Visas | Embassies | Health | Insurance | Safety | Finances
Arriving in the UK
Living Expenses - Books and Clothes
Living Expenses - Travel, Food and Social Life
Accommodation
Study in the UK - The Financial Advantages
Living Expenses: Travel, Food and Social Life
1. Travel:
Many student accommodations are within walking distance of university campuses, in which case transport costs will be minimal. You should consider the cost of your travel to and from university and city centres when choosing where to live.
• In London and other cities, you may find that savings in cost and time may justify paying a slightly higher rent to live in more central areas.
• There are many schemes for young persons and students offering reduced cost travel on trains and buses. You will usually need to buy a 'photocard' to confirm your concessionary status when you buy tickets.
• If you are an international student, you should think about buying an International Student Identification Card (ISIC) http://www.isic.org/ or International Youth Travel Card (IYTC) to benefit from reduced airfares.
2. Food:
What you spend on food will obviously depend on your diet and your appetite. Your food costs could be anything from £35 to £100 per week depending on your tastes and how often you eat out.
• A variety of cheap meals will usually be available in your university's canteen and breakfast and evening meals may be included in the cost of your university accommodation.
• Beware! If you tend to have a busy social life, you may find that paying for an evening meal package in your student halls is a waste of money, as you will rarely be there to eat them!
• Large supermarkets such as Tescos and Sainsburys offer cheap 'saver' lines on the most commonly bought products such as bread, pasta, rice and tinned tomatoes. They also offer a range of global foodstuffs.
• Fresh produce such as seasonal fruit and vegetables can be bought cheaply from greengrocers, markets and supermarkets.
• You will find specialised Asian, African, Caribbean and European food shops, as well as halal and kosher butchers in larger towns.
3. Social life:
The cost of socialising will depend greatly on where you choose to study. Most universities and colleges and student accommodations have subsidised bars where you can buy subsidised soft and alcoholic drinks.
• You will pay considerably more for drinks in bars and pubs; anything from £1.50 to £3 per drink.
• Many clubs, cinemas and theatres offer student discounts. A student cinema ticket can cost from £3.50 to £7 whilst entry to a nightclub can cost from £5 to £15.