Are you worrying about the cost-of-living crisis and how you might be affected when you go to university?

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 92% of higher education students say their living costs have risen compared to last year.  

At Newcastle, we don’t want our students to face this alone.

Read on to find out about our £1.7 million package of financial and wellbeing support and how we’re helping our community during these tough financial times.

Contents:

1. What will be my biggest expense at university?

2. What support is available at Newcastle?

3. I’m worried about how my mental health will be affected

4. Where can I find out more?

What will be my biggest expense at university?

Perhaps not surprisingly rent is the biggest expense for students. According to the National Student Money Survey 2023, this accounts for about 40% of monthly living costs.

But students are also seeing their food, other bills and transport costs increase, too.

To help cover living costs at university, UK students can apply for a government-backed Maintenance Loan. But rising bills are still leaving students struggling to make ends meet.

What support is available at Newcastle?

We want you to make the most of your time with us, so our £1.7m package of support and resources ranges from practical advice and guidance, to financial support, money-saving initiatives and student wellbeing support. This includes:

• Student Finance Advisers you can talk to for professional help with managing your money and accessing funding schemes. You can book an appointment to meet an adviser in person or online
• our Student Finance Support Fund – you can apply to this fund if you’re struggling with essential day-to-day living costs. International and EU students can apply to our Financial Assistance Fund
• participation bursaries – to help with the cost of joining societies and taking part in their activities
• financial support to attend interviews, complete work experience, develop a project or initiative or explore a business idea through our Make It Happen fund
• a dedicated phone line, so you always have someone to talk to about urgent financial difficulties
• subsidised campus laundry facilities – available whether you choose to live in University or private accommodation
• free period products available at various locations around campus
• £1 hot meals in our campus cafes
• our money-saving Food Fob - each time you top up with funds to spend at any campus cafe we'll give you an extra 15% 

Our Students’ Union (NUSU) set up a Cost-of-Living Crisis hub to detail how it’s working with the University and lobbying local and national government for more support for students. The hub also features the initiatives in place to help our student community.

These include:

• a Student Pantry – where you can pick up free items, including fresh, dry and tinned foods, stationery and clothing that’s been donated
• access to subsided and free activities through NUSU’s Give It A Go programme
• free sexual health products

The Students’ Union’s Support & Advice Hub is available for welfare support, and assistance with housing, finance and academic issues.

Our Careers Service also supports students to look for part-time work, both on campus through our Jobs on Campus scheme and in the city, so you can boost your finances and earn as you learn.

I’m worried about how my mental health will be affected

We know these are worrying times for students – the ONS found that around 46% of students said their mental health and wellbeing had gotten worse because of the cost-of-living crisis.

At Newcastle, we take your wellbeing very seriously. That’s why our Student Wellbeing Team is available to anyone in our community who might be concerned about their physical or mental wellbeing.

Support includes counselling, mental health and student welfare support, as well as 24/7 initiatives iNCLude – our self-help app – and mental health support network TalkCampus.

Where can I find out more?

Our Cost of Living Support and Resources webpage covers everything you need to know and how to seek support if you need it.

A Cost of Living Working Group, made up of colleagues from across the University and sabbatical officers from the Students’ Union, meets regularly to identify additional initiatives to help and support our students.

We will continue to update our website, so you always have the latest news about the support you can access when you join us.