Off to Scottish university- panicking about costs

[Boxingshibes]

Dd has an unconditional offer, has firmed as 1st choice, got an offer for accommodation. We are so pleased but I can't afford to give her much and she can't work due to disabilities.
The uni gives money for going there from England, bursary for grades and other bursary totalling £7k a year.
But she will only be entitled to minimum grant as even though we rent in v expensive SE and DH is disabled I make too much. We are living payday to payday.
How is this going to work??

We went up for the open day, even with a two together rail card it was over £400. Trainline haven't released tickets yet so probably over estimated.
Hotel about £350. We/ ill be there for 3 nights.
Then buying bedding/ kitchen/ food
Ok maybe £1.5k

I looked at premier inn ( my favourite) it's about £150 a night probably as its uni start date.

Let’s say it is £750 for travel and a hotel, which it absolutely doesn’t need to be, it needn’t be £750 to kit out a students gaff either. £50 on food for one person for a week is plenty. Bedding, stationary, pots, pans, cutlery isn’t £700.

I appreciate you can’t fill up a car but you can definitely take some of that stuff too.

Why will you be there for three nights? Surely one night is plenty? Most ppl don’t stay over when dropping off tbh (tho I appreciate you will need to, even I would in that sitch).

I am astonished it was £400 for two of you for the open day.

Bedding and kitchen stuff and food – about £300 max honestly

ETA: Have just searched rail fares and found one for less than £100 to get there (for two of you) – plus only one of you comes back. I cannot believe it will need to be as much as £400. More like £200.

Dundee is a great city and very cheap to live in. Decent Lidl and Aldis and a huge Tesco all near the city centre for if she self caters. Good luck to her!

Please do check with the uni about second hand items. You could fully kit out for free at my DD’s Scottish uni. The day she moved out of halls there were huge trolleys filled with kitchenware dumped that they pass on. The shop has an instagram I follow and they are constantly appealing for yp to take things for free. It’s often quality branded stuff as internationals buy all new in John Lewis etc and leave it after a semester.

We're going up on the Thursday as it takes 9 hrs. Then get stuff Friday and get keys Saturday. Ill travel back Sunday. So 3 nights.

Have you thought about air b & b?
I stayed 1 night yr1 but 2 nights yr2 at beginning of first semester. My dc has a physical disability and needed an extra hand getting set up.

Whaaaaaat?!!! Trains and hotels are nothing like that much. Train £150 each, 1 night hotel for you - £100.

I mean you do what you need to do, but why do you need a whole day to get stuff? and a whole day to get the keys?

Just order it ahead and get it delivered or get a taxi and pick it up; pick up the keys; do both of those things on Saturday. Train up Friday, pick up stuff and get keys Saturday (or even pick stuff up late Friday), train home Saturday. You could catch a train home at about 2pm and get home late evening. If it saved £150 I would do that. Even with (say) 9.30am key pick-up would still give you four hours to settle her into her room. Believe me when I say that is plenty.

Is flying a cheaper option? My dc’s flatmates x 2 in southeast England both fly.
Flix bus may also be an option.

She will need to apply i think or does her uni do that for not scottish students?

Bloody hell she’s rolling in it, she’s far better off than the vast majority of students without having to lift a finger. What are you on about? If only more students could have these types of handouts!

Go up early Friday, buy stuff late Friday, or get delivered. Keys Saturday am, you go back Sat pm.

I mean stay longer if you want obvs, but you don’t have to if you can’t afford it.

It took longer to set my dd up as I couldn’t just drop and go like mums of none disabled students. If OP’s daughter is on a high rate of pip she will need more assistance so it may warrant a 2 or 3 night stay initially. Your estimated costs do seem very high though and we haven’t paid anything like that in Glasgow.

did you know Dundee uni has negotiated discounts at a number of hotels? The link below tells you how to obtain the discounted rates. If your dd books the room and you are happy to share a double bed you should be ok:

www.dundee.ac.uk/corporate-information/short-term-accommodation

Accommodation is expensive, my son is at Strathclyde so city centre of Glasgow and his en-suite room in halls is £175 a week

you would surely get much cheaper trains if you book single advance tickets. Dundee is not that far from Edinburgh really.

Direct flix bus London Victoria to Dundee is £43.99 on 10/9.

I have stayed in the admittedly basic Travelodge Central, double room for £29. Wifi extra though!

There are already tickets in September from Kings Cross to Edinburgh for £39.90 (before railcard discount). Onwards to Dundee is £10.20. I don’t know where you are on the south coast but Portsmouth is £25 to Victoria.

Let’s add in £5 for a hop on the tube and you’re looking at £70 per person each way. So £210. And I think you could beat that easily.

Book your train 12 weeks in advance. Use a two together Railcard if you and your husband are both travelling. Make sure you are using split save..

You can get the premier inn in Dundee for great prices and it's very central. Or stay a bit further out - it's a very small city. The one by camper down is always cheap. There are also three travel lodges.

Courier some of her stuff to a locker.

That seems a very high rent for Dundee. It's not an expensive city as far as accommodation goes.

It may also be cheaper to stay and extra night.

The east coast mainline is expensive on a Sunday, hotels are not. Get an early Monday train instead.

If she does receive £17k per year that’s a huge income for a student!! That’s £1800pm, less £900 for halls, I’m sure she’ll scrape by on £900 to feed and clothe herself!
Also, why are you going on the Thursday when she can’t get keys until Saturday?
Order her bedding etc to be delivered, Asda Home stuff is great value, you’re overthinking it all.

There’s a best western in Dundee near the uni with accessible rooms. Well, it was near the fashion bit of the uni I don’t know how the rest is laid out. It’s a little bit shit but it’s fine, and it was cheap.

You do realise most Scottish students will be living on the £8400 loan? Your DD will be absolutely fine with her multiple sources of income.
Train tickets will not be £400 if you book in advance. Dundee is a cheap city to live compared to Edinburgh or Glasgow.