New Students

Plan your budget

Estimate your future living costs as a student and plan your budget effectively.

Every student's budget is unique and will vary depending on your personal circumstances, such as if you have any dependents, work a part-time job or commute to university. To effectively plan your budget, it is essential to estimate your expected income and expenditure.

Your income

  • Do you have money saved for university?
  • Are you receiving any funding or financial support?
  • Are you working or planning to get a part-time job?
  • Will your income be consistent for the duration of your time at university?

Fund your studies 

Your expenditure

  • Do you know what your fixed monthly costs will be?
  • Are there any additional costs associated with your studies, e.g. materials or equipment you need to purchase? 
  • Do you know what bills you will need to pay and when?

Student living costs 

Advice on managing your budget

Tracking your income and spending behaviours  will help to ensure that you do not unexpectedly run out of money. 

The Advice Place offers one-to-one budgeting support and advice, along with a wealth of further information about helping you to plan and manage your budget.

Budget planning (The Advice Place)

The University also has a dedicated webpage outlining support with the cost of living.

Cost of living | The University of Edinburgh

Watch our short video for tips on managing your budget

Maximising your money whilst at university can often feel like a daunting prospect, particularly when the cost of living is increasing. TThis short video will cover budgeting whilst at university, how to track your spending, ways to reduce costs as a student and how to access further support with your finances.

Video: How to budget at university
This short video will cover budgeting whilst at university, how to track your spending, ways to reduce costs as a student and how to access further support with your finances.

Financial support and additional funding

The following pages provide information on financial support and other funding opportunities available to students. Some students may be eligible for support for their specific circumstances. The Advice Place offer advice for students who run into financial difficulty. 

Additional funding (The Advice Place)

Emergencies and hardship funding (The Advice Place)

Scholarships and student funding