Managing your money at Brighton as an international student

We share some helpful guidance on how to budget for student life at Brighton.

Starting university in a new country is an exciting step in your educational journey. At the University of Brighton, we understand that paying for your studies and living costs may seem daunting at first. It’s important to prepare by creating a budget that you can stick to, so you can focus on making the most of your student experience.

Creating a budget for university life

This is an excellent way to get a head start on managing your budget while at university, as you can begin these steps before you arrive. Here’s how to start your calculations.   

The simplest way to budget for life at university is to:  

1. Calculate your monthly income

There will be a number of costs to consider when calculating your monthly income, one of the most prominent being your visa application costs.

As part of your Student visa application, you need to show that you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition fees and living costs for the first year of your course. To find out how much you need for living costs, please see our guidance on making a Student visa application for the most-up-to-date information.

This should act as your base, and any additional earnings from a part-time job can be used for hobbies, social activities and anything else you’d like.

2. Deduct your essential expenses

This includes accounting for accommodation, bills, food, and travel.  Make sure you are setting enough money aside to cover your accommodation costs and any bills you may have, such as your mobile, wifi or utility costs.  It’s also key to budget for your food, whether that’s weekly or daily, as well as your travel, both for your studies and for social time. These are all necessary costs that need to be covered before estimating your disposable income (the money left over).

For more information on estimated costs for your accommodation, take a look at the typical costs for students living in Brighton as a guide. From there, you can start to work out your own budget for life as a student.

3. Set aside some money for leisure or savings

Budgeting isn’t just about seeing how much money you will need to pay for your food and rent – it’s an excellent way of working out how much you can spend on things you enjoy.

It’s important to budget for emergencies to prepare for unexpected expenses. These could range from something minor like needing repairs on your laptop, to more significant situations such as having to fly home to see family. Setting aside some money for unforeseen costs is always a good idea.

So that you can get a better idea for how much things cost in the UK, International Student Ambassador Ally has put together a video about shopping on a budget. She shows you some of the best budget-friendly shops to visit in Brighton for homeware, university supplies and essentials like toiletries.

Budgeting as an international student   

If you are new to the UK, activating a bank account is an essential part of your arrival. This can take a long time to finalise, so it’s crucial to arrange access to money during your first few weeks in Brighton.   

Here are some additional things to know:

• Don’t travel with more than £250 in cash

• Bring extra funds on a credit card or in GBP Sterling travellers’ cheques
• If you are living in private accommodation, you will need to bring enough money for the deposit and at least two months’ rent in advance

Average living costs in Brighton  

While it’s important to have your essentials and savings in place, it is also good to be aware of day-to-day costs while you are in Brighton. 

Here’s some guidance on additional weekly costs that you should incorporate into your budget.  

Items	Cost of living in halls	Cost of living off campus
Food, domestic items, toiletries	£30-60 per week	£35-60 per week
Utilities	£0 per week	£30 per week
Study materials	£6 per week	£6 per week
Mobile/cell phone	£1-10 per week	£1-10 per week
Laundry	£3-7 per week	£3-7 per week
Clothing	£5-20 per week	£5-20 per week
Travel	£15-30 per week	£15-30 per week
Entertainment, socialising	£10-75 per week	£10-75 per week
Total	£70-195 per week	£105-223 per week

Individual items on campus 

Here’s an estimation of some costs that could occur while you are on campus. Prices are approximate and are supplied as a guide.

Items	Cost
Coffee (using MyCup/reusable cup)	£1.60-£2.40
Meal from canteen menu	£5.50
A4 writing pad	£2.19
Ring binder folder	£1.60
Lever arch file	£2.40

Adjusting to life in the UK  

We know that budgeting for student life is just one of the many aspects of starting your journey as a University of Brighton student. There are other things that you will need to do when you arrive in the UK, such as opening a bank account and registering with a doctor’s surgery.

You can find out more about how to prepare on our living in the UK webpage.