Not giving my kids money while at uni

Newcastle will give your kid £2000 bursary per annum and kings have a bursary too for low income students

When I went to uni (9 years ago now) I worked 15 hours a week, more in holidays and still managed to walk away with a first. I’m sure they can pick up some hours if they need too. My mum wasn’t able to help financially, similar position to you, and I never once expected her too. I was fine, they will be too.

Yes my son is at Lancaster and we are south. He has just discovered the bus!

Our sons got the full loan, though as this was due to the timing of a redundancy they had more assets behind them than might be expected (children's savings products, newish laptops, musical instruments and so forth). They both went somewhere with relatively cheap accommodation and various bursaries (and S1 had a choral scholarship too) though the flip side of that was no term-time jobs allowed.

We didn't give them anything - except the instrument insurance - and in fact asked for board when they were at home and transport costs from S2 because unlike his brother he would have found the train tricky, what with the tuba

Neither of them had holiday jobs (apart from the choral scholarship) and both graduated solvent. In fact after not having to pay rent over lockdown S1 splashed out and bought a decidedly niche piece of equipment for our already niche hobby for a few thousand pounds; and after spending his PGCE year renting a house with his partner happened to mention that putting Grandad's inheritance into an ISA would have to wait till April now because he's maxed out...

S1 doesn't like the taste of alcohol and S2 doesn't drink much, and they both have cheap hobbies and cook for themselves. If the accommodation isn't too steep it's decidedly doable.

They should have enough. Depending on the courses they are doing, they may be able to get a little work. Very many do.

Actually, it can be. I teach at Oxford and expect my students to put in hours similar to a full time job. Not all are studying that much, but I think there are plenty that do. Very few of them will do paid work during the term, but work during the holidays. My daughter was a student at Oxford and worked holidays. If they get the full loan, or their parents top up to that amount, then they can just about manage. If parents don't then they struggle.

I would assume King's will be doing their bursary again, which is worth £1600/year: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study-legacy/funding/kings-living-bursary

Similarly, Newcastle's Opportunity bursary is worth £2000/year: www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees-funding/scholarships-bursaries/opportunity-scholarships/

We weren't expecting the bursary at all, it was a very pleasant surprise in my daughter's first year (at her uni you don't have to apply, it just comes automatically if you've been assessed for student finance - may be different at other unis)

They'll be fine just on the full loan in their first year, but in subsequent years the accommodation might sting a bit, and you may be asked to guarantee their rent which could be awkward if you're on a low salary. The bursaries should top them up to cover private rent.

I think that's fine. They are receiving the full student loan so there is no expectation that you add to that. You may find that there are other grants that they are entitled to given your household income. My kids got/get the minimum student loan, so we had to top it up. But until the final year (when my DD's rent shot up, but the loan amounts didn't) I only topped it up to about what they would have received on the full loan.

I think that’s your answer OP.

Full time undergraduate study isn’t the same hours as a full time job.

They can get jobs and you could try to build up an emergency fund in case you need to help with travel costs if that arises.

Everyone in my family worked through uni because our parents couldn’t afford to help. Didn’t do anyone any harm, quite the opposite.

Ds got the full loan and opted for the cheapest accommodation. I didn’t give him money although I did buy him bits and bobs here and there. I think his dad paid him the equivalent of what he’d been paying me in maintenance up until ds turned 19 (around £100 per month). He was really proud in the end of his independence and I think it was good for him to learn to manage.
I’m actually now a mature student, and I see the ones who are getting everything paid for and they’re not getting the same opportunities to adult in some ways.

All of my dc perceived that people who were on a Full loan were generally the ones with the most money.

Mine said there were three levels of people.

Those who got the maximum loan and had loads of money (mine were in an area with reasonably cheap accommodation).

Those whose parents were loaded and paid their accommodation outright, giving them the minimum loan for beer and food money.

Those in the middle (my kids!) who got the minimum loan, but whose parents couldn’t afford to just pay the accommodation outright, so they had to use the loan for accommodation and then parents would try to top up where they could (some couldn’t, especially if they had other kids to pay for).

I wasn’t going to give my DC any more initially as they’ll have about £250 after rent and bills and a part time job already lined up which will provide the same again. I’d decided to give something so they don’t feel under too much pressure to keep working during exam time etc but in your shoes with those numbers I absolutely wouldn’t, they’ll be fine.

You'll have financial issues once DD goes into private housing after halls because that's very expensive in London

It's very healthy and will halve her risk of ovarian cancer if she carries on for 10y

It sounds like they have everything they need!

You want to give everything you can, but if you can't afford anything else then they'll still be ok. A part of living out for uni is learning how to budget. I went to uni on minimal loans (the system really is unfair) and worked the whole way through to manage.

@Seilla one way of cutting travel costs is to go by coach rather than train. They're very comfortable these days with toilets on board, too.

You can only give what you can afford and they are not without so I would try not to stress about it. It sounds like you've raised 2 sensible young people so I'm sure they'll also look for additional work if they are able to/need to.

I would recommend looking at coach travel over train - national express do a young person's card and it can work out much cheaper than train. It may take a bit longer but as a student you tend to be time rich, cash poor so it's a good compromise. Maybe you could buy them a card each for the year and see if they get value from it.

Look at the Megabus. Random date, London to Carlisle is £14 one way.

https://uk.megabus.com/journey-planner/journeys?days=1&concessionCount=0&departureDate=2024-11-01&destinationId=56&inboundOtherDisabilityCount=0&inboundPcaCount=0&inboundWheelchairSeated=0&nusCount=0&originId=21&otherDisabilityCount=0&pcaCount=0&totalPassengers=1&wheelchairSeated=0&sc=null

It’s such an unfair system. My twins get minimum loans. The threshold is low. All we can afford is £300 each and it’s going to break us. They are both ND so work hasn’t been possible, they have to self study extra hours alongside lectures.

Can I just say they/you sound like they/you have done a marvellous job so far? They sound super organised and on it and those are great universities.

Definitely apply for hardship funds and apply early on. My university, which was very affluent, had a huge excess of HF at one point! The administrator who was so kind talked me through all the things I could claim hardship for as I was mortified - toiletries, clothing myself, food, travel costs. Not that the fund grant covered this all, it just made a contribution to funds.

Babysitting would be an amazing option if she had any experience with kids.

Sounds like they have plenty of money. When DH and I were at uni we both had to work throughout despite our student loans etc. Our parents never gave us money.
Nowadays parents are expected to ‘top up’ the loans and/or give their kids pocket money. It’s ridiculous.
I work in a university and less than 20% of the students work these days. When I was there I would have said less than 20% didn’t work. Seems we’re just expected to subsidise our children forever when most adults I know are struggling themselves

YANBU at all. All of my dc perceived that people who were on a Full loan were generally the ones with the most money.

As long as you work out what you will do in the holidays. They will be fine in term time. If they want to spend more, then they have the option to work to earn more. You don't have the capacity to send them "spending money".

DD is London, we live in North Cumbria, for DS it's 2 trains, but not super expensive. DD is London and it's the Avanti mainline she will need which I think can be quite expensive.

Although coming out of London, she can get the Megabus for a pittance. Even if it were not the full journey, it saves SO much money over getting the train. 2 of my dc used it and saved serious £££. In truth any coach company will save you money over trains. Even if she got it as far as Bham or Manchester and then needed to get the train.

Yes
The second year is more expensive. Accommodation has to be paid from July to September when the student isn’t even in the accommodation. When you add the deposit it can be very pricey.
My dd’s deposit is £900

Yep! Very painful when you have two!

Paying two lots of rent for two empty houses all summer was most upsetting as well 😂

Look at young person coach card as well as railcard... Massively cheaper.. dc used coach more to come home as easier to bring laundry and also good timings