Believe the hype. University will be one of the biggest experiences of your life. It will also be one of the best and will probably be the first time in your life that you are going to move away from home for a long period of time. As such, finding somewhere to live if you are choosing to study away from home is kind of a big deal, especially as you are now about to become in charge of your own finances for the first time. So what types of accommodation are there and what should you opt for? We take a look in our Ultimate Guide to Student Accommodation. It’s ultimate.

Halls of Residence

Halls of residence are university owned properties where most of the students living in the vicinity are first years. The halls are run by an onsite manager who ensures all student’s problems are dealt with, from issues with bathrooms, heating, postal deliveries, and streaking, to name just a few. There are often also halls representatives who support the manager. They live in the student accommodation and are onsite at night when the manager is unavailable. Wake them up at your peril – unless it’s an emergency, or you run out of M&M’s.

When searching halls of residence websites at your institution or when visiting on an open day you will find there are a variety of options available at a variety of prices. At universities across the country you will find en-suite rooms, flats with shared bathrooms and disability friendly rooms. En-suite rooms are more expensive, and although you have your own toilet and shower room you will be sharing a kitchen and social area with other students. The advantage to having an en-suite room is the avoidance of embarrassing situations (no-one wants to wait till their flat mates have gone on a night out to go to the loo). It’s also handy if you’re prone to spending hours in the shower. Standard rooms with shared bathrooms will obviously be less expensive to rent than the en-suite equivalent, and disabled bedrooms will vary in price across institutions around the country.

You may also have a choice between campus-based halls and off-campus halls of residence. There’s no right or wrong choice to make here. Some people prefer the ease of campus-based halls as you’ll only be a stones-throw away from your lecture halls, making it ideal for rolling out of bed and straight into lectures. Not advised, but possible. Off-campus halls is probably the better option if you think you’d like a bit of a break from the university atmosphere. You’ll constantly be bumping into people you know in on-campus halls, which can be great, but can also be a bit annoying when you want a bit of time to yourself to focus on work, think about the meaning of life, or just get away from the really annoying guy/girl from downstairs.

There is no set cost for specific rooms across all universities and, as would be expected, prices vary across the country and at different institutions.

If you’re looking to live at the best student halls of residences then you might want to look at our article: Top 10 Student Halls.

University owned houses

Halls of residence are not necessarily the only form of accommodation owned and run by a university. Some institutions also have university owned houses which are a step between halls of residence and private rented properties. They can house a number of different students in their own bedrooms where they can be expected to share other rooms. Although there isn’t a manager on site at all times with this type of accommodation as there is with halls of residence, it is easy for students with any problems to contact maintenance or advice lines when necessary.

These houses are often reserved for specific groups, sometimes these will be international students or postgraduate students, although not always, so it’s worth investigating. Houses and apartments like these are often situated in estate-like areas which allow the students to create their own little network and community – group barbeques and street football are common sights.

University-approved Housing

University approved housing is not university owned like halls of residence. The properties are owned by private landlords who are approved by the university which means that their properties are recommended to students by the university.

This type of accommodation is very popular for students in their second or third year because they have already found housemates through living in halls of residence previously. Rent will vary depending on where you are located in the country, how far away you are from university or the city centre and can include extras such as internet, gas and electric. Landlords run their rented houses differently, some will include bills at a set price and others will expect you to deal with bills yourself when they land on the mat. Be warned though, the offers of ‘all-inclusive’ often work out more expensive than organising everything yourself.

You can often find houses which will hold anywhere from 2 to 10 people in some places. When living in shared accommodation such as this you can expect to be sharing a minimum of one bathroom, one social area and one kitchen with your housemates.

Due to these properties being approved by the university at which you attend it may be possible to seek support from them if you are having problems with the landlord.

Private Rental

This type of private rental works similarly to the previous accommodation we mentioned, but the properties are not university approved meaning you will not find them advertised at your university housing specialist shop. You are more likely to find these types of private rentals through local estate agents or on their websites.

These properties will allow you to move in with the number of housemates you want to, as mentioned with university approved housing, but the university will not be able to support you if you have issues with your landlord. If you are going to rent privately it is important to understand what is included in your contract in relation to what is included in the rent costs and what you can be expected to pay yourselves or are responsible for. You may also require a guarantor. This is usually a parent who can guarantee that you will pay your bills on time and agree to pay for you should you fail to pay on time.

Renting privately often works out much cheaper than living in university owned accommodations such as halls of residence because private landlords are offering a competitive rate to draw in your custom. The more you can get for your money the better! Make sure you go and view the property first before signing for it though. Expect some clothes on the floor, but decline the place if you spot mould on the ceiling or dead animals on the floor. Or the other way round. Or anywhere. Dead animals don’t contribute to a good living environment.

Living at Home

If you aren’t studying at a university which is a million miles away from home there may be no reason to move out at all. If it works out to be more beneficial for you financially to live at home and commute then why not consider that as an option? If your parents are happy for you to live at home while studying for your degree, and with the current economy in mind, you may find it the more realistic option. It does mean there is more money for alcohol, books and T-shirts with TV’s on. It also means your mother insisting you ‘pick your clothes up off the floor’ and ‘you live under my roof you live by my rules’.

Living at home also means that you don’t have to move in with a bunch of strangers (unless you currently live with wolves and don’t know your biological family), and if you’re extra lucky, it means your parents may still feed you on a regular basis.

If you do decide to live at home the main drawback is that you may be surrendering your opportunity to fully experience what it is like to be a student.

To Sum Up

Where you’re going to live while you’re studying for your degree is hugely important. If you get it wrong you’ll regret it until the day you die and everyone will laugh at you. Ok, well maybe it’s not that important, but it is kind of a big deal. You need to feel comfortable and safe; you don’t want to get a few months in and wish you’d made a different decision, which has been known to happen. People have spent several months in halls of residence and not seen eye to eye with their peers and have returned home to the comforts of family life. It’s not the end of the world if this happens, and you certainly won’t regret it for that long, but trying to get it right in the first place is always a good ambition!

The location of your university and your accommodation will play a huge part in how much you can be expected to pay in terms of rent. If you are moving to London or other big cities you can expect to pay more than you would in more rural locations. The way you plan to finance your living arrangements can play a huge part on your decision. If you want to avoid getting into more debt through student loans towards accommodation then it may be an idea for you to consider living at home and commuting.

If you want to spend your student nights going out clubbing with other students and stumbling in late from a night on the town then as a potential first year undergraduate you may be looking at halls of residence where you can meet like minded students and take advantage of that atmosphere.

Now it’s time for you to make a big step in your life and possibly make the big move into student accommodation! Enjoy, and thank us later!

Working out where you want to live when studying is without doubt one of the most important decisions a student needs to make – you need to feel safe, relaxed and comfortable in order to work properly, and the right choice of student house is the first step towards that.

A student house is more than just a place to stay whilst you study – it’s (probably) the first time you’ll have a place to live that’s actually yours. Even if it is rented, it needs to be the best it possibly can be; both for your health and the health of your degree. It really is important, and that’s why we’ve made this guide to help anyone looking for a house. Happy hunting!

The Landlord

It doesn’t matter how well-equipped, well-cleaned and well-kept your house is; if your landlord’s no good, living in the house won’t be any good. Generally student houses fall under one of two categories as far as landlords are concerned – there are the private properties, which are managed by an individual as opposed to a company; and there are the company properties, which are usually part of a much larger chain.

Both of these have their benefits – private landlords are usually more than happy to help out in whatever way they can, and tend to be pretty chilled out if the rent’s taking a bit longer than expected because student loans haven’t delivered on time (yet again). In addition, it’s nice to be always talking to the same person and have their mobile number right there on your phone when you need them.

However, if you get a bad private landlord, they tend to be much, much worse than a bad company – a company has a reputation to uphold; a bad private landlord, in general, couldn’t care less about reputation and is only interested in getting as much money from you as easily as possible. Which is obviously a difficult situation when the hot water won’t turn on and the plumber hasn’t turned up for a week. Bad landlords are much worse than bad companies – remember that, and make sure you meet the landlord before you rent from them.

Many students will end up renting from/with a company, and they tend to be much more used to what students need and don’t need. This isn’t always a good thing, though – they could very easily decide that you don’t need a TV quite as much as the house they’re using to advertise to prospective students down the street does. And they could decide this halfway through the term. It’s one of those horror stories that don’t happen very often, but do happen – generally it’s best to err on the side of caution and check with other students if this or that company is one you can trust to be good to you. Make sure to check online, as well – if the company’s upset people, there’s bound to be something on the Internet about it; that’s how the Internet works. Google is your friend.

If you’re cautious and careful but still get stuck with a bad landlord, there’s not much you’ll need to worry about. Generally a landlord’s job is to turn up, make sure you’ve settled in properly, address any concerns you might have about the house, and then disappear until it’s time to pay the rent or something gets broken. That’s what you should aim for.

Utilities

How’s the house kitted out? Decent cooker? Toilet? Shower? Bath? Make sure you check out the place before you sign any kind of contract and see what it does and doesn’t have. There should be enough space for everyone in the living room, a fridge, a freezer, WiFi (this one’s just as important as a cooker or a toilet – you are a student, after all), all of the usual bathroom stuff (not everywhere will have a bath, but it’s a big plus), along with working lights and a cupboard and all of that kind of stuff. Common sense is all you really need here – what do you need to live, and what would you like to have?

Two very, very big plusses are a dishwasher and a clothes dryer – both are excellent machines and will save you an enormous amount of time over a year of living in the same place. However, don’t expect to have either; it’s just excellent and very lucky if you do. Honestly we think we’d pay a little extra in rent if there was a chance all of our washing-up could be done for us.

Another thing to remember as you scout about the house is, quite simply, plug sockets. Students need lots of these. Vast amounts, really – you’re going to need one for your mobile, one for your laptop charger, another for another charger, another for your alarm clock, desk lamp, speakers, mini-fridge, whatever. You need a lot of plug sockets, so keep that in mind as you check a property out, or don’t worry about it too much and steal your parents’ socket separator. Either or.

Your Housemates

Who you choose to live with is as important as where you choose to live – it’s all very well thinking that this or that guy is really fun at parties, but do you really want to live with them 24/7? Think about it. Yes, this section isn’t exactly part of a guide to student houses, but we thought it was worth mentioning anyway – make sure you’re going to be happy living with the people you’ve chosen, and make damn sure they’re going to be happy living with you. This is meant to be your fortress of solitude, so it needs to be shared with people who respect that. Seriously.

Rent

Rent, though important, might not be as important as you think – generally your landlord will charge you pretty close to what you will receive from the Student Loans Company. Of course, it does depend on how much you receive as part of your loan. This means that Student Finance should always pay the bills, so you shouldn’t worry too much about rent unless you’re stupid enough to live somewhere that charges more than it should. Don’t do that. That’s a bad idea.

If you’re going into a second year of finding a house and like the set up you have, be a little cheeky and see if your landlord will reduce the rate for the year slightly, seeing as you’re offsetting the pain and expense of finding new tenants. Along the same vein, try to get a few extra perks going into your second year of living somewhere – it’s not too out of line to ask for a bookshelf to be put up or that annoying thing the shower does sometimes to be fixed.

Location

Location’s pretty important, and there’s not really much to tell – you want to be near a supermarket, near enough to university that you can go too and fro easily, and pretty close to a decent boozer. Normal stuff. Oh, and bus routes are pretty important, too – you’re going to need to get around the place at some point or another, and even if you or one of your housemates does have a car, there’s no guarantee that’s going to save you every time. Buses are good.

But walking is arguably even better – not many students exercise regularly (some keep their weight down by not being able to afford food – it works quite well, but not recommended) and walking may well be the only bit of exercise you’ll be getting. Make sure to get a bit of fresh air occasionally, even if it is only a quick trip to the nearest corner shop because you’ve run out of cigarettes/alcohol. And if that sounds facetious, it’s only because we’ve been there, done that.

Bills

Work out if you have to pay bills – in many student houses, the bills are covered as part of the contract and this may cost a few quid more, but it’s probably worth the conversation at the end of every month when everyone starts asking awkward rhetorical questions like “who was it that left the tap on all night when they were drunk again?” or “who keeps forgetting to turn the lights out?”. In the interest of everybody’s peace of mind, try to see if you can get the bills included in the contract. Trust us, it helps.

We’ve looked over what every student should keep in mind when choosing a new house, and have made our own checklist for you to copy that should, hopefully, be some help. Here it is. Remember; if the answer is “no” to any of these questions, you may want to reconsider or try to solve the issue.

Now, these are all good things to look for, but they’re not the be-all and end-all of house hunting. There is a lot more that’s less important that we haven’t talked about here, but it all depends on the individual. Use your common sense, and then if it all goes wrong, blame us.

Possibly you have a thing against supermarkets, or possibly you can afford to pay through the nose for rent if you feel like it and can afford to go past what student loans gives you. It honestly all depends on what you, personally, feel like you want or need – nothing else matters anywhere near as much as this.

The few essentials you really, really need though are plug sockets, WiFi, heating, running water, a fridge, and a bed. Everything else is secondary. Just about. Look for the place you’ll be happiest and most comfortable in – all else should follow.

You’ve seen it, its right there, staring up at you in black and white – THE job, the one designed for you and you alone. You want it. You must have it.

How can you get it?

It’s time to get to work on that CV and make them want you, just as much as you want that job.

Okay, let’s talk specifics.

What is a CV?

Well, a CV, or curriculum vitae to give it it’s rather formal and odd sounding name, is basically your chance to sell yourself, tell employers why you should work for them, tell them exactly what you can do for them, blow your own trumpet, big yourself up – we don’t get to do that too much in life, but this is one occasion where it’s perfectly acceptable to say ‘hey, I’m great, hire me’.

Don’t go too far towards big head territory though, nobody likes a show off.

A successful CV is about striking a balance and grabbing attention.

Put yourself in an employer’s shoes – they want someone for their job opening, and they advertise it, receiving a large number of CVs in response. They sit down, cup of coffee in hand, and decide to wade through them, trying to find the one person who will be perfect for the job. It’s a hard task, and probably quite a long one, so it’s important to make yours stand out from the rest.

You want your CV to be the one that makes the poor person who landed the job of reading through all the applications sit up and take notice – wake them up! Grab that opportunity by the horns! This is YOUR job, take it!

Okay, enough pep talk, let’s get down to the nitty gritty.

How to write an attention-grabbing CV, worthy of that dream job

Tailor make, steer clear of generalisation

There is nothing worse than a generic CV. This screams ‘I don’t really care about this job, I just want to earn money and anything will do’, because you didn’t tailor it to the job, and you probably sent the same one out to about four other companies. Make your prospective employer feel warm and loved up, make them feel special, make them feel like you actually looked at the job description! The best way to do that is to identify key words in the person spec and the job description and weave them into your summary statement – which we’ll come onto very shortly.

Keep it short, keep it snappy

Whatever you do, don’t ramble, don’t go on, people do get bored. Generally the idea is to grab their attention within the first few lines, and then they’ll want to read more. Keep it relevant, and don’t go over two pages either – you’re not writing the next Harry Potter.

Summarise

At the top of your CV, after your main details, such as name, address, contact details, including email, you need a summary paragraph. Don’t write more than this, because again, it will get boring, but keep it short, keep it snappy, and add some personality into it, because this is your personal statement, this is about you. On the other hand, keep in mind it needs to be professional, strike that balance. If you have any hobbies or interests that are vaguely relevant to the job you’re hoping to bag, then mention them, because that will make you stand out. If you can speak another language, certainly mention that too. Basically, anything impressive and relevant, especially qualifications – get it in there early.

Knock ’em for six

Tell your prospective employer what you can do for them, tell them how your skills will benefit them, convince them you’re the best thing since sliced bread, but don’t go over the top. Try to avoid explaining too much about what you’re looking for in a job, because they don’t really care what you want, they want to know what you can do for them – so tell them.

Check!

When you’re typing fast, and even when you’ve read it back a few times, the human eye is prone to a few errors, so make sure you run it by spell check! Sounds like common sense, but you know how it goes when you’re in a rush.

Constructive criticism

Once you’ve polished your CV up to what you think is the best you can do, find a willing panel of guinea pigs, and ask them to read it, highlight any problem areas and give you feedback. You need to trust these people, so make sure you ask those you know will give you constructive feedback, and not generally rip it to pieces for the hell of it, or simply tell you ‘yeah it’s fine’. Once you’ve got your all-important feedback, take it into consideration and do a re-draft. If you don’t agree, and I mean really don’t agree, then you don’t have to change it, but opinions are good.

Understanding what employers are looking for can be a difficult thing, but that’s why it’s really important to study the job description carefully. The job spec will also give you the essential and desirable skills and qualities they’re looking for in their chosen one, and you need to target your line of attack directly at what they want. Having said that, don’t let it distract you from blowing that trumpet loudly, because you want them to choose you, so forget being nice and modest, if you have a skill you’re proud of, then shout it loud!

Keep it concise, to the point, but full of your good points, and under no circumstances mention any shortcomings you may think you have. You don’t need to tell them, they don’t need to know, keep it quiet!

All that’s left to say is good luck – now, go knock ’em dead.

There are many advantages to not drinking during Fresher’s week, such as the ability to have a coherent conversation with everyone you meet without frightening them off, or by being able to walk home without getting lost (and earn brownie points by helping out everyone else in the process). Not drinking in Fresher’s week may sound a little odd to your contemporaries, but in many circles it will be widely regarded as a very good move. You may not drink for religious or health reasons, or you may just be sensible. Whatever your motive, this guide will serve you well.

One point that people often overlook is that Fresher’s isn’t often contained to one week. People will still be partying and drinking well into Sunday night and may even keep going into the next seven days. And the next, and the next, and the next. It’s takes a sensible man to know when to stop drinking. Sadly it’s very hard to be sensible once you’ve started. Not drinking at all during Fresher’s will prevent any overspill into term-time proper and should guarantee you’ll hit the ground running as far as your studies are concerned, which is tremendously important.

Not drinking at all during Fresher’s will prevent any overspill into term-time proper

Along a similar vein, meeting your lecturers for the first time and making sure they get a good first impression of you is much harder to do when you still smell of last night and are wearing the thickest pair of sunglasses you own when it’s raining outside. We shouldn’t have to tell you how important it is to give a good first impression to your professors, particularly if you’re in a smaller class and are likely to get noticed. Your lecturers and tutors may also be able to help you access additional funding such as bursaries which are available to high achievers; a bad first impression with the wrong person could close this door for you. Just in case we do have to tell you: it’s important. Very important. Got the picture? Good.

A Productive Fresher’s

Whilst your flatmates are busy lounging around nursing hangovers and falsely declaring their future plans to maintain a tee-total approach to socialising, you can spend your time being productive! Just because there’s no lessons, and courses don’t start during the week, it doesn’t mean there’s not a lot to do – Fresher’s week wasn’t originally intended as a week-long bender, but rather as a chance for new students to get acclimatised to where they’re living and who they’ll be living with. Making your mark on where you’ll be spending at least the next year of your life important, and you should get to work hanging up posters, setting up you sound system and organising files as soon as possible – this is going to be your home so there’s more to do than you think.

Joining societies you’re interested in to meet other people is also a very good idea during Fresher’s week – the open days organised during Fresher’s are the very best time to start getting involved in societies and are also an excellent opportunity to grab some free stuff! Free stuff is awesome and there’s never enough of it, so grab it whilst you can. It doesn’t really matter what free stuff it is – it’s free! Fill your boots. And make sure to bring a bag. And (this may be a little obvious) fill the bag, too. At the risk of repeating ourselves, free stuff is awesome.

Another very important task you may have to do whilst you’re at Fresher’s is getting yourself a new student card and registering at the university. Normally, this is pretty straightforward for anyone who’s not suffering from a catastrophic hangover, but if you’re a foreign student or if you’ll be studying a special course, there may well be a bit of paperwork to fill out – check and double check. And then make your hungover friends check another three times. They’ll thank you later. You can also make use of hangover free mornings by familiarising yourself with the library, and getting hold of recommend texts before all your peers sober up and come looking for them.

Exploration

Whilst others will be too poisoned to leave their rooms, and are trying to remember how they got anywhere the night before; it might be an idea for you to go out and check out the campus and the town/city you’re going to spend the next few years living in – you’ll get to know it eventually, but sooner is better than later, right? Particularly as far as finding your way to classes is concerned. It’s a small point, but don’t overlook it – one day soon it’ll come in very handy to know your way around the place, particularly in that all-too-common event of a seminar/lecture room change to somewhere nobody’s ever heard of.

Money-Spending Madness

We cannot begin to tell you how many times we’ve seen people blow almost all of their money on Fresher’s week and having to live off the lentils and plain pasta that their loving family packed because they knew this would happen. Not spending all of your money on booze is – of course – a great idea, and sadly isn’t given enough consideration by most students. Having said that, expect to still spend a little more money than you will do in other weeks. Clubs still charge an entry fee to non-drinkers. Which leads us onto the next point.

Not spending all of your money on booze is – of course – a great idea, and sadly isn’t given enough consideration by most students.

Just because you’re not drinking does not mean you can’t go out with the drinkers to pubs, clubs and everywhere in between. You can still enjoy a dance and a chat with someone in a club without having to drink – just enjoy the moment! In fact, as far as the “chat” bit goes, you’ll probably be a lot more successful at it than your drunken contemporaries.

You’re Not Their Mother

Some people choose not to drink excessively during Fresher’s week, instead they want to get the first few weeks under their belt before letting their hair down with a drink or two. If this is you, we salute you. Many freshers want to do this but fear they will become a mother figure for their fellow students for the duration of their time at university, having the added pressure of looking after their peers when they should be enjoying themselves. You needn’t fear about this though; if you don’t want to become a mother figure, then do what any good friend should do and laugh at them. It’s what we’d recommend.

Fresher’s without alcohol can be just as enjoyable, and arguably more memorable. Mainly because you will actually remember it. Enjoy!

This is it. The very last opportunity to let your hair down before the work begins again. Whether this is your first Fresher’s week, or if you’re one of those people who have been visiting Fresher’s for the last 30 years (don’t worry, we don’t judge), this is the last decent opportunity you’re going to get for no-holds-barred, zero-consequence, guilt-free hedonism before lectures start and stuff needs to get done. This is the funeral of summer; with a 7-day wake celebrated all over the world. It’s the big one, and you should be prepared to go big to match it. “Go hard or go home” is the general sentiment. Choose wisely.

Some Serious Advice

Trust us, nobody wants their first impression of anyone to be as an angry gorilla impersonator

Remember, first impressions aren’t everything, but they help. You don’t want to be that guy or that girl for the rest of your university life, so be fun, be sociable, but don’t overdo it too much until people are a little more settled – generally towards the end of the week is the acceptable time to show off your aggressive gorilla impression or to share your passionate political views. Trust us, nobody wants their first impression of anyone to be as an angry gorilla impersonator. Don’t force that on people. Seriously.

Remember that yes, Fresher’s week is more or less an enormous party, but there’s still a couple of things you’re going to have to sort out before you lose it completely – you have to let the university know you’re around, for example; and you also probably have to get your photograph taken for your student card. You’ll be carrying around that photograph for the rest of your degree – are you sure you want it to be a picture of you at your most hungover? Didn’t think so.

What to Pack

When you turn up at your new accommodation, you’re going to be needing a fair few things – food, washing up liquid, laundry tablets, and probably a decent-sized case of something to use as social lubricant (and by that we mean alcohol, before you get any ideas). There’s also a few things that you should hold off on packing, that you will nevertheless be tempted to bring with you.

In a recent non-scientific survey we conducted in our office full of recent graduates, old-timers, and students, it was concluded that, on average, a student house will contain; 4 cheese graters, about 50 pots and pans, 2 kettles, 2 microwaves, 3 sandwich toasters, 11 chairs, 4 bookcases and absolutely no space. All student living spaces are also overdue a good clean out – when you can’t find the pan you want without waking the rest of the house up because it’s buried under a mountain of useless kitchen gadgets, you should really think about getting rid of some stuff.

Point is; you know that appliance that you think will be a really good idea to bring up to uni with you because no one else will have it? Chances are at least another two people have had the same idea and will be bringing one already – hold off on miniature kettles and toasters until you get where you’re going and can have a scope around.

One thing we won’t hesitate to suggest to bring, though, is a set of good, sharp knives with a sharpener/steel to go with them – nobody at university has decent knives, and if you get your hands on some, it’s going to make all that cooking so, so much easier. It’s up to you whether you let the rest of your housemates use them – how angry would you be if they were broken during some form of terrifying drinking game, or worse, stolen by someone from rival halls of residence or the apartment across the corridor?

If You Had to Learn One Thing…

Learn how to cook before you leave; get someone – anyone – to teach you the basics like how to roast a chicken and potatoes and how to make a decent spaghetti bolognaise. Chances are the money’s going to be tight at some point and when it happens, you don’t want to be living on cheap bread and ham because you’ve got no idea how to make sausages and mash.

Learn how to cook before you leave; get someone – anyone – to teach you the basics

Some of you will already be able to cook delicious, ridiculous, three-course meals with bells on top and apples underneath. Some of you will know how to turn an oven on. Just about. Whatever your proficiency, master the art of curry cooking, and bring all the spices you need to your new home with you. Curries developed in India for two reasons: first, you could make any old, ropey meat or passed its best vegetable taste delicious by the side of the road; and second, it can be made very, very cheaply as soon as you’ve got your hands on the spices. Learn how to make curry first, focus on your degree a little later.

Fresher’s Fair

Don’t get too distracted by the pretty lights outside the bars and clubs to not visit the Fresher’s fair – for one, it’s a great way to make some friends by joining societies that you have an interest in (Pokémon society, anyone?). Perhaps more importantly, it will be full of companies that have probably made a fair amount of money from you in the past (think Coca-Cola, Windows, Red Bull) trying to give you free stuff. Yes, free stuff. Take everything – bring a suitcase if you can. This is one of the very few times where the free stuff is actually free; if you don’t want to leave your name and email in exchange for some free stuff than make up a name and email and use that instead – who’s going to know?

The Fresher’s Fair is one of those very, very rare times in life when a free lunch is, in fact, a free lunch. Fill your boots – it doesn’t happen often enough for you to afford not to and you might be needing all those energy drinks for pre-drinking sessions a few hours later.

Dolla’ dolla’ bill, ya’ll

Money matters; make sure you have a budget for Fresher’s and don’t go over it – the food you stocked up on at the start of the month will not last forever, and it’s really a bad sign if you run out of money in the first week because you spent it on drinking too much.

And if you do manage to spend all your money; a couple of pointers – the university will have a finance department you’ll be able to talk to if you’re ever in trouble (don’t dare turn up hungover though) and Fresher’s Fair is still on – you can get enough free energy bars/sweets/whatever to last you a month, if you’re good enough at making up new names and email addresses. It could be argued that this is a good time to beg your parents for some money as they wouldn’t have reached their limit on supporting you, however we would suggest that to ask for financial help within your first three days at uni is just asking for trouble as this is likely to panic your family.

Bars and Clubs

Do not just hit the university bar/club every night – check out the local venues, too. It’s important to scope around as much as possible in the first week whilst you’ve still got the time to. There will be deals galore, so make the most of them. Free drinks are very rare, but not unheard of, so get out there and get looking. Remember, though: everybody’s out during Fresher’s week, so you’re probably not seeing a fair representation of the night life – it’s the busiest it will be all year, so have fun whilst it lasts!

This will almost certainly happen naturally – it’s a kind of fundamental law – but if it doesn’t you’re going to have to take the reins and call it: you’re going to need a “local” – somewhere you’ll remember forever as being that place that you always went to and met everyone at. Find it, remember it, treasure it, and make sure everybody else knows about it. Well, everyone you know/like knows about it – it seems unnecessary to tell everyone.

The bars and clubs will be open throughout the entire week, but it may be a good idea to have a night in with your new housemates and just get to know each other a little better without the influence of loud music, bright lights and bad dancing. That doesn’t mean staying in and watching a film, though – by all means go crazy and break some stuff, but just do it where you can get to know each other a little better. Breaking stuff isn’t obligatory.

Finally

All good things come to an end, and just like summer eventually died and turned into Fresher’s week, so too will Fresher’s die and transform into term time. It’s going to happen. We’re sorry, truly, but eventually it will end. Do not go into denial about it and spend the next three weeks after Fresher’s trying to keep the party going. It was good while it lasted; leave it at that. It’s always advisable to hit the ground running when you start a new year in education, and Fresher’s isn’t any different – go to the lectures, study, do your homework, and save the drinking for the weekends for the rest of the year. You’ll thank yourself eventually.

Being different can often be hard to deal with – no doubt you remember that regrettable haircut when you were 12 years old – but when it comes to getting a job, being able to differentiate yourself from other candidates may be the only way to succeed.

The most popular way of standing out in the jobs market is to get some academic qualifications under your belt but as you may be aware, you’re not the only person looking to differentiate in order to get ahead in their career. In the article below we look at how academic qualifications have been used in the job market and how this has changed over the years, if you’re not a fan of history just skip to the end of the article to see our suggestions to help you get noticed.

O-Levels

At the beginning of time, just after the second world war, the British government introduced a new set of qualifications as part of a wider education reform. In a nutshell, that is how the O-Level and A-Level were born, although we’d suggest it took a little bit longer than that.

The O-Level, standing for Ordinary Level, were predominantly exam-based, and despite the name, didn’t test whether you were ordinary or not. Instead, they focussed on a variety of subjects and were predominantly exam based.

The A-Level qualification was introduced at the same time and was designed to be more academically rigorous. Standing for advanced level, the A-Level has stood the test of time so far, but the O-Level has gone through a mini-transformation with it’s nearest relative today being the GCSE.

In years gone by, people used O-Level’s and A-Level’s to distinguish themselves in the job market. Forty years ago, merely staying on at school was enough to set yourself apart from the competition. That’s not to say those who left school back then were in any way ‘inferior’ to today’s leavers – in fact it was the norm. Today, staying on at school is required by law, so the qualifications gained are not the good tool they once were to help you stand out.

The Over-Qualified Undergraduate

As more and more students cottoned on to the increased opportunities available to those with O-Levels and A-Levels, the popularity of the qualifications increased. More stayed on in a bid to better their job prospects, and as such the job market quickly became flooded with qualified individuals all competing for the same positions, often with very similar CV’s. Soon people realised that to stand out in the job market, the standard qualifications you could gain at school were not enough. Students looked for the ‘next big thing’, and gradually looked towards universities and their offerings.

Whilst the standard undergraduate degrees weren’t a new concept, the increase in numbers certainly was, and universities expanded to cope with the increase in demand. Those who chose to study a degree graduated with better job prospects and the chance to earn more money.

For many generations the undergraduate experience was paid for, in the main part by the government, making it a win-win situation. Needless to say, it wasn’t long before more and more school leavers realised this and ‘followed the crowd’.

At around the same time, many polytechnics gained university status, making the qualifications available from them a lot more appealing to students and employers alike. Graduate rates increased consistently over the following years, climbing steadily through the 90’s and 00’s to the point we are at now; going to university to study an undergraduate degree is now common practice.

The Postgraduate Era?

Despite all the increases in fees, undergrad degrees have continued to grow in popularity and now people are looking for other ways to stand out against the competition. We’ve noticed an increase in postgraduate students over the past few years, suggesting that it could be the next avenue for those wishing to distinguish themselves against other candidates.

Masters programmes are especially popular; often taking only a year, it allows you to transition a bit more smoothly from undergraduate ‘student’ living to a professional life, and it often allows you to take a step up the career ladder before you jump on it. It depends on your chosen pathway as to whether a postgrad degree is right for your future career, as some industries would favour experience over an academic qualification, but others will value the extra academic ability more so – particularly in technical areas.

The MBA is popular amongst business folk, and a good example of how postgrad qualifications can further your career. Ask a few employers in your chosen career sector before deciding or investigate some job postings and see what the requirements are.

For now though, undergraduate study is still an excellent option, but may we suggest combining it with a healthy slice of extra-curricular activity. Travelling used to be an excellent way to add some ‘life experience’ to your CV, but now it’s commonplace to spend a month in Thailand ‘finding yourself’, and we’re not talking about ‘socialising’.

Instead, get involved in societies and clubs, sit on university committee meetings, network with small businesses, look for voluntary work at a local charity, offer to help run a project for a local organisation. Heck, get a part-time job, whether it’s at the local supermarket or an in-market role doesn’t matter, just the proof that you’re committed.

Whatever you do though, make sure it’s something you’d be proud to put on your CV. When you leave university, you’ll be looking for graduate jobs, which by default will attract plenty of other graduates. The degree might get you an interview, but what employers want to know is what else you’ve done. What makes you different from the other candidates. Make yourself different, one way or another, because the standard undergraduate qualification is no longer a good enough differentiator for the best jobs.

There is no denying that Distance Learning is a great way to study a postgraduate degree. You’re not tied to one location, there is no need to travel and you can study at your own pace, amongst many other benefits. One such benefit, which is often thrown around is that it can be cheaper. We’re not entirely convinced, so we looked past the headlines and focussed on the facts.

Accommodation

Deciding where to live as a student and calculating living costs can be tricky, especially when it comes to distance learning at postgrad level. In fact, when discussing the ideas and research for this article here at Coursefindr HQ, it became quite a contentious issue. The more naive members of the team confidently proclaimed that postgrad study via distance learning would be cheaper because you would be studying at home with parents, however not everybody has that luxury. You may have already moved out of your parents house, you may be in your marital home, you may even be in a retirement home. Either way, the fact remains the same; you’ll still have to pay rent.

Whether you’re studying via distance learning or on a full-time course, you need to live somewhere

If you do opt to move, and live near to your university you are likely to find yourself living with others in shared accommodation. You’ll probably have the luxury of choosing from a larger selection of property as letting agents will usually classify mature, postgrad students in the same way as young professionals, but the fact still remains, you’ll have a bill each month titled ‘rent’.

Whilst this could in fact work out cheaper than living at home if your family charge you an arm and a leg for board, it will still be an outgoing that you have to consider. Whether you’re studying via distance learning or on a full-time course, you need to live somewhere, so you can’t use that as an argument for distance learning being cheaper.

Of course, you could argue that you may continue to live where you currently do, but choose to study remotely at a university in a location which is more expensive to live in. In this instance, your rent would be cheaper. You could even maximise your savings by moving to the north of the UK which is traditionally more affordable (source). On the whole, studying via distance learning won’t automatically make your rental outgoings any smaller.

Tuition Fees

In years gone by, you may have found studying by distance learning was always the cheaper option, but since the delivery methods and course content has improved, so too has the popularity of distance learning courses. As such, universities have smartened up and very often the prices of distance learning degrees are now very similar to their full- and part-time counterparts.

Whilst certain courses may appear cheaper than others, it is worth checking them against the like-for-like full-time course an institution offers as prices do vary between courses and universities.

Working whilst Studying

With a distance learning degree, you’re often free to study in your own time, and at your own pace. Of course, there will still be deadlines, but because you don’t have to be in that lecture at 11am, it means you could, in theory, continue in your current job whilst studying. This is a big decision to make though, as it is a real commitment – certainly not a choice you should make after a bottle of wine and a night of dancing.

Seriously, it is a big undertaking; you won’t want to let your work impact your studies, but at the same time you can’t afford your studies to have a detrimental effect on your work. Your boss would not be happy, especially if you’re studying a course in order to get their job!

Study Materials

For us, this was the decider. This ‘little’ unseen fee can in fact make distance learning courses more expensive. Disregarding the benefits of being able to work whilst studying, or the potential savings in rent, it’s easy to forget that studying involves a lot of reading and researching. Whilst the workbooks that you will need in order to complete the course should be provided in the fee, some textbooks and journals aren’t always included.

Textbooks and other frequently referred to content will be needed too often to rent from your local library, and invariably you will not receive them in the tuition cost. Textbooks can be really expensive, so if you need different ones for each module, the costs can mount up. This is the same for journals which you wouldn’t want to buy as you only need them for the odd piece of work. Nonetheless, you still need them, so you will need to go to a library (or travel to a larger library further away) or register to get these online.

Some universities will have extra provisions, or maybe even an online library you can access from home, although watch out for eye strain! Reading the complete works of that well-known academic is a test in itself, let alone doing it on a computer screen. Questions about university provisions are definitely something you should ask before enrolling, because if you still have to buy all the key readings, you could start to wave goodbye to any potential savings you’d make.

Whilst it certainly offers far greater flexibility, studying via distance learning may not be the cheapest option after all. Each university will vary in price, so as with all postgraduate decisions, it’s worth doing your own research; contact the institutions you are interested in and read their course literature carefully. Get your calculator out, make some provisional sums, then make a mature decision – and cry if you don’t get what you want.

All that being said, postgraduate study is an amazing experience, and if you’ve come this far, chances are you are serious about taking your education further. You just need to make sure you understand what you’re signing up for before agreeing to pay any fees, as the last thing you want is for your postgrad experience to be tainted by money issues.

If you already know what you want to study at university, then the process of choosing your A-level subjects is easy. Just search for the degree you want to study and find out what the entry requirements are. It really is that simple.

If you aren’t quite sure, and let’s be honest, that is probably why you are here reading this in the first place, you’ve got a bit more of a challenge ahead. Not a challenge like climbing Mount Everest or passing the Duke of Edinburgh without cheating, more of a consideration. Never fear, Coursefindr is here, and we’ve got all the information you’re going to need to make an informed decision when it comes to choosing the right subjects at A-level.

If you’re not sure what you want to study at university, the best route to take is the one that keeps your options open the most. You may know that you’re not the Maths-type, or perhaps the Arts and Humanities were never your forte; keep this in mind when you pick your A-level subjects as there is no point choosing to take a Science when you think you’ll probably end up studying a Humanities subject at university.

Try to pick at least two ‘facilitating subjects’. What the heck are they you cry? Well, the facilitating subjects that we are aware of (and be aware this list isn’t exhaustive) are; Maths, English Literature, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Geography, History, and Languages. These subjects are, generally speaking, broad enough to get you on to most degrees, but also specific and focussed enough to show the universities you’re not in it for a jolly.

Whilst the idea of PE, Media Studies, and Drama might sound like a great mix for your final year at A-level, you’ll soon realise that this mixture doesn’t look too good in the eyes of the university admissions team for Civil Engineering. It isn’t the end of the world if you don’t pick two facilitating subjects, but having them in your locker will keep more degree subjects open to you.

“Do you play the banjo? Take music. Do you enjoy reading Shakespeare? Take drama. Do you like sitting on Facebook all day? Go home, there is no helping you.”

Once you’ve had a think about which facilitating subjects you will opt for, you’ll be in the position of filling up the slots in your timetable. Most people study four subjects at AS-level, then drop one subject to focus on the other three for the final A-levels. The remaining subjects should offer a bit of a balance; they should reflect your capabilities, academic abilities and your other interests. Do you play the banjo? Take music. Do you enjoy reading Shakespeare? Take drama. Do you like sitting on Facebook all day? Go home, there is no helping you.

Ultimately, there are no wrong choices, as long as you know why you’ve taken them. If you’re planning on choosing a subject you haven’t studied before, make sure you’ve got a valid reason for doing so. If you get asked in two years time by a university admissions tutor why you chose to study Politics, saying you want to be the next Prime Minister is not going to cut it. The following answers are not reason enough to choose a particular subject; ‘It’s fun’, ‘There is no coursework’, ‘It means I get Friday off’.

Choosing the right subjects to study at A-level is tricky, especially when you start to get opinions from others. With this in mind, here are our suggestions for taking advice from certain individuals.

Parents

You should take subject advice from your parents in a similar manner to the way you take their advice on fashion. They probably don’t know best. But let’s not be too harsh on them, they’ve had their finger off the pulse for a while now – sometimes you can get some golden nuggets of information from them.

They are also great to bounce ideas off. Sometimes when you get drawn in to one particular thought pattern, it’s hard to see the bigger picture. Going back to the example of Politics, they would probably be the first to tell you that your plans for world domination won’t rest on which subject you choose at A-level. They can be great like that.

Friends

If they told you to jump off a cliff, would you? Whilst that sounds like something your parents may say, it does ring true in this situation. Your friends are really just going to offer a very similar view to your own, so there isn’t much point asking their advice. All it will really do is to ‘confirm’ your original thoughts, rather than offering you an alternative. Silly friends.

Teachers

Don’t choose a subject just because it is taught by your favourite teacher. What happens if they leave, get sacked, or otherwise disappear. You could be left with a real pain of a teacher instead. What you want to do, is pick the subject that appeals to you because of the subject, not the teacher. Whilst a great teacher can bring a dull subject to life, it is better to study a great subject taught by a dull teacher than the other way round.

Ever since the current government increased tuition fees to £9,000, there have been a lot of suggestions that university would become a much more exclusive club, with only the rich able to afford to get a degree. But such suggestions have been proven to be nothing more than scaremongering, as more students than ever before are now applying for university.

So, all is good, right?

Well, not exactly.

Tuition fees are still high, while 5 years after the dramatic changes, the government passed another bill that would see the popular maintenance grant replaced by another maintenance loan. Although the government say that the amount of money a student is entitled to remains the same, it does mean they will have to pay more back at a later date.

Because student loans are now more confusing than self-employed tax returns, we’ve decided to revise our previously existing article to give you the lowdown on everything you need to know about the subject. Let’s take a look! (if you dare)

Who Is The Student Loans Company?

Student Finance is the government-funded initiative that hands out student loans. According to the website:

“The Student Loans Company is a non-profit making Government-owned organisation set up in 1989 to provide loans and grants to students and universities and colleges in the UK.”

In a nutshell, Student Finance was set up by the government 27 years ago to make higher education affordable to more students. Like with anything that is in the hands of the taxpayer, Student Finance is subject to the ebb and flow of the economy. And because the economy has taken a downturn in recent years, changes have been made to SF – such as higher fees and the retirement of the maintenance grant – in order to make higher education more sustainably funded.

What Type Of Loans Are Available?

There are two types of loans that most students are entitled to. How eligible you are comes down to your personal circumstances, as well as your parents’ income. But most students are entitled to:

• Tuition Fee Loan
• Maintenance Loan

Tuition fee Loans

Most students can’t afford to pay the £9,000 per year, which is the average cost of a degree in 2016. For this reason, Student Finance will assess your details and offer you a tuition fee loan which covers the entire cost of your degree. You won’t actually see this loan because it is always sent directly to your university.

Although most courses now cost £9,000 per year, some are priced differently. For this reason, it’s important that you always check the exact details before applying for a loan. Some universities will charge less because the £9,000 per year is the maximum amount a university can charge for a course. Some universities choose to charge less, but most students are indeed charged the maximum amount.

The tuition fee loan is repayable once you graduate and are earning a certain amount of money.

Maintenance Loan

Your tuition fees won’t cover everything. After all, you’ve gotta live, right?

The maintenance loan is a designed to cover your cost of living. Students use this loan to pay for rent, food, books, travel, nights out, study materials and so on. The amount you are entitled to comes down to your personal circumstances, but the maximum amount anyone gets in 2016/17 is £5,750.

Like the tuition fee loan, the maintenance loan is repayable once you graduate and are making a certain amount of money.

The big controversy here is that there is no longer such a thing as a maintenance grant, which was a non-repayable lump sum of money that contributed further to a student’s cost of livings. Instead, students whose household income is £25,000 or less will be qualify a bigger maintenance loan to fill in the hole. Naturally, this means you will have more to repay.

The “certain amount of money” you need to make before you pay anything back is £21,000+ per year. For as long as you continue to make less than this amount, you won’t need to repay a penny.

Although it seems unfair that the maintenance grant has been removed, the government say that the changes were necessary to make higher education more sustainable in the long-term.

But What If I’m A PostGrad?

One of the things that the current government has undoubtedly got right is the belated introduction of student loans that help cover the cost of postgraduate courses, such as Masters. Yay!

If your full-time or part-time Masters course starts after 1 August 2016, you can now apply for a student loan of up to £10,000. Bear in mind that this £10,000 is divided up between your tuition fees and living costs.

You are only eligible if you meet certain criteria:

• You are aged under 60 at the time of applying
• You live in England
• You do not already have any type of postgraduate degree

Your eligibility is not dependent on your income.

Find out more about postgraduate loans here.

And, Hello? What About Me, The Part-Time Student?

Studying part-time gives you the flexibility to combine it with a job, look after any children you might have, or take care of a family member. Part-time courses will last twice the length of full-time courses, but you still get as much out of your degree as full-time students. And just like full-time students, part-time students are eligible for student loans which cover their tuition fees and contribute towards their living costs.

How much you are entitled to depends on your household income.

And What About Me, The Mature Student?

Yup! Even mature students are eligible for student loans, providing this is your first time at university. You apply the same way as younger students, and what you are entitled to depends on your household income – and not your age!

Special Support Grants

While the maintenance grant has been cut, special support grants are still available. Like the maintenance grant, a special support grant does not have to be repaid, and receiving one does not affect the amount you are entitled to in the form of a maintenance loan. A special support grant is indeed there to supplement your loan and to contribute further to your living costs.

Not everyone is entitled to a special support grant. To successfully apply, you need to meet one of the following criteria:

• You are a single parent
• Your partner, whom you live with, is a student, too
• You have a disability that is already recognised by the government
• You are deaf
• You have been unable to work for the past 28 weeks or more due to a physical incapability
• You temporarily left a previous course because of illness or because you were caring for someone, and now wish to resume your studies
• You are over sixty-years-old

DSAs And Other Extra Funding

You could be eligible for a Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) if you have a physical disability. You may also be eligible if you have a long-term health condition, a mental health disorder, or a learning difficulty, such as dyslexia. If you are unsure whether you are eligible or not, you can read the definition of disability to find out.

A DSA is a non-repayable grant that supplements your cost of living. Students can use it to purchase specialist equipment and software, as well as travel. Although there are no rules on what you can and cannot spend your DSA on, these are the general things that students use it for.

The amount you receive is dependent on a few factors related to your individual needs, and household income is not one of them.

Childcare Grants

To be eligible for a non-repayable childcare grant, you must be a full-time student who has at least one child.

From 1 August 2016 onwards, if you have one child, you are entitled of a maximum £155.24 per week.

If you have two or more children, you are entitled to a maximum amount of £266.15 per week.

Travel Grants

If your course is such that are required to spend at least half the time abroad, you might be eligible for extra funding from Student Finance that will go some way to covering your travel expenses. And because this extra cash comes in the form of a grant, you don’t need to repay any of it. Unlike the above grants though, a travel grant is based on your household income.

To be eligible, you must live in England, and a requirement of your course must be that you are studying abroad for at least 50% of its duration. You will also be eligible if you’re on an Erasmus work placement or study.

As mentioned, the amount you get is dependent on your household income. It is up to you to pay the first £303 of your travel costs, but once you spend more than thus, you can claim back all extra costs. For example, if a plane ticket to America costs you £700, you can claim back £397.

Medical insurance is covered as long as it’s mandatory, as are medical expenses and VISAs.

How Do I Apply For A Student Loan?

Although a lot of heady figures are involved, applying for a student loan is actually a really easy process once you get started. When you are ready, you need to hop on over to Student Finance and create an account.

You then need to fill in a series of forms, before sending in any evidence requested to support your application. If you’re applying for a means-tested loan, you will be asked to provide your identity, as well as your household income.

Student Finance will then process your application before sending you a form that details the exact amount you are entitled to. You then need to sign the form before mailing it back.

It really is as simple as creating an account, following the steps, sending in your evidence and signing and returning the form.

When Will I Get My Loans?

Good question.

Lots of first-year students can’t wait to move into their halls of residence, and usually they do so at least a week before uni starts.

Then, they just want to go out and party with their new flatmates, spending the first chunk of their maintenance loan on booze.

Only, there is one snag: The loan STILL hasn’t arrived in their bank account!

This is because your maintenance loan is not deposited in your account until after your first day of university. The student loans company wants to make sure you’ve registered and are actually a legit student who wants a degree.

Once you have registered on your first day, you basically have to play the nail-biting waiting game until your student loan is in. Some students receive theirs the next day, while others are left waiting for another week. It all comes down to your bank and how quickly they process the money.

But whenever it arrives, you can bet it’ll be the happiest day of your life.

You don’t receive all your maintenance loan in one go. Because Student Finance realises that students need to make sure their loan stretches from September until May, you get your loan in three separate instalments:

• September
• January
• April

Your tuition fee is paid directly to your university, and as such it isn’t something you need to worry about. The only time a student even thinks about this loan is when it hasn’t been paid for whatever reason. If this ever happens, you need to phone up Student Finance to find out why.

How Much Do I Repay?

This is the scary bit that can easily put a hesitant student off applying for university. But as long as you settle it with your mind that you don’t need to repay a penny until you graduate and are earning at least £21,000 per year, you’ll be able to breathe more easily.

Although tuition fees have rocketed to £9,000, the amount you repay has not rocketed with it. Moreover, once you are earning over £21,000 in your cushy new job, you only repay 9% on any earnings.

For example, if you were earning £22,000, you would repay £90.

It’s important to note, though, that these payments are spread out over the year. If you are earning a cool £30,000 per year, you would pay back some £810 over the course of the year.

These figures are generally not something you need to worry about right now, and they probably won’t play on your mind too much in the future either. Your repayments are always deducted automatically from your monthly pay packet, and as such you never even see the money in the first place.

But What About Interest Rates?

You are charged interest from the moment you make your first payment until you pay off the entirety of your loan. Interest will be added to the full amount you owe each month.

The current interest rate for student loans is 0.9% APR, and it is based on the UK Retail Price Index. The exact amount is variable and depends on your unique circumstances. It is updated just once a year in September.

The UK Retail Price Index (RPI) measures our country’s inflation, and the government uses the rate of RPI to set the interest rate charged on your student loan.

How To Re-Apply For A Student Loan

You don’t need to worry about re-applying for a student loan for Year 2 until Student Finance themselves get in touch with you.

Then, you will need to login to your account and notify SF if any of your circumstances have changed. For example, perhaps you lived at home with your parents during the first year but will be moving out in the second year. As such, the amount you are entitled to may change.

It’s important to notify SF of any change in your circumstances because any change can affect how much you are entitled to. For example, if you lived away from home during the first year but move back in the second, SF will want to know about it. If you fail to notify them and they find out at a later date, they will ask you to repay any money that you owe them.

What If My Money Doesn’t Arrive?

If it’s been over two weeks and your money still hasn’t arrived in your account, you should first login to your account to check for any messages you might have missed. If there aren’t any messages and the dates all seem to be right, the best thing to do is give Student Finance a call.

Unfortunately, a few students are often left waiting longer than their mates for their maintenance loans to arrive. If this happens to you, just know that the money will come eventually.

In the meantime, just beg your mates for a pint!