Are Living Costs at University becoming too much?
Student poverty crisis resulting in students dropping out due to high living costs. Students working 15 hours a week just to make ends meet.
Students from families with an income of £19,203 are amongst those hit the hardest by climbing university fees and living costs.
Students whose parents’ incomes fall in the lower end of the bracket are also the most likely to drop out. Even though those in this bracket receive the highest grant possible, in many cases, this may not cover the high costs of living at university. Since financial support from home tends to not be an option for these students, part time work is the only way they can support themselves, however, work can take over study time, negatively affecting their grades.
Working class students must work on average, 15 hours per week in order to help meet living standards. According to The Independent,
Students from poorer backgrounds struggle to pay for food, heating, transport and accommodation.
According to a report published by the NUS, drop-outrates at university are the highest amongst working class students.
An ex Ulster University student who chose to remain anonymous explained how they managed their money:
I struggled with money at uni, its hard being in charge of your own finances for the first time. I stayed on top of things by doing a Christian's Against Poverty (CAP) money course. They have load of useful tips and tools to help you manage your finances
Andrew McAnallen of UUSU VP Campaigns & Communications, explained that students:
can come to student support or the Union and there is a range of support there such as Student Hardship Fund and we can signpost to emergency accommodation services.
Kevin McStravock & Andrew McAnallen
The NI Direct website (www.nidirect.gov.uk/) gives useful and clear information for students on the grant amounts they will receive based on their parents income. The highest possible amount a student can get is £3,475 which is given when the family is earning below £19,203.Students whose family’s income falls between £19,203 and £41,065 will receive considerately less.
18 Ulster University members and student officers took part in a sleep out in Belfast in aid of the SOS Bus NI and part of there new campaign Broke Not Broken. During the sleep out the SOS Bus provided tea, coffee and food and some blankets for people who got a bit cold. Andrew McAnallen stated:
We were lucky and privileged to have an experience like that, when the reality is much harsher for so many on the streets.
However we were delighted that our team raised £1,270 and counting, contributing to an overall £10,000+ raised by the 100 or so involved in the sleep-out!
The team who slept out included 6 of the student officer team, 9 UUSU staffers and the three Ulster staff were
Niamh Lamond (Chief Operating Officer of UU)
Amanda Castray (Director of Campus Life)
Darren Quinn (Operations and Communications Officer for Student Support)
Kevin McStravock & Andrew McAnallen
Niamh Curran and Nicole Parkinson- Kelly
Collette Cassidy and Andrew McAnallen
Camp Ulster