Kid at Uni? How much do you give them a month?

My son’s just in the process of applying for uni places.

Assuming he goes to the one he wants (which is near Cardiff although we’re resident in England for loan etc purposes) a hall place for the first year will cost about £4200. Due to our income he’ll get the minimum ‘not the fees’ loan so we’ll need to top it up by about £600.

So how much per week (assuming a 40 week year) do you give your child whilst they’re away for everything bar room and utility bills?

… I never got anything, I got a part-time job.

Can’t he get a job? Either in the holidays to save up before/between terms or while he’s at uni?

THe experience (if it’s in something realted to his planned future career) and/or socialisation (of something like bar work) would be useful too.

They’ve flown the nest mate, let them spread their wings.

Every spare pound will be spent on beer and fags anyway so best to learn the value of money 😀

EDIT: I didn’t get anything, i got a full time job in the summer holidays, then carried that on, working nights for 2 years while studying! I still had plenty of time for a social life too, somehow!

My parents paid my rent in first year, after that I get my train fair when I visit home and maybe £30/month. I get the minimum loan too.

… I never got anything, I got a part-time job.

Ditto.

She gets minimum maintenance loan (and loan for fees).

We pay accommodation only: 108pw / 3900pa for halls in Cardiff last year – this is actually one of the best value you will find ime. 290 pm in shared house near by next year.

I’m another ‘didn’t get anything’. Except that is not strictly true as I got fees paid, a full grant, and a bursary all given to me. I’m OK paying what we pay, in real terms it’s less than I got, and we can afford it (just about).

… I never got anything, I got a part-time job.

Ditto.

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Thritto. Taught me about money management and the importance of paying your bills.

Maybe us saying we’ll pay accom and you can keep the loan plus whatever you earn is a solution.

Not sure what the chances of finding part time work in Treforest are and he doesn’t drive so would be limited to public transport times to Cardiff for work.

We don’t want to cut him loose altogether. We also want to ensure he does a degree and finishes it so him being able to cry off due to poverty isn’t really something we want to cause.

I’d say treats – i.e. suit for a ball, a trip away or emergencies.

I got nothing when I went to Uni but then you DONT study or drink 24/7 and not even a fraction. You spend most your time bored IMO. If your paid to do not much its a bad trend.

If you worry ‘if he/she has to work then it’ll affect your studies’- no it wont. I remember doing 4-5hours a day max on my studies. The rest was TV/killing time and **** or trying to get shagged.

Maybe us saying we’ll pay accom and you can keep the loan plus whatever you earn is a solution.

We did this plus a bit more, accomm plus bills.

Having the kids get jobs is a double edged sword, if they do that at the expense of studying its not worth it. Ours worked here and there and over the summer to pay for extras/holidays (inc middle one who worked for 6 months to pay for her gap year travels). If you can afford to make things a little easier (inc paying for a holiday) then do it. IMO the 4 years leading up to Uni are a nightmare for kids with pressure and we all know once they start working how tough life is so if we can make things a little easier then we should do it.

Just some numbers for those saying pay nothing.

Loan amount excl fees: £3500
accommodation costs: £3900

So she would be on -£400 before considering day-to-day living expenses.

And still have to pay back the £3500

I got my fees paid, accommodation paid and a monthly payment to cover food, travel and a bit spare for materials/clothes/drinking. I then worked during the summers for spare cash so that when I came out of Uni in July I wasn’t in debt, which meant I could afford to buy a suit and travel to interviews as well as enjoy a holiday.

But I did a science subject where I had 25 hours contact time per week in the first year, with about 10-15 hours coursework which increased each year. Engineers or science subjects with lab work could have 30+ hours contact time per week plus coursework so fitting in a part-time job will impact their work. I realised at the time I was very lucky, I knew a number of people applying for hardship loans because their parents wouldn’t or couldn’t help out and there was no way they could work during term time and still get a first class degree. Remember they are paying £27,000 over three years to get a degree that is supposed to improve their future career prospects.

IMO, as a minimum find out how much the bus pass will be from his halls to his lectures and price a reasonable weekly shop in Aldi and at least give him enough to cover that. If they chose to spend it on booze, then that’s a lesson learnt.

EDIT: I guess you might also consider mobile phone costs too.

yes, the numbers are scarey – I wouldn’t have wanted to start my working life with £40,000 of debt – my first mortgage was the same as that.

I’ve no idea what having him in the house costs us now, there’s 4 of us but I reckon 35% of our food bill is down to him plus he’s in his room on various electronic kit 22 hours a day etc. Happy to divert the ‘savings’ to maintaining him away from home plus make sure he doesn’t have to worry about having somewhere to stay whilst he’s there.

I used to live in Ponty, there’s PLENTY of bar work going round there and the train in to Cardiff is better than driving if he finds work down there anyway.

It’s actually a cracking place to live if you can adjust to knowing everyone and everyone knowing what you’re doing, all the time 😛

EDIT – if he’s in Tref there’s no need to get a bus anywhere, get a bike and you can Taff trail it everywhere!

Maybe us saying we’ll pay accom and you can keep the loan plus whatever you earn is a solution.

That’s what we did. Don’t know if it was right or wrong but we wanted her to live somewhere she felt comfortable (London uni) and not have to get diverted from her studies. Probably she did have too much money and wasted some of it (I saw the stream of receipts from Top Shop etc) but I think it was OK in principle.

he’s in his room on various electronic kit 22 hours a day etc

He got through hes A levels on ^

A part time job at Uni really wouldn’t hurt him and get him out of his digs doing something meaningful.

There’s a regular train and bus service to Treforest from Cardiff Central stations, always full of students day or night. Treforest doesn’t have much in the way of work for students. One or two pubs, a Maccy D’s, Nando’s F&Benny’s and a Showcase Cinema. All the work is in Cardiff really. You’ll need to get in quick though as there’s a big student population so the decent jobs go quick.

Oh and when you visit him, make sure e shouts a meal and drink in Fagin’s on Taffs Well. Cask ales, good food and usually a decent band once a week.

The amount of time you have available to work is surely governed by the course you are doing. I studied engineering and in the four years I was at Uni I had lectures/seminars/tutorials every morning for 3/4 hours and lab work every afternoon except Weds – which is for Uni sports. Writing up lab work, revision etc was evenings and weekends.

I did work a couple of nights a week in the student union – but it was just for a bit of beer money.

That was a very long time ago though – so maybe things have changed, but not much I imagine.

Also, now that I’m doing a full time masters in Political Economy – even when you have fewer formal hours of learning there is a huge amount reading and research required if you want to get top marks. It is possible to work and do this – but I requires a discipline.

So my opinion, for what its worth, is part-time work, good – it encourages an understanding of the value of money and the effort in getting it. But I would also think about hours formally committed to the course and how far 10 or 15 hours of minimum wage will actually go to cover costs.

I did work a couple of nights a week in the student union – but it was just for a bit of beer money.

At least you did this even though your schedule does look full on 😯 . Thats good- why should parents have to pay for beverages of essentially a grown man.

Depends on his degree as to whether he can work or not.

I was an engineering student with 37 hours a week of lectures (including labs) in the first year.It dropped off to about 20-25 hours a week in year 2 and 3, but there was still a lot of time outside uni taken up in projects, assignments, coursework and revision in all 3 years. I also played sport for university at BUSA Div I level and a bit for my club/county so there were practices for those things and matches on top of that. He may have to make a decision if he plays any sport about how seriously he wants to take it.

I didn’t work part time in my first year at term-time, but I worked two jobs, sometimes 3 during the holidays in my final year. My parents paid my first term’s accommodation and that was it. I was not eligible for a loan either, so it was pretty hard going.

My relatives would see me once or twice a term and give me a few quid here and there, and take me out for dinner and so on. It really helped that I was in a catered hall too. I don’t know if I could have managed it self catered in the first year.

I’d like to think I’d have done better academically and sports wise in my first year if I’d been better funded. It was gutting to see other students in my halls and on the team spend money like it was going out of fashion. They were good folk, but it’s hard to stomach when you’re taking a fiver out of your overdraft for a night out and some kids are planning skiing weekends and holidays. Dropout rate in engineering after the first year was crazy as well. The effort I had to put in meant I saw my degree through to the end too.

I’d suggest a compromise. Instead of cash, say you pay for a fortnightly supermarket shop. If he rides, or plays sport, say you pay for consumables, or kit.

Of course, this all depends on how good your child already is at managing money and self control on the booze.

my parents sorted my rent, but nothing else until the final year when he amount of my loan dropped to an unsustainable level. Then I got £80/month to cover food. I worked full time during any holiday time that I could afford to not spend on course work, but not during term time. I just wouldn’t of had the time.

self control on the booze.

he doesn’t drink (really), he’s only 17 until November but he really isn’t interested in the whole ‘going out getting pissed’ thing. Of course he might go off the wagon once he’s living away but I suspect not.

Tesco etc do deliver to his halls apparently so we could organise food parcels on a regular basis…

Halls are about 5 minutes walk from the places he’d be studying so transport costs will be zero day to day.

… and working during summer holidays is obviously a good thing, no matter what course you a doing – something I and most of my friends did.

Another got nothing-ist here. Took a year out and saved every penny I could before going, then worked thorough. Dad gave me a “break glass” credit card for dire emergencies & that was it. Summer holidays were spent slogging away in either the worst bike shop ever (the now thankfully defunkt Bearwood Cycles in Brum “Can I have a test ride?” “No, all bicycles ride the same, we don’t do test rides!”) or for the council’s parks service weeding & planting – quite possibly the best job I’ve ever had. Term time I worked in the campus stationary shop.

Doesn’t drive? Surely driving lessons?

but he really isn’t interested in the whole ‘going out getting pissed’ thing.

If he’s not a complete hermit then he will be peer pressured, or not want to be the odd one out when people make plans to go out.

Oh, and remember there are the, ummm, romantic considerations.

there are the, ummm, romantic considerations.

he’s got those covered – she’s the reason he chose this uni…

… I never got anything, I got a part-time job.

+1

t and some kids are planning skiing weekends and holidays.

That’s Durham university for you…

(Was it?)

in 2001 my mum gave me £30 a week (my dad paid my rent, loan paid the fees). I was reasonably wealthy with that, as I’d always worked part time as well and was used to having money in my pocket. I got a job pretty much straight away, paying about £35 a week (SU Bar), so I stopped the money from my mum then.

If it were my kids (who are 6months and 3, so it doesn’t reotally apply yet), I’d support with large purchases (text books best bought from amazon for not quite latest edition!), sports society membership/trips/train pass etc and perhaps use one of those asda (other supermarkets available) pre paid cards where you can top it up, he can spend it, that way you know he won’t starve, you’re not neglecting him, but all your hard earned money isn’t being spent on cheap ganj and tequila.

Performance related funding would be my option.

I got a job (evenings in bars, weekends and holidays teaching sailing and gofer on building sites).
I expect my kids to do the same.

Well, if he wasn’t at uni, he would have to live on £57.35 a week to cover everything including bills (but not rent)

Seems like a good starting point to work from – depending on his degree, he might have to get used to it 😈

. Thats good- why should parents have to pay for beverages of essentially a grown man.

No one is suggesting just paying for drinks. Do you have kids Hora? If or when my son goes I want him to experience it properly not spend all his time working. I never worked during term time at uni and I dont think anyone should be expected to. There’ll be time for that later. In answer to the op get the kid to buy and cook his own food for a week and see how much it costs.

That’s Durham university for you…

(Was it?)

Russell Group, but not Durham. 🙂

Probably the same experience at any of those to be honest!

We saved up money for ours as soon as they were born putting $10,000 a year into a fund for them. They each then got this lump sum of money when they were accepted onto their University course and had the responsibility to manage it and spend it wisely to make it last their 4,5,6 years.. This was just as much a good education for them on top of what they were studying. Some interesing differences between how they did.

Watching this thread closely. Took eldest to her first open day on Saturday, Sheffield Uni, looking at 2015 entry. Cheapest Uni accommodation, self catered, shared bathroom is £4100, most is around £5100 self catered, en suite. Catered is £5685/6432 shared/en-suite. Sheffield is boasting it has cheapest living costs in Russell Group so dreading figures from others, London especially.

Looking at Maths, so 15-20 hours contact time, a job is an option. Like others have said, lots of contact time like in Sci/Eng and some other courses limits the options considerably.

I got nothing so worked my nads off in summer and holidays.
Never worked so hard since.
V pleased as I have been v careful with money since.
The student jobs were really good fun too met some crazy people.

when my son goes I want him to experience it properly not spend all his time working.

When did university become “an experience”?

I went because I wanted to learn and because my university was decent at a sport I played and offered me a great opportunity to do both. I’d also argue it made me who I am today by teaching me how to juggle responsibilities and by offering me a good look at what life would look like. Of course I had fun, but I don’t think university should be lumped into “an experience” to be had in your late teens/early twenties. It is far more valuable than that.

Also had tenants in london whos parents paid everything.
Caused loads of problems as they were spoilt brats no respect for
Anyone or anything.