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??

Dundee is a cheap city. For kitchenware etc get a home delivery from Asda or Dunelm - or even IKEA (if it manages to open by then). Use railcards (disabled railcards will get 2 people a third off on each card) and there is an extensive bus network across Scotland now, with several buses leaving from the centre of Dundee straight to Edinburgh airport). It’s a hilly city (although not the city centre), not very dense, not too many steps. Your daughter will love it - and she’ll feel rich compared to the majority. Wishing her the very best time.

There's a nice but basic holiday inn in the city centre that is about £20 a night normally so will be much cheaper than premier inn even during term time.

You'll be very lucky to get trains for less than £450 for 2 people. I can well believe its pushing £600 from the south coast to Dundee. I regularly travel from the southwest to Edinburgh. That's £240 just for me. There are very rarely cheaper advances options and they're still around £180. If I travel with my student sub and his rail card is about £400. Flying is rarely cheaper. Maybe £200 from Bristol to Edinburgh but luggage is extra and public transport from my home town to Bristol Airport is £100 for two. And then the OP would have to travel on to Dundee too. She could maybe do 2 nights accommodation instead of 3, (say £300 for 2 nights) but add in a couple of cheap meals out and the costs so start to mount up . Sorry OP I don't have any great ideas but just came on here to say that those train fares are totally realistic. If I found tickets for 2 to Scotland for £150 I'd be thrilled!

Well we don’t know where the OP is coming from (fair enough obvs) but here's a train from Brighton that gets in to Dundee on a Friday with plenty of time to get a taxi to Ikea and buy what's needed (or as I and others say, get a delivery), for under £80. Ditto a train back the next day. That's with a disabled person's railcard. An extra traveller on the way there would make it less than £250. So not £150 but still a lot less than the OP's £600.

Yes it's a couple of long days and of course the OP is perfectly well allowed to take several days over it if they want. But if costs are an issue (and that is the thrust of the thread tbf) then there's no need.

Haha forgot the screenshot

Just to reassure you, although halls in first year are pricey, once you’re into second year rooms in privately let student flats are quite a bit cheaper (unlike Edinburgh and Glasgow). DC paid £350/month for her room in a shared second year flat. If you’re coming up by train, Four Points Flex by Sheraton is the hotel right above the station (used to be called Sleeperz) and the prices look like they are much the same as Premier Inn in mid September.

OP’s dd may need to stay in uni halls for duration of course due to disability not all private rentals will be accessible or suitable.
I’d also check bursary situation. Not familiar with Dundee but some for RUK are yr 1 only. She may need to save some to cover yr2/3/4 if her income will be lower due to less bursary.
DSA may also cover taxis depending on needs.
The university may have employment opportunities open to all students eg assistants at open day or call centre type work contacting alumni for donations so I wouldn’t necessarily assume she won’t be able to work at all. They also are on a semester system and tend to finish May so long summers off so possibly able to work in that summer period even if juggling work and study isn’t feasible due to health needs.
I’d encourage her to be wary of sharing info re her financial situation as she will be significantly better off than many students.

I’m sure you are overestimating these costs. Dundee is regularly stated as the cheapest Scottish city for students. IKEA do click and collect at the South Road Tesco, there are many Home Bargains, B and M, Aldi and Lidl in Dundee. There are reuse and recycle shops and I think the student Union have that type of thing too where departing students leave stuff for future students.

The West Premier Inn is always much cheaper than the centre one. There is also a Travelodge.

Bus travel is excellent and free for under 22s.

And English students on half that amount of loan …

She will be better off than 99% of other students. Im sure you have posted this exact post before.

£17,000 tax free income is amazingly good for a student, especially as she won’t need a job to earn it. Seems a ridiculous over reaction as is the 3 day sty for you.

Are you travelling first class on the train?