Understanding the cost of living will be beneficial to budgeting and managing your money. A single student will need around £15,000 - £17,000 to cover living expenses for a full calendar year although you might be able to make savings in some areas, for example, if you go home to parents in the holidays, costs will be less. To help you budget, we've made a rough monthly guide to living expenses in Glasgow.
| Accommodation | £550 |
| Energy Bills | £90 |
| Food / Household goods | £220 |
| Local Transport | £80 |
| Social activities | £120 |
| Telephone / Internet | £80 |
| Clothes | £69 |
| Books/ Printing | £40 |
| TV Licence | £13.25 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | £1,262.25 |
For students who are moving to the UK to study & intend to bring family, please be aware that costs may be very expensive
Here is an approximate monthly guide to living costs for a family of 4. You may be able to reduce your accommodation costs by staying outwith Glasgow city centre.
Childcare - £1,200 -£1,800 per child. A family of 4 will need around £35,000 - £43,000 to cover living expenses for a full calendar year.
Total Monthly Expenses - £2,923.25 - £3,523.25 not including childcare costs
| Accommodation | £1,200 - £1,800 |
| Energy Bills | £250 |
| Food / Household goods | £800 |
| Local Transport | £200 |
| Social activities | £200 |
| Telephone / Internet | £80 |
| Clothes | £120 |
| Books/ Printing | £60 |
| TV Licence | £13.25 |
| Childcare | £1,200 -£1,800 per child. |
| Total Monthly Expenses | £2,923.25 - £3,523.25 not including childcare costs |
Please be aware that you may have other costs to consider, such as personal belongings insurance and after-school clubs
Travelling to and from university can be expensive and take up a large part of your monthly budget. To save money on travel it is best to plan ahead and work out what is the cheapest and best option for you.
Public Transport
Often buying weekly/monthly tickets works out cheaper, take a look at the travel options below
- Young Persons Free Bus Travel - If you live in Scotland and are 5-21 years old you are eligible for a card giving you free bus travel from 31 January 2022. See the Young Persons Bus Travel Scheme for more information.
- Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) - Cheapest of all is the 10 week zone card for unlimited travel by rail, subway, most buses and some ferries in Strathclyde.
- Citylink - Best for students travelling from outside the Strathclyde area, for example Stirling, Falkirk and Perth. Check the Citylink website for current discount offers and savings.
- ScotRail - A young person's rail card is available to all students. This gets 1/3 off all rail travel nationwide. To apply go to the young persons rail card website.
- First Bus - They offer options for students. Check the First Bus website to see which offer best suits your travel needs. Check for any student fares.
Driving your car
If you planning on driving to university, remember this can be expensive and you will need to take into account not only the parking, but also the fuel costs , road tax, insurance and if any unexpected repairs pop up! Parking in the city centre can be expensive, check out the car parks close by and if you are driving, think about car sharing!
From 1st June 2023 the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) will come into force in Glasgow City Centre. All vehicles entering the city centre zone area will need to meet the less-polluting emission standards or face a penalty charge. Check the Glasgow City Council Website for more information.
SAAS funded students
There is a contribution element of £350 towards travel costs included in your Student Loan.
Nursing, Paramedic and Allied Health students can apply for help towards placement travel if eligible. See SAAS for more information.
If you are having difficulty meeting the costs of your travel to and from GCU, or you have exceptionally high travel costs, you can apply for extra help towards travel through the Discretionary Fund.
Travel Tips
As a student, travel costs will probably take up a big chunk of your study budget. These tips can help you make key savings:
- Check to see if your chosen mode of public transport offers discounted student tickets. Additionally, if you use the train regularly a railcard can be a useful investment- some student bank accounts also include a free rail card, so be sure to check with your bank!
- If you are regularly using public transport you may also be better off buying weekly or monthly tickets as they are usually cheaper than buying daily individual tickets. However, make sure you do the maths to see if you commute often enough to save money with a monthly pass.
- If possible walking or cycling is a great way to commute. Not only will it save you money, but it will also help you stay healthy and fit.
- Depending on when your classes are or when you want to study, you may be able to get off-peak tickets which are cheaper. Most trains (and some bus companies) offer off-peak tickets when it’s not rush hour so be sure to double-check if this is an option before buying your ticket
- If you are under 22 you can get free bus travel in Scotland.
- If you have a bike, many charities and organisations offer free or cheap bike repair such as Dr Bike:
With nearly two-and-a-half million students planning to start or return to university in September, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) is urging students to make sure their valuables are insured and to protect their belongings against theft or damage as the new year kicks off.
- Check your parents’ and university’s policies – it may be possible for an existing home insurance policy to be extended to cover possessions at university, or, there may be an insurance cover already in place in student halls. Check to see if there are any limits on the value of your possessions and if so, consider taking out a separate policy. If you are staying in privately rented accommodation, make sure you keep your door locked, and remember to not leave anything valuable behind outside of term time.
- Shop around for the best deal – when it comes to buying any kind of insurance, it is always worth shopping around to find the best deal that works for you and ensure that the cover you are being offered is adequate.
- Don’t leave valuables unattended –avoid leaving valuables like laptops unattended when you are out and about, as this increases the chance of theft.
- Consider marking and hiding your valuables – hide your valuables at home and when your room or property is unoccupied, keep your valuables away from view. Security mark your valuables with your details or register them on www.immobilise.co.uk, a police-supported national property register, to help police identify them if they do go missing.
- Lock your windows and doors – if you are moving into student halls, to minimise risk, remember to shut your windows and lock the door when you are out of your room. For those moving into private accommodation, make sure your front and back doors are strong and secure, with good quality locks.
