Is 950 pounds sufficient to survive in London?

[Zephyr]

Hi, I'm a JPA bound student, going to UK this september. I'm just wondering as i'm now making decisions on which university should I choose out of the 5 unis I've chosen, which are UCL, Imperial, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh. My first choice would be London but I'm thinking on it as I'll only be given 950 pounds per month (this amount includes living expenses and accommodation). I've done some research and I found out that most London unis' accommodation fees range from at least 100- 200 pounds per week! In one month, one'll be spending nearly 600-700 pounds per month only on accommodation! How about food, toiletries and etc?
So, I wish anyone who's studying in UK, particularly those in London, Oxford and Cambrige, can enlighten me on this matter. Thanks a lot for your help!!!!

[Glassylicious]

Heya there. I don't think those in Oxford and Cambridge would be able to give a relevant answer, for reasons which I will explain in this post.

I'm also under JPA and I'm currently in Oxford. I get 950 a month, 500 of which goes to accommodation. My college provides food in Hall, which is good nourishing food for dirt cheap prices [think 2 or 3 quid for a full complete meal]. I don't ever need to use public transport since everything [lecture theatre, law faculty, other colleges] is usually within walking distance. So my money is mostly spent on accommodation, food and groceries. After some calculations, I usually get about a 100 quid or so left over each month [HAHAHA SHOPPING YES-er whoops. Pretend you didn't see this!].

However, I do understand that living in London would cost a bit more than living in Oxford [though I was told that Oxford is just about the second most expensive place to live in after London]. A meal in London, if you eat out in Chinatown which is a bit cheaper than most places, would set you back around 4 to 6 quid. So you'd probably want to cook to save a bit of money. Also, chances are, you'll be blowing quite a bit of money on transport [London underground especially, I recommend that you get an Oyster card for cheaper rates] AND phone credit, so it's best not to spend all your money on food and accommodation alone.

Toiletries don't run out THAT often, so it shouldn't be a major concern.

At any rate, my friend who is also a JPA scholar is in London and she gets along fine with 950, so I don't think you'd have a problem either. And remind yourself that other scholars have it worse -- Petronas scholars get about 180 pounds a month for food and miscellaneous allowances. My friend who's a Jardine scholar has about 250 quid monthly to survive in Oxford after factoring in her accommodation. Can you imagine how they'll survive in London? If they can get by with that kind of money, I expect you'd be able to live pretty comfortably with 400 quid a month too.

If you have any other questions I'd be happy to answer them. Cheers.

[DoomScythe]

Hi, I'm a JPA bound student, going to UK this september.

JPA's main office is in Putrajaya, not in London. :P

Anyway, to answer your question, the 950 is enough. You'll be spending about 600 pounds on accommodation, possibly less if you are lucky. Food in UK is quite cheap actually. If you were to cook yourself, you can survive with about 100 pounds a month, though some of my (female) friends can make do with 60-80 (out of London). If you're in London, I think 150 should be plenty. However, if you are to factor in some socialising, bars, parties, restaurants, etc..... you can make do with 250 pounds. Give 100 pounds into transportation and you have 950 pounds. :)

The allowance given by them IS really enough. If you were to go to Cambridge/Oxford, even better. You're getting 950 pounds in a place where 600 pounds would have sufficed.

As for Edinburgh, you'll have quite a bit of savings from the 800 pounds that you will be receiving. Things in Edinburgh are not really expensive, but it is still a city, so you might need some money for transportation. Manchester is definitely sufficient. You have cheap dim sum there where you can eat until your stomach explode for like 6 pounds. Oriental food is abundant there.

For Birmingham, I think you will do fine there as well, though I cannot remember whether they are giving 650 or 800 there. There's a lot of nice shopping centres in Birmingham (largest in UK apparently), and there's a mini Chinatown in Birmingham as well.

Btw, my first sentence is a joke, don't take it to heart. xD


Edit: Btw, just saw Glassylicious' post. Thought I should mention that quid = pounds. Colloquial.

[Zephyr]

Heya there. I don't think those in Oxford and Cambridge would be able to give a relevant answer, for reasons which I will explain in this post.

I'm also under JPA and I'm currently in Oxford. I get 950 a month, 500 of which goes to accommodation. My college provides food in Hall, which is good nourishing food for dirt cheap prices [think 2 or 3 quid for a full complete meal]. I don't ever need to use public transport since everything [lecture theatre, law faculty, other colleges] is usually within walking distance. So my money is mostly spent on accommodation, food and groceries. After some calculations, I usually get about a 100 quid or so left over each month [HAHAHA SHOPPING YES-er whoops. Pretend you didn't see this!].

However, I do understand that living in London would cost a bit more than living in Oxford [though I was told that Oxford is just about the second most expensive place to live in after London]. A meal in London, if you eat out in Chinatown which is a bit cheaper than most places, would set you back around 4 to 6 quid. So you'd probably want to cook to save a bit of money. Also, chances are, you'll be blowing quite a bit of money on transport [London underground especially, I recommend that you get an Oyster card for cheaper rates] AND phone credit, so it's best not to spend all your money on food and accommodation alone.

Toiletries don't run out THAT often, so it shouldn't be a major concern.

At any rate, my friend who is also a JPA scholar is in London and she gets along fine with 950, so I don't think you'd have a problem either. And remind yourself that other scholars have it worse -- Petronas scholars get about 180 pounds a month for food and miscellaneous allowances. My friend who's a Jardine scholar has about 250 quid monthly to survive in Oxford after factoring in her accommodation. Can you imagine how they'll survive in London? If they can get by with that kind of money, I expect you'd be able to live pretty comfortably with 400 quid a month too.

If you have any other questions I'd be happy to answer them. Cheers.

Thanx a lot for your reply. I do realise that it's quite unfair that those who are studying in Oxbridge are getting the same amount of monthly allowance as those in London, haha... Oh yeah by the way, did JPA inform you about the increment in the monthly allowance since there's a surge in prices of everthing in the UK? I do hope that they'll at least increase 100 quid or so, in order for us to survive since recession is hitting UK pretty badly!!!
ps: btw do I need to pay for the oyster card?

JPA's main office is in Putrajaya, not in London. :P

Anyway, to answer your question, the 950 is enough. You'll be spending about 600 pounds on accommodation, possibly less if you are lucky. Food in UK is quite cheap actually. If you were to cook yourself, you can survive with about 100 pounds a month, though some of my (female) friends can make do with 60-80 (out of London). If you're in London, I think 150 should be plenty. However, if you are to factor in some socialising, bars, parties, restaurants, etc..... you can make do with 250 pounds. Give 100 pounds into transportation and you have 950 pounds. :)

The allowance given by them IS really enough. If you were to go to Cambridge/Oxford, even better. You're getting 950 pounds in a place where 600 pounds would have sufficed.

As for Edinburgh, you'll have quite a bit of savings from the 800 pounds that you will be receiving. Things in Edinburgh are not really expensive, but it is still a city, so you might need some money for transportation. Manchester is definitely sufficient. You have cheap dim sum there where you can eat until your stomach explode for like 6 pounds. Oriental food is abundant there.

For Birmingham, I think you will do fine there as well, though I cannot remember whether they are giving 650 or 800 there. There's a lot of nice shopping centres in Birmingham (largest in UK apparently), and there's a mini Chinatown in Birmingham as well.

Btw, my first sentence is a joke, don't take it to heart. xD


Edit: Btw, just saw Glassylicious' post. Thought I should mention that quid = pounds. Colloquial.

Hi, thanx! yeah I know what quid means, just that I don't really like to use it (since I'm still in Malaysia) haha... oh yeah JPA gives only 650 to those in birmingham, so is that enough since it's an industrial city, I heard? well, now at least I'm pretty confident in choosing London as my 1st choice since money is my no. 1 concern....

[Glassylicious]

Thanx a lot for your reply. I do realise that it's quite unfair that those who are studying in Oxbridge are getting the same amount of monthly allowance as those in London, haha... Oh yeah by the way, did JPA inform you about the increment in the monthly allowance since there's a surge in prices of everthing in the UK? I do hope that they'll at least increase 100 quid or so, in order for us to survive since recession is hitting UK pretty badly!!!
ps: btw do I need to pay for the oyster card?

Oxbridge students having the same amount of allowance? It's not really unfair. The cost of living in these cities are about the same, which is why we get about the same amount of money as you guys. Eating out in Oxford costs about the same as eating out in London, to be honest. And comparing the prices we pay for our college accommodation with yours, doesn't it amount to about the same?

It's just that the circumstances I am in allow me to save up a lot more money than I should be. It's really all about how you choose to spend your money. Some people would budget about 10 quid a week for a weekly clubbing party, some eat out often, etc. I spend less money than some people because I choose not to eat out too often, walk instead of taking the bus, don't go clubbing or partying, etc. Hence I get to save more. So I can feed my insatiable addiction for cream cheese bagels and Body Shop products.

Oh my god. Increment in monthly allowance?! Why wasn't I informed about this?! Where did you find this piece of news?! *runs around in circles*

And yes, you do need to pay about 3 pounds to buy an Oyster card or something, but after that, it functions like a prepaid card for the London underground. Also, Oyster card holders are subject to a "maximum daily cap" in which after you pass a certain amount of payment in a day, they'll stop charging you so you get to ride free!

[Zephyr]

Oxbridge students having the same amount of allowance? It's not really unfair. The cost of living in these cities are about the same, which is why we get about the same amount of money as you guys. Eating out in Oxford costs about the same as eating out in London, to be honest. And comparing the prices we pay for our college accommodation with yours, doesn't it amount to about the same?

It's just that the circumstances I am in allow me to save up a lot more money than I should be. It's really all about how you choose to spend your money. Some people would budget about 10 quid a week for a weekly clubbing party, some eat out often, etc. I spend less money than some people because I choose not to eat out too often, walk instead of taking the bus, don't go clubbing or partying, etc. Hence I get to save more. So I can feed my insatiable addiction for cream cheese bagels and Body Shop products.

Oh my god. Increment in monthly allowance?! Why wasn't I informed about this?! Where did you find this piece of news?! *runs around in circles*

And yes, you do need to pay about 3 pounds to buy an Oyster card or something, but after that, it functions like a prepaid card for the London underground. Also, Oyster card holders are subject to a "maximum daily cap" in which after you pass a certain amount of payment in a day, they'll stop charging you so you get to ride free!

haha you are sooo cute!!!! you get to pay less for food and transport in Oxford. That's the best thing studying in a collegiate uni, isn't it? Oh yeah, do you get to stay in the halls throughout the period of your course or only for the 1st year>? One thing I don't really like about the accommodation in London is that you need to move out after 1st year and I heard staying in private accommodation is pretty pricey compared to uni halls, is that true?
cream cheese bagels? now you are making me hungry!!!! i TOTALLY LOVE cheese!!!!!!
About the increment, it's just a rumour and i apologise for making you so excited for the moment, my bad!
Btw, how long is your bond with the government>? just out of my curiosity... hehe

[Glassylicious]

haha you are sooo cute!!!! you get to pay less for food and transport in Oxford. That's the best thing studying in a collegiate uni, isn't it? Oh yeah, do you get to stay in the halls throughout the period of your course or only for the 1st year>? One thing I don't really like about the accommodation in London is that you need to move out after 1st year and I heard staying in private accommodation is pretty pricey compared to uni halls, is that true?
cream cheese bagels? now you are making me hungry!!!! i TOTALLY LOVE cheese!!!!!!
About the increment, it's just a rumour and i apologise for making you so excited for the moment, my bad!
Btw, how long is your bond with the government>? just out of my curiosity... hehe

I have to move out of college grounds after my first year, but my college owns some accommodation for second and third year students which is a five minutes walk away, so that's no big deal. I can move back into college for my third year, but we'll see.

Whether private or university accommodation would be pricier depends, actually. University accommodation bills sometimes come with lots of unnecessary frills which you can't really back out off. Mine, for example, has like a compulsory 200 quid extra for "cleaning services" where they send a cleaner to clean your room every week and empty your bin everyday. Given the choice I'd probably say "no thanks" and clean my own room myself, considering how many bagels, hot chocolates and face creams I can buy with 200 quid. But it's apparently compulsory so I can't decline that service.

Also, some of my friends get charged for central heating bills, which they may or may not need. My room gets a heater which I plug in and switch on and off at will, and I don't get charged for that for some reason. And last but not least, some university accommodation does not provide kitchen facilities! [Like mine, hmph. >=(] We don't have microwaves, and we're not allowed rice cookers and toasters in our room. So this means you can't cook your own meals, which would save you more money in the long run, and you'd have to resort to hall food or eating out. Private accommodation might be cheaper in some instances if you can cook your own food, control your heating expenditures, etc.

Ah, rumour. =( Oh well. And yeah, cheese rocks.

Six years with the government, but I'm not sure if they usually have jobs for Law graduates. If someone can help clarify this issue I'd be most appreciative.

Cheers.

[destroyer]

@<hidden>: i think you might be replacing ghani patail soon. maybe become pendakwa raya

[DoomScythe]

Hi, thanx! yeah I know what quid means, just that I don't really like to use it (since I'm still in Malaysia) haha... oh yeah JPA gives only 650 to those in birmingham, so is that enough since it's an industrial city, I heard? well, now at least I'm pretty confident in choosing London as my 1st choice since money is my no. 1 concern....

If you're really after money, then may I suggest that you go to Edinburgh. You're getting 800 pounds there, more than enough.

As for the additional money for Oxbridge, their reasoning is that those people who got into those unis deserved additional allowance for their spectacular performance, not because of the cost of living. I can't say anything for Oxford, but my friend in Cambridge survive just fine with 600. I doubt Oxford is really that expensive to justify such a great increase in allowance. It's more of a bonus, rather than a need.

Oh, an advice for ya. You might REALLY want to think about going for London. If you're the type who values city life above everything else, then go for it. London is generally less friendly that other cities. Also, you'll be taking the tube everyday to class (probably) until you feel like you have a tube in your backside. :)) It's quite a pain really, to travel to class everyday.

Edinburgh is nicer and more scenic. Only major problem I can think of is the Scottish accent. Birmingham, I think 650 should be enough. If I'm not mistaken, Birmingham Uni is pretty much self-contained, so things should be fine there. As I've said, Birmingham has really large variety of raw materials, comparable to London for cooking. You won't have problems finding Maggi, ikan bilis, raw fish and other what nots.

[Glassylicious]

As for the additional money for Oxbridge, their reasoning is that those people who got into those unis deserved additional allowance for their spectacular performance, not because of the cost of living. I can't say anything for Oxford, but my friend in Cambridge survive just fine with 600. I doubt Oxford is really that expensive to justify such a great increase in allowance. It's more of a bonus, rather than a need.


Whoa...wait up. Is that true? Who/what's your source on that? o_o

I had always been under the impression that it was due to the cost of living. Eating out in Oxford costs about the same as eating out in London. If you're hoping to get a proper meal [not a sandwich and drink], be prepared to fork out at least 4 to 8 pounds. A real restaurant would cost up to 10-20 pounds per head.

Accommodation per month also adds up to just slightly below the price that my friend who's staying in KCL accommodation is paying. I've got friends in other colleges/rooms who pay way more than I do for monthly accommodation expenditures. My room is considered the second cheapest in the college, I pay about 680 quid of rent per term which lasts 8 weeks [plus a few hundred quid for miscellaneous fees]. I know many others pay about 800 and some even need to fork out 1000+ for a term's worth of college accommodation.

I don't really see a lot of difference compared to London. The advantages we have are that we get hall food [I'm not sure if the London unis cater for their students and offer them cheap subsidized meals] and that we usually don't have to waste any money on transport at all because everything in Oxford is usually within a walking distance of 15 minutes. That alone should save us a few hundred quid per month.

I believe Oxford's expensive because it's touristy, or so I have been told. I'm not sure about Cambridge. I've never been there nor do I have friends studying there, so I can't really say.

[DoomScythe]

Lol, eating out price is almost the same everywhere. 4-8 is considered normal. I bowl of nice big noodle in a Chinese restaurant at Birmingham costs about 7 pounds. Same goes for Coventry. Food in Edinburgh is the same as well. London is more variable. There's both cheap and expensive food.

As for your 680 per term for on campus accomodation, that's pretty cheap. It costs about 400 per month in universities like Warwick, Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt. It really is no different. However, for London, my friends are paying like 600 per month there. Oxford could be a tad more expensive due to tourism, no doubt, but it doesn't justify the need of 950 pounds a month.

Whoa...wait up. Is that true? Who/what's your source on that? o_o

Lol... You sure are quite gullible on this, aren't you? Thought it was common sense. Anyway, you can ask your JPA officer about this if you don't believe me. I don't really wanna reveal names here, but you can do your bit of asking. Just do the math and you will realise that what I said makes sense. :)

[Sillyboy]

Hi, I'm a JPA bound student, going to UK this september. I'm just wondering as i'm now making decisions on which university should I choose out of the 5 unis I've chosen, which are UCL, Imperial, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh. My first choice would be London but I'm thinking on it as I'll only be given 950 pounds per month (this amount includes living expenses and accommodation). I've done some research and I found out that most London unis' accommodation fees range from at least 100- 200 pounds per week! In one month, one'll be spending nearly 600-700 pounds per month only on accommodation! How about food, toiletries and etc?
So, I wish anyone who's studying in UK, particularly those in London, Oxford and Cambrige, can enlighten me on this matter. Thanks a lot for your help!!!!

Hello Zephyr! I presume you chose either Imperial or UCL as one of your firm offer university?

I am a first year at Imperial College and to be honest, 950 quid a month will be sufficient for one to survive in London provided that he/she spends with prudence and good judgement. Unfortunately, London is full of temptations and the latter is somewhat difficult to practice, even for the most disciplined ones!

Since Imperial College is no longer a part of UOL, we no longer have access to the intercollegiate halls. The weekly rent for the various Imperial College halls differs in terms of the condition of the hall and distance, where both could outweigh one another!! For example, the 4 closest hall to College would be Beit, Southside, Garden and Weeks (These are just names of the 4 respective halls) All ensuite single rooms in the four halls garner a weekly rent of at least 145 quid (this is only an approximate estimate, for more information, please check the accommodation website.) and it could go up this year! Nevertheless, there is always an option of choosing a twin room, which is significantly cheaper but for one at Southside, the weekly rent is comparable to a single ensuite room elsewhere (not the 4) because Southside is one of the newly refurbished halls.

Then, we have Evelyn Gardens at the South of College, which comprises of 5 halls altogether. They are situated 25 minutes away (walking) from college. One might think that since they are further the rent will be cheaper, which is the case but not for all 5 halls! One might need to fork out up to 145 quids or more for a single en-suite room in Evelyn Gardens for halls such as Wilis Jackson and Holbein. Fisher Hall is at Evelyn Gardens as well but its condition is less favourable compared to the other 4 thus the rent is significantly cheaper! Another example would be Southwell, where one single room can go up to 120quid per week, cheaper because there is NO ensuite room at Southwell Hall. Ah, I almost forgot to mention this, rooms with bathrooms attached are much more expensive! Another 40 minutes away from college (walking) and we have Orient House, a further hall but because its interior is extremely well maintained a weeks rent can go up to 150 quid. This could also be due to the fact that it is situated in the borough of Chelsea (sort of a higher class place I guess!)

Then we have the North of College, and if memory serves, there are altogether three halls. I currently live in one of the three (Pembridge) and it is a 30 minute walk from college (IMO, horrible). I pay 127.75 a week for a single ensuite and given its condition (not as good but decent) it is very worth it. I have hallmates paying the same amount but with their room only the 3/4 of the size of mine! Then, we have Wilson House and Piccadilly Court, which I will not divulge much information because I really hope you won't apply to these halls. Not only they are far, their weekly rent does not differ much with Pembridge, say 5-10 pounds less a week? Or it could be more I am not sure. Ultimately, I would advise you NOT to apply to halls which are too far (minimum 30 mins walking!).

Unfortunately, Imperial College is situated at South Kensington, which is one of the poshest area in London so ones monthly expenses would be significantly higher than their counterpart elsewhere but not too great a degree their difference. Cooking is a skill you must have because doing your own meals not only saves money but it is healthy as well, albeit time consuming. To survive with 950 quid a month, it is best if you can cook, prepare your own lunch in order to spend as minimal as possible on food. Again, if you can cook then you shouldn't be too worried about not eating well or having not enough money for it. I don't cook at all but still, I manage to spend only 300 pounds a month, a lot for some but considering it includes transport, miscellaneous expenditure and phone top up, I would think it is pretty decent.

Transportation is fantastic in London! With and Oyster card, you can get to almost everywhere in London, either by bus, tube, overground etc. Nevertheless, transportation could form a significant portion of your expenditure, especially if you live a distance away from college. It costs a quid for bus ride and a quid 60 of an underground or overground tube and that is only confined to Zone 1. Rates for other zones will be higher though not by a wide margin. Generally, I would need about 10-15 pounds for transport, 40-50 if you are a frequent user. Alternatively, you could get daily, weekly or monthly travel cards with a photocard but I will leave that to later. Oh, one rarely used more than the capped amount, students, unless you commute A LOT of you just don't know where you are going! :D

Oh, why do you need to worry about toiletries! They are so much cheaper here in London and that is like what, less than 2% of your monthly expenses. Heck, you wouldn't even need to buy toiletries every month :P

Also, I would like to make some comments about leisure. Like I said before, London is full of temptation is can be hard for one to resists the urge to go somewhere like London Eye, Tralfagar Square, the famous markets, museums, art gallery or even a meal out and etc. Things get worse if you are a heavy clubber! London people just love to party and to them 20 quid may be nothing but to us, it translates to a week's worth of grocery. Which spending is more 'worth it', you be the judge.

Lastly, if you still have any queries, doubts, hesitations or whatsoever, don't hesitate to ask on Recom. Also, a coursemate of mine, (who is also a Recomer and some one who I meet and hang out with every single day!) is a JPA scholar. His month expenses is actually more than mine! LOL He is still surviving into his 2nd term now. (We all are!)

[Thirdshifter]

According to my sister in London, who is being sponsored by JPA (i think), is not enough. Hence we continue to send her money and forced her to find a job for personal expenses (read: shopping).

I personally think 950 is a lot if you're there to study not vacationing.

[Zephyr]

Hello Zephyr! I presume you chose either Imperial or UCL as one of your firm offer university?

I am a first year at Imperial College and to be honest, 950 quid a month will be sufficient for one to survive in London provided that he/she spends with prudence and good judgement. Unfortunately, London is full of temptations and the latter is somewhat difficult to practice, even for the most disciplined ones!

Since Imperial College is no longer a part of UOL, we no longer have access to the intercollegiate halls. The weekly rent for the various Imperial College halls differs in terms of the condition of the hall and distance, where both could outweigh one another!! For example, the 4 closest hall to College would be Beit, Southside, Garden and Weeks (These are just names of the 4 respective halls) All ensuite single rooms in the four halls garner a weekly rent of at least 145 quid (this is only an approximate estimate, for more information, please check the accommodation website.) and it could go up this year! Nevertheless, there is always an option of choosing a twin room, which is significantly cheaper but for one at Southside, the weekly rent is comparable to a single ensuite room elsewhere (not the 4) because Southside is one of the newly refurbished halls.

Then, we have Evelyn Gardens at the South of College, which comprises of 5 halls altogether. They are situated 25 minutes away (walking) from college. One might think that since they are further the rent will be cheaper, which is the case but not for all 5 halls! One might need to fork out up to 145 quids or more for a single en-suite room in Evelyn Gardens for halls such as Wilis Jackson and Holbein. Fisher Hall is at Evelyn Gardens as well but its condition is less favourable compared to the other 4 thus the rent is significantly cheaper! Another example would be Southwell, where one single room can go up to 120quid per week, cheaper because there is NO ensuite room at Southwell Hall. Ah, I almost forgot to mention this, rooms with bathrooms attached are much more expensive! Another 40 minutes away from college (walking) and we have Orient House, a further hall but because its interior is extremely well maintained a weeks rent can go up to 150 quid. This could also be due to the fact that it is situated in the borough of Chelsea (sort of a higher class place I guess!)

Then we have the North of College, and if memory serves, there are altogether three halls. I currently live in one of the three (Pembridge) and it is a 30 minute walk from college (IMO, horrible). I pay 127.75 a week for a single ensuite and given its condition (not as good but decent) it is very worth it. I have hallmates paying the same amount but with their room only the 3/4 of the size of mine! Then, we have Wilson House and Piccadilly Court, which I will not divulge much information because I really hope you won't apply to these halls. Not only they are far, their weekly rent does not differ much with Pembridge, say 5-10 pounds less a week? Or it could be more I am not sure. Ultimately, I would advise you NOT to apply to halls which are too far (minimum 30 mins walking!).

Unfortunately, Imperial College is situated at South Kensington, which is one of the poshest area in London so ones monthly expenses would be significantly higher than their counterpart elsewhere but not too great a degree their difference. Cooking is a skill you must have because doing your own meals not only saves money but it is healthy as well, albeit time consuming. To survive with 950 quid a month, it is best if you can cook, prepare your own lunch in order to spend as minimal as possible on food. Again, if you can cook then you shouldn't be too worried about not eating well or having not enough money for it. I don't cook at all but still, I manage to spend only 300 pounds a month, a lot for some but considering it includes transport, miscellaneous expenditure and phone top up, I would think it is pretty decent.

Transportation is fantastic in London! With and Oyster card, you can get to almost everywhere in London, either by bus, tube, overground etc. Nevertheless, transportation could form a significant portion of your expenditure, especially if you live a distance away from college. It costs a quid for bus ride and a quid 60 of an underground or overground tube and that is only confined to Zone 1. Rates for other zones will be higher though not by a wide margin. Generally, I would need about 10-15 pounds for transport, 40-50 if you are a frequent user. Alternatively, you could get daily, weekly or monthly travel cards with a photocard but I will leave that to later. Oh, one rarely used more than the capped amount, students, unless you commute A LOT of you just don't know where you are going! :D

Oh, why do you need to worry about toiletries! They are so much cheaper here in London and that is like what, less than 2% of your monthly expenses. Heck, you wouldn't even need to buy toiletries every month :P

Also, I would like to make some comments about leisure. Like I said before, London is full of temptation is can be hard for one to resists the urge to go somewhere like London Eye, Tralfagar Square, the famous markets, museums, art gallery or even a meal out and etc. Things get worse if you are a heavy clubber! London people just love to party and to them 20 quid may be nothing but to us, it translates to a week's worth of grocery. Which spending is more 'worth it', you be the judge.

Lastly, if you still have any queries, doubts, hesitations or whatsoever, don't hesitate to ask on Recom. Also, a coursemate of mine, (who is also a Recomer and some one who I meet and hang out with every single day!) is a JPA scholar. His month expenses is actually more than mine! LOL He is still surviving into his 2nd term now. (We all are!)

thanx a lot for your long and detailed reply! I heard that sometimes we can't get the hall of our choice and we might get those which are even not in our choices!!! is that true? Does apply early help to secure the ones that we want?
Wow, I can say that you really have the will to resist all the temptations around you! Judging from whatyou said, you just spend around 800 quid per month, that means you can save up to 100 quid every month! Impressive!!! I heard some of my seniors who are studying in other unis in London spend around 1000 quids per month! Some even ask for their parents to send in extra money!
So, do you walk to the campus every day? If you do, I bet you've lost a few kilos from all the walking! I guess I'll have to get used to walking for half an hour sooner or later haha.
One more question, I know that you'll have to move out after 1st year. So, is it cheaper to stay in a private lodging than in the uni halls? What if we can't find one after 1st year, can we continue to stay in the uni halls? thanx!

If you're really after money, then may I suggest that you go to Edinburgh. You're getting 800 pounds there, more than enough.

As for the additional money for Oxbridge, their reasoning is that those people who got into those unis deserved additional allowance for their spectacular performance, not because of the cost of living. I can't say anything for Oxford, but my friend in Cambridge survive just fine with 600. I doubt Oxford is really that expensive to justify such a great increase in allowance. It's more of a bonus, rather than a need.

Oh, an advice for ya. You might REALLY want to think about going for London. If you're the type who values city life above everything else, then go for it. London is generally less friendly that other cities. Also, you'll be taking the tube everyday to class (probably) until you feel like you have a tube in your backside. :)) It's quite a pain really, to travel to class everyday.

Edinburgh is nicer and more scenic. Only major problem I can think of is the Scottish accent. Birmingham, I think 650 should be enough. If I'm not mistaken, Birmingham Uni is pretty much self-contained, so things should be fine there. As I've said, Birmingham has really large variety of raw materials, comparable to London for cooking. You won't have problems finding Maggi, ikan bilis, raw fish and other what nots.

Yup, that's right I like to live in a big city compared to those smaller ones! I don't really mind taking the tube to class everyday but if the hall that I get is about half an hour away from the campus, i think I'll opt for going to class on foot (plus one can lose wight in this way,lol)
So, you're saying that London has less variety of raw materials for Asian cooking than Birmingham? Is that possible? I thought since London is the capital city, it should have more than any other cities can offer! By the way, are you currently studying in the UK? Which uni are you in?

[DoomScythe]

Yup, that's right I like to live in a big city compared to those smaller ones! I don't really mind taking the tube to class everyday but if the hall that I get is about half an hour away from the campus, i think I'll opt for going to class on foot (plus one can lose wight in this way,lol)
So, you're saying that London has less variety of raw materials for Asian cooking than Birmingham? Is that possible? I thought since London is the capital city, it should have more than any other cities can offer! By the way, are you currently studying in the UK? Which uni are you in?

No, London obviously has the most variety of raw food. I said Birmingham is comparable to London, meaning for most of the things that you can get in London, you can get it in Birmingham too. And yes, I'm currently studing in the UK.

[Sillyboy]

thanx a lot for your long and detailed reply! I heard that sometimes we can't get the hall of our choice and we might get those which are even not in our choices!!! is that true? Does apply early help to secure the ones that we want?
Wow, I can say that you really have the will to resist all the temptations around you! Judging from whatyou said, you just spend around 800 quid per month, that means you can save up to 100 quid every month! Impressive!!! I heard some of my seniors who are studying in other unis in London spend around 1000 quids per month! Some even ask for their parents to send in extra money!
So, do you walk to the campus every day? If you do, I bet you've lost a few kilos from all the walking! I guess I'll have to get used to walking for half an hour sooner or later haha.
One more question, I know that you'll have to move out after 1st year. So, is it cheaper to stay in a private lodging than in the uni halls? What if we can't find one after 1st year, can we continue to stay in the uni halls? thanx!

Unfortunately, that is very true. The of my course mates applied for single ensuite rooms but both received offers for a twin ensuite. :S Well, some claimed that as long as one applies before the deadline it should be fine. One even go so far as to suggest that the allocation of rooms is 'tombola' lol. Nevertheless, I have a feeling that they do take into account of those who apply early first, that is my hunch anyway.

Yes, it is very difficult! Especially around this time! Lol, I try to save as much as possible! Wouldn't want to have any unnecessary expenditure! If you think that is impressive, wait till you here this! A friend of mine spends only 150 pounds (not including accommodation) a month!! She is amazing IMO! She cooks every single day thus enabling her to save a lot on food. I wonder why your seniors spend so much per month. I would understand if they are living in private accommodations which can be so much more expensive than living in uni halls!

Hmmm, I used to walk to campus everyday during October and November but winter came and it was too time consuming and tiring so opted for bus instead. Costs me 2 pounds per day but I do save time and energy! Walking is great if you are doing it with friends though. :P To get to campus, I go through Kensington Gardens and initially, it was great to walk through a park everyday but I grew sick of it. :S As for losing a few kilos, well, I can only hope!

Private accommodation in London is so so so so so much more expensive than Uni halls!! Most opt for big houses so that they could share the rent with a few people. I am in the midst of searching a property (to rent) myself! I am sorry to say that uni accommodation is only guaranteed if you are a first year and have an unconditional offer by a certain date. The only way you can stay at halls during your second year is that you become a hall senior yourselves.

[Zephyr]

Unfortunately, that is very true. The of my course mates applied for single ensuite rooms but both received offers for a twin ensuite. :S Well, some claimed that as long as one applies before the deadline it should be fine. One even go so far as to suggest that the allocation of rooms is 'tombola' lol. Nevertheless, I have a feeling that they do take into account of those who apply early first, that is my hunch anyway.

Yes, it is very difficult! Especially around this time! Lol, I try to save as much as possible! Wouldn't want to have any unnecessary expenditure! If you think that is impressive, wait till you here this! A friend of mine spends only 150 pounds (not including accommodation) a month!! She is amazing IMO! She cooks every single day thus enabling her to save a lot on food. I wonder why your seniors spend so much per month. I would understand if they are living in private accommodations which can be so much more expensive than living in uni halls!

Hmmm, I used to walk to campus everyday during October and November but winter came and it was too time consuming and tiring so opted for bus instead. Costs me 2 pounds per day but I do save time and energy! Walking is great if you are doing it with friends though. :P To get to campus, I go through Kensington Gardens and initially, it was great to walk through a park everyday but I grew sick of it. :S As for losing a few kilos, well, I can only hope!

Private accommodation in London is so so so so so much more expensive than Uni halls!! Most opt for big houses so that they could share the rent with a few people. I am in the midst of searching a property (to rent) myself! I am sorry to say that uni accommodation is only guaranteed if you are a first year and have an unconditional offer by a certain date. The only way you can stay at halls during your second year is that you become a hall senior yourselves.

OMG! that means the real challenge comes after the first year? What if the worst case scenario happens, and one couldn't find those big houses you've mentioned? As I know it's extremely difficult to find private accommodation in London? Then, doesn't that mean 950 quids not enough for a month's budget?

[Sillyboy]

OMG! that means the real challenge comes after the first year? What if the worst case scenario happens, and one couldn't find those big houses you've mentioned? As I know it's extremely difficult to find private accommodation in London? Then, doesn't that mean 950 quids not enough for a month's budget?

Lol, don't you worry about that! :P Trust me, when the time comes, you will have a bunch of good friends and most likely stay together. Say 500 pounds for 3 rooms, you do the maths.

Where did you get the notion that its hard to find private accommodation in London??? In fact, there are so many available!! All you need is money....:D

[Zephyr]

Lol, don't you worry about that! :P Trust me, when the time comes, you will have a bunch of good friends and most likely stay together. Say 500 pounds for 3 rooms, you do the maths.

Where did you get the notion that its hard to find private accommodation in London??? In fact, there are so many available!! All you need is money....:D

well, i thought since every year there are so many first year undergraduates fighting over to find the best and the cheapest private accommodation out of uni halls, isn't it very competitive?

[Sillyboy]

well, i thought since every year there are so many first year undergraduates fighting over to find the best and the cheapest private accommodation out of uni halls, isn't it very competitive?

What you say could be true but you need not worry about this now. :)

[claypot]

According to my sister in London, who is being sponsored by JPA (i think), is not enough. Hence we continue to send her money and forced her to find a job for personal expenses (read: shopping).

I personally think 950 is a lot if you're there to study not vacationing.

Your sister must be freaking awesome when she went for vacation and travelling. I personally think that GBP950 is more than enough. Let say accommodation took about GBP500. And food only took about GBP10 perday x 30 days = GBP300 which I dont think you need that much though. You still left with GBP150 for other stuff. so dont worry about the money.. It is all depends on how you manage your money. A piece of advice here, learn from you mum how to cook, help you save a lot of money..

[Cantabile]

Accommodation per month also adds up to just slightly below the price that my friend who's staying in KCL accommodation is paying. I've got friends in other colleges/rooms who pay way more than I do for monthly accommodation expenditures. My room is considered the second cheapest in the college, I pay about 680 quid of rent per term which lasts 8 weeks [plus a few hundred quid for miscellaneous fees]. I know many others pay about 800 and some even need to fork out 1000+ for a term's worth of college accommodation.

I don't really see a lot of difference compared to London. The advantages we have are that we get hall food [I'm not sure if the London unis cater for their students and offer them cheap subsidized meals] and that we usually don't have to waste any money on transport at all because everything in Oxford is usually within a walking distance of 15 minutes. That alone should save us a few hundred quid per month.



I'm bound for KCL under Jpa this september, and boy, the accommodation fees range from 100 to 230 quid per week.. For first years we are guaranteed a spot in the uni residences, which are allocated by computer balloting it seems. So it really is your luck. Am sure most would put the most expensive one (which is not within walking distance also) as last choice, but at the end of the day, SOME people will be erm, 'offered' those spots..and poof, there goes all your monthly allowance. My senior was not a scholar (FAMA sponsored) and this happened to him, though he could still afford it in the end..but I wonder, how bout those who are strictly dependant on that set amount of 950 pounds? Imagine arriving 1st time in London and you already have to look around for cheaper accommodation. o.O That being said, I think this accomm thing is the main obstacle..unless you're so unlucky like this dude, 950 pounds would be sufficient.

[anglerfish_9]

A senior of mine told me that her parents have to send her money every month because 950 is just enough for living expenses (not including shopping and traveling) She also said that it will be hard for us to save in London given all the shopping and also the transportation. She said that initially you will walk to your uni but after a while, you will become sick of it especially in autumn and winter when the weather is cold! And since her accomodation is very far from her faculty, it cost her some pounds to go to her uni EVERY DAY!!! Moreover, she is sharing room. So, her advice to me is " Choose a uni out of London, save up the money and then come and visit London during holidays and for shopping."

[kid]

how much mara will give 4 allowances if i'm going to imperial?

[tsar]

Anyone studying at Trinity College Cambridge under JPA?

[Sillyboy]

A senior of mine told me that her parents have to send her money every month because 950 is just enough for living expenses (not including shopping and traveling) She also said that it will be hard for us to save in London given all the shopping and also the transportation. She said that initially you will walk to your uni but after a while, you will become sick of it especially in autumn and winter when the weather is cold! And since her accomodation is very far from her faculty, it cost her some pounds to go to her uni EVERY DAY!!! Moreover, she is sharing room. So, her advice to me is " Choose a uni out of London, save up the money and then come and visit London during holidays and for shopping."

Nonsense! Your senior must be spending an awful lot if 950 per month is only sufficient for living expenses.

Given the highlighted, I don't think her accommodation fees are high so the bulk of money must have gone to spending on other things!

[anglerfish_9]

Nonsense! Your senior must be spending an awful lot if 950 per month is only sufficient for living expenses.

Given the highlighted, I don't think her accommodation fees are high so the bulk of money must have gone to spending on other things!

Haha... that I am not very sure. I just take in and write down the advices that she gave.

[teddyen]

woot~
thanks Silly Boy for one of that awesome detailed post :p
and to Zephrey and anybody else for the info provided...

I'm most likely to be heading to imperial this sept... unfortunately, self-paid T_T that is unless there will be tajaan tambahan which i can apply this june :p
so the information really helped me a lot...
and thanks goodness the exchange rate is lower, but it's already increasing now XD

[sugarspice]

woot~
thanks Silly Boy for one of that awesome detailed post :p
and to Zephrey and anybody else for the info provided...

I'm most likely to be heading to imperial this sept... unfortunately, self-paid T_T that is unless there will be tajaan tambahan which i can apply this june :p
so the information really helped me a lot...
and thanks goodness the exchange rate is lower, but it's already increasing now XD


true, it's increasing already. so now faster go change a lot a lot UK pound!

[choogirl]

I think its sufficient. My fren who's studyin in UCL is under bank negara scholarship. He said he still have a hundred plus pounds left. Note: My friend doesnt cook himself. You just need to know where and how to seek for cheaper food. Besides, there are also online coupons that have discounts. Some places also offer special rates for uni students.

For those who said it isnt enough, I think the only way that money is spent was probably on shopping or food. I heard london stuff are quite cheap now since there's economic recession. Plus point is that there's also boxing day sales. Sales = 50%/70% discounts on branded goods like clarks, DKNY, Topshop etc. So many probably can't resist the temptation

[Sillyboy]

I think its sufficient. My fren who's studyin in UCL is under bank negara scholarship. He said he still have a hundred plus pounds left. Note: My friend doesnt cook himself. You just need to know where and how to seek for cheaper food. Besides, there are also online coupons that have discounts. Some places also offer special rates for uni students.

For those who said it isnt enough, I think the only way that money is spent was probably on shopping or food. I heard london stuff are quite cheap now since there's economic recession. Plus point is that there's also boxing day sales. Sales = 50%/70% discounts on branded goods like clarks, DKNY, Topshop etc. So many probably can't resist the temptation

My sentiments exactly!

Boxing day sales are overrated. Imagine thronging into shops filled with people and competing with avid shoppers, waiting outside the stores way before opening hours.

[choogirl]

LOL. What you said was also what my tour guide said when I went for a tour there. It was about the 28th of Dec that time. And he said what we are buying are already 'leftovers'. LOL. My friend who's studying there said that it's like boxing day everyday due to the economy.

Btw, are you planning to further your studies in London? Or are you already there?

[Sillyboy]

LOL. What you said was also what my tour guide said when I went for a tour there. It was about the 28th of Dec that time. And he said what we are buying are already 'leftovers'. LOL. My friend who's studying there said that it's like boxing day everyday due to the economy.

Btw, are you planning to further your studies in London? Or are you already there?

I am already there. :)

[joyce91]

r u all bumis?because i heard a senior told me that JPA will not sponsor non-bumis to further their medicine studies in UK for 5 yrs~is it true?

[sugarspice]

r u all bumis?because i heard a senior told me that JPA will not sponsor non-bumis to further their medicine studies in UK for 5 yrs~is it true?

JPA does sponsor non bumis to UK for medic (undergrad admission) either through PILN or TTUG. Medic course is usually 5-6 years. Btw, this is not quite the right thread for your question.

[Cantabile]

I dunno if this applies to other peeps going to London as well, but my college accommodation fees are due at the beginning of each semester with each installment being about 2000 pounds (for the whole semester). So what I'd like to know is, does JPA bank in our 950 pounds allowance on a monthly basis, or in 4 months chunks or what? Cuz if it's solely on a monthly basis, no way we can pay our accommodation on a semester basis rite? Hope this was clear enough. Any tips or experience will be very much appreciated. Thanks

[orthopod]

they told me they bank in the allowance every 3 months(im almost a jpa scholar now)

you can ask the uni if you could pay it every month..and most uni's do entertain that.

they told me they bank in the allowance every 3 months(im almost a jpa scholar now)

you can ask the uni if you could pay it every month..and most uni's do entertain that.My friend in UCL accomodation manage to do that.