UK Rents have increased by up to 20%, leaving many students penniless and struggling to make ends meet.
Julia Zelazo, a first-year student at the University of Manchester, said she had just £83 (US$110) left a month after paying rent. She is looking for a part-time job to supplement her living expenses.
"On weekends, I usually only eat one meal. Whenever I know of a place giving out free food, I will go there," Julia shared.
Meanwhile, Natalia Gromek, 22, a master's student in Psychology at the University of Bristol, has to work three days a week to cover her living expenses.
Julia and Natalia, like many other students in the UK, are struggling to survive, while their families have no means to support them. In fact, in addition to tuition fees, they are entitled to additional loans of about £7,600 (226 million VND) a year to cover expenses. However, the average rent in major cities is already around £7,500, according to statistics from the UK HigherEducation Policy Institute in late October.
Even the rent in Bristol, where Natalia lives, is up to £9,200 a year. Other cities with high rents include Exeter (nearly £8,600) and Nottingham (over £8,400). Compared to 2021, the rent in the UK has increased by at least 6.7%, up to 20.4%.
| City | Rental price (£/year) | Increase (%) compared to 2021 |
Bristol | 9,200 | 9 |
Exeter | 8,558 | 16.1 |
Nottingham | 8,427 | 15.5 |
Leeds | 7,627 | 14.7 |
Glasgow | 7,548 | 20.4 |
Bournemouth | 7,396 | 11.2 |
Portsmouth | 7,183 | 9.4 |
Cardiff | 6.632 | 11.1 |
Liverpool | 6,467 | 6.7 |
Sheffield | 6.451 | 10.2 |
Financial distress has led Natalia and many other students in the UK to take on part-time work. According to UCAS, an organization that helps students with university admissions, two-thirds of first-year students want to work part-time to support their studies. Many are skipping meals, working overtime and relying on credit cards to “survive”. The number of students working part-time is about 50%, up from 45% in 2022 and 34% in 2021.
For Natalia, working part-time makes it difficult to arrange time for her studies, while her mind is always anxious and stressed. Meanwhile, according to Victoria Tolmie-Loverseed from the student accommodation charity Unipol, many students are having to share rooms illegally, work more hours or even drop out of school.
Charlotte, a fourth-year student at Edinburgh University, is sharing a two-bedroom flat with a couple to save money. However, her name is not on the contract and she won't be able to move in until November. For now, Charlotte is bouncing around between friends and her sister.
"My studies and part-time work will definitely be hindered because I don't have a private space to study and work," Charlotte shared.
Students move furniture on the University of Nottingham campus. Photo: University of Nottingham
Faced with this situation, many experts have suggested that the government take measures to control rental prices as well as increase the value of student loans. A representative of the Ministry of Education said that the student finance system ensures the highest level of support for those from low-income families. He also acknowledged that students need to seek more help from universities.
Currently, to help students have time to work part-time, many universities apply a concentrated study schedule of 2-3 days per week instead of scattered classes throughout the week as before. This method receives positive feedback from students.
Huy Quan (According to The Guardian)
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