Living costs for postgraduate students

• How to budget at university (savethestudent.org)
• How to manage your money better and make it go further (studentbeans.com)
• Guides and tools to help you save money while studying (moneysavingexpert.com)
• Student Minds cost of living support hub (studentminds.org)

Many shops and restaurants in York, and around the country, offer student discounts. Download these student discount apps to take advantage of what’s available.

• Student beans (studentbeans.com)
• UNiDAYS (myunidays.com) 
• Save the student (savethestudent.com)
• TOTUM (Totum.com)

We've partnered with Blackbullion (blackbullion.com), the financial wellbeing platform. You can sign up for free!

Blackbullion is a digital learning platform created to help you get to grips with all things money-related. It’s filled with videos, graphics and quizzes covering financial subjects designed to provide you with money skills for life.

For some good first lessons, check out our managing your money page.

We have a range of on-campus accommodation to suit a variety of budgets. Visit our accommodation pages for a breakdown of prices.

Things to note:

• University-managed accommodation prices include electricity, heating, water and insurance. 
• There is very limited availability for family accommodation. Please contact us with any questions.
• To watch TV you may need to purchase a TV license (tvlicensing.co.uk).

Rental costs vary depending on a number of factors such as location and the number of people you're sharing with.

• More information about private-rented accommodation in York
  

A typical private-sector accommodation contract is around 52 weeks, so you will often be paying more for household bills. Some private-sector housing contracts will come with bills included. The bills you may need to budget for include:

• gas and electricity
• water
• broadband
• contents insurance

To watch TV you may need to purchase a TV license (tvlicensing.co.uk), though this may be covered in a bills-included let. You should always check which bills are included with your rent and consider how much bills will cost if they aren't included. 

Students can apply to be exempt from council tax (york.gov) if they meet the necessary criteria.

Most letting agent fees are now banned in the UK, including administration fees for when you start a tenancy.

• Find out more about letting agent fees for tenants (shelter.org.uk).

York is a walkable and cycle-friendly city, however, if you live further away from the University campus, you will need to allow for travel expenses. 

If you have any questions about private-sector housing in York, feel free to get in touch with the University’s Student Housing Advisor through the appropriate self-referral form.

How much you spend on food will depend on where you shop and your eating habits. There are small supermarkets on Campus East and West, with larger ones a short bus ride or 20-minute walk from campus, catering to all budgets.

There are also a number of catering outlets located across our campuses, including cafés, restaurants and bars. These are run either by the University or by the Students' Union (yusu.org). Please note, most of these only accept card payments.

Psychology graduate Rhiannon shares her advice on how much you should expect to spend on food at York, as well as how to save money on your shop.

There are regular, free shuttle buses (firstbus.co.uk) between Campus East and Campus West. The city centre is only a 30-minute walk from Campus West, or 10 minutes by bike.

Other ways to get around town include:

• bus into town (firstbus.co.uk)
• taxi (streamlinetaxisyork.co.uk)
  

If you’re looking to regularly travel by train, it’s a good idea to purchase a railcard (railcard.co.uk), which can save you money on your trips.

College laundry facilities are available to all students living on campus.

• Discover on-campus laundry services

How much you will need to spend on books will be dependent on your course, so be sure to check your course page for more info.

Before you buy books, it’s a good idea to check the University Library, as many key texts are available to borrow or read online. If you need or want to buy books, second-hand copies are often available for a cheaper price.

For some courses there may be additional costs, such as travel to and from field trips and exhibitions. To find out if you’ll need to cover additional costs, see the relevant course page or contact the relevant academic department.