Estimated Cost of Living in Bristol for 2011/12
Your living costs will depend largely on your lifestyle. Some students spend much more than others! Figures should be used as a guide and are based on local knowledge and NUS average figures on average student experience.
Self-Catered University Residences
The following figures are for a single 1st year undergraduate, assuming a stay of 40 weeks in self-catered University Residence.
| Expenditure Item | Minimum Costs | Maximum Costs |
| Accommodation (including utilities) | £2,560 | £5,200 |
| Damage Deposit and Insurance | £216 | £216 |
| JCR Subscription (average charge) | £45 | £45 |
| Food | £1,171 | £1,171 |
| Course Costs/Books/Photocopying | £300 | £300 |
| Clothes | £595 | £595 |
| Toiletries | £253 | £253 |
| Entertainment | £1,531 | £1,531 |
| Travel to/from University beginning/end term | £150 | £150 |
| Total Expenditure | £6,821 | £9,461 |
Catered University Residences
The following figures are for a single 1st year undergraduate, assuming a stay of 40 weeks in catered University Residence.
| Expenditure Item | Minimum Costs | Maximum Costs |
| Accommodation (including utilities) | £4,168 | £6,215 |
| Damage Deposit and Insurance | £216 | £216 |
| JCR Subscription (average charge) | £45 | £45 |
| Food | £608 | £608 |
| Course Costs/Books/Photocopying | £300 | £300 |
| Clothes | £595 | £595 |
| Toiletries | £253 | £253 |
| Entertainment | £1,531 | £1,531 |
| Travel to/from University beginning/end term | £150 | £150 |
| Total Expenditure | £7,866 | £9,913 |
Private Rented Accommodation
The following table will help give you an idea of what you might expect to pay in private accommodation. Most private rental contracts are for 52 weeks of the year, although you may be able to negotiate a term-time only contract.
| 38 weeks | 52 weeks | |
| Rents | ||
| Low Rent (approx £65 per week) | £2,470 | £3,380 |
| Medium Rent (approx £80 per week) | £3,040 | £4,160 |
| High Rent (approx £100 per week) | £3,800 | £5,200 |
| Miscellaneous Spend | ||
| Utilities | £465 | £636 |
| Food | £1,171 | £1,602 |
| Clothes | £595 | £814 |
| Toiletries | £253 | £346 |
| Entertainment | £1,531 | £2,095 |
| One off costs/Other costs | ||
| Travel to/from University during year | £150 | £150 |
| Insurance (approximate) | £100 | £100 |
| Deposit (approximate) | £350 | £350 |
| Course costs/books etc | £300 | £300 |
| Miscellaneous subtotal | £4,915 | £6,393 |
| TOTALS | ||
| Low Rent Total | £7,385 | £9,773 |
| Medium Rent Total | £7,955 | £10,553 |
| High Rent Total | £8,715 | £11,593 |
Additional Costs
At the start of their first year, students may have the additional one-off cost of buying a University Sports Card. Please visit the Centre for Sport, Exercise and Health web site for membership details and costs.
International students will have the following additional costs:
- Police Registration - £34.50
- Visa Renewal (if applicable) - Cost will depend on your circumstances. Contact The International Office for guidance
- Travel at the beginning and end of the year - £varies
International students can find further information at the following website: http://www.bris.ac.uk/international/studentsupport/
(International students need to ensure that they have secured funding for their tuition fees and living costs for the whole of their course, prior to commencing their studies at the University of Bristol.)
These figures, for all scenarios, should be used only as a guide and are based on local knowledge and NUS figures on estimated average student expenditure. These figures will be affected by rent amounts, numbers of students sharing and lifestyle choice. You will need to budget carefully and factor in your hobbies, travel expenses, how much you spend on clothes, entertainment etc. Some students will end up spending more or less than other students! Most students end up spending somewhere in between the lowest and highest figure.
General Information and Tips
Tuition Fees
Home students can apply for a non-means tested tuition fee loan from the Government to pay their tuition fees. If you are an international student or have decided to pay your own fees, pay tuition fees promptly to avoid 'late' fines and interest charges. In the case of delays to payment, please contact the Income Office in the first instance.
Rent
Pay University accommodation fees by the required dates to avoid 'late' fines and interest charges. If using private accommodation ask for monthly rather than quarterly payment dates. If you do have quarterly payments, make sure the dates fit in with your student loan payment dates, and remember, you do not receive a loan over the Summer, so you will need to make sure you have enough money to pay this instalment. If you need to secure private accommodation for the following academic year, you may need to factor into your budget funds to cover a deposit and possible agency fees.
Council Tax
Full time students do not have to pay Council Tax and you can request a Council Tax Exemption certificate from your Faculty Office once you are registered.
Travel
Seek out any travel pass offers available from local bus/coach companies. If appropriate, purchase a Young Persons Railcard. Some student bank accounts may offer free Railcards.
Unexpected Extras including Medical Costs
You will not be able to plan for all costs so try and build in a contingency allowance to cover the unexpected (an extra journey home, extra equipment), or other expenses such as birthday cards/presents for friends and family, telephone calls, Christmas and holidays. Medical/dental costs can also arise. Students are not automatically entitled to full help with healthcare costs but you should complete a HC1 form to see what help you are entitled to. The cost of a prescription is currently £7.40 per item, eye tests cost between £17-£30 and a basic NHS dental check-up costs £17.00. If you need regular prescriptions, it may be cheaper to buy a pre-payment certificate.
Insurance
If you are in University accommodation, the University runs a compulsory basic insurance package for all students in University accommodation, offering a basic policy at a very reasonable rate; please contact the Accommodation Office for more details: www.bristol.ac.uk/accommodation/. You may find that your parents' household insurance already covers some items that the basic residence cover does not, so check it out carefully beforehand to avoid wasting money on double cover. If you are in private accommodation, you will need to arrange your own cover. You are advised to arrange cover before leaving home.
Books and specific course requirements
Wait until your course is underway to be sure which books/equipment are really necessary. Books may be available in the library, or can be shared with friends or possibly purchased second-hand. Return library books promptly to avoid fines. Some courses have more expensive requirements than others e.g. Medicine - white coats, stethoscopes; Archaeology, Geology and Biology - field trips and placements. Ask your department about the 'hidden costs' of your course.
TV Licence
Students bringing their own television will need to purchase a TV Licence. The current cost of a colour TV Licence is £145.50 per year.
Budgeting
Try not to indulge in a wild spending spree when you receive your first Student Loan and/or maintenance grant instalment at the beginning of term. It may seem like a lot of money, but it is unlikely that this income will address all of your general living costs for the term.
Try and work out a monthly budget for each term so that you don't overspend. You can do this by working out how many weeks there are until you receive your next Student Loan or maintenance grant instalment and then calculating your income and expenditure during this period. Start with your essential expenditure items such as accommodation, food, travel and course costs. The amount left over (if any) is the amount you can spend on entertainment, clothes and other non-essential items. If you would like more money than you have to spend on luxury items, maybe you will need to secure a part-time job. The Student Funding Office is happy to help you budget if you wish.
Trusts and Charities
You may be able to find additional funding via charitable organisations. Check grant and trust publications, such as the 'Educational Grant Directory' available in your school, college or local library.
At the University's Careers Service website students can access the 'FunderFinder' search engine online. Funderfinder will help students find out if they are eligible for any small grants from any Charities or Trusts. Students should set aside about an hour to go through the package. Details of how to access it can be found by visiting the The Careers Service. Make sure you meet the criteria and apply in good time as money may only be allocated once a year.
Contact details
The Student Funding Office is open throughout the year to offer advice and assistance to students with financial queries and problems.
The office is located on the Ground floor of Senate House, Tyndall Avenue. Telephone 0117 33 17972 or email student-funding@bristol.ac.uk. We are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
Please visit our website http://www.bristol.ac.uk/studentfunding/
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information on this webpage is as accurate as possible. However, it is intended to provide a broad overview and you are strongly advised to consult other appropriate sources of information. The University can not accept responsibility for changes affecting the contents which arise after April 2011, or for errors in the original source material.