Bills and Utilities
When preparing a budget for starting University, it is important to understand what your expected costs will be and what you should have enough money to pay for.
Typical living costs
Fixed living costs are regular costs relating to where you are living (either in University accommodation or private accommodation), typically incurring on a monthly basis. You should budget accordingly to factor in these costs. Some fixed, or regular payments, will include:
- rent
- internet charges
- utility bills (gas and electricity)
- council tax bills (students living in University accommodation are exempt from paying council tax)
Additional regular payments may include:
- mobile phone bills
- TV licence
- digital TV subscriptions or streaming services
- insurance costs
Depending on whether you are living in University managed accommodation or private accommodation, you will need to check what is included in your monthly rent, and what you will need to pay for separately.
University WiFi
Internet access is included in the rent of most University managed accommodation. You can also access wireless internet (eduroam) for free at all University campuses:
Internet access at the University of Edinburgh
Mobile phone bills
There are two options to take when setting up a new phone, paying by contract or paying as you go:
| Contract | A fixed monthly cost including phone calls, texts and internet access. Contracts usually last between 12 and 24 months. |
| Pay-as-you-go | Pre-pay for phone calls, texts and internet access by buying credit. There is no contract so it can be a better option if you will be in the UK for less than a year. |
Mobile phone deals for students (Save the Student website)
Advice on making international calls (Save the Student website)
Contents insurance
You may want to pay for contents insurance for your home to protect your belongings in case of theft or damage. Comparison sites such as ComparetheMarket display different deals and prices to help you select the best supplier for your situation:
Student contents insurance deals (ComparetheMarket website)
TV Licence
You need a TV licence to watch or record live TV programmes on any channel, or download or stream TV. This also applies to students who live in University managed accommodation.
TV Licence for students (TV license website)
TV package deals for students (Save the Student website)
Activities
It is important that you keep some funding available to ensure you can do the things that make you happy. These costs will vary depending on your interests, but we recommend that some money is set aside each month so that you can pursue your interests and explore new ones.
Support with the cost of living
We understand that many of you may be worried about meeting your day to day costs. The University has a dedicated web-page to help you with budgeting and with saving on essential and non-essential expenses. It also covers free and discounted products and services that might make the cost of living easier to manage.