How much money do students need?

[bevelino]

Eldest dd will be going to uni this year and has chosen catered accommodation. Tuition fees and accommodation costs aside, how much extra cash will she need to live on?

A friend gives her Dd £250 per month, another gives £500, and another gives nothing and says they expect dc to get a job. Dd is unable to work as uni frown upon students working during term time. I have to budget for 4 dd's (triplets) at uni at the same time and this is a serious issue/question.

[goinggetstough]

life congratulations on the fact that your DC can budget. Mine can do but he isn't entitled to a university bursary or full grant. He gets the minimum loan, he works and we have to top him up. He like many other DCs even with parents paying accommodation will not receive more than your son. I appreciate that we probably earn more than you do but try not to be too smug!

[lifeisunjust]

Me smug? You are really kidding aren't you? Have you ever tried bringing up 4 kids on an income of 15k? I could only dream of being able to have enough money to be able to afford to give my eldest money. I guarantee, you'd not want to swap to a life of poverty. It is no fun. I count my son lucky he gets that full grant and maintenance loan, it was £7118 last year, I count him lucky he'll get it again this year. Only those already in receipt of government grants keep the right.

[circular]

Life 'Only those in receipt of government grants keep the right'

I don't think that's strictly accurate.
Grants no longer available for 2016/17 starters.
But I thought current students would still get them in subsequent years if the family income low enough, regardless of whether in receipt this year.

[lifeisunjust]

Yes circular my son is only keeping the grant because of continuing low income and new starters it's no more, instead the grant part is replaced by an increased amount of maintenance loan if a student wishes to take it. It means only those who've already been in system and do income assessment can continue to apply for the grant the new starters cannot.

I've found Kent is very attractive to those on a low income, sadly not where either have chosen to go!

My next son I don't expect him to be like his brother about his spending habits, I'd say he's going to end up spending closer to £45 a week or £195 a month, with his brother managing on £35 a week or £152 a month. That's after rent and utilities are paid. My next son already has a job lined up at the sports centre, so he's hoping to bring in around £100 a week , so he'll carry that forward and perhaps not take so much loan on the year after.

I've found the halls prices vary enormously. First son it costs about 4.5k per year and next year it will be 3.7k. Next son is going to be paying 3.4k. Some of the halls at other choices with catering were more like double that price.

[mumeeee]

KindDogstail. They all had maintenance loans and 2 of them had jobs. Well DD2 didn't have one in the first year.
DD3 doesn't have a job as because of her learning difficulties she has to put a lot of time into getting her uni work done and would probably struggle trying to do a job as well although she has applied for some.
Her accommodation is actually cheaper than her sisters were.
I forgot to say they did pay a small amount towards accommodation from the 2nd year.

[Needmoresleep]

Life, what seems unfair is the way accommodation can be allocated. So a student who NEEDS the cheapest accommodation does not always get it. I have recently been a bit about student expectations. DN claimed she would not consider a University that would not provide her with an ensuite. I assume she is not alone, as accommodation appears to get ever more luxurious.

In any event I think understanding that you don't need to spend money to have a good time is an important life skill. Certainly if they end up working in London they may have good salaries but, once mortgage, transport and the rest is paid, have no more to spend than a student. For years....

[bojorojo]

Where DD1 went to university, it was noticable that the halls with shared bathrooms had a high population of ex boarding school pupils who were used to sharing! Lots of the others wanted their own bathrooms at university and were prepared to pay for it. It is by no means unusual for a student to want an en suite bathroom and most new halls have them. It is the current market and no university or company will build basic halls they cannot rent out. Times change!

[Needmoresleep]

But tough on those who are on a budget, and tough on thse parents who are having to really stretch to find that bit of extra money. Students who really need to keep costs to a minimum should have priority for cheaper accommodation.

[hayita]

Students who really need to keep costs to a minimum should have priority for cheaper accommodation.

But how are the accommodation offices meant to judge who these students are? Those on full loans/grants may actually be better off than those whose parents have several DC at university and cannot afford to top up smaller loans by much.
It wouldn't really be practical for an accommodation office to start making judgments about who needs cheaper accommodation - people would have to supply supporting evidence, but what would that evidence be?

In my experience (like bojo) ex-boarding school kids often request more basic, cheaper accommodation, although most of them come from wealthy backgrounds.

[bojorojo]

It can be very difficult to work out who is less well off. However, students who are concerned about their money stretching should, perhaps, apply for the most basic accommodation. Lots do get their first choice. Some plainly want more than the old and basic and would not consider sharing. I think at some universities it is "known" via student/school networks where your type of person will be so the students know which halls to apply for and where will suit them. Sometimes this is the cheapest and sometimes it will be a hall with ensuites. Hence those with plenty of money choose the cheapest because that is where their likely pool of freinds will be and vice versa.

[Katymac]

Really difficult bojorojo DD was completely discounted for a scholarship - the course co-ordinator thought she wouldn't be eligible because she always had the right equipment & was 'well-groomed' - the fact that we ere as poor as anything and on full tax credits came as a big shock to the tutor!

You can't make that sort of judgement without full disclosure sadly & some students would be embarrassed to say their parents won't give them the money the government thinks they should

[lifeisunjust]

The housing officers I've talked to at my first son's university said that the most basic non en-suite accommodation is much easier to get as first choice than the more expensive en-suite and the vast majority of students now want their own toilet and shower minimum! Yes times have certainly changed. It suits my son though, he's hoping to get the £97 a week rooms next year and the second son is hoping for £89 at his university choice. There is no way I'd be happy with either of them paying £130 + per week just to get their own toilet. They don't have en-suite at home, why would they have it at university? For sure I think they'll have a more fun time with more disposable income from their loans/grants, as they're quite frugal but have the option of splashing out now and again they'd not have if they went for the expensive rooms. Their grants/basic loans will almost cover the accommodation inclusive of utilities, they'll both have around another 3.5k loans to cover food and entertainment.


So it does seem increasingly those who want the cheaper uni accommodation do get it.

[bojorojo]

So many students like en-suite at university because they do not know who they will be sharing with! They like to be the only person in their own mess or their own super-clean space that is not messed up by anyone else. Having said that, in year 2 when they live out, they will probably not get en-suite so definitely want it for year 1 when they have a chance of it. Also by year 2 they know the other students so find it easier to share.

I am proud to say my DD had the cheapest catered room at her university a while back. A shared room (the other student had to go through DD's room diagonally to get to hers), one bathroom shared between 6 and the same with the kitchenette. Probably furniture from the 1930's and a fireplace which DD used for shoe storage. In many ways though it was the best accommodation but absolutely no mod cons. Her accommodation at school was better!

[MrsGuyOfGisbo]

All those years back I had a shared bedroom. Bathroom/toilet shared between 8.
My room mate was lovely, moved out to another room when my boyfriend came to stay .
But I grew up in an unheated home - we were poor, knew nothing else.
DS has opted for single room, ensuite and I hope he gets it. he has his own ensuite at home. He would be fine with anything, but am thinking visitors ...

[scaryteacher]

Ds was in the historic main building halls for the first year; single room with sink, shared loos and shower room, pantry on corridor. He said it was just like boarding at sixth form.

[bojorojo]

MrsGuy - visitors? The girls might see him as a better proposition if he has his own bathroom?! When rooms share bathrooms, friends and visitors get to know where the Loos are. Luckily they are not a privvy in the outhouse across the yard - as in our old house.

scaryteacher - Very upmarket to have an en-suite sink!

[scaryteacher]

bojorojo What made me laugh was that the plumbers came to do some work on my place in the UK, had been part of a team who fitted the sinks at ds's university about a decade before ds started there.

I think all the rooms in Founders had a sink.

[bojorojo]

I felt the bathrooms at DDs hall were probably fitted in the 1930s, along with the rest of the furniture. Cracked tiles etc. made it look pretty grim. It looked about the same vintage as DDs old school swimming pool - 1934!

[MrsGuyOfGisbo]

bojo was not thinking about babe-magnetting
More about how having been used to s*x with my boyf before uni, when he came to visit was only 'cos my lovely room-mate moved out that we were able to carry on congressing
Bathroom no issue, but single room a must.
(btw have not shared the reason on this with DS - would gross him out to think him DM would've had sex other then the few times required to conceive him and his siblings )