Attending London Unis while living at home?

[HappyShoppingBag]

If you live in Greater London do you think your child still have a well rounded Uni experience if they continue to live at home while attending a central London Uni like UCL, Kings, Imperial etc? Can they still get just as involved with all the social gatherings etc if don't live in Halls but make the effort to join in? Seems from second year need to find own accommodation anyway? Any first hand experience that you can please share? Thank you x

Going to uni in London is naturally more diffuse. The rental market is so crazy, many students will live far out of the centre after halls anyway, so there’s not that same local community as a campus uni in the traditional sense. There are huge financial benefits to living at home.

@TheScenicWay It makes absolutely no difference to your repayments every month whether you “owe” £30,000 or £60,000. Sadly people don’t understand this isn’t a debt where repayments are based on what’s borrowed. Repayments are based on earnings. In the stay at home scenario, I’ve not noticed food being free. What about heating and travel? Who pays for that? Parents will pay and DC pay the same monthly repayments because it’s based on income. The only difference is ability to pay down the loan is enhanced if it’s smaller. However in a lower paid job this is often difficult.

Commuting is hell, especially with all the train strikes. DC1 is at Imperial and trains 3 evenings a week with a sports club . That would not be possible with commuting as well.

Nightbus? Nightube? Depends where you live.

One of our DC is just coming to the end of first year in London and is already nostalgic for the year in hall - and hasn't even moved out yet. The hall of residence was one of the older, more spartan ones but very centrally located and the social life has been incredible. My feeling, based on all our DCs experiences, is that they should go for the older, more boarding school style halls, catered with shared bathrooms - they seem to be far friendlier and you don't get the issue of kitchen sharing with a bunch filthy people you have nothing in common with or other difficult habits.

@Ceramiq Yes. Agree. Lots of fussy teens won’t though! They must have their food, their own bathroom and all mod cons. Catered and shared keeps costs down and helps with friendships.

There is research by HEPI that demonstrates that, counterintuitively for many people, the cheaper and older the hall of residence, the richer the student body. Family cultures where many generations have been to university (and perhaps also boarding school) are much more likely to appreciate the social aspects of more traditionally built halls. First generation and some nationalities of international students are more likely to want en suites/self catering/facilities like roof tops.

@Ceramiq Ha! That’s Bristol Wills hall then! My Dads boarded and were used to sharing - rooms, bathrooms, clothes, and life! We don’t have much history of uni though: just DH. However DDs like socialising and eat anything.

"It makes absolutely no difference to your repayments every month whether you “owe” £30,000 or £60,000."

But it does obviously make a difference to the number of years they'll be paying it, and the amount of interest they will pay back on top of their loan.

Correlation doesn't equate to causation. The establishment families may be more likely to attend older, traditional universities, which tend to have older, traditional accommodation. In such cases, the accommodation is likely to be owned and run by the university, so is cheaper than private halls or halls built by the uni in partnership with profit-making organisations. Oxbridge typically has relatively cheap accommodation.

I am telling my children to go to uni somewhere else. Much better for them to have to find their feet in a new place.

I also think it would be good for them to experience something different, ie the countryside after a London childhood.

The Plan 5 loans introduced in September 2023 have increased the cost of the student loan by over 50% for many typical graduates and doubled it for a few. Over 50% of students starting university in 2024 are predicted to clear their student loan in full under Plan 5.

A student starting UCL, Kings or Imperial is very likely to repay their student loan in full, especially one who remains in London where incomes are higher.

Taking out a fees-only loan will make a huge difference to the amount repaid. For example, a £30,000 could cost over £45,000 to repay wheras a £60,000 loan could cost over £185,000*.

It makes a lot of financial sense to live at home if feasible.

• The £30,000 loan is repaid by paying £5,000 per year for 9 years, whereas £60,000 loan is repaid by paying £5,000 per year for 37 years. This is based on repayments on a salary of £80,000.

My DS was in halls in year 1. Lived at home in year 2&3.

He still lives with us now and is very happy being at home.

@Ajstyoe I don’t expect he has to do
much or pay for it! Will you want him there when he’s 40?

I'd want him to have a family of his own by the time he's 40. But at this stage of his life (he's 22) I'm more than happy to have him here.

Halls in Year One.

Experience of independence and looking after yourself is important and as mentioned above the friendships and connections made are so valuable.

Year 2 and 3 at home if you want to save costs, but if you can in Year 1, the cheaper traditional style halls would be good if worried about costs. There's catered and self catered options.

No, the research shows that for a same university, richer students and those from families that are not first generation to university choose older/more traditional accommodation.

I think that’s pretty much the same thing. The newer flats tend to be less well heeled home students who then scare parents to death re the cost!

First-generation students and students from abroad would be quite apprehensive about sharing with upper-class and middle-class British students. It is quite understandable why they would be far more likely to choose separate accommodation with ensuite bathrooms, etc.

@JocelynBurnell Do Uk middle class and upper class students bite? Do you know how much international students pay for tuition? Could be as much as £30,000 pa. Many of them are rich!!! It’s nothing to do with not liking British students. It’s far more to do with how much money they have. Quite a substantial amount in many cases.

My son (UCL) is currently arranging private rented accommodation for year 3. I've told him that, although we can afford it, the money could otherwise be put towards a future housing deposit, so it's a case of cake today versus cake tomorrow. He's choosing cake today, and is expecting to then live at home after graduation until he can save enough for his own place. Let's see.

One benefit of London uni is that he has been able to easily come home for special occasions like birthdays (or sometimes just to borrow the car for a trip 😁). He hasn't spent much time at home during the holidays - just flying visits - which is a shame for us, but good for him.

@Ceramiq could you post a link to that specific HEPI research?

Some people might be happier living at home but for most 18 year olds they will miss out hugely on the intense friendships that come with sharing a living space with people. So no, I don't thinks it a great experience at all. You miss out on spontaneous gatherings and outings, living and cooking together. And you'll spend a lot of time travelling back and forth to see friends who may well live 40-50 mins from you, if you happen to be on the other side of London.
And what happens when you only have a morning lecture but everyone is going out at 7pm - do you sit in the library all afternoon and then carry your books or laptop to the night out? Or do you travel home and then go back again later? Could be tiring if it's a long way (depends where you live and how easy it is to get back).

I know DD had a a handful of students living at home on her course. Not London, and no, they didn’t come back for evening events. Just were not seen again. They hung around for a coffee, then got the bus. No late transport home, so that was that. Also hanging around and change of clothes is problematic. If your personality avoids going out with new people , then it suits. I suppose they maintain school friendships - assuming they haven’t moved away. London can be different because transport is available all night.

I meant to say: London uni 2nd year accommodation is frequently 30 mins from uni. Home might be nearer!