Cost of living

You may be eligible for a Council Tax exemption.  For further information please have a look at the Finance webpage.

Why not use the Study Spaces available on campus to reduce your gas and electric usage.  For single use rooms please use the self-service, if there are no rooms available or suitable for your needs please email roombookings@abdn.ac.uk.

If you wish to book a larger room for a group session please email roombookings@abdn.ac.uk including the names of all attendees, so we can allocate suitable rooms for multiple occupancy. 

Also why not study in one of our libraries to keep warm, please visit our webpage for opening times.

Please have a look at our Mindful Menus where you can find cheaper ways to eat on campus.

Discounts

Before purchasing anything, always look to see if you can get a further or better discount than your student discount. Below are a few tips:

• UNiDAYS
• Student Beans
• Groupon
• Itison
• UK Hot Deals
• Voucher Codes
• Money Saving Expert
• Voucher Cloud
• Totum

Freebies

• Looking for a new item (furniture/electrical goods/bicycle/car etc)?
  Always look to see if you can get it for free before buying:
  • Gumtree
  • Aberdeen Freegle
  • Freecycle.org
  • Trash Nothing
  • Freelywheely
  • Free Stuff 
  • Save the Student: Free stuff: 45 freebies in the UK
• Amazon PRIME is free for 6 months if you register with your @abdn.ac.uk email address.
• Sending a card for a special occasion?  Look at the Funky Pigeon or Moon Pig  promotion webpages first for current offers -  if you register for a new account you may get your first purchase free.
• Hair and beauty? Use Aberdeen's North East Scotland College. Students require models to train on, and they sometimes offer their services at a discounted rate for your time.  All services are supervised by qualified staff. 

• Always look for deals on the Discount Codes webpages before setting off.  Bring a picnic along so you are not tempted to buy overpriced sandwiches.
• Worried about the cost of a night out but still want to socialise? Why not invite friends round to your flat/house instead, everyone can bring their own drink and food.
• Cinema – Look for 2 for 1 deals, and always remember your student discount
• Free Bus Travel.  Young people under 22 years can get free bus travel across Scotland.  If you are eligible, you’ll be able to apply for a card to access Scotland’s Young Persons’ (Under 25) Free Bus Travel Scheme.  Young Persons' Free Bus Travel Scheme | Overview | Transport Scotland

• ABDN Student Job Service.
• Keep in touch with AUSA for one off jobs that may lead to regular work.
• Register with temping agencies:
  • AAA
  • Hayes
  • Reed Employment
  • Office Angels
• Plan ahead and seek work during the Easter/Summer/Christmas break.

Register with market research companies, for example Top 10 Best Paid Surveys, you can often get paid to shop/eat or you may receive goods in exchange for your time and feedback.

To work out how much each household appliances cost to run use our Energy Costing Calculator formula.

What help is available if I can’t pay my energy bill?

If you're falling behind with your energy bills, and finding yourself struggling to pay, the best thing to do is contact your supplier as soon as possible. Under rules from regulator Ofgem, your supplier has to help you – usually by negotiating a payment plan that you can afford. 

Tips to save on energy at home

1. Watch your shower time - Keeping your shower time to four minutes - the equivalent of a long pop song - could also lop money off your annual bill.
2. Keep tabs on your appliances - Appliances, especially ‘wet’ ones like dishwashers and washing machines, are notorious for burning through energy. The Energy Saving Trust reckons you could shave £28 off your annual energy bill by keeping your washes to 30- degrees and reducing the number you do per week by one.
3. Draught proofing - Getting rid of jets of cold air you often feel coming through windows and doors could mean you’re less likely to need your heating on. It says draught proofing your home using specialist excluders could save you £215 over five years - and can cost only £3 to do.
4. Get to know your boiler - Two quick changes you can make to your boiler could save you more than £300 a year, according to heating experts. Heating Hub - an energy efficiency advisory firm - recommends turning down your flow temperature to save money.
5. Switch the TV off standby
6. Turn off the lights - If you’re the type of person that often forgets to turn the light off, then you might want to reconsider your habits.
7. Get a smart meter - These devices allow you to accurately measure how much energy you’re using, even down to the appliance, so you can change your habits accordingly. If you want to get one, contact you energy provider and an installer will put one in free of charge.
8. Home Carbon Calculator

• Too Good To Go - Reduced fresh food from local stores.
• Online Shopping
  • Look for free delivery or a time slot that is during the morning as prices can be as little as £1.
  •  By doing online shopping you are sticking to your shopping list and you are not tempted to throw in goods that you don’t need. 
• Freeze leftover food.
• Prepare your meals in advance so you are not tempted to buy takeaways. 
  • You can always treat yourself to a take-away at the weekend if you stick to your food planner.
• Organise a leftover swap with flatmates or friends – eating leftovers can get boring, but if you swap leftovers with your friends you get to try new foods while keeping costs to a minimum.
• Use a reusable bottle for your coffee and water – this will not only save you money but is also environmentally friendly
• Do you have a garden? Grow your own vegetables/herbs.
• Tiny budget cooking -  Make mouth-watering meals without spending a fortune on groceries
• The Student Food Project - Quick, cheap and easy student recipes
• Recipe cards - Download our cheap and delicious recipes 
• Dietary requirements - Swap out any of these for alternative ingredients
• Eat breakfast at home - A list of cheap breakfasts
• Eat lunch at home - Cheap lunch suggestions
• The Unexpected Student Store Cupboard Staples
• Also refer to our Off Campus web pages which have a vast variety of information on them!

Car insurance

• When shopping on the comparison websites, try a few different occupations - yes you may be a student, but also try getting a quote that confirms your part-time job status as it may be cheaper than confirming you’re a student.
  • Confused.com
  • Comparethemarket.com
  • Go.Compare
  • Moneysupermarket.com
  • Moneyexpert.com
  • Uswitch.com
• Add a parent/guardian as a named driver or vice versa - it may be cheaper to include someone even though they won’t drive your car.

Phone insurance

• Do you need insurance?  Is your phone worth more than your 12 months instalments or annual policy?  If not, it may be cheaper to buy a new phone rather than paying for insurance.
• Is your phone covered under your house insurance?  Ask your house insurance company or your parent/guardian company instead of assuming it’s not, as you may be paying for insurance twice.

Free sanitary products for those who need them across campus - Your Wellbeing | Students | The University of Aberdeen (abdn.ac.uk)

Savings and Bank Accounts

Choose your bank account wisely. Never assume that your interest rates stay the same, banks/building societies can change the interest rate at any time - you may have gotten the best deal at the time, but keep a close eye on your accounts:

• Money Saving Expert
• Money Super Market
• Save the Student
• Money

If you have debt but you also have savings - if your debt interest rate % is higher than your savings, use your savings to pay of your debt unless you are not getting charged interest. Do not get a bank account with a daily fee – if your account currently charges a daily fee – change account!

Credit and Debit Cards

Do you have Debt?  Are you paying interest?  If you are shop around for a 0% balance transfer, if you are accepted transfer the whole amount and start paying off as much as you can and pay it back within the terms.

Before purchasing a new item of clothing, furniture, household goods, shoes etc, think to yourself can I get it elsewhere for less?  Buy second hand - List of Charity Shops and Second Hand stores in Aberdeen or you can look at online shops eg Vinted, Ebay, Depop etc.

Also work out the costing of each wear, if you know you are only going to wear the item once – ask yourself is it really worth £29.99 or if you know you will get 10 uses out of is it worth £2.99 per wear.

• Money matters - Shop Savvy poster

• Do you live close by but use the bus/car?  Cycle or walk instead.
• Get involved with BeCycle for a free bike, you just have to put down a deposit!
• Parking – always look for a street with free parking or cheaper rate.
• Free Bus Travel:
• Young people under 22 years can get free bus travel across Scotland.  If you are eligible, you’ll be able to apply for a card to access Scotland’s Young Persons’ (Under 25) Free Bus Travel Scheme.  Young Persons' Free Bus Travel Scheme | Overview | Transport Scotland

Got lots of old books, CDs, DVDs, Clothes, electrical goods, phones etc that you no longer use? Sell them!

• Advertise on Gumtree, Facebook, University Social Media, School Notice boards, etc
• Before advertising, check websites like Ebay to see how much they are selling for

Going home? Driving? If so, advertise for car buddies on Facebook, school noticeboards etc by listing when you will be leaving and where you would be willing to drop people off. Perhaps ask for fuel contributions.

• Always know who you are taking with you in your car and let people know who is in the car with you.  Also empty your car boot, if you drive around with unnecessary weight you use more fuel.

Holidays – if you know in advance that you are going home for Christmas Break, Easter Break etc, book in advance:

• Megabus
• Trainline
• Skyscanner

Foreign Exchange – if you know in advance, start keeping an eye on the exchange rate. If you see a good rate, buy!

Going away for the week-end?  Shop around for cheap hotels, remember to always check out approximately five different websites:

• Agoda
• Expedia
• Booking.com
• Travel Republic
• On the Beach
• Trivago

Compare prices that include breakfast and without, as sometimes it may be £35 more to include breakfast when in fact, you could go elsewhere for breakfast and pay as little as £6.

• If you are travelling as a group it could be cheaper to get an Airbnb and split the cost than to get separate hotel rooms.

Only use your gas or electric when required - switch everything off when not being used

• Charge USB electrical goods at uni or work when using a PC.
• Request a FREE smart meter from your service provider.

Need an item but only going to use it once?  Ask family and friends to borrow the item and return once finished.

Require new books?

• Advertise on the School noticeboards/Social media etc for a used copy.
• Look in your local charity shops, local car boot sales, school jumble sales before buying new.
• Money matters poster - Save money on textbooks

Renting a flat

• If your lease is coming up for renewal – shop around see if the rental market has fallen. If it has, ask your landlord for a reduced rate to be in line with other rental properties.

Got a spare room – advertise looking for a new flat mate. Always do checks before allowing a person to move in with you.

WIFI

• Always log onto free wifi
• Download your providers’ app and keep an eye on your usage, don’t go over your Data allowance. 
• Send pics via Messenger/WhatsApp rather than paying 25p per picture text.

Budgeting

• Create your own Budget Planner
• Complete the 'Saver or Spender' questionnaire to see if you need to work more on your Budget Planner
• You can head over to https://www.savethestudent.org/money/student-budgeting/student-budgeting.html to get tips on budgeting or download their tool.
• Which.com – 10 things to remember to budget for at University.
• Budget Calculator – UCAS - Budget calculator | Undergraduate, Conservatoires | UCAS

Do you have a hobby that can make money?

• If you play a music instrument, get involved in a society or band that will pay you!
• Do you draw, knit, paint? Sell your goods on Ebay or Etsy or have a stall at local fayres at Christmas or Easter. 

Exercise

• Do you use your gym membership? If not, cancel your direct debit and go pay as you go.
• Use public parks, team up with friends and meet at the local park and create your own boot camp style workout – lots of fun plus socialising at the same time.

TV Licence

• If you don’t own a TV or if you don’t use it to watch live TV you may not need to pay for a TV License – find out more.

If you are a registered student, and you receive a student loan from a UK funding body, we have Discretionary Funding which may be able to assist you if you are in financial hardship. If you are not eligible to apply for a student loan due to the nature of the programme you are studying, we may also be able to assist you if you are in financial hardship.

Applications will be assessed based on unexpected and/or exceptional circumstances.  Please ensure you provide comprehensive information about your circumstances and why you are in hardship.  If you have savings that are for study related expenses eg rent, fees etc please provide evidence.

If you receive an award this will be a one off award to help support you for a short period of time eg towards the cost of food but you can apply again if your circumstances do not improve.  We cannot guarantee that further applications will be awarded but we do encourage you to contact us to discuss your circumstances with an adviser if they are ongoing.  We may ask for evidence on how your last award was spent.

Please note that awards may be awarded in food vouchers or digital equipment, and depending on your circumstances it may not always be an award made directly to your bank account.

There are no hardship funds to assist with the cost of tuition fees which are an expected cost of study.

To apply, please submit a Discretionary Application Form and return by email to hardship@abdn.ac.uk along with all the relevant evidence. 

Along with your signed Application form you must submit the following evidence:

• Your award letter from your funding body, i.e. SAAS/SFE/SFW/SFNI 
• Student loan payment breakdown letter
• Evidence of mortgage/rent agreement
• 1 months bank statement of ALL bank accounts including savings, ISA, Paypal etc., please ensure that these contain full account information.  Please note that the assessment team may request to ask for more evidence, especially if a previous award has been made.
• Any other documentary evidence to support your application eg credit card statements, utility bills, evidence of rent arrears or overdue bills etc
• If you have included your partner on your application, you are required to submit 1 months bank statement of all their bank accounts.

We can accept documents in the following formats; PDF, JPEG, PNG, Word.  If sending images please ensure that these are clearly labelled.

Please ensure that you complete the online Student Bank Details Form. Your details must be on the University of Aberdeen’s Finance System before your application can be processed. If you change your bank account you must update your new details online to make sure payments go directly into your new bank account.

If your application is received with all of the requested evidence, you should receive an outcome within 5-10 working days. This process can take longer when additional evidence is requested by the assessment team. Please note that the assessment team may ask for further evidence at their discretion, particularly for repeat applications or when the evidence supplied is unclear. 

If you are an international student and you are struggling financially due to unforeseen or unexpected circumstances you can apply to the 'Emergency Fund'.  

If you receive an award this will be a one-off award to help support you for a short period of time eg to help towards the cost of food.  If your circumstances do not improve, we encourage you to contact us to discuss your circumstances.  Please email hardship@abdn.ac.uk to arrange an appointment.  We cannot guarantee that further applications will be successful.  We may also ask for evidence on how your last award was spent.

Please note that awards may be awarded in food vouchers or digital equipment, and depending on your circumstances it may not always be an award made directly to your bank account.

There are no hardship funds to assist with the cost of tuition fees or accommodation fees which are an expected cost of study.

To apply, please submit a Emergency Application Form and return by email to hardship@abdn.ac.uk along with all the relevant evidence.  Whilst you will not be eligible for discretionary funding, this form captures the information we require about your circumstances and will allow us to assess your application using the funds we do have for International students. 

Along with your signed Application form you must submit the following evidence:

• Evidence of any student funding you receive (if applicable)
• Evidence of mortgage/rent agreement
• 1 months bank statements of ALL bank accounts including overseas accounts, savings etc
• Any other documentary evidence to support your application eg credit card statements, utility bills, evidence of rent arrears or overdue bills etc
• If you have included your partner on your application, you are required to submit 1 months bank statements of all their bank accounts.

We can accept documents in the following formats; PDF, JPEG, PNG, Word.  If sending images please ensure that these are clearly labelled.

Please ensure that you complete the online Student Bank Details Form. Your details have to be on the University of Aberdeen’s Finance System before your application can be processed. If you change your bank account you must update your new details online to make sure payments go directly into your new bank account.

If your application is received with all of the requested evidence, you should receive an outcome within 5-10 working days. This process can take longer when additional evidence is requested by the assessment team. Please note that the assessment team may ask for further evidence at their discretion, particularly for repeat applications or when the evidence supplied is unclear.  

The Childcare Fund provides assistance with the formal childcare expenses for dependant children.  Formal childcare includes registered childminders, after-school clubs, and providers of day care and education.

Am I eligible to apply to the Childcare Fund?

If you wish to apply please read the Childcare Fund Guidelines, complete the Childcare Fund Application form and email along with your evidence to hardship@abdn.ac.uk.

If you have any queries please email hardship@abdn.ac.uk.

Please note that the childcare fund can assist with costs during term-time only.

If you are a registered student, we have a Digital Poverty Fund which may be able to assist you with loan equipment such as a laptop, or WiFi equipment, if you are in financial hardship.

If you feel like this is something that might help you, please submit an Emergency Application Form and return by email to hardship@abdn.ac.uk along with all of the relevant evidence. 

In addition to a range of advice and emotional support we can offer if you have been a victim/survivor of assault or any form of harassment, we will work with you to ensure that any impact that your experience may have on your studies, and your funding, is minimised.

We work with funding bodies to make use of additional funding years when available and we also have funding available to support students in need with emergency, and ongoing costs, linked to your experience. We will work with you to discuss a bespoke support package that may include support with your travel expenses, living costs and emergency accommodation.

We also have a supply of stationary items, clothing and bedding that can be provided to you in order to ensure minimal disruption to your studies. We will do our best to cater for any need that we can, so please do reach out and ask for support.

To speak to someone about harassment you may have experienced, please contact student.support@abdn.ac.uk or you can make a report to us on the Online Reporting Tool.

The AS Foundation is a social mobility charity focused on removing financial barriers for aspiring solicitors. They provide grants such as discounted course fees, laptops, business clothing, study resources and travel tickets to aspiring solicitors from lower socio-economic backgrounds to help boost social mobility within the field of law and make the legal profession a more diverse and representative place. 

The John Robb Bursary is a specific grant available to students at Aberdeen University with a connection to Aberdeen. These grants are awarded from Aberdeen Endowments Trust and can be applied for at any stage of the course and are available for undergraduate and postgraduate study. Recent grants have been for £500 per year with continuation provided there is satisfactory progress made by the student. 

Please carefully read the criteria and ensure you complete the full form with all requested information.  Once complete please submit your application to hello@aet1909.org.  

Applicants will be contacted directly by the trust administrators, and will receive a cheque in the post if successful.

New students are advised to ensure that they have applied for their student finance by the date stipulated by their funding provider, i.e., SAAS or Student Finance England.

Please be aware that the payment of student finance is dependent on completion of registration. If not fully registered by the required date, there can often be delays in receiving the first payment. With this in mind, we recommend that all new students arrive with enough money to cover their living expenses for the first month at University.

Please visit the Fees and Funding section of our website which provides information about tuition fee payments, bursaries and scholarships.

Coming to university can be a big change, and for many it’s the first time managing your own money. This might seem daunting, but don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to control your spending and even save money while at uni!

Discounts/freebies

• Use your status as a student to sign up for student discounts, deals and freebies.  Have a read of the Summer 2023 Student Money Matters magazine for the most up to date information.
• Get loyalty cards for your favourite shops: not only can you accumulate points, but you also might be entitled to further discounts
• Sign up for free trial periods - just remember to cancel before the time is up!

Budget

• Keep track of your spending with the personal budget planner. Everyone’s income and expenditures and financial priorities will be a little different so make sure you figure out what’s best for you!
• Buy second hand - List of Charity Shops and Second Hand stores in Aberdeen.

Bank Accounts

• Choose your bank account wisely. Never assume that your interest rates stay the same, banks can change the interest rate at any time
• Do not get a bank account with a daily fee – if your account currently charges a daily fee, change account!

Transport

• If you are under the age of 22, sign up for a free bus pass to save money on travel  
• Get a free bike from BeCycle

Food

• Arrange potlucks with your friends/flatmates to keep the cost of making a full meal down
• Bored of your leftovers? Don’t buy expensive lunches, arrange to swap leftovers with your friends for varied meals at a low cost
• Shop online to minimise the risk of straying from your grocery list and buying unnecessary items

Protect yourself against scams

A scam is a fraudulent scheme performed by a dishonest individual, group, or company to obtain money or something else of value. 

Scammers may think you are an easy target because you are away from home, family, and friends. You may be unfamiliar with local laws or not know where to go for help and advice.

Scams are now very sophisticated using impersonation techniques, stolen data, or personal details from social media to make you believe what they say is genuine.   The University is aware of sophisticated schemes which offer to pay tuition fees for students at a reduced rate. These should not be trusted.

Please only pay tuition and other fees using the University’s approved payment channels listed on our Making a Payment page.

If you fall victim of fraud you could lose your money, be unable to pay your tuition fees and living expenses so unable to continue with your studies, and for international students this could result in loss of your visa. If you knowingly participate in fraud, you could be arrested and end up with a criminal record. The University of Aberdeen will report fraud to the appropriate authorities.

Find out how to protect yourself online by watching the Information Security Toolkit or checking out Police Scotland's advice on internet safety. 

If you have concerns that you may have been targeted, and you wish to speak to someone, please email student.support@abdn.ac.uk or contact Police Scotland.

1. The total number of applications received by the University for any of the Hardship Funds:

2. The total number of applications received by the University for each fund:

3. The total number of applications accepted, and the total number rejected by the University for any of the Hardship Funds:

4. The total amount of funds distributed by the Hardship Funds:

5. Any documentation relating to the procedures or guidelines considered by University staff when making decisions on hardship funding.

For Discretionary and Childcare Funds and International Emergency Fund, we follow the guidelines as outlined by SAAS:

SAAS - 2023 - Guidance - Discretionary Funds Guidance 2023-24.pdf

SAAS - 2023- Childcare Funds Guidance 2023-24 - FINAL.pdf

For other funds, such as the University Hardship fund, we apply similar guidelines in relation to the requirement of evidence, and we will assess based on unexpected and exceptional financial circumstances.

Please see our Privacy Notice which details how the University processes students information when applying for hardship.