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The following table shows estimated basic weekly living costs for a student (in £).
Numbers are only approximate; there can be very big differences according to where you live and your lifestyle.
Note that course costs and other one-off costs are not included in these tables.
Remember the exchange rate between your currency and the pound may change while you are staying in the UK.
Cheap (£6,000 per year)
These costs may be relevant if you live close to your school outside London or south-east England, or if you live in student accommodation at a university. It may be difficult to live comfortably in London on this budget
Average (£9,000 per year)
These costs may be relevant if you are a language student in London, living in cheap accommodation in a reasonably central location (within zone 2), and using a 'youth' weekly travel pass (for zones 1 and 2). It may also represent the costs of a student with a more expensive lifestyle at a school outside London or south-east England
Expensive (£12,000 per year)
These costs may be relevant if you live in basic accommodation in a more expensive area in central London or south east England |
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Cost for |
week |
|
Cost for |
Year |
|
| |
Cheap |
Average |
Expen |
Cheap |
Average |
Expen |
| Accommodation (1) |
£50 |
£75 |
£100 |
£2,500 |
£3,750 |
£5,000 |
| Food (2) |
£30 |
£40 |
£50 |
£1,500 |
£2,000 |
£2,500 |
| Travel (3) |
£5 |
£15 |
£25 |
£250 |
£750 |
£1,250 |
| Entertainment (4) |
£10 |
£20 |
£30 |
£500 |
£1,000 |
£1,500 |
| Other (5) |
£15 |
£25 |
£35 |
£750 |
£1,250 |
£1,750 |
| Total |
£120 |
£180 |
£240 |
£6,000 |
£9,000 |
£12,000 |
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Notes:
(1) Accommodation: Rent; more if meals provided as part of rent. Includes gas/electricity
(2) Food: Normal living; less if meals provided as part of rent
(3) Travel: Local travel on bus/underground
(4) Entertainment: Cinema/eating out/sport
(5) Other: Books/telephone calls/clothing/insurance/personal hygiene |
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General living expenses may be about 25% greater in London than elsewhere. Note that costs may also be high in parts of south east England and areas close to London.
As well as your course costs there are other one-off costs (this means costs which you only have to pay once, not regularly) which you may have to pay if you are travelling to the UK. Make a note of the ones which apply to you and estimate the total cost of these.
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Cost |
| Visa application fee |
for visa nationals, multiple entry costs more |
| Travel insurance |
depends on length of stay |
| Medical Insurance |
free if you stay 6 months and use UK public health system |
| Post baggage |
depends on how much you bring and take back |
| Registration with Police (if needed) |
about $35 if required to register |
| Travel to/from airport at home |
depends on distance |
| Return air travel to the UK |
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| Travel to/from airport in UK |
depends on distance |
| Television licence |
£126.50 for colour TV licence |
| Television |
£50 for second hand colour set |
| Mobile phone |
£50 - £100 (pay as you go) |
| English exam |
about £100 |
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You will probably have to pay a deposit when you move in to your accommodation. This is usually the same amount as about 4 weeks of rent (see below for a guide to accommodation costs). It should be returned to you at the end of your stay unless you have damaged the property in some way.
Don't forget to allow money for entertainment and travel. It can be expensive if you like going to pubs and clubs - university bars can be much cheaper. For holiday ideas visit our Travel page |
Some useful internet sites are:
Accommodation
counselling service
Higher education support
National Union of Students
Student Health
Loot newspaper |
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