• Edinburgh and Glasgow students receive the lowest income, compared to their expenses. They’re ranked lowest in the index as a result. London and Coventry respondents report the next biggest costs. Edinburgh students have faced the biggest squeeze for two straight years.
• Those at Oxford and Coventry universities are the most likely to rely on parental or family income when managing their finances.
• The greatest monthly term-time income was achieved by students in Cardiff. They receive an average of £3,328.10, against the UK-wide average of £2,893.10.
• The largest term-time income from part-time employment was also recorded in Cardiff. Students in the Welsh city report an average monthly income of £219.54. Despite this, they spend less time in employment than students from the top four universities.
• When set against the UK average, Oxford respondents tend to be less reliant on student loans. On the other hand, they’re most dependent on scholarships and bursaries.

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• Average monthly spending on takeaway meals has declined by £1.20 in this year’s survey. But the appetite for takeaways remains strong among Glasgow students, with their spending 75% above the average.
• Nationally, expected takeaway costs now stand at £15.52. The highest average expected cost was found in London (£17.47). The lowest cost was recorded in Liverpool, at just £14.02.
• Students based in London and Bournemouth face the biggest monthly outgoings. At the opposite end of the scale are Leicester and York.
• For the second straight year, Liverpool students spend the largest amount on alcohol. The situation is different in Leicester, where students only spend roughly half the UK average.
• London has the highest monthly rental costs, with the capital seeing a rise of £335 compared to last year.
• Bournemouth students report the largest spending on groceries each month. Leicester is at the other end of the scale, with the city’s students spending the smallest sum on groceries.
• Students appear to be trimming their non-essential spending as the costs of essential items go up. We recorded an £11 drop in average monthly spending on going out, for instance.
• Spending on clothes and fashion is also down on last year, as students perhaps turn their attentions to more basic items instead. London students spend the most on clothing. In contrast, Lancaster and York-based students spend just over half the UK’s monthly average.

• Only one in 20 students say they feel supported by their university’s financial resources. Those in Oxford are the most upbeat about the situation.
• Average monthly savings have slid from £109.30 in 2022, to just £100.95 this year. This might be down to rising living costs. Cambridge students are proving the exception to the rule, putting aside 26% more.
• Students are now more reliant on overdrafts when they need a financial backstop. One in four use overdrafts to plug income gaps, up from one in five last time around.
• Around half (52%) of students use cash from their parents or family members when they need to cover shortfalls in their income.

• Monthly spending on going out is still strong in Glasgow, despite a wider fall across the UK. Glasgow has knocked Newcastle off the top spot this year, in terms of socialising.
• University goers in London and Glasgow spend the most time studying at home. Those based in Bournemouth spend the least time doing this.
• Oxford, Leeds and Manchester students lead the way for the amount of time spent on campus.
• Students spend close to 36 hours on home entertainment each month. Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle students top this ranking.

• The average student in part-time work earns a term-time income of £133.50.
• Cardiff students earn the most from this work, averaging £219.54 each month. Edinburgh and Newcastle students have the next highest part-time earnings.
• Leicester students earn significantly less from their part-time employment, with average monthly earnings of just £35.
• Oxford-based students rely most heavily on earnings from holiday employment. Scottish students also lean heavily on these earnings.
• Manchester and Lincoln students receive the lowest term-time contribution from holiday work.

• Students would generally prefer to work or find cheaper transport options, rather than asking their parents for money.
• On support with the cost of living, many universities are falling short of expectations. Some 40% of survey respondents don’t believe any support has been offered.
• A third (33%) of people have been offered financial support by the university they attend. Access to free meals and foodbanks has also been offered to one in four.
• Students are having to budget for higher-priced pints. The cheapest student pint can be found in Lancaster, with an expected cost of £3.81. The most expensive pints of beer are now in London (£5.51), Cambridge (£5.07) and Oxford (£5).

In general, students appear downbeat about the direction living costs are going in. Some 46% believe their costs will rise by up to 15% during the next academic year. And 33% are braced for an even greater strain, predicting cost increases up to 30%.

• Students have experienced a 28% rise in stress year on year, in relation to managing their money.
• They tend to rely on hobbies and personal interests when trying to overcome stress caused by money worries.
• Some 14% of survey respondents use alcohol in an attempt to overcome financial stress or mental health issues.
• Over half of students believe in recycling and buying second-hand items. More than a third try to help the environment by using alternative transport solutions.