Banking
Student Money Guide UK — Managing Uni Finances
Complete student money guide UK. Student finance, budgeting, part-time work, and making your money last through university.
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4 min read
Managing money at university doesn’t have to be stressful. Here’s how to make it work.
Student Finance Explained
What’s Available
| Finance Type |
Purpose |
| Tuition Fee Loan |
Pays fees (to uni) |
| Maintenance Loan |
Living costs (to you) |
| Grants/Bursaries |
Extra help (no repayment) |
Maintenance Loan 2025/26
| Living Situation |
Maximum |
| Living at home |
£8,610 |
| Away from home |
£10,702 |
| In London |
£14,041 |
| Abroad (year) |
£12,076 |
Your Actual Amount
| Household Income |
Away From Home Loan |
| Under £25,000 |
Maximum (£10,702) |
| £30,000 |
~£10,000 |
| £40,000 |
~£8,000 |
| £50,000 |
~£6,000 |
| £60,000+ |
Minimum (~£4,600) |
Creating a Student Budget
Monthly Budget Template
| Category |
Budget |
Average |
| Rent |
£400-600 |
50% of budget |
| Food |
£150-200 |
£40/week |
| Bills (if not included) |
£50-100 |
|
| Phone |
£15-30 |
|
| Transport |
£30-50 |
|
| Course costs |
£20-40 |
Books, printing |
| Social |
£100-150 |
Important! |
| Total |
£765-1,170 |
|
Loan Payment Schedule
| Payment |
When |
| September |
Start of term 1 |
| January |
Start of term 2 |
| April |
Start of term 3 |
Make It Last
| Strategy |
How |
| Divide by months |
Loan ÷ term length |
| Weekly budget |
Daily spending limit |
| Separate accounts |
Rent account protected |
| Track spending |
App or spreadsheet |
Accommodation Costs
Halls vs Private
| First Year (Halls) |
Cost |
| En-suite |
£150-200/week |
| Shared bathroom |
£100-140/week |
| Catered |
£180-250/week |
| Usually includes |
Bills, WiFi |
| Later Years (Private) |
Cost |
| Shared house |
£80-120/week |
| Bills on top |
£50-80/month |
| More flexible |
But more responsibility |
Saving on Accommodation
| Strategy |
Saving |
| Shared bathroom (halls) |
£1,000-2,000/year |
| House share (later years) |
vs halls |
| Negotiate private rent |
Sometimes possible |
| Student-specific housing |
Often good deals |
Food Budget Tips
| Strategy |
Weekly Saving |
| Meal planning |
£10-20 |
| Batch cooking |
Time + money |
| Budget supermarkets |
£15-30 |
| Reduced items |
50-75% off |
| Avoid takeaways |
£10-20 |
| Shop |
Student Benefit |
| Aldi/Lidl |
Cheapest overall |
| Sainsbury’s |
Nectar points |
| Tesco |
Clubcard prices |
| Co-op |
NUS discount |
| Too Good To Go |
£3-4 surprise bags |
Cooking Basics
| Cheap Meals |
Cost Per Portion |
| Pasta + sauce |
£0.50-1.00 |
| Rice + stir fry |
£1.00-1.50 |
| Jacket potato + beans |
£0.60-1.00 |
| Soup + bread |
£0.50-1.00 |
| Omelette |
£0.80-1.20 |
Student Discounts
Essential Cards
| Card |
Cost |
Benefit |
| TOTUM/NUS |
£15/year |
Wide discounts |
| 16-25 Railcard |
£30 (or free) |
1/3 off trains |
| Student ID |
Free |
Direct discounts |
Free/Discounted Services
| Service |
Student Offer |
| Amazon Prime |
6 months free, then 50% |
| Spotify Premium |
£5.99 (vs £10.99) |
| Apple Music |
£5.99 |
| Microsoft Office |
Free through uni |
| Newspapers |
Often free online |
Discount Categories
| Category |
Where |
| Food |
McDonald’s, Domino’s, many chains |
| Shopping |
ASOS, TopShop, many brands |
| Tech |
Apple, Dell, software |
| Entertainment |
Cinemas, attractions |
| Travel |
Trains, coaches |
Part-Time Work
Balancing Work and Study
| Hours/Week |
Impact |
| 5-10 |
Minimal impact |
| 10-15 |
Manageable |
| 15-20 |
Careful balance |
| 20+ |
Risk to grades |
Good Student Jobs
| Job |
Why |
| Campus jobs |
Flexible, understand students |
| Hospitality |
Evening/weekend |
| Retail |
Student-friendly shifts |
| Tutoring |
Good pay, flexible |
| Brand ambassador |
On-campus, flexible |
Finding Work
| Where |
How |
| University careers |
On-campus roles |
| Student job boards |
uni-specific |
| StudentJob.co.uk |
Student-focused |
| Indeed/Reed |
Filter by part-time |
| Direct approach |
Local businesses |
Expected Earnings
| Hours/Week |
Monthly (£11/hr) |
| 8 hours |
£350 |
| 12 hours |
£530 |
| 16 hours |
£700 |
| 20 hours |
£880 |
Student Bank Accounts
What to Look For
| Feature |
Importance |
| 0% overdraft |
Essential |
| Overdraft limit |
Size matters |
| Free railcard |
£30 value |
| App quality |
For budgeting |
Comparing Accounts
| Bank |
Overdraft (Yr 1) |
Perks |
| Santander |
Up to £1,500 |
4-year railcard |
| HSBC |
Up to £1,000 |
No |
| NatWest |
Up to £2,000 |
Free tastecard |
| Nationwide |
Up to £1,000 |
No |
*Amounts are maximum, subject to status
Using Overdraft Wisely
| Do |
Don’t |
| Emergency only |
Daily spending |
| Clear before graduation |
Leave it until then |
| Track how much used |
Ignore it |
| Budget to avoid |
Rely on it |
Money Troubles
Running Low
| Action |
How |
| Review budget |
Find cuts |
| Increase income |
More hours |
| University hardship fund |
Apply |
| Food banks |
No shame |
University Support
| Support Type |
Who Can Help |
| Hardship funds |
Student services |
| Emergency loans |
University |
| Food banks (campus) |
Student union |
| Mental health |
Counselling |
Avoid At All Costs
| Danger |
Why |
| Payday loans |
1,000%+ APR |
| Buy now pay later |
Multiple debts |
| Credit card cash |
Expensive |
| Loan sharks |
Dangerous |
Planning Your Finances
Before Term
| Task |
When |
| Apply for Student Finance |
Spring before |
| Set up bank account |
Summer |
| Budget for year |
August |
| First payment |
September |
Each Term
| Task |
When |
| Receive loan |
Start of term |
| Pay rent |
Immediately |
| Budget rest |
Monthly/weekly |
| Review halfway |
Adjust if needed |
Summer Planning
| Option |
Benefit |
| Full-time work |
Build savings |
| Save for next year |
Buffer |
| Internship |
Career boost |
| Stay at uni |
Work locally |
Summary
Monthly Budget Target
| Income |
Amount |
| Maintenance loan |
÷ 9 or 10 months |
| Part-time work |
Add monthly |
| Family support |
If applicable |
| Monthly total |
Sum |
Spending Priority
| Priority |
Category |
| 1 |
Rent (pay immediately) |
| 2 |
Bills (direct debit) |
| 3 |
Food (essential) |
| 4 |
Course costs |
| 5 |
Transport |
| 6 |
Social (budget included) |
Key Messages
| Rule |
Why |
| Budget from day one |
Avoid stress |
| Use all discounts |
Free money |
| Work term-time if needed |
But protect study |
| Ask for help |
If struggling |
| Enjoy responsibly |
Best years |