Living Expenses
Estimated minimum living expenses
Minimum living costs for 2011-2012 academic year are as follows:
- £6,480 For 9 months (Sept 2011 - June 2012)
- £8,760 For 12 months (Sept 2011 - Sept 2012)
Source: International Office
Below is a table of minimum costs based on a single student living in University-owned self-catered accommodation:
| Undergraduate (38 weeks) | Postgraduate (52 weeks) | |
| Rent in University Residences | £2,835 | £3,900 |
| Food | £1,125 | £1,500 |
| Laundry/Toiletries | £225 | £300 |
| Books/Photocopying | £315 | £420 |
| Insurance, TV licence and telephone | £405 | £540 |
| Clothes | £270 | £360 |
| Travel | £315 | £420 |
| Social/Leisure | £990 | £1,320 |
| Total | £6,480 | £8,760 |
This information is based on what UK students told us it would cost to live in Cardiff last year.
We have added the current UK rate of inflation to get the minimum monthly living costs for 2011/12 of £720 per month for undergraduates and £730 for postgraduates. This estimate includes accommodation, daily subsistence, local travel, clothing, insurance and study-related items.
Passing your student visa maintenance test
Please note that the minimum cost of living figures for Cardiff University are different from the maintenance test set by the UK Government under the Tier 4 Points Based Immigration System. International students coming to the UK are required to pass a maintenance test set by the UK government before they are given their student visa and allowed to come to the UK to study. For this maintenance test, students have to show that they have the cost of 1st year tuition fees and living costs of £600 per month for up to a maximum of 9 months.
- Thus for single Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students who are in the UK studying on courses for 9 months or more, the maintenance test under PBS is the cost of 1st year tuition fees and £5,400*
- For students coming for less than 9 months – the maintenance test is £600 for each month of the course plus their tuition fees.
- Students who bring any dependants to the UK will also need to show they have £400* per month for each dependant that they bring with them, (for up to a maximum of 9 months).
For more information about the points based system, please see:
www.cf.ac.uk/for/prospective/inter/comingtocardiff/
Budgeting
When planning to study in the UK it is essential that you are aware of the costs involved and that you ensure you will be able to finance your studies.
Cardiff is one of the cheapest cities in the UK. In a recent newspaper campaign it was discovered that Cardiff is the most cost-effective of all the old University cities. This means that your money will go substantially further than in other places in the UK.
However, it is still essential that you have enough money to survive for the whole time you are studying at Cardiff.
The International Student Calculator is an online tool which will help you calculate your budget and understand how you will spend your time as well as your money in the UK. It also gives you information on insurance and banking as well as a guide to the cost of living.
For more information visit: www.studentcalculator.org.uk