Budgeting

Cost of Living

Your living costs will vary according to your circumstances. The following information is a basic guide to the cost of living in Leeds. Some of this is based on actual figures, so on the minimium amounts it is considered possible to live on.

Where appropriate we have included figures from research indicating how much the 'average' student spends.

As a student your main costs will be:

• Tuition fees - These will vary depending on whether you are a home or overseas student, and according to your course.
• Accommodation - Costs will depend on whether you are living in University accommodation or the private rented sector.
• Other essential expenses such as food and utilities - These vary according to whether you have children or other dependents.
• Costs related to study - such as transport and course costs.
• Non-essential expenses like going out.

Tuition Fees

Home students and overseas students pay different amounts of tuition fees.

Home fees rate 2008/09

International fees rate 2008/09

Please note that some courses (particularly clinical, science and studio based) have supplements to the standard fees. It is important that you enquire with the department when you apply for the course.

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Am I a home or international student?

Home: This applies to UK students and students who meet the following resident requirements. You must have 'settled' immigration status, or otherwise be free from immigration control, and have been a resident in the UK for three years preceding the start of your course, for purposes other than education.

International: This applies to students who do not meet the above requirements. If you are an EU student or an EEA migrant worker you will qualify for home fees if you were resident in the EEA for 3 years preceding the start of your course, for purposes other than education. There are certain exceptions to the residence rules. If you have refugee status or exceptional leave to remain in the UK , you will qualify for home fees. If you have any doubts about your fee statues, you must clarify this before coming to the UK.

Please contact: Central Student Administration, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT

Visit our page for home students about applying for student support

Visit the University pages about fees and scholarships

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Accommodation

Accommodation costs in Leeds vary according to the type of accommodation you stay in and whether it is University accommodation or in the private rented sector. When you sign a contract for accommodation you will also be expected to pay a deposit.

University accommodation costs 2008/09

The deposit for University accommodation is £200. Most contracts are for 42 weeks, though catered accommodation is for 39 weeks. 51 week contracts are available in some accommodation for Postgraduates.

The rent in University accommodation includes utilities (gas, water and electricity). Visit the University's accomodation pages.

Private rented accommodations costs for 2008/2009

*based on a UNIPOL code of standards property.

It is important to remember that rents vary widely according to facilities and area. Deposits in private accommodation vary from around £200 - £400 and are often one months rent.

Contracts are usually for 12 months, running from 1 July to 30 June. Utilities (gas, water and electricity) are not usually included in the rent in private accommodation. These need to be paid separately.

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Other Essential Costs

The figures below are based on what the government believes is the very minimum you can live on in the UK for one year. This includes money you require for, food, toiletries, clothing and other items, and utilities, but not rent.

These figures are the bare minimum amounts you need to cover essential costs and you may find you need more. For example, they do not allow for the cost of going out. These also do not include costs for books and course materials. Remember you need to add your rent, fees and travel costs.

Utilities - If you live in the private sector you will probably have to pay utilities. These include gas, electricity, water and the telephone if there is a landline. Check your contract to see if any of these are included in the rent. Average Utilities Costs (per person, based on four people living together).

Please note these are only a rough guide, as prices change, and this will depend on what appliances you use and which company supplies your fuel. The following information is taken from: http://www.whatprice.co.uk/.

You must also take into account the following when you plan how much money you will need to live in Leeds:

Food - The NUS reports that students spend an average of £25 per week on food. This is for a single student with no dependents. We hope to have some figures for our students at Leeds soon. You can reduce the cost of grocery shopping by buying fresh food, planning your meals, sharing food with your housemates and shopping at Leeds Market and budget supermarkets.

TV License - You must have a TV license if you have a TV. The costs of this are below:

If you live in halls you need an individual TV license if you have a TV in your room. If you only have a shared TV in a communal area, one license should be ok. If you live in a shared house, you normally only need one license for the property.

Your TV license is valid for the whole year; if you move you can take it with you. If you move house you can reclaim any unused quarters of the license. This mean that if you buy your license early in the year and go home for the summer you may get some money back. Find out more information on TV licences at www.tvlicensing.co.uk.

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Costs related to studying

These are not included in the general living expenses listed above.

Course materials

You will need to buy books, and pay for things like photocopying, printer credits, field trips and having your dissertation bound. Unite (2007) reports that students spend about £14-15 a week on course-related items.

Travel Costs

You might need to buy a weekly bus pass to get you to and from lectures, and you will need to consider costs to go home during the holidays and for visits. If you are under 26 you can buy a young person's railcard and save money on train fares. Visit www.16-25railcard.co.uk.

Start-up Costs

If you are coming to University for the first time, you will need extra cash to buy things like bedding, pots and pans and so on. Some international students are required to register with the police on arrival in the UK. This costs £34.

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Non-essential costs

Remember that you will also need extra cash for things like going out and joining societies. You must budget for essentials first and then see how much you have left over to socialise. Unite (2007) reports that students spend on average £35 a week on going out. Other expenses to consider might be internet access, mobile phone costs, cigarettes, and buying papers and magazines.

Visit the Unite Student Experience Survey Pages for more information or contact the Student Advice Centre.

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