How much does uni really cost?

[NImumconfused]

Aiming this question at those with a young person already at university.

I've seen quite conflicting reports in the last few days. One in the media which suggests students need £260 a week on top of their rent, and others on student sites saying just over £1000 a month including rent.

Rents at DS's uni for first year are likely to be around £200 a week, and his maximum maintenance loan is £6000 for the year (NI system is less generous). We expected to have to top up quite a bit, but if he needs another £260 on top of rent we'll really struggle.😱

Which would you say is nearer the truth? Or what sort of level does your young person spend at?

The reports in the media are from the HEPI report , link here:
https://www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/A-Minimum-Income-Standard-for-Students-2025.pdf

I find their figures extraordinary as in summary they say 1st year students in halls need £260 per week on top of their halls rent or £418 per week including their halls rent.

I have a DC at an expensive uni and we gave them £100 per week on top of halls cost in their 1st year which was plenty. Students who have £160 in addition to that must be living the life of Riley!

HEPI are a credible research organisation so I’m simply baffled by this report. I can only think that they are also a lobbying organisation and have produced this report to support demands for an increased maintenance loan.

Personally I think it is preferable for DC to do as much paid work as possible during the holidays and concentrate on studying and extra curricular at uni, but I know that’s not possible for everyone.

I think 600pm after rent is ok. 650 pm better. Of course if they have worked in the holidays and have savings, or if they will get a job at uni, you adjust accordingly. Whether that comes from maintenance loan, parents or both doesn’t matter. But I think less than that on food expenses and education is a bit tight.

Ps more for london probably because of transport costs, depending where they are living vis a vis the uni campus.

First year accomodation was allocated essentially by lottery, so he had no choice in the matter unfortunately. Although the cheapest was still around £170 going up to £240 or thereabouts, so it could have been worse!

He will certainly socialise, but he's just not likely to spend loads on drinking when he's out.

Could he not get a part time job to top up?

Hopefully he will, but obviously we won't know that till he gets there and gets settled in.

@NImumconfused They usually ask for £ limits! Obviously some parents could never afford £250 a week. They can ask for a swap of money is an issue. That notoriously expensive place called Bristol (according to MN) has 12 residences starting at under £8000. Self catered at Durham does too so I think you have been unlucky.

No option for stating price limits, your only choice is to turn down the accommodation offer and find your own place outside of the uni halls.

We can cover it, just about, we just can't stretch to any more, which was why I was asking if the loan would be enough to cover everything else. And we're not badly off, although we do have some exceptional expenses relating to our other child, so it does really make me wonder how kids from lower income families manage it - it must be a significant barrier, despite what the government says about higher education being accessible to everyone.

£6000 loan? Or minimum loan? Many dc use the min loan for food. I don’t really think you looked at accommodation options and special circumstances fully. The full loan is £10,500 from memory so of course these dc have to go into cheaper halls. They might get a bursary too of course and many parents pay £0. Or dc live at home. Poorer students have to get the cheaper halls or they would not go to this university. Depends if hall is catered or not as well. Food budget would be smaller if catered.

The NI student finance system is slightly different to the English one. £6000 is the max he can borrow, as an NI student going to an English uni, with household income over £42k, below that it would be more. I'm not claiming special circumstances for us, just commenting on how difficult it must be for many students now.

As far as I could see the only exception to the system of allocating rooms was for students with disabilities. I did think the lottery system for accommodation was unfair to lower income students (again, not us specifically) as you might be able to go to that uni if you could get a room at the lowest end but not the higher, and living out in first year when everyone else is in halls puts new students at a definite disadvantage.