QMU UG Prospectus 2023sp | Page 52

Your student lifestyle

Budgeting and living costs

Learning to budget successfully helps to make student life a lot smoother .
If you are coming straight from school to university , like most undergraduate students do , you will probably be managing your own finances for the first time . However , if you are a direct entrant or mature student , there are still costs that you should be aware of when making the move to higher education .
On these two pages you will find some examples of costs that you may need to budget for as a student at QMU . Of course , your finances will depend on individual circumstances , but the tables opposite will give you a rough idea of what you need to consider .
If you are a mature student , you will probably already have a grasp of how much your rent / mortgage , utility bills and food cost per month . However , you may now need to factor in other costs as you make the move to become a student at QMU .
QMU ’ s Student Funding Adviser can provide one-to-one information , advice and guidance on the funding available to you when you are studying with us , including :
• Loans , bursaries and tuition fees
• Benefits and studying
• Childcare Fund
• Discretionary Fund ( formerly the Hardship Fund )
• Nursing Discretionary Fund
• International Hardship Fund
• Part-time funding
Childcare
Council tax
Books
Travel pass / QMU parking permit
Mature students living off campus
QMU ’ s Student Funding Adviser can provide information , advice and guidance on funding available for childcare .
If you live alone you will be exempt from paying council tax for the duration of your studies . If you live with a partner / spouse there will be a 25 % discount on council tax charge for the property for the duration of your studies .
You may need to buy books for your course . You may be able to purchase second-hand books to save money .
You may need to factor in the cost of a travel pass ( for the bus or train ) to and from the campus . QMU enforces a robust parking policy and the QMU car park is for permit holders only . Students are encouraged to take public transport or to walk / cycle to QMU . However , if you have a car you can apply for an annual parking permit during term time or you could opt to purchase a single day permit for each day you park on campus . It ’ s important to read the parking on campus information on the QMU website so that you understand the restrictions and costs involved .
USEFUL LINKS :
Accommodation E : accommodation @ qmu . ac . uk W : www . qmu . ac . uk / campus-life / accommodation /
Student Funding Adviser E : studentfunding @ qmu . ac . uk
Parking policy E : parking @ qmu . ac . uk W : www . qmu . ac . uk / location-and-gettinghere / parking-on-campus /
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