Living costs and budgeting
The average student will need around £7,000 for each year of study to cover their living costs (not including tuition fees). At Brunel, we can help you stick to your budget with great value accommodation and facilities.
Sample budget
The following table outlines how much the average student can expect to spend per term while studying at Brunel (calculations are based on a 12-week term).
| Accommodation | £1000 |
| Bills (off-campus only) | £15 |
| Mobile phone | £75 |
| Food and groceries | £300 |
| Travel | £150 |
| Laundry | £30 |
| Books/equipment | £35 |
| Clothes/other shopping | £100 |
| Going out/entertainment | £360 |
| TOTAL | Approx £2065 per term |
Every student is different, and you should calculate your own budget based on your personal circumstances. You can find a useful cost-of-living calculator on the UCAS website.
Living costs for international students
If you are coming from outside the EU and require a visa to enter the UK to study, then an essential part of your student visa application process will be to provide evidence that you have enough money to live on, in addition to your course tuition fees. These funds are called maintenance funds.
These amounts are set by the UK Border Agency for Brunel University as follows:
| Course length | Maintenance funds required |
|---|---|
| Nine months or less | Course fees plus £800 to cover living costs for each calendar month of the course |
| More than nine months | First year of course fees plus £7,200 to cover living costs for nine months |
More information about the maintenance requirements can be found on our immigration pages. International students can also use the international student calculator developed by UNIAID to help them balance their budgets, and read tips from other international students.
Accommodation
All new UCAS main scheme have the opportunity to live on campus in one of Brunel’s halls of residence. Visit the accommodation webpages for more information and the latest rates.
All halls are self-catering, and rent rates include utility bills and a free network connection through which you can access the Internet at no extra cost (with some limitations and subject to the Computer Centre’s Terms and Conditions).
You may choose not to live in halls of residence at all, or to live off-campus after your first year. Brunel’s Housing Office maintains a large database of rooms, houses and flats and can give advice and information to help you find good value accommodation. Local private housing is very reasonably priced for the London area, and, unlike most agencies, the Housing Office does not charge for its services. For more details, see the off-campus housing pages.
Food and catering
Whether you live on or off campus, you can buy meal voucher packages for use in the main campus food outlets. The more you buy, the larger the discount you receive. If you prefer to cater for yourself, you can stretch your money even further by cooking with other students, and avoiding takeaways and ready meals. There is also is a weekly fresh fruit and vegetable market on campus every tuesday during term time.
Travel
If you plan to live at home or off-campus you will need to budget for travel costs, and in any case, you will want to travel both within and outside the local area in your free time.
Uxbridge is part of the London transport network, so you can buy an Oyster Card to use on buses, the tube and local trains, saving you money in comparison with standard fares (see Oyster Online). If you purchase a season ticket rather than pay for travel as you go, then you may be eligible for a student Oyster photocard, entitling you to a 30% discount (see Oyster Photocards Online).
If you live further than two miles from the campus or if you are a disabled student, you will be eligible to apply for a parking permit, currently costing £93 per year. Please note that students who live on or within two miles of the campus will not be allowed to park a car at the University. Permits can be applied for through eVision once you are fully enrolled.
Course materials
You will need to set aside money for course materials and study equipment, and in particular for text books, which can be expensive. Good second-hand books and materials can be found on eBay and Amazon, as well as on your School notice board. The majority of your expenditure will fall at the beginning of each term when you receive reading lists, so plan ahead.
Entertainment
How much you spend on entertainment – such as socialising, eating out and your hobbies – will vary greatly depending on your interests. Membership fees for University clubs and societies vary – some are free, and others give access to reduced price activities. The bars and nightclub on campus offer very good value for money.
Advice and support
The Advice and Representation Centre (ARC), run by the Students’ Union, provide free, confidential, accurate and independent information on a range of areas that may affect your life whilst studying and working. This includes advice on financial issues such as budget planning, welfare benefits entitlement, employment issues, debt negotiation and counselling, student support queries and advice on the Access to Learning Fund.
The Placement and Careers Centre can provide work-related information either through the Job Shop (for example on your National Insurance number, tax, the national minimum wage and your rights as an employee) or the Careers teeam (for example on written applications, CV writing, covering letters, application forms and interview skills.
