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Is study at Oxbridge more expensive than elsewhere?

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Zhen Lin

While it is true that the terms are only about 8 weeks long (it's actually 8 and a half in Cambridge), the actual normal period of residence is often longer by more than a week per term.

Indeed, though 'more than a week' seems a bit steep to me, its not compulsory, and that only makes it 27 weeks..

Elles

As a medic - when do you get a year (even at preclinical) that is actually only 24 weeks..? (Preclinical exams in 9th week, clinical anatomy in 3rd year & back in time for collections - no? :p:

)

Free accomodation for exam period!

Reply 21

Garden_Gnome

*Sparkle*

The tuition is the same.

Accommodation would be a bit more because it's southern.

and it'd feel a lot more because you're not allowed a job.

There are always pockets, places that have as high a cost of living as some southern areas do. By nothern standards, Durham's is quite high. By national standards it's average. You're looking at £60 - £70 a week on average. The most popular parts of the city have rents of £80 - £120. Unless you're like me and happy enough living in an ex-council house (nothing wrong with that - good size and well built) and a mile's uphill hike outside the city then rents of below £60 are rare and £65 - 80 is to be expected.

So it's actually quite expensive. This is obviously balanced by the fact that other costs are relatively low (food, transport). At Durham you'll live in college for at least the first year (some live in for their first and final years). College accomodation is particularly expensive, especially as a returner or self-catered first year.

However, although I don't know a great deal about the colleges at Oxford and Cambridge, I doubt they are more expensive than Durham's. There'll probably subsidise the cost of food etc and, I know that for my college, the lease is for 38 weeks (with 52 weeks common in the private sector) whereas I believe Oxford's and Cambridge's are shorter? Then there's the generous financial support. It's more generous than Durham's. If you come from outside the north east anyway. Obviously, being means tested, this isn't applicable to all. But I think it's reasonable to assume that someone who's concerned about the cost of studying isn't swimming in disposable income.

Craghyrax

Nope, its cheaper. Being in a college subsidises your food and your rent and vital bills, and the bursary system of both Universities is the most generous of any in the country. Plus individual colleges can provide extra money for a number of different things. So tell your friend she's talking crap.

Yeah, basically :ditto:

this

Have you not asked your friend why she thinks this? Does she know tuition costs are fairly universal? Does she actually think they throw on another 5k just because you're at Cambridge?

Reply 22

J234

nexttime

24 week...

24weeks?! Aren't rents 30weeks at Cambridge, and 27 at Oxford? (not sure about Oxford though)

Reply 23

nexttime

J234

24weeks?! Aren't rents 30weeks at Cambridge, and 27 at Oxford? (not sure about Oxford though)

24 compulsory weeks if you want college accomodation, though some people add an extra few days/3 weeks to study for exams. Not compulsory though.

Rep owed. DtS

nexttime

Indeed, though 'more than a week' seems a bit steep to me, its not compulsory, and that only makes it 27 weeks...

The NPR at my college is 10 weeks per term, and I think it's automatically charged regardless of how long you actually stay, so it's safe to assume it varies by college.

Reply 26

nexttime

Zhen Lin

The NPR at my college is 10 weeks per term, and I think it's automatically charged regardless of how long you actually stay, so it's safe to assume it varies by college.

Well that seems a really stupid policy.. :s-smilie:

. 9 weeks i can understand - allowance for collections, but 10???.

Reply 27

bodybuilder22

no, tuition costs the same, and living costs are subsidized by the rich colleges, so if anything cheaper

Reply 28

Much cheaper for me, I get about £4000 per year in various bursaries and another couple of hundred or so in travel grants and the like. Other universities would give me barely £1,000-£1,500. I don't struggle for money at all here, but at another university I would almost certainly have to have a fairly time-consuming job to afford it.

Reply 29

NastasyaFilipovna

do you know if international students can be awarded any substantial bursaries? what about other unis apart from oxbridge?
and...is it true that you aren't allowed to take up a job at oxford?? it's all kinda confusing :rolleyes:

Reply 30

Zhen Lin

You aren't allowed to work during term time in Cambridge. I believe it's the same at Oxford.

Reply 31

Turdburger

nexttime

24 week...

27 surely

Reply 32

j_w

For home students doing a first undergraduate degree, its pretty much the same as everywhere else... if anything its cheaper because the college system means the facilities are so much better.

For anyone else though it's significantly more expensive since you get to pay the lovely college fees of about £5-6000 a year.

Reply 33

*pitseleh*

It's definitely costing me less at Oxford than it would have at any other uni I know of - they gave me a £4,000 bursary in my first year, and I'll be getting just over £3,000 per year for the next two years (on top of regular student finance).

Is study at Oxbridge more expensive than elsewhere?

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