Budgeting for student life

How to create a budget for university life

The simplest way to budget for life at uni is:

1. calculate your income (eg student funding, part-time work)
2. deduct your essential expenses (eg accommodation, bills, food, travel)
3. anything left can go toward leisure or savings.

Budgeting isn't just about seeing how much money you will need to pay for your food and rent – it's a really good way of working out how much you can spend on things you enjoy.

Take a look at the typical living costs below as a guide, from there you can start to work out your own budget for life as a student.

• UKCISA advice on the cost of studying in the UK
• Student finance calculator (gov.uk)

Weekly budget tips for Brighton students

Here's Angelica with some advice how you can budget for your student life in Brighton

Brighton Boost: making student life more affordable

We understand that moving to university can feel like a financial strain, however if you take advantage of the help on offer and polish up your budgeting skills you'll be well on your way to a successful university experience.

Our Brighton Boost initiative is here to help with costs associated with student life, including:

• accommodation costs
• travel and parking
• laptop loans
• flexible, part-time work opportunities.

Find out more about the Brighton Boost.

Budgeting advice for your first few weeks at university

Receiving student funding?

Taking control of your finances is the best way to make sure you don't run into financial difficulties or debt. Remember:

• your student funding won't be paid until after you enrol on your course, so it's important to plan for the gap between when you enrol and when your student funds arrive
• your student funding will seem like a lot of money, but it needs to last you through four months. Don't rush out and buy everything at once.

More about applying for student funding.

New to the UK?

If you are new to the UK, setting up a bank account can take several weeks, so it is essential to arrange access to money during your first few weeks.

• Don't travel with more than £250 in cash.
• Bring extra funds on a credit card or in GBP Sterling travellers cheques.
• If you are living in private accommodation, you will need to bring enough money for the deposit and at least two months’ rent.

More information for international students.

Typical costs for students living in Brighton accommodation and other items 2024–25

Extra help if you need it

Besides bursaries, there are a range of funds and grants you can apply for if you need some extra help to meet your costs once you are enrolled at the university.

*Please check the eligibility criteria for each grant/fund for the full requirements and any exemptions.