Tips for coping with rising costs of living
If you’re worried about the rising costs of living impacting your studies, here are some useful tips to help you
Planning your expenses is crucial, whether it is for groceries or other necessities outside of your home. Making a list before grocery shopping, setting spending limits and using cash to stay within budget, utilizing student discounts for transportation are some of the pieces of advice shared by our students and staff.
£5k Cost of Living Allowance
At University College Birmingham, we believe the cost of living shouldn’t hold you back from achieving your goals. That’s why we’re providing UK full-time undergraduate students starting in September 2025 with £5,000 each to support expenses like food, bills, and transport—completely free, with no need to pay it back.
Make the most of our Kick-Start Scheme
Full-time undergraduate students may be eligible for financial support worth up to £800 in each year of study, which doesn’t need to be paid back. You can use this money to purchase course-related materials or in our cafeterias and selected outlets.
Choose The Maltings over private accommodation
The Maltings, our own student residence, is only ten minutes' walk away from our campus buildings. Our prices include utility bills, and we promise they won’t rise this year, so you won't have any nasty surprises that you may get in private accommodation.
What’s more, as you will be based in the city centre within walking distance of everything you need, you won't need money for transport to and from university or when you’re going out.
Get a part-time job
Our Hired team can help you find part-time work or summer jobs to fit around your studies. This will not only boost your income directly but give you valuable experience for your CV.
Check out our scholarships and fee waivers
Different scholarships and fee waivers are offered to support your studies. We offer fee waivers and discounts for progression to postgraduate study as well as an intern bursary, which enables students to work for the University in exchange for getting their postgraduate tuition fee waived.
Look into scholarships, grants and bursaries
Alongside Student Finance, you may be eligible for extra funding in the forms of scholarships, bursaries or grants. These are not always reserved for those with the highest grades or students with low household incomes – there are all kinds of surprising sources of funding out there, and it’s worth looking into them.
Let us help you with budgeting
Our Student Services team offers regular budgeting workshops which students find very helpful, especially if they’re living away from home for the first time.
From budgeting spreadsheets and apps to meal plans and everything in between, the workshops are full of useful tips and tricks to help you improve those essential budgeting skills.
Make full use of campus facilities
Our library at The Link has a huge variety of books (including fiction!), so you don’t have to spend your money on these. Our cafes sell affordable food – watch out for discounts and sales after 3pm! And if you are in need of pampering or relaxation, look no further than our salons which often offer discounted or free treatments.
Also, don’t forget that hundreds of retailers, both on the high street and online, offer student discounts – you just need to show your student card.
Ask us about hardship funds
Finally, we know that even with all the support we offer, times are still tough for students right now. While we can’t help everybody, we do have funding set aside for students who are in need of emergency cash. Speak to our Student Services team who will be able to help.
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