Living expenses at University- how much?

[Railingsohno]

We’re slightly on the back foot with planning as DS was taking a gap year but has changed his mind and is heading to university instead.

It’s a university in a fairly cheap to live city in England.

His much do people budget for after rent (assuming Uni self catering accommodation)?

Obviously feel free not to answer if it’s too intrusive but I would be very grateful to get some responses and how you worked out how much to give!

It's interesting how different this is in the US. DS is at a medium-sized private uni in Boston and university housing and a full meal plan cost about $14k per academic year. He has a payment card which is also his student ID and we load money on it periodically. He can use it to do laundry, get a snack or a drink from the vending machines or buy bits and bobs in the bookstore. That's about $200 per year. Then he has a debit card that accesses a cash managment acount at a brokerage house where we have investments. We can see all of the details and transfer money into it as needed. He uses that for Uber Eats, takeaways, club fees, books and fun money/physical cash. That's probably about $1k per year.

DD was supposed to start at a different uni this fall, also in Massachusetts, but they've just told us that they're going fully remote so she'll continue to live with us. She's disappointed but we're secretly thrilled as we love having her home, she'll be safer with us, she can keep working her part time restaurant job that pays really well and it will save us $15k per year in room and board charges.

@boys3

mid tier , shared bathroom £6500

I hope that's a fully marbled bathroom Presumably fully catered though to justify that price tag to share a bathroom.

Not catered either

20 miles from London so seems to be priced accordingly .

@DominaShantotto

Just wanted to say cheers for such an informative post. My DS is off to university this month and will need to check in for support with dyspraxia and visual processing concerns. Your post was super helpful, plus your comments about the mindset being aiding students to get the results they are capable of are very motivating to hear - the timed/written exam system of GCSEs and A levels have been a real grind for him. Thanks