Cost of Living Hub

Depending on whether you’re a UK or international student, the amount of time you can work in the UK while studying, and whether you can work at all while in the UK, can be different. Most students can work up to 20 hours a week during term time, and full-time during university vacation periods. Check our page on study and work for more information.

There are a few ways you can get additional money while studying. Firstly, if you’re able to, you could try and find a part-time job to help top up your bank balance. You could also find additional financial aid, or check out our list of scholarships and bursaries for UK students, or if you’re an international student, we have a separate list you can check out. 

You need a TV licence if you watch any form of live TV on your own television or computer. This includes all UK TV channels, as well as live programmes on the likes of Amazon Prime, NOW and YouTube. You also need a TV licence if you watch BBC iPlayer, either live or recorded shows. You do not need a TV licence if you purely watch on-demand streaming from the likes of Disney Plus and Netflix. For more information on TV licences and whether you need one, check out the TV licence website.

There are plenty of great ways you can save money as a student. You should always create a budget for yourself, so you know exactly how much you can spend each month – a budget calculator is a quick and easy way to work this out. You can also have a look at our list of external resources, all of which provide great ideas on how to save money.

As a student, you have several great benefits you can receive to stretch your budget at university further. Our online and local discount page provides greater details on what you can apply for and what you can receive as a student.