Is studying in London possible on basic loans?

[GoldfinchesInTheTree]

My daughter is really keen to apply to a London uni - probably KCL.

We don't have a great income and have had a patchwork of disability and jobs so no savings at all. There is an access scheme for lower incomes but it's at 42k which combined we are just over 😬.

We will struggle to top her loan up but we think we can do that.

Is it possible to survive in London on London loan??? She's autistic so working isn't a given although she's keen. She is very bright and capable but really needs down time so I'm wary of relying on her managing a job and study 😬.

Should we encourage her not to do this.

Is it even more expensive after the first year (presumably you find your own accommodation then). She would struggle I think with commuting a long way in and out each day.

She is so taken with London and with a graduate scheme she wants to do after but I'm worried we don't have the financial backing.

I think there is a bit of confusion on this thread about whether you mean the basic loan (which is definitely not liveable without parental top up or a job) or the full loan, which with some very careful budgeting and maybe working in the holidays, should be okay.

My DD manages OK on her student loan in London without working. She gets a bursary from Kings which pays £7.5k a year on top of her loans, and she receives PIP for her autism, and additional support through DSA.

Er there's 2 different loans?

I thought there was a loan for fees.
And a loan for living which is 13k in London or 10k out of London.

Either way we're expected currently to add a small amount to make it that amount which we can do but will be stretched to do.

We can't add extra top ups for food/accommodation /whatever rich people do.

I was hoping the basic loan of 13k/10k would literally be enough even if it wasn't out clubbing every night (which my duaghter wouldn't do anyway).

But this thread is suggesting otherwise. We're screwed. We I'll probably have to borrow ourselves which is risky given my health..

I don't think a gap year to earn is a good idea for her as she is autistic and so focused on studying and progressing to the next stage in her career seeing all her friends go and her left behind I think will affect her mental health adversely.

I really don't know.

I'm a lecturer - people with parents on low incomes do go to uni but they work. I'm not aware of one low income student who doesn't work. They work weekends and evenings in term time, and the holidays full time - often they've also taken a gap year working full time to save up. Many live at home and commute in. No, it's not fair that the kids of rich parents don't have to work but the kids of poor parents do but that's how it is. I come from a council estate and a single parent family so I'm not saying that lightly. It's not fair, it's wrong, it's capitalism.

Also, if she wants to do (and is capable of) medicine, she should do medicine - the earning potential and career prospects of a medic are much, much higher than a clinical scientist. She would be really tight on cash on that one as the medics can't work in their later years due to placements - but they get a different loan and can access the NHS bursaries. Some unis have bursaries for low income students studying medicine.

I think we're just over the bursary amount (I think it's income 42k isn't it?) although if I stopped working (I'm v part time) we'd be under. But you're suggesting we need an extra 7k plus pip equivalent (3k?) a year to make it work. So an extra 10k.... 😭.

I'm looking at pip forms this weekend.

You're correct @GoldfinchesInTheTree - don't worry! There is indeed 1 loan for fees and 1 for maintenance.

The maintenance loan is means tested, so when people say "basic loan" they often mean the lower amount that everyone gets regardless of parental income. This is about 4k outside London and 6k in London. If you are on a lower income you can apply for more, which ads up to the 10k/13k you describe.

She does like the idea of medicine but clinic scientists start at band 7 so it's still good. She is worried about financially managing more than 3 years on a shoestring and certainly wouldn't manage working on top of placements.

She wants to work in the holidays it's just being autistic she may not manage it on top of studying. She wants to see in 6th form but she needs down time and currently spends a morning a weekend with an orchestra

There are two loans.

one is for fees.

the other is the living loan. How much you can borrow on the living loan is dependent on your parents income. There is a calculator here:

https://www.gov.uk/student-finance-calculator/y/2025-2026/tuition-and-maintenance/full-time

if you have a joint income of 42k she will not be eligible for the full loan. You can use the calculator to work out how much she will be allowed to borrow.

on other points:

low income families their children live at home and commute to a local university
or they go somewhere cheaper (I have a DD at Newcastle and it is a lot cheaper than London)
or they do a gap year first to save money
or they get sponsorship eg from the Royal Navy or British aerospace
or they do a degree apprenticeship
or they work.

usually a combination of the above.

it’s pretty rare these days to go to uni and not work,

Oh that makes sense I didn't realise the terminology and didn't realise there was a set amount evryone got.
Im working from the other end and just seeing it as 13k/10k for most low income people but some families need to amje it up to that!

She would have the 13k/10k amount.

Do I need a different thread to make that clear or is it still impossible on those amounts (plus a bit of holiday working)

No, still not without working or top ups.

£13000 is £1083 per month, the average student living on campus in Newcastle according to the UniAcco stats needed around £1500 per month.

Is staying at home and commuting an option for her? Especially if she’s not bothered about the night life aspect as much.

As others have said, otherwise it’s not doable without parental support / a job / both.

i hope you find a solution, I went to KCL and it’s a fab uni.

It's unlikely. She want a high flying course/uni and there is a former poly near us that takes anyone but I'd imagine it's near the bottom of the league and unlikely to do her courses. She's set do get 8s/9s and doing science/maths a levels. Nearest commutable uni would be about 2 hours each way all up I think.

No. It isn't doable only on loans.

Our son would have loved to study in London. We had to be realistic.
We do top op for him but London is way too expensive for us.
He chose a RG universityin Southwest England he and is doing fine.
He works 8 hours every Sunday and does online tutoring like 4 hours a week.

She really wants KCL. She has had a number of outpatient appointments and an operation at guys and loves it.

Do you mean you top up to the loan amount or contribute lots above that?

She's looking at exeter/bristol too but they're not cheap either.

I'm now worried she won't manage those on 10k

She already has reduced expectations of what she will do as a student (no travelling 😔) due to us but not to go at all would ruin her life chances.

For reference I’ve just had a quick search for private rental student houses in London , the cheapest I can see just on this quick search is £209 per week (based on sharing with 4 other people), so that would have rent alone at £836 a month & that’s not including bills. So of £1086 that would leave £250 for utilities, clothes, food shopping, text books/stationary/supplies, any socialising

Our DD is studying in London atm in third year . She gets minimum loan as we earn over the threshold and we have had to top her up massively. She has a disability and can’t work and study as her course is 9-5 Monday to Friday with some Saturdays. It’s been a real struggle to top her up and I took on extra work to pay for it in first two years. Rent is £900 per month this year. Travel is about £150 per month . Socialising is more expensive than anywhere else ! I’d say , if your DD doesn’t HAVE to be in London , don’t bother - our other DD is studying elsewhere and it’s going to be much cheaper though she is able to work so bit easier on us !!!

If travelling and commuting is an issue then London could be a problem as halls are usually a bus or tube ride away.
If public transport isn’t really possible then I’d encourage her to go for a campus uni in a city instead so she can walk to places rather than have to take buses and trains.
My dd is at University of Birmingham. It’s a short train ride to the city centre (or Uber at night) but day to day life is all walkable. She can get home on a train easily (as she can’t take her car) and cheaply which was also a consideration for her when choosing a uni.

Public transport is fine. But 2 hours from where we live either way to uni wouldn't be. She was hoping that actually London would be easier with walking/tube everywhere and free exhibitions/cheap theatre etc.

You can't afford theatre tickets as a university student in London unless you work or your parents pay.
I know that it would be lovely but realistic? No.

DC was paying 600 (after discount was applied) (Specific uni accommodation), 800 (general uni accommodation for any student) and 1100 (private) pcm over Covid if that helps?

She is most likely eligible for disabled students allowance (DSA). Is she has an autism diagnosis she is likely to meet criteria.

We aren't rich. I work 32 hours extra a month (a shift a week 8 hours) to fund our son's university studies and we live with our youngst in a 60 m2 flat. Hard work, no expensive holidays and downsizing.
Not rich.

It seems like there’s going to have to be a compromise somewhere if she has her heart set on London. It’s a good life lesson!

gap year to save some money
live at home and commute on the early train (depending on the course it might not all be 9am starts)
job while she’s there
you drop your hours so you go under the 42k
speak to KCL about bursaries

honestly when I was there, even the students with significant parental help had jobs. London is SO expensive for just about everything.