• Oxford and Coventry students are the most likely to rely on income from their parents and other relatives while at university.
• Cardiff students enjoy the largest monthly income during term time. This stands at £3,328.10, compared to a national average of £2,893.10.
• Students in Cardiff also generate the largest term-time income from part-time work, achieving a monthly average of £219.54. This is despite them spending less time in work than the top four universities.
• Those living in Oxford are less reliant on student loans compared to the UK average. Despite this, they’re the most dependent on scholarships and bursary income, when ranked alongside other towns and cities.
• Students in the Scottish cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow see the lowest income compared to their expenses, and as such are ranked lowest in the index. Those in London and Coventry face the next largest costs. Edinburgh students have now had to contend with the biggest financial squeeze for two years in a row.

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• London and Bournemouth students have the highest monthly outgoings, with Leicester and York respondents at the other end of the scale.
• Students in Liverpool spend the most money on alcoholic drinks, taking the top spot for the second straight year. In contrast, Leicester students appear more restrained. They only spend around half of the UK average on alcohol.
• Monthly rental costs have jumped in London, pushing the capital to the top of this ranking. The average monthly rent there has climbed by £335 since our 2022 survey.
• Monthly grocery spending is highest among Bournemouth students. This contrasts with the situation in the East Midlands, with Leicester students spending the least on groceries.
• As the costs of essential items rise, students are trimming their spending elsewhere. For example, average monthly spending on going out is down by £11 on last year.
• Clothing and fashion spending has also dipped since last year’s survey, as students focus more on the basics. Spending in this category is highest among London students. In comparison, those in Lancaster and York spend just over half of the national monthly average.
• Students’ appetite for takeaways is also slightly lower, with average monthly spending slipping by £1.20 this year. Glasgow students are the exception to the rule, spending 75% more than the survey average.
• The expected cost of a takeaway is now £15.52 across the UK. London (£17.47) has the highest average cost, while Liverpool (£14.02) has the lowest.

• Just one in 20 students feel supported by their university’s financial resources. Those in Oxford are the most positive when assessing the services on offer.
• Rising living costs might be hampering efforts to save, with average monthly savings falling from £109.30 last year to £100.95. Cambridge students are managing to buck this trend, however, stowing away 26% more.
• A growing number of students now rely on overdrafts when their other sources of income dry up. One in four reported this habit, compared to one in five during 2022.
• Meanwhile, just over half (52%) of university goers plug gaps in their finances using money from their parents or other family members.

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• Students in Oxford, Leeds and Manchester top the chart when adding up their time spent on campus.
• London and Glasgow-based students spend the most time studying from home. Those in Bournemouth spend the least.
• While monthly spending on going out has fallen across the UK, it remains strong in Glasgow. The Scottish city has taken the top spot from Newcastle when it comes to socialising.
• UK-wide, students spend almost 36 hours a month on home entertainment. Northern cities dominate this ranking, with Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle leading the way.

• Students earn an average term-time income of £133.50 from their part-time roles.
• These earnings are highest in Cardiff, with the Welsh capital averaging £219.54 a month. Edinburgh and Newcastle students have the next highest earnings from part-time work.
• Part-time earnings are significantly lower among Leicester students, averaging just £35 a month.
• Students in Oxford are the most reliant on earnings from their holiday work. These earnings also contribute heavily to the finances of Scottish students.
• In contrast, holiday work makes the lowest term-time contribution to Manchester and Lincoln-based students.

• Many students appear wary of asking their parents for financial support, preferring to find a job or cheaper transport options instead.
• Universities often fall short of people’s expectations when it comes to cost of living support. Some 40% of students say no support has been made available to them.
• A third (33%) of students have been offered financial support by their university. One in four have received access to free meals or foodbanks.
• The average expected price of a pint continues to rise for UK students. Lancaster offers the cheapest student pint, at £3.81. London (£5.51), Cambridge (£5.07) and Oxford (£5) have the priciest pints, however.

With no end to the UK’s economic uncertainty in sight, students are downbeat about the upward trajectory of living costs. Over the next academic year, some 46% predict costs will climb by up to 15%. More worryingly, another third (33%) expect to face cost increases of up to 30%.

• Overall, the class of 2023 has experienced a 28% increase in stress when managing money, compared to last year.
• Students largely fall back on their hobbies and interests when overcoming stress caused by money worries, using these as a coping mechanism.
• However, 14% of university goers try to battle financial stress or mental health issues with alcohol.
• More than half of those polled aim to recycle items or buy things second-hand. Meanwhile, over a third are seeking out different transport solutions to support the environment.