Packing your bags to go and study away from your home-town can be a bit of an uneasy prospect. Many students worry about feeling homesick and missing their friends, families, partners, and even pets.

Most students who up-sticks to study in Brighton, though, tend to forget all this as soon as they hit the beach. Even the postcard to mum gets forgotten about!

If you’re thinking of studying in Brighton, you’ll know that you have a lot of research to do first. You need to find out how much your accommodation will cost you, the best and worst places to live, what the general culture is like, as well as how cheap the drink prices are. It’s all important stuff, but thankfully we’ve got you covered on everything. Let’s have a gander at what studying in Brighton is all about.

Universities In Brighton

Brighton is home to two universities:

University of BrightonUniversity of Sussex

University of Brighton

The University of Brighton is currently placed 91st in the Guardian University League Table Rankings 2017. It scores really well on the greenometer for taking care of its surrounding environment, while entry standards and graduate prospects are in the average-to-above-average range. The research facilities here are recognised as some of the best in the world, with the Research Excellence Framework 2014 ranking it among the top 25% of UK universities.

Although its graduate prospects fare just slightly above average, it’s important to note that The University of Brighton also has close ties with businesses and employers which enhances your chances of securing employment after you graduate.

The University is fantastically situated not too far from the city of London.

University of Sussex

The University of Sussex sits proudly at 20th in the current Guardian League Table rankings. It’s particularly renowned for having excellent graduate prospects, while it’s overall spend on modern facilities is high.

Founded as recently as the early 1960’s, the University of Sussex is popular with mature students, and has a 75/25% mix of undergraduate and postgraduate students. Teaching standards are high, with 88% of 2014 students saying they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the teaching they received.

The University is situated in the gorgeous Sussex Downs, with the centre of Brighton reachable in just a matter of minutes.

Fees, Living Aspects & Student Finance

Unfortunately, talking about finance is something that has to be done when you’re studying at university, be it in Brighton or anywhere else. Going to university is often the first time a young person has to think about budgeting, and as such it equips you with one of life’s most valuable and practical life-skills – that of managing your finances.

Whatever you are studying, you can expect to pay £9,000 per year for a full-time course. If you can’t pay your student fees yourself, Student Finance becomes your new best friend. Student Finance is is a government-funded initiative that loans money to students to help pay for their course and to contribute towards their costs of living.

All students are entitled to a tuition fee loan and a maintenance loan for each year of their course. Tuition fee loans cover the entire amount of your course and are paid directly to your university. You only start repaying this loan after you have graduated, and once you are earning a certain amount of money per year. Read more in our Ultimate Guide to Student Loans

While Student Finance takes care of your loans, you will still need to get to grips with managing your budget. For some students, the maintenance loans are enough to cover their costs of living, while others need to take on part-time work. Your “cost of living” will include your rent, bills, study materials, food, transport and, of course, your social life. As of 2015, the average student living in Brighton spends around £28 per week on groceries, £18 on utilities, and £95 on rent.

When it comes to accommodation, you can either live in one of your university’s halls of residence during the first year, or you can take the plunge and rent a room in a shared house with other students. A large number of first year students choose to live in halls of residence because it is convenient and it gives them the chance to get acquainted with lots of like-minded students. There are plenty of positives to living in a halls of residence:

• 24/7 security
• All your utilities are included in your rent
• Chance to make new friends before your course has even started

General Info About Brighton

Brighton is one of the most colourful, creative cities in England, which makes it an ideal place for students. The seaside resort town has an overall population of 155,000, around 25,000 of whom are students. Compact and easy to navigate, Brighton is ideally located at the southern tip of the UK; London is reachable by train in just 50 minutes, which means that if you study here you’ll pretty much have the best of two amazing worlds: The beach and our booming capital city.

Bus services are regular, while there is a flat rate fare in the city centre. Cycle lanes are also plentiful, although car parking in and around the central area can be a little bit on the expensive side. As mentioned, trains to London take just 50 minutes which means that you can easily travel from the capital to your home-town whenever you want. But for when you do want to hang around as much as possible, the city of Brighton boasts 19 cinemas, 10 museums, an absolutely awesome pleasure pier, and, of course, that gorgeous beach.

Events, Venues & Points Of Interest

Brighton is a massively popular tourist destination, attracting over 8 million tourists per year. Moreover, it is also the UK’s most popular seaside destination bar none – and for good reason. A cool, vibrant clean city, there are plenty of things to see and do in Brighton when you’re not stuck in the classroom.

If you’re looking to just get out and about for a few days, exploring Brighton is really fun; it’s a seaside city that offers a vast amount of things to do during the day, and is a giddy mix of culture, scenery, ambience and nightlife. You can take a walk back in time at the Royal Pavilion, check out some vibrant café and shopping culture at The Lanes, go for a stroll along Brighton beach in the afternoon, stop by the Brighton museum and art gallery, before watching the sunset from Brighton pier.

Brighton also does the arts very well too, with the Brighton Theatre Royal – a beautiful Grade II listed building – offering an exciting year-round programme of top shows, from West End musicals to comedies. There are three main cinemas in the city, which include an Odeon and a Cineworld on the seafront, as well as the independent Duke of York’s Picturehouse for more discerning movie buffs.

It’s also worth mentioning that Brighton is the only city in England that has a Green MP. Unsurprisingly, its beach isn’t its only offer of retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life; Brighton is also surrounded by the Sussex Downs, a range of gorgeous chalky white rolling hills that are popular with walkers and cyclists. A long distance footpath takes you all the way from Winchester to Eastbourne, and represents an idyllic way to spend any day when you’re looking to just wind down and chill out. Other points of interest in the nearby countryside include Devil’s Dyke, a beauty spot with footpaths and trails, and Ditchling Beacon, the highest point in Sussex that offers captivating views.

Nightlife

Brighton is the clubbing capital of the south coast, and, if you believe some people, it’s also the clubbing capital of the entire country. Fat Boy Slim is a resident, which tells you all you need to know. Okay, he’s old now and no longer drinks, but wherever he lives there’s always a party. So, if you can’t wait to unpack your suitcases before popping your glad rags on, you’ll be pleased to know that Brighton is not short of a party venue or two.

Now, the thing with being a student is that you’re probably going to be skint quite often. Maybe you’ll want to make the most of midweek nights while trying to scrape some pennies together for a quieter night (yeah, right) at the weekend. In Brighton, stretching your student loan so that you’re not the one who has to tell your halls buddies that you’re staying in tonight with a cup of tea and Keith Lemon is totally possible.

Mondays are all about Fat PoppaDaddys, otherwise known affectionately as Fat Pops. Fat Pops is aimed squarely at hard-up students who want a good time, with doubles costing just a mere £2.10. You can also get 5 Jaeger Bombs for a fiver before 12.30, while quality, banging music is always guaranteed. Rivalling Fat Pops on a Monday is Trash, a Vice magazine-endorsed club night at Coalition that is open from 11 until 5 in the morning.

The clubbing action doesn’t stop as the week wears on; on Wednesdays you have a choice between Epik! and Coco Loco, a tropical midweek student shindig; on Thursdays you’re probably going to be caught between slipping off to Brighton’s worst kept secret The Secret Discotheque or getting on down to Paradiso at LoLa Lo, while if you’re still awake by Friday, Friday I’m In Love is the absolute perfect way to start your weekend, with entry prices starting from just £5.

If you’re more of a pub person, Brighton has got your back in terms of quantity. The only real downside is that the price of a pint does appear to be rising by the hour, but as a bonus you get to sip your pint with a sea view. Our favourite pubs include The North Laine, The Gladstone on Lewes Road, The Globe and Hobgoblin. Careful, though, because one drink could easily turn into “OMG I Woke Up Face Down On Brighton Beach This Morning.”

So There It Is…

In a nutshell, Brighton is a must-see city for anyone. Whether you choose to study there is all down to you. If you’re seriously thinking about it and would like to find out a little bit more, why not start searching for courses in Brighton now?

The army is keen – very keen – on maintaining an intelligent and well-structured organisation and keeping the armed forces a maintained and powerful force for the country. And to do this, they need intelligent graduates who have gained valuable knowledge and skills.

So, the armed forces are offering something quite special indeed – full bursaries and scholarships to anyone who will take them and, hopefully, join their ranks when they graduate. It’s a good deal, and shouldn’t be dismissed as another recruiting drive. This is much more than that; it’s a full and complete opportunity to both pay your way through university and get a job at the end of it.

The Advantages

The advantages to joining this scheme are, frankly, obvious. But that doesn’t make them any less good for any student thinking about finishing a degree. In fact, it makes the entire idea of a degree a much more attractive prospect. This way, the armed forces will pay for you to finish your degree – in part or in full – and will offer you a job at the end of it all, if you’re any good.

This is like any other scholarship except this time it’s with the armed forces. Whatever preconceptions someone considering the offer might have about the armed forces should, probably, be held aside – this is a really, really good deal; just because it’s with the army doesn’t mean it won’t work out more or less the same as any other scholarship or bursary.

There’s another huge advantage to this scheme too – generally when companies and organisations start paying for a student to go through university, they understandably take a vested interest in the student, supporting them in any way possible. With the armed forces, this is no different. It’s difficult to tell how exactly this will manifest itself but occasionally this interest could take the form of a brand new laptop, a stack of textbooks, or even paid extra tuition. But on the downside, it could just be a printed coffee mug and an ARMY pencil. It all depends on what you can milk when you’re trying for the position – and make sure to milk it as much as you possibly can. These kind of opportunities don’t come around often.

Why Would They?

Fair enough; good question. Why would the armed forces spend so much money on little old you to finish your degree, and why would they throw in extras in the process? Well, basically, they need to – the armed forces are going to have an enormous skills gap in a few years and are in desperate need of graduates to fill positions that will become available as staff retire from areas like communications, engineering, and technology. These aren’t always the kind of areas that a soldier that’s done a few tours can just walk into. People need to be well educated and trained for this kind of thing. That’s why they’re paying for people to graduate – they need graduates!

The armed forces don’t just need to fill the boots of various people who have or are about to retire, either – the forces themselves are changing, and the army isn’t the entity it used to be. Now there’s more mathematicians needed to break codes, more engineers needed to make machines, and more scientists and statisticians to analyse a situation. That’s what the army needs – intelligent people. Like you.

There’s a lot more to the armed forces then people realise – the army employs around 600,000 people from all over the country. There is a desperate, pressing need for scientists, engineers, accountants, mathematicians, doctors, nurses, legal experts, and much else besides. Every technical degree you can think of will have an equivalent position within the armed forces. The real shame is that this is not widely known.

What They Expect

Now, in return for your free or reduced-cost higher education and a new laptop, what do the armed forces expect from you in return? Well, put simply – and it is our pleasure to write this entirely without irony – they want YOU! Yep. It’s that simple. A student hoping to qualify for the army bursary would have to pass their selection programme, and would then go on to study their degree programme. When they graduate, qualifiers from the most common of the scholarship schemes would be expected to serve a minimum of three years in the army as a regular officer.

So, yes, there is a catch. But in fairness, it’s not a huge one – working for the company or organisation that paid you through university is not exactly unheard of, and the contract is fair and democratic. Besides, getting a paid job directly after you graduate isn’t exactly something to be upset about. This is a truly great opportunity, and should be treated as one.

There are a variety of scholarships and bursaries available to anyone hoping to study as an undergraduate, and these are awarded only to the people studying a degree programme that the army will consider relevant to the roles they wish to fill. This does allow a varied list – the armed forces as a whole offer an enormous variety of different scholarships in a wide range of disciplines, and there’s an awful lot available to prospective students.

Directly Related Courses

The most common of the courses that the army offers scholarships and bursaries for are, unsurprisingly, directly related to work within the army proper as a soldier. These generally are fast-track courses in order to become a young serving officer after graduation and service as a soldier.

The army also offers a rather intriguing scholarship to prospective music students who they hope to recruit after graduation. This is designed to bring musicians into the army as part of a long tradition of marching to music within the British army. We’ve all seen them – the guys in red coats and bearskins with trumpets and drums; that could be you! It’s well worth considering when studying for a music course and would look great on your CV, even if you decide not to take the position as an army musician.

The army offers more scholarships in the courses directly involved within army positions than anywhere else, and these are the ones that most people will qualify for. If you’re not looking for a job in the military directly, these are still worth considering – an extra three years of service to your country isn’t a bad thing, by any standard, and after this you can decide what you want to do with a degree in your pocket. Remember any degree is a very good thing, and often job opportunities will crop up in areas that have nothing to do with your degree but you will still be able to qualify for. We know we keep saying it, but this really is a good deal.

Two Very Common Questions

How much money could I expect to receive?

Good question. This depends entirely on your course and degree programme and how interested the army is in you. Students studying as part of the army directly could be expected to receive between £6000 and £8000, depending on the length of the course. Students studying courses that aren’t directly related to the military can still expect a bursary, but generally the amount of money they’d receive would be considerably less. It all depends on the course and the contract.

Finally, students in the army’s music scheme can expect to receive £1500 for a three year course.

Do I have to join the army afterwards?

Short answer: no. Nobody will make you join the army, but generally it would be expected of you, particularly if you’ve studied a directly related course. After graduation if you decide this isn’t what you want to do, you don’t have to, but you may be expected to give them their money back.

Undergraduates studying courses with a bursary from the armed forces that aren’t directly related to the military may have to do the same thing – it all depends on what agreement you come to with the army when receiving your bursary. Generally though you would be expected to work in a position on the civilian side of the military for at least three years. Though, again, this depends on the exact terms that come with the bursary.

The National Student Survey is a useful tool to analyse universities around the country and see them graded from the perspective of the people who matter – the students. The results of this survey show the huge amount of information that students have to offer, and it could be their opinion that matters most to you.

Whatever research, facilities and other cool stuff a university might have, it’s not worth anything if every graduate feels like they could have had a better experience somewhere else. Remember, you are paying for your university experience. You are, in some regards, a customer; and like any other customer you should always look for the best value for your money. That’s why the NSS matters – it’s the best way to get feedback from people like you, for you.

You can view the results from the 2015 National Student Survey here on the Higher Education Funding Council for England website.

The survey is split into seven sections for ease of reference: Teaching Quality, Assessment and Feedback, Academic Support, Organisation and Management, Learning Resources, Personal Development and Overall Satisfaction. In addition to this, some universities like to ask their students extra questions about their student experience. The answers to these aren’t shared publicly, and are just for university use.

Once the survey is completed at the end of each academic year, the results are collected together and eventually published on the government’s university statistics website. The results are considered so important because it is one of the best representations of what a university is actually like. Before the NSS, there was very little available in terms of feedback from students about their university and course, other than their grades.

Only final year students are eligible to complete the NSS, and they are required to give their opinions on the entire duration of their course… One lecturer from Kingston has pointed out however, that if students grade their university low, then their degree would be worth less as in effect it downgrades the university. He sadly, does have a point, though.

Let’s take a look at each section of the survey in a bit more detail:

Teaching Quality

This is, of course, enormously important and relevant to students in particular. You can have universities brimming with excellent academics and researchers, but this means very little if they are not good at actually teaching. The official university rankings won’t give you any proof on whether or not the teachers are any good! Are you starting to get why the NSS is such a big deal now?

Assessment and Feedback & Academic Support

These two sections of the survey tie in with the teaching quality of the course and ask similar questions about the way the course is organised and handled. A university can pride themselves on their academic support, but realistically speaking the students perceptions are there to give outsiders the truth (not that the university would lie about the quality of their services)

Organisation and Management & Learning Resources

These two sections are so important. If you are planning on studying a degree which requires the use of certain facilities and resources, you need to pay attention to this section. The quality of your course will be dependent on the resources you have to aid you. You also need to pay attention to how well organised things like lectures, exams and workshops or seminars are. Again, remember that you are paying for this education and so bad organisation is something that you should pick up on. Things like cancelled lectures will be picked up on by existing students, and they probably won’t hesitate with reporting this back via the NSS. Pay careful attention to this when you are weighing up your different university options.

Personal Development

This is erm, a bit of a strange category. It asks questions to the students about their personal development (obviously), which should have been encouraged by the university. You will see lots of questions similar to “do you feel you’ve advanced as a person since you have been at university?” so most of the time it’s a little difficult to judge a university on the personal development of its students. With that said, would you want to study at a university where all of the students saw no personal developments over a three year course? We thought not…

Overall Satisfaction

This final category is without doubt, the most important. It gives a great overview of what students thought of their course and university, and this rating often appears next to the other major categories and is also used as a factor in university ranking tables. The overall satisfaction from your course isn’t the absolute most important thing you should take from university – that, of course, is your degree – but it should sit pretty firmly in second place in terms of importance.

The NSS data along with university league tables offer you a great insight into the quality of teaching and student experience to expect and should provide great assistance in choosing a course and university.

If you are near the end of your studies and want to make your opinions count, you can take part in the 2016 National Student Survey here until the 30th of April, 2016.

Moving to a new city to study can be a daunting prospect for students. Particularly for students who come from small towns or villages, the transition to a sprawling metropolis is not always an easy one. Moving to London, the 24th biggest city in the world by population, is on another level, not least because of how expensive it can be. Yet, most students will admit to choosing to study there, not so much because it’s a challenge, but because of what it offers them. From top class universities to an exhaustive list of museums and galleries that enrich the student experience, London has it all. It’s where young people simply want to be.

Naturally, we all need help when it comes to finding our feet in a new place. We need someone to put an arm around us, point out the places that will help us to feel at home, explain the modes of transport available to us and, more importantly, tell us where we can get drunk for under a tenner. London, more than any other city, is a veritable maze that, once unravelled, is an unrivalled treasure trove rich in culture, learning – and partying. Whether you want to know where to live, how to get to uni by river, or where you can go to escape your house-mates addiction to daytime TV and pot noodles – whilst remaining entirely within your student budget – we’ve got you covered.

The Universities

You may already know that there are a LOT of universities in London – over 50 to be precise. We haven’t got time to give you the low down on each one, so here are the highest ranking universities in London:

Imperial College London
Currently ranked 7th in the UK by the Guardian University League Tables, Imperial College London is situated in South Kensington. It is very well known for it’s excellence in science and technology courses, it’s extensive medical centre and a prestigious business school. The University has some interesting alumni including the CEO of Rolls Royce, Sir Alexander Fleming, and the Prime Minster of New Zealand.

University College London (UCL)
UCL is located a short walk away from Soho and Oxford Street and has a Guardian 2017 League Table ranking of 14. The institutions offers a wide range of courses and is home to many international students (around 50% of the student body).

London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
LSE has recently been ranked 12th in the UK according to the Guardian, and is the only institution in the UK offering courses purely in social sciences. Again, this university has a highly culturally diverse student body with many international students based on campus. It is located in the heart of the city and boasts excellent student learning facilities.

Getting Around

London is so big it’s divided up into an incredible nine travel zones – which is probably nine more than anywhere you might be coming from. Travel zones are fairly simple to grasp once you get going, and their importance when using public transport should not be mis-underestimated. Zone 1 is Central London, with each subsequent zone expanding outwards from there until you arrive at Zone 9, which is the outer edges of the city. When travelling in London, you can purchase either an Oyster Card or a TravelCard, both of which offer the most convenient – and cheapest – means of travelling through London. Oyster Cards, which come with a 30% student discount, are valid for all travel zones, but TravelCards are only valid for the zones you pay for.

Your Oyster and TravelCards can be used on the Tube, DLR, buses, trams and railway services throughout London. Trams in particular have recently grown in popularity with students and commuters alike, with them becoming a more frequent, more reliable and more spacious mode of transport. Yet for anyone planning a day out in London who doesn’t fancy the hustle and bustle of public transport, you can hire a so-called ‘Boris Bike’ from any one of the 700 docking stations located around London. They’re handy, cheap and offer a more pleasant experience than the Tube at rush hour.

River buses also offer a unique travel experience in London. They run from early in the morning until the evening, and you can either use your Oyster Card, buy a one off ticket, or – if you’re to be using one regularly – buy a season ticket. They offer a relaxing, comfortable travel option – you’re guaranteed a seat, meaning there is none of the rush for a seat that comes with being on the tube – and you can enjoy the view from the Thames as you sip your coffee, catch up with your work, or just chill out with your music.

Places to Live

During their first year of uni, a lot of students choose to live in student halls of residence. Described as offering the quintessential uni experience, they’re convenient, relatively inexpensive, and help students to meet new people and quickly make new friends. But if you choose private accommodation, you can expect to pay upwards of £170 a week in London and so will need to be more careful with how you manage your money.

Camden is notoriously cool, and if you choose to live here you a) get to make your mates jealous and b) will be privy to everything cool and quirky that is happening around you. It’s quite literally a hotspot for live music, comedy, food and drink, as well as all things artistic, bohemian, and, well, generally cool. Amy Winehouse used to live here. So did Walter Sickert, an artist people once thought was Jack The Ripper. Moving swiftly on (he’s long dead, so don’t worry, he won’t come knocking at your door) it’s home to the famous Camden Markets, where hidden treasures are constantly being unearthed, and, if you like diversity, fashion and all things vintage, Camden may well be the place for you.

Alternatively, if money is slightly tighter and stretching your student loan is proving difficult, the rapidly improving East End of London may be an option. Having attracted significant investment and expansion in recent years (the Olympic Park is based here), it looks better than ever, and student property prices are still greatly affordable. It is also home to pubs and clubs that are cheap and cheerful.

Westminster is one of the more vibrant parts of London. Along with an array of trendy bars and restaurants, it is also home to the National Gallery, the West End, St James’s Park and Tate Britain. Situated in Central London and on the doorstep of the University of Westminster, it’s an attractive option for students with a little more cash in their wallets. Moreover, what you spend on accommodation, you save on travel as so much is just a walking distance away.

Nightlife

Whether you like to party until the early hours with the sound of techno blasting in your ears, prefer to pride yourself on uncovering ‘secret’ whiskey houses that no one else knows about, or crave live comedy and surreal cabaret, London has something for everyone. From regular student nights, where you’ll find yourself buying 5 Jagerbombs for a fiver before telling everyone to follow you to the dance floor, to after parties that keep on going until the next month, London comes alive at night and doesn’t stop until you want it to.

For anyone who is serious about their dance beats, Fabric is where the big guns play. Techno stalwarts Boys Noize play here, as do Joy Orbison and electronic music legend Richie Hawtin. Usually staying open until 7AM, there is something huge on every weekend, with DJ’s playing across 3 very packed rooms. Alternatively, there is Pacha, a club that aims to bring the Ibiza vibe to London, as well as the famous Ministry Of Sound.

Like in all major cities, London is home to a plethora of ‘hidden’ bars that can be located via hard work, ingenuity, and a little helping hand from those in the know. The Doodle Bar, a hub for creatives and artists, vacates a former dairy warehouse. To get there, you have to traverse a darkened alleyway, and the only nod that this unassuming place is indeed a drinking den is a neon sign that says ‘Bar.’ Inside, you can partake in ping pong and life drawing (and drinking), and regular live comedy and music is provided. Of a similar ilk is Freud Bar, an underground cocktail bar where access is only allowed once you’ve descended a metal staircase that feels as though it’s leading you into a seedy basement. Inside, however, you are met by a dizzying array of inventive cocktails, not to mention a place brimming with people. There are loads of bars like this – you just need to ask around. If they ask who sent you, just don’t mention us. These guys prefer to keep everything on the hush-hush.

For an alternative night out, we recommend Madame Jojo’s, a former strip club that now hosts regular entertainment nights that includes burlesque, cabaret, comedy, belly dancing, rockabilly and more. With the slightly sleazy décor that adds to an unparalleled atmosphere, the events here range from the ridiculous to the borderline insane. It’s a fabulous venue for good times – and there many more like it.

Things To Do In London

As you’re going to be in London for at least 3 years, you’re going to need something to do during the day – besides all the coursework and drinking, that is. Coming highly recommend for anyone with more than a passing interest in art and culture are the large number of art galleries contained in the city.

As well as the famous National Gallery, which is always renewing its exhibitions, making sure you get to cram in as much art as possible during your tenure, there are the popular galleries situated in London’s diverse and dynamic Brick Lane. Brick Lane Gallery showcases some of the most exciting emerging artists around, featuring an array of fine multimedia pieces, photography exhibitions, paintings and contemporary sculptures. Brick Lane itself also offers markets, street food, ethnic restaurants and festivals, so that it is easy to make it your second home. One visit and you’ll be wondering where all the time went.

London is also home to some fantastic parks which allow you to escape the hurly-burly nature of the city and indulge in some relaxation. As well as offering an expansive, peaceful space, London’s parks are also home to regular concerts, festivals and open-air theatre events that keep things interesting. In the autumn, the park’s’ colours become beautifully evocative, so if you’re looking for some inspiration for your art project and believe that London’s urban sprawl can’t satisfy you, retreat to a park and think again.

Moreover, the capital is home to dozens of pop-ups that can keep you busy all year round. From vinyl-only record stores in Hackney, to Turkish restaurants and alpine lodges, London’s pop-ups are often seasonal based, so when it comes closer to Christmas you can enjoy a mulled wine at Forza Winter, and when summer shows its face you can watch a movie under the stars at one of London’s many outdoor cinemas. These cinemas come and go each year, with the latest greatest being housed at Battersea Power Station. If you keep your eye out, you’ll be unearthing gems left, right and centre. Toy Story 4 whilst the sun sets on the horizon, anyone?

Ways To Get Home From London

Living and studying in London can be tiring for anyone, particularly young students, so it’s important that you have good, reliable transport links to home where mother is waiting for you with her cooking and a big hug that says ‘please don’t leave me again!’.

London is home to more than 10 railway stations which provide excellent links to all major towns and cities in the UK. Because there are a large number of railway stations, you will need to know which one services the area of the UK you are heading to. If, for example, you live in the North East, you will depart from Kings Cross. If you are heading home to the North West, your station will either be St Pancras or Euston. The good thing is that all these major rail stations are located in Central London, and getting to them is either a quick tube or bus ride away. If you book a month or two in advance, you will be saving yourself a wealth of pennies.

Alternatively, the Megabus is a popular choice among cash-strapped students who make regular journeys back home. Return trips to and from London cost less than £20, and the bus services most major towns and cities in the UK, from Aberdeen to Yeovil. Naturally, the journeys take much longer than rail, but as long as you have great music and coffee, what’s the worst that can happen?

Education Outside Uni

If you want to learn more about the world around you, whether it be the science behind matter, the latest in modern art, or the British involvement in the Second World War, London has a myriad of museums and galleries that cater to your cultural and educational needs. Most of them are free, and the exhibitions they house are extensive and exhaustive. From a scarring yet hugely illuminating Holocaust exhibition in the Imperial War Museum, to an examination into Ancient Iran, the cradle of civilisation, at the British Museum, each exhibition is eye-opening and offers the perfect antidote to anyone looking for a bit of culture and learning. Some exhibitions are permanent, some are temporary, but all are awe-inspiring.

Situated in London is also the world-famous London Library, where subscription gives you access to over a million books, covering subjects from philosophy to history, religion to medicine. Anyone can apply for free membership, so if you’re looking for somewhere peaceful to study away from your house-mates and their addiction to Jeremy Kyle, there is no better place than the hallowed, echoing halls of the city’s main library.

Conclusion

Studying and living successfully in London is all about having the right attitude. If you immerse yourself in the city, your student experience will be wonderfully enhanced. As we’ve shown, London needs only to be as expensive as you want it to be. With the right attitude – and the right budget – the UK’s capital city is a young person’s dream. Go live it!

Start your search for university courses in London now.

In the UK’s Chancellor’s 2014 Autumn Statement, the government unveiled plans for a brand new postgraduate loans scheme which would see English-based students receive postgraduate loans to help fund their Masters courses. Working in a similar way to undergraduate loans, the postgraduate loans are designed to help lift the financial burden that comes with studying for a Masters, making higher academic degrees more accessible to all.

Aspects of the government-backed postgraduate loans were reformed in 2015 and the proposals have been reconfirmed in the Chancellor’s 2015 Spending Review. Key changes have been made to the original scheme, while most of the loan details have now been confirmed. If you’re looking to find out more about postgraduate loans, including whether or not you will be eligible, let’s take a look at all you need to know.

What Courses Or Subjects Are Eligible For A Postgraduate Loan?

Postgraduate loans are available for Masters degree programmes only. This means that you cannot apply for a postgraduate loan if you are studying for a PGCert, PGDip, or a PCGE.

Postgraduate loans are available for whichever Masters degree you are studying. They are available only for universities within the UK, and for Masters courses that do not last longer than two years full-time, or four years part-time. You can also apply for a postgraduate loan if you are studying an MBA or an MRes.

Any Masters degree that is offered as a four year full-time course is classed as an undergraduate programme, and consequently not eligible. You will be eligible for a loan if you are studying for a postgraduate research course as long as it awards a Masters degree and doesn’t last longer than two years. The postgraduate loan does not cover PhDs.

How Do The Loans Work For Part Time And Flexible Modes Of Study?

Firstly, postgraduate loans are available for students who are studying part-time, or who have signed up to distance-learning courses. However, they come with a few conditions.

Part-time students will receive the exact same amount as those studying full-time, but their loan will be spread out over four years as opposed to two. This means you will receive a sum that is somewhere between £2,500 – £5,000 per year.

According to the terms and conditions of the postgraduate loan for part-time students, you are required to study at 50% intensity. This means that you progress through the course at half the rate of a full-time student. Put simply, a full-time course lasts for two years; for you to be eligible for a postgraduate loan as a part-time student, your course cannot last more than four years – double that of a full-time degree. If it lasts longer than four years, you will not be eligible for a postgraduate loan.

If you have signed up for a distance-learning course, you will be eligible for a postgraduate loan under the revised plans.

Is There Any Student Eligibility Criteria?

The new postgraduate loans are contingent upon three sets of criteria:

• Age
• Nationality
• Residency

Previously, there was an age limit of 30, while non-English universities were excluded. Substantial reforms, however, were carried out prior to the Autumn 2015 announcement; students up to 60-years-old are now eligible to apply for a loan, while all UK universities are now included in the eligibility criteria. Students need to be a resident in England before they start their course, although exceptions may be granted to EU students.

EU students are eligible, but you need to have been a resident in the EU for 3 years or more before applying. EU students will be offered the same loan as UK nationals, with the same repayment requirements.

International students are not eligible for a postgraduate loan in normal circumstances. To successfully apply, you would need to be either an EU citizen or a UK national. Mitigating circumstances, such as refugee status, will be considered.

It must be stipulated that postgraduate loans are intended for English students only. Eligibility, though, is centred on residency and not English-nationality. This means that if you are a Welsh, Northern Irish or Scottish student who lives and studies in England, you will meet the criteria.

How Are The Loans Paid And How Much Are They Worth?

A student can borrow up to £10,000, but no more. All payments will be made directly to you, while you will receive three separate payments over the course of an academic year if you are studying a full-time course that lasts just one year. If you are studying for a full-time course over two years, you will receive £5,000 per year in three instalments. If you are studying a part-time course that lasts four years, you will receive £2,500 per year that is paid in three instalments over each year.

The government say the loans are offered as “a contribution to the cost of an eligible postgraduate Masters qualification.” Although £10,000 should in theory be enough to cover tuition fees, it may not cover living costs and accommodation during your degree. Moreover, there are some Masters courses that do cost more than £10,000, such as MBA programmes.

If you know that you won’t need the full £10,000, you can choose not to loan the maximum amount. The loans are not means-tested, which means that you do not have to take into account your savings or personal income.

As well as the postgraduate loan, students are also perfectly entitled to apply for other forms of finance or funding. Whatever funding or finance you receive will not impact on the amount you receive from a postgraduate loan, nor will it alter your eligibility. Indeed, the government is well aware that £10,000 is likely to be insufficient to sustain your tuition fees and living costs, and as such encourage you to combine your loan with other forms of support.

What Are The Repayment Terms?

Because the postgraduate loans are there to lighten a student’s financial burden, the repayment terms have been structured so that they are as affordable as possible. Following a public consultation, the government has also agreed to relax the repayment terms.

Postgraduate loans will need to be paid back at the same time as your undergraduate loans, which is a key point to bear in mind. If you are currently paying back your undergraduate loan, and expect to be paying it back for a few more years, you will have to repay your postgraduate loan concurrently. Repayments will be made via an income-contingent basis, with the rate set at 6% for anyone who is earning more than £21,000 a year. The initial rate was 9%.

RPI (Retail Prices Index) is an annual percentage measure of inflation. Interest rates for the postgraduate loans will remain at RPI+3, which means that you will be charged the existing RPI percentage as well as an extra 3%. This is a very favourable interest rate, while it’s also worth pointing out that your postgraduate loan will begin to accrue interest once you have received your first payment. The current interest rates and overall repayment terms will be fixed for at least 5 years. After 2021, they may be subject to reform.

You will be asked to start repaying your postgraduate loan from the first April after you have completed your degree. This means that you will have almost a repayment-free year after the completion of your course. However, if you wish to start repaying your loan as soon as possible, you can voluntarily make early repayments. You will be required to repay your postgraduate loan in its entirety, although it will be cancelled after thirty years.

What Is The Application Process?

The full application process hasn’t officially been confirmed. What is clear at the moment is that postgraduate loans are to be issued by the Student Loans Company, while it has been mooted that applications will probably made via Student Finance England.

Postgraduate loans will not be available until the 2016-17 academic year, although a date for applications has not yet been set. Loans will not be available for Masters courses that start in January 2016. This has nothing to do with eligibility; rather, the loans will not be introduced until autumn 2016.

Where Can I Find More Information?

You can find out more about the postgraduate loans by reading the Chancellor’s autumn statement. You can also read the updated info on the postgraduate loans in the government’s recent Autumn Statement and Spending Review. For further information, you can also take a look at what the government had to say regarding their Consultation on Support for Postgraduate Study.

We are expecting further information to be released in early 2016. Check back to our site for regular updates.

We all love a good debate, a bit of who’s right and who’s wrong. So, the big question we’re asking – should you declare a disability when you go through the whole process of applying to university?

Yes or no?

Well come on, it’s an easy 100% YES answer to that question!

Don’t be tempted to either hide a disability or downplay it, you deserve the best experience you can get out of university, whether you have a disability or not, no matter how mild or severe, and everything else in-between. Don’t be ashamed and don’t hide yourself away and struggle, there’s no reason to. Anyone who applies and is accepted onto a university course deserves to have the same journey, with new friends, experiences, laughs, and of course, the study programme leading you to a sparkling career of your choice.

A disability should not affect that journey, and there are many kinds of assistance that can be put into place to help you achieve just that, and make your university life easier. All you have to do is declare what your disability is, and accept the help that is offered.

Will declaring my disability make a difference? Is it really worth it?

Yes, yes, yes!

The bottom line is that all universities are required by law to abide by the Disability Discrimination Act, established to ensure that everyone in the UK, whether a student, worker, or whatever else you are, is able to go about their lives in the best possible way, regardless of disability. This means that all students are entitled to receive the help and support they require, including any adjustments to buildings to help with mobility issues. This all adds up to a happy and healthy university life. Because work might be required to provide adaptations to residence buildings, give your university a call in advance, so they have plenty of notice to prepare for you to rock up for your first day. Most University campuses though, are now fully accessible buildings.

It will always be beneficial for you to be upfront and honest about your disability, regardless of whatever it is, because this opens up a world of support. Every university has a team dedicated to supporting students with disabilities, from giving advice on any grants available, discussing any problems you might have, or help with adjusting to your living or studying environment.

The student support staff at your chosen university can also help you by carrying out assessments to identify any problem areas where you could benefit from more support. Basically, everyone is on your side, and the common aim is to help you through university.

<h2?Will my disability have a negative impact on my course?

Under the Disability Discrimination Act, you cannot be refused a place on a course that wouldn’t negatively impact your health or ability to study without good reason, however there are some courses and indeed jobs out there that require a standard of fitness. This is called fitness to practise, and unfortunately some disabilities may rule you out of these courses and roles. You might already be aware of aware of this, but if you’re not sure about reaching fitness standards for a chosen field, the best thing to do is chat to student support staff and also those in the professional field of your choice. It might be that it’s just a case of fine tuning your targets, but it’s better to start with realistic aims to work towards.

On the whole, the majority of courses and future careers are more than possible for everyone, within reason.

Is there any funding available?

You can apply for a special grant, called Disabled Students Allowance, or DSA to make it less of a tongue twister, at the time of applying for your student loan or when you’re seriously deciding to accept your university offer. This is from the LEA and any money granted must be used towards your educational costs, so bear that in mind!

Grants and funding can be confusing but this is a relatively easy process, which basically just requires you to have written proof of your disability, such as a doctor or charted educational psychologist’s letter. If you can’t obtain the relevant letter then your chosen university will be able to perform an assessment of your disability.

If you do receive a DSA grant then this will go towards helping with any special equipment you need to buy or any adjustments you need to make personally in helping you complete your studies. Those helpful student support staff we were talking about earlier will help you through your application, so don’t worry about scary forms and processes.

So the answer to our debate is… Yes!

The overwhelming opinion in this discussion is that declaring a disability, any disability, is a must-do when you’re heading off to the bright lights of university. It makes no sense to struggle, and you mustn’t make your experience at university any more difficult than it needs to be. The only difficulty should be handing in those assignments on time! The processes and support networks at university are in place for a reason, so take advantage of them.

With all the help available, it’s nonsensical to pass it up.