University subsitence costs

[stuart_k]

Does anyone have a child currently at University? We are trying to work out how much it should cost for subsistence per week after fees and accommodation. In other words how much for food and general living expenses - daughter not son! We don't want to be mean with the cash but at the same time don't want to give her too much and have no idea what it is likely to cost. Trying to work out what we have to give up over the next 3 years and come up with a budget that works!

[Alex'n'Ane]

As a student, i personally along with most of my house mates live on about £90 a week for food social transport etc. This is assuming its not a central london uni. The subsidence will need to take into account the size of the loan and any other bursaries she will get.

[MarkyB]

Are you including mobile phone credit?

Where will she be, and will she work for luxuries?
Her education will be much better if she has to do some work, and it will look good on her CV.
Actual work experience counts for quite a lot over bits of paper, there are plenty of people with the same bits of paper.

[stuart_k]

That's helpful thanks. According to our calculations taking into account the subsistence loan of 3564 and the full maintenance grant of 2906 (which she isn't entitled to) minus the accommodation costs of 4830 (Leeds Met) it would appear the government think a student can subsist on £35/wk for a 46 week year. Interestingly if she didn't go to University and signed on for work she would get £54/week. I don't think I could manage on either. £90 sounds more realistic.

She hopes to get a job to supplement her income but there are no guarantees that one will be available and she is an art student so work experience for a CV is less likely. She is more likely to get bar work or a shop assistant just to get the pennies in.

Alex'n'Ane does your £90 include income from a part time job?

[MarkyB]

£90 a week is luxury, I don't spend that much on food which is what you are talking about really.
Look at your own life, not government figures, too many spin doctors have been at them.
Work experience wont hurt much and it will prove to someone that she can get up and turn up, worthwhile with an arts degree.

[Alex'n'Ane]

I don't have a part time job, and nor do the majority of people at uni, as its not realistic with the other commitments, societies and assignments etc. Part time jobs during the week are not really manageable due to the changing timetables, and even weekend jobs can be an issue as you are away from uni for long periods.

Food is not the only thing you have to buy, on average i'd only spend around £40 a week on food. The other money is spent on things such as travel, clothes, toiletries(women..), nights out, sports societies and other society outings and activities. Things such as phone bills, sending letters and parcels etc also all add up. Even coming home once a month can equate to around £10 a week.

[Plin]

Oh dear I am going to seem a really mean Mum! Our son has just finished his 3rd year at Uni. We couldn't afford to help him so he had to make his 'maintenance loan' stretch to his rent/bills/food and everything else. He worked before Uni to make sure he had pennies in the bank before he went to Uni and thankfully had a job where he could come home in the holidays and do a few shifts to keep the bank topped up. We only helped by paying the mobile phone bill, sorting some food parcels for him to take back after holidays (with toiletries etc) and some of his train fares to get home. So he had about £20 a week to allow for food, walked everywhere and kept socialising to a mimimum if funds were short. It was obviously tight but he did manage not to have an overdraft. Now our daughter is due to start Uni this year and she is a totally different kettle of fish when it comes to budgeting!!!! We still can't afford to 'help' her though. Does depend on the social life you want and of course where you are as places like London have diabolical rents.

[irmscher]

I get really annoyed that foreign students come over get a grant and then when they graduate go home to there own country our students should be helped more and not have to take loans they should be rewarded not penalised and face hardship students are this countries future

[phurn]

Actually they don't get that much, my campus is nearly all Chinese, becuase they pay more, they pay 10k a year atm, which they have to pay upfront, no loans. Ofcourse the uni then let's them cheat so they get 10k again next year..... And tbh for what ypu get no one can moan about paying for it, tertiary education is a privilige not a right, and since I'm the one who benefits, why shouldn't I pay? The only things I don't like are the amount of students.... Far too many people go, devaluing degrees, and means testing... It has no relevance with student debt.

[irmscher]

The foreigners get the the best education in the world at the cheapest money and dont forget have free nhs .My daughter studied for seven years and then could not gain employment in her chosen profession and now has had to have a complete career change there are not that many English doctors in our hospitals thats my gripe

[phurn]

how is it cheaper? i pay 3k a year, they pay 10??

[MarkyB]

Not only do overseas students pay more, they also value education more than most UK students.
Like it or not, without them there would be a lot less universities in this country.

Back on topic a bit, this is the time for your kids to stand on their own feet, if they still have to depend on you for everything they will lack confidence in themselves.

[Alex'n'Ane]

Back on topic a bit, this is the time for your kids to stand on their own feet, if they still have to depend on you for everything they will lack confidence in themselves.

They will also lose out on the quality of their education if they are worrying about money and or not eating properly, and being over-worked by having to have a part time job also.

[phurn]

Absolute nonsense. I work 16 hrs, full time uni and raise a child, if I can do that and still average a 1st then everyone can live in the real world and actually provide for them selves.

Education suffering becuase of work, what nonsense. Abit of independance is what they need, the days of mommy and daddy taking care of everything should be long over.

[Dean]

Quite an interesting topic. I left school and got an apprenticeship, this way you get paid to work and have to go to college/uni. It's a hard and sometimes soul destroying 10 years if you study for your degree, but, I have no debt and a BSc Hons to my name. I don't get this "can't study and work attitude", life is tough sometimes if you want to earn to pay for a family without government help in years to come. This is why we have so many foreigners in the NHS, basically it is the norm they are prepared to sacrifice 10 years of hard partying to earn a decent living later on.

[Dean]

Absolute nonsense. I work 16 hrs, full time uni and raise a child,

I salute you. I finished my studying before the kids came along... knowing how hard it is to bring up kids, the thought of studying too just fills me with dread!

[irmscher]

Well done Dean bet your parents are proud

[les]

Tell the kids that today and they wouldn't believe you.

[MarkyB]

In America it's very common for kids to work their way through college.
It's part of growing up to find that money doesn't grow on trees.

[ASL642]

Our children have got part time jobs to help them through Uni. It's the other things that cost the money like books - some of which can be up to £100 each