University living costs

[Tevion28]

Hi posting here for traffic but do any of you have dc going off to university this year and will be subsidising them or leaving them to it.
Have found that my ds will have £179 a month left for first 3 months after he has paid his rent. This is supposed to cover food, travel clothes. Whats your experience of any dc you already have at uni.

@Tevion28

I know alot of posters won't agree with me but I'm happy for ds to focus on just his studies and enjoy free time chilling even if it costs me he has so many working years ahead of him

Same - but as long as DC are doing something worthwhile for their CV like a student club, society or personal projects. I recruit graduates and we see all sorts of CVs. Only a small number have paid work but very few have nothing. It doesn’t matter as long as they can demonstrate the necessary skills and maturity.

We also recruit for technical roles where the plum jobs go to people who have lots of practical experience (side projects, competitions, etc). For these generic soft skill jobs won’t cut the mustard because of how theoretical the degrees are…

@comefromaway - They will be advertised in the university jobshop that a student should register with straight away . There are hundreds of ambassador and campus jobs to fit round a students timetable, which pay the living wage not just minimum wage.

@pointythings - I do apologise, employers in general. We work a lot with local and national employers , to try and get students linked to a work place , be it employed or mentored or simply advised. We find less students - or families - are prepared to go to the expense of university education just the for the fun and experience. They need to know that the degree being studied has value in the workplace. For some degrees that aren't that vocational, it is vital students get workplace to bolster their CV and make them stand out.

Apologies for the typo's, I'm trying to do three things at once!

So I've looked at ds schedule of payments and on the September he gets £3131 maintenance rent of £2592 due on the 8th of October. Rent of £2592 due again on the 7th of January 2022 and maintenance payment of £3131 due on the 10th of January 2022 so rent will be paid 3 days late, 20th of April 2022 maintenance payment of £3225 due then rent payment of £864 due 22nd of April 2022

20th of September 2021 first maintenance Payment that should say.

My DS will have £4400 maintenance loan. He will keep this for his living expenses.

This equates to around £84 a week.

I will pay his accommodation fees directly. This is £5800 pa.

He will obtain a part time job to supplement his living expenses.

Gosh he will have quite a bit a year left over after rent, not bad at all.

£576 in rent has already been paid in advance

@AhNowTed

I don't think most students work. Both mine were at uni recently and this certainly wasn't the norm.

The ability to hold a part time job really depends on the nature of the course.

If it's a STEM subject for example you're at lectures all day, whereas an English degree there's far more self study time.

Whatever, a student will need £80-£100 a week for food, travel, essentials, entertainment.

A lab based science subject can be around 30 hours a week. A student could still work as well as doing that. I did. I did some cleaning and factory work for 8-10 hours a week and 30 hours lectures and labs. I didn't find it a problem although I did reduce hours during dissertation and exam times.

Jerseygirl12 but he will only have £539 to last 4 months

But then a couple of thousand in the summer term so if he uses his overdraft it’s not bad at all.

Don't understand what you are asking if TABU or not about, so haven't voted.

£179pm, after rent (which , in halls, and often in student houses, will be inclusive of bills) is plenty for food, groceries and "life".

If he wants a life of luxury, as has been said, there is an expectation that he can opt into the world of work, to earn the money to fund this luxurious lifestyle.

There is plenty of time to work around studies when you are at University. Potentially with the exception of medicine.
Overwhelmingly jobs that students pick up have flexible hours and the employers have worked out they get far more applicants for jobs when they are a bit flexible.

There are loads of these threads on the Higher Education Boards every year if you want to read through more replies, but, like every point in your life, he will find people who have more than him, and people who have less than him.
Learning to budget is a great life skill and one of many "learning to adult" skills that students can pick up in the university years if parents let them and don't spoil them or smother them.

First 4 months thr maintenance loan gives him £134 for food, outings, clothes, course material

Why can’t he use his overdraft and pay it back in the easter term?

Yes jerseygirl he will be better off next April probably. Yes he has to apply for a student account that will give him a overdraft and ds has been told by friends already at uni that the overdraft saves your skin.

Well, he's not going to need to buy clothes in the first term
Also (apologies if I've missed that he is on a particular course that do need course materials but) most courses don't need 'materials' bought.
What 'outings' do you mean ?

Students tend to do things with other students, who are also on a budget. There is a lot of making own entertainment within each others flats, and in the sports clubs and societies, and just investigating the local area.

Are you all expecting that the maintenance loan will last 52 weeks. I have taken it as lasting 40 weeks - term time and then they work for 12 weeks over the summer and if they don't get a job - it'll be a quiet summer!

[quote OneAlabamaReturn]@comefromaway - They will be advertised in the university jobshop that a student should register with straight away . There are hundreds of ambassador and campus jobs to fit round a students timetable, which pay the living wage not just minimum wage.

@pointythings - I do apologise, employers in general. We work a lot with local and national employers , to try and get students linked to a work place , be it employed or mentored or simply advised. We find less students - or families - are prepared to go to the expense of university education just the for the fun and experience. They need to know that the degree being studied has value in the workplace. For some degrees that aren't that vocational, it is vital students get workplace to bolster their CV and make them stand out.[/quote]
Ah, I see. Specialist performing arts institutions, including my daughters, tend not to have those.

Kite22 social outings nightclubbing meal out which i know isn't ideal but its what they do.

I think he’ll be fine, he can decide if he’d prefer a night out with a taxi or whether to buy food. Most students manage to do lots of fun (cheap) stuff and to eat.

OneAlabamaReturns there is a massive difference between work experience in a field relevant to what the person is studying (my DD1 is doing this, it's voluntary museum work but relevant to her degree) and bar work or shop work to pay the bills.

I see many graduates with internships on their CVs - not many with Bar Work - getting a paid internship is the smart way to fund your student days and find yourself a great job!

@Tevion28

I don't think that will be enough for 3 nights out a week, food and clothes, travel and course materials

Why does he need 3 nights out a week

Why does he need 3 nights out a week Because he's 18! I wish I had the energy for it!

They do party a lot in their halls, or houses from the pics I have seen of friends DC's. Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool. They project Disney, Netflix Amazon prime etc onto walls, everyone brings food and drink. Their cooking skills are pretty impressive lads more than lassies.

Just because you can afford three nights out a week doesn't mean housemates can

They're much more boring than their parents were when they went to college 😂😂