Be frugal, have fun, stay focused: how to make ends meet as a student

Being in your third year and having three part-time jobs may sound like a lot to juggle, but fine art student, Hassa Embalo, 21, couldn’t sound more upbeat if she tried. “I love what I do, and they’re literally all my favourite,” she laughs.

Her main role is working as a wellbeing assistant at Liverpool Hope University. She gets free accommodation on campus and a salary of £600 a month. “The job is open to all third year students and postgraduates and involves looking after students at the university. So, for example, if anything goes wrong, say with our accommodation or with any mental health issues, my role is to guide them to the right people and get the help that they need.” Alongside this, she works as a student ambassador for four hours a week, and makes two social media videos each month as a content creator for the university.

Embalo is not alone in working to fund her studies. Affordability is a huge issue for university students as the UK’s cost of living crisis continues, and many have part-time jobs. In 2021, a survey found that 34% of UK students had jobs while studying, rising to 55% last year. On average, students did paid work for 13.5 hours each week, with 14% saying they needed the income to pay for most or all of their costs.

Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, says the last few years have been financially hard for students. “There is a maintenance support package, which in theory keeps up with inflation, but students are working in part-time jobs more than ever and the number of hours they are doing is increasing.”

Indeed, it may be the norm, but it is important that students are able to prioritise their studies and fully engage with their course. Looking for work on campus is a good way to manage their time and money, and most universities have a career hub on site. Embalo says: “I would encourage students to lean into what the university has to offer as opposed to working in a local cafe or something like that,” she says. “They are much more flexible, especially around exam time, and they are protective of their students.”

Arjun Bal, 19, agrees. He is a second-year computer science student at Brunel University and lives at home, near to the campus. He works 15 hours a week as a student intern for the university during term time and up to 35 hours in the holidays, in a role available for students from low-income households. The university sends out emails with job opportunities throughout the year. Working for the university is more accommodating than his previous job in marketing, he says, which involved door knocking.

Raven Pratt, head of student services at Brunel University, advises students to avoid any external money-making schemes that require students to recruit others. “There are a lot of scams aimed at students and people are wasting their time and money on them,” she says.

Sarah Weir, head of student recruitment at Liverpool Hope, says side hustles can be an option. “A lot of students are creating money for themselves, selling crafts for example.”

It’s also worth looking into scholarships and grants too. Sites such as the Scholarship Hub and Crowd Scholar have information about funding opportunities for undergraduates and postgraduates. And charity Turn2Us has a tool for searching for grants from charities and organisations.

If you are considering these options, start looking into them in advance, ideally before the summer, so you don’t miss any application deadlines. “It’s really important for students to investigate what is offered at the universities that they want to go to and if there’s an application make a note of the timeline and deadlines,” says Pratt. At Brunel, for instance, the scholarship panel meets before the start of the first term.

Most universities also have hardship funds. “Never be afraid to ask,” says Weir. “They have got support available, and they can help you budget.”

For day-to-day money saving, check out any student discounts available. The NUS student scheme will give you discounts for retail, hospitality and local facilities, while student money-saving websites such as Blackbullion are also a useful resource (your university will need to be a member for you to access all the resources). Students can also qualify for student travel cards, saving money on fares.

It can be a difficult balance to strike when it comes to money matters, and it depends on individual circumstances. Your studies should always come first, but be mindful too of what else is being affected. “If you’re working 20 hours a week in a shop or something and then doing a full-time course as well, it means you don’t have any time left for extracurricular activities, such as student journalism, the debating club or all the other things that make you more employable,” says Hillman.

Small changes can make a difference. Bal says many of his friends are quite frugal at university and make their own packed lunches, take coffee with them and avoid eating out too much. “Textbooks and supplies can be expensive, so be organised and stay ahead,” says Bal.

Ultimately, though, when it comes to hard work and full-time studies, he says students should treat themselves and shouldn’t forgo fun experiences. “It’s important to enjoy yourself too.”

For more guidance on the right course for you, check out the Guardian university league tables for 2024. The Guardian league tables for 2025 will be out on 7 September in print and online.

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