stupid of me to waste all that money moving out? is it true that commuters tend to have it harder? someone help - i am SO torn.

Hey,

There really isn’t a universally “right” answer to this.

Commuting is a bit harder, when looking at it from a social angle. I’m a commuting student myself, and it takes me an hour and a half to get to uni. I made this decision as it’s my last year of study, and I really needed to save money. Living at home helped with expenses and financial pressures though.

It really comes down to what costs you more: money or your energy. Staying home saves money, but takes time, and can make uni life feel separated from your personal life. Moving out gives you independence and an easier social life, but adds some financial stress.

Finding a balance is ideal, definitely be intentional about societies and staying on campus late if you’re going to commute, as it helps when making friends.

There really isn’t a wrong choice here, just what works best for you! Good luck!

Sabina :smile:
Original post
by emptyteacup
I live in the outskirts of London, and i want to go to a london uni but i'm so torn on whether or not i should move out. i know i would save a HELL of a load of money - and it would be a struggle if i did move out considering my maintenance loan wouldn't even cover my rent (and my parents can't afford to help me out much) but i could definitley make it work if i had a job alongside my studies and budgeted. in addition, my parents would much prefer if i stayed at home as they still see me as their baby.
but my commute from home is an hour and a half at the least busy time of day, let alone at rush hour. i can imagine i'd be so demotivated to go to my lectures knowing i'd spend more time of the day travelling than i will learning. not only that, but i have heard several stories of people i know who have commuted to their universities for their first year and really struggled to make friends. i know it's not entirely out of your control and its up to you to put in the effort to make friends, but i know myself and that i'll probably struggle unless i'm right in the thick of it and having to interact with people, rather than just going home to the middle of nowhere after lectures. i also think i'd enjoy the independence living on my own.

is it stupid of me to waste all that money moving out? is it true that commuters tend to have it harder? someone help - i am SO torn.

I did something similar, I lived in London with my family and went to a London university, and I moved out to uni halls in my first year, an experience which I do not regret one single bit.

Firstly, it's just so comfortable living close to uni. Have a lecture at 9AM? You can get away with waking up at 8.50AM. I've ended up commuting for my third year of university again and the willpower necessary to attend early morning lectures is a lot greater than I needed when I used to live in halls. I can summon it, but judging by the attendance of early morning lectures, a great deal of people cannot. It's also great if you end up having a day in which you just have to go in for a single lecture or seminar, which feels like a big waste of time and money if you have to commute from afar for the one thing. You live in halls? It costs you basically no time. Much like Talkative Toad, I had to commute to my sixth form for a long time, and through life's twist and turns have ended up commuting my third year of university too, and so I can tell you, it gets tiring real quick. Plus, London peak time travel is not a pretty thing to experience and is best avoided if you can. It's not the end of the world if you end up commuting, but it's just so much easier to live close to uni.

It's also true that commuters seem to have it harder to make friends. It depends on each person, as you so rightly point out, but a great deal of commuters end up having what I call commuteritis in which they just dart off home after they're done with uni and they seem to lack the interest to be involved in the university's social life, which I think is a huge aspect of going to university. In fact, I would recommend moving out into halls independent of the pains of commuting, because it's a new experience for you, living alone for the first time, meeting new people and trying to get along, and being in a generally fun environment and getting up to all sorts of mischievous but fun things.

Reply 6

Original post
by emptyteacup
I live in the outskirts of London, and i want to go to a london uni but i'm so torn on whether or not i should move out. i know i would save a HELL of a load of money - and it would be a struggle if i did move out considering my maintenance loan wouldn't even cover my rent (and my parents can't afford to help me out much) but i could definitley make it work if i had a job alongside my studies and budgeted. in addition, my parents would much prefer if i stayed at home as they still see me as their baby.
but my commute from home is an hour and a half at the least busy time of day, let alone at rush hour. i can imagine i'd be so demotivated to go to my lectures knowing i'd spend more time of the day travelling than i will learning. not only that, but i have heard several stories of people i know who have commuted to their universities for their first year and really struggled to make friends. i know it's not entirely out of your control and its up to you to put in the effort to make friends, but i know myself and that i'll probably struggle unless i'm right in the thick of it and having to interact with people, rather than just going home to the middle of nowhere after lectures. i also think i'd enjoy the independence living on my own.
is it stupid of me to waste all that money moving out? is it true that commuters tend to have it harder? someone help - i am SO torn.


as someone who lives in london but also has this problem, i think you should move out, it’s a great way to find your independence and also friends (if that’s what you’re even into), commuters do have it hard but living in halls has many advantages to it. but at the end of the day it’s what YOU want </3

Reply 7

Original post
by emptyteacup
I live in the outskirts of London, and i want to go to a london uni but i'm so torn on whether or not i should move out. i know i would save a HELL of a load of money - and it would be a struggle if i did move out considering my maintenance loan wouldn't even cover my rent (and my parents can't afford to help me out much) but i could definitley make it work if i had a job alongside my studies and budgeted. in addition, my parents would much prefer if i stayed at home as they still see me as their baby.
but my commute from home is an hour and a half at the least busy time of day, let alone at rush hour. i can imagine i'd be so demotivated to go to my lectures knowing i'd spend more time of the day travelling than i will learning. not only that, but i have heard several stories of people i know who have commuted to their universities for their first year and really struggled to make friends. i know it's not entirely out of your control and its up to you to put in the effort to make friends, but i know myself and that i'll probably struggle unless i'm right in the thick of it and having to interact with people, rather than just going home to the middle of nowhere after lectures. i also think i'd enjoy the independence living on my own.
is it stupid of me to waste all that money moving out? is it true that commuters tend to have it harder? someone help - i am SO torn.

Hey there,

This is a really common dilemma for London students, and it is not stupid at all to feel torn. Many LSBU applicants are in a very similar position, especially those who live on the outskirts of London. Both options have real pros and cons, and there is no wrong choice, it is about what will work best for you day to day.

At LSBU, we have a large number of students who choose to live in university accommodation and many who commute from home, so you would not be out of place either way. Our accommodation is based close to campus, which can make a big difference to your routine. Living nearby often means shorter journeys, more energy for lectures and studying, and more chances to stay on campus, join societies, and build friendships more naturally. For students who value independence and being fully immersed in university life, accommodation can help create that sense of belonging, especially in first year.

That said, commuting is also very common at LSBU, and many commuter students still build strong friendships and succeed academically. However, long travel times can be tiring, and it is understandable to worry about motivation and feeling disconnected. Some students find that saving money by living at home gives them less financial stress, which can be just as important for wellbeing. Others decide that the time saved and the independence gained from moving out is worth the extra budgeting and part-time work.

What is important is being honest with yourself about what you need to thrive. If you know long commutes drain your energy and you value independence and being around other students, accommodation may be a positive investment in your experience. If financial pressure would cause more stress than the commute, living at home might be the better option. Many LSBU students also reassess after first year and change their living situation once they know what suits them.

You are always welcome to explore LSBU a bit more and get a real feel for what student life is like here. We have a Southwark open day: Saturday 7th February 2026 where you can hear more about our courses and support. If you would prefer to see the campus in person you can book a tour https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/study/study-at-lsbu/open-days on a day that suits you and get a sense of the spaces you would be studying in. You can also chat to our current students https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/student-life/chat to hear honest experiences and get answers to any course questions you might have.

LSBU Admissions Ambassador

Reply 8

Original post
by emptyteacup
I live in the outskirts of London, and i want to go to a london uni but i'm so torn on whether or not i should move out. i know i would save a HELL of a load of money - and it would be a struggle if i did move out considering my maintenance loan wouldn't even cover my rent (and my parents can't afford to help me out much) but i could definitley make it work if i had a job alongside my studies and budgeted. in addition, my parents would much prefer if i stayed at home as they still see me as their baby.
but my commute from home is an hour and a half at the least busy time of day, let alone at rush hour. i can imagine i'd be so demotivated to go to my lectures knowing i'd spend more time of the day travelling than i will learning. not only that, but i have heard several stories of people i know who have commuted to their universities for their first year and really struggled to make friends. i know it's not entirely out of your control and its up to you to put in the effort to make friends, but i know myself and that i'll probably struggle unless i'm right in the thick of it and having to interact with people, rather than just going home to the middle of nowhere after lectures. i also think i'd enjoy the independence living on my own.
is it stupid of me to waste all that money moving out? is it true that commuters tend to have it harder? someone help - i am SO torn.

Stay home. Save the money. It's a no brainer.
Original post
by emptyteacup
I live in the outskirts of London, and i want to go to a london uni but i'm so torn on whether or not i should move out. i know i would save a HELL of a load of money - and it would be a struggle if i did move out considering my maintenance loan wouldn't even cover my rent (and my parents can't afford to help me out much) but i could definitley make it work if i had a job alongside my studies and budgeted. in addition, my parents would much prefer if i stayed at home as they still see me as their baby.
but my commute from home is an hour and a half at the least busy time of day, let alone at rush hour. i can imagine i'd be so demotivated to go to my lectures knowing i'd spend more time of the day travelling than i will learning. not only that, but i have heard several stories of people i know who have commuted to their universities for their first year and really struggled to make friends. i know it's not entirely out of your control and its up to you to put in the effort to make friends, but i know myself and that i'll probably struggle unless i'm right in the thick of it and having to interact with people, rather than just going home to the middle of nowhere after lectures. i also think i'd enjoy the independence living on my own.
is it stupid of me to waste all that money moving out? is it true that commuters tend to have it harder? someone help - i am SO torn.

Hi! I’m a student at the University of Staffordshire London and I commute to my London university as well. My commute takes around the same time as well and like yours can be longer if its particularly busy. However, not because I live far away, but because my area isn’t very well connected in terms of public transport, so I completely understand how draining that can feel.

You’re also being sensible by thinking realistically about money. London is expensive, and whilst picking up a job alongside your studies can make moving out possible, it can also make things harder; especially in first year when you’re still adjusting to the uni workload, deadlines and learning environment. Juggling a job before you’ve fully settled in can add extra pressure, and that’s worth considering carefully.

That said, commuting doesn’t automatically mean you’ll struggle socially. From my experience, making friends comes down much more to putting yourself out there than where you live. If you attend uni events, join societies and make the effort to start conversations, you definitely won’t be at a disadvantage. I still built friendships by staying on campus a bit longer and saying yes to things when I could.

I actually wrote a TSR post about making friends at university that might help.

It’s not stupid to consider moving out, and it’s not wrong to commute either; both options have pros and cons. What matters most is choosing what suits you and your situation both financially and in terms of your wellbeing, especially in that first year. You can always reassess later once you know what uni life is really like. I hope this helps and feel free to reach out if you have any questions!

Reply 10

For my bachelor’s degree, I went to a central London university and commuted from my parents’ place in North London. Looking back, if you can financially make it work, I’d really recommend moving out and living in university accommodation.

Because I was commuting and already had a London friendship group, I found it harder to fully enjoy campus social life and build meaningful friendships at uni. Over time, my pre-uni friends naturally became more involved with their own university circles, while many of my classmates had already formed and solidified their groups, and I ended up feeling quite isolated. Thankfully, I later realised what was happening, moved out into a shared flat, and made lifelong friends :smile:

If you have the option to move out, I’d definitely do it. You can always move back home in later years once you’ve established a solid group of friends and the academic workload increases. If you do need to stay at home, my main advice is to make a deliberate extra effort in the first few months (join societies, say yes to plans, and be proactive about meeting people) so you can build a strong social circle early on.

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