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1.4 Finance and Budgeting

While you are at the College you will have a number of expenses: your tuition fees, accommodation fees or rent, food, books, travel etc. It is virtually impossible for international students to receive financial assistance once they arrive in the UK and opportunities for paid employment are likely to be limited. Therefore it is very important that you make financial arrangements to ensure that you have sufficient funds to complete your course of study.

Some countries may have restrictions or special requirements for the transfer of funds out of the country. If approval is needed to move funds, it is important to begin this process as soon as possible to ensure that sufficient funds are available to pay for initial expenses.

You should also be aware that in some cases there can be a delay of several weeks in setting up a UK bank account. To open an account you will have to obtain a letter from the College verifying that you are an enrolled student. It is therefore important to ensure that you have sufficient funds with you to pay for things such as your fees and food for a few weeks after you arrive. You should avoid bringing large amounts of cash! Traveller's cheques are much more secure. For more information on banking in the UK see Section 4.4.

You will need to budget carefully and realistically to ensure that you have sufficient funds for the full duration of your course. Below is some general information about the major expenses that you can expect during your time at the College.

Tuition Fees

The amount of tuition fees you will have to pay will depend upon the course you are undertaking and your fee status. Your offer letter from the College should specify the amount of tuition fees for your course.

Undergraduate students from the EU will be able to take out a loan for their tuition fees from 2006. Further details can be obtained from the DfES website: www.dfes.gov.uk/eustudents.

An early payment discount may be offered for tuition fees paid in full by Friday 7th September 2007. In order to qualify for discounts students must also complete online sign-up before the above deadline. Please note the discount only applies to personal (i.e. not sponsored) tuition fee liabilities in respect of standard degree courses starting in September. Language Centre programmes are excluded.

Accommodation Fees and Rent

Residence Hall fees vary depending on the facilities in the room and the type of contract. Similarly rents in the local community can vary depending on the location and style of accommodation. The following information should be helpful for your planning.

Residence Hall Fees

Residence Hall accommodation fees are charged on a termly basis in advance. These fees must be paid at the beginning of each term. There is no facility for students to pay on a monthly basis. The fees are based on the number of weeks of each term. You should also be aware that some student accommodation is on a "term-time only" basis, which means that students must fully vacate their rooms during the Christmas and Easter break. Student living in this type of accommodation who may wish to remain at the College over the holidays or who would wish to leave some personal belongings at the College will need to budget for the rental of storage space or for renting a room through the "vacation residence" provision (around £11 per night). Detailed information about College Residence Halls and information about renting locally is available from the Student Housing Bureau.

Local Accommodation

If you will be renting accommodation in the local community, you will probably be asked for a deposit of two months rent, approximately £500 - £700 if you are renting a house, and less if you take up lodgings. Private sector accommodation listed with the Student Housing Bureau falls into two general categories, Housing and Lodgings. "Housing," means houses, which are rented by groups of between 3 and 6 students. "Lodgings" are rooms, which local residents rent out within their family home. Students living in a house will also be responsible for the utility bills for the property: you will need to budget for electricity, gas and water bills. Utility bills are usually included within the rent for lodgers.

If you will be renting off-campus accommodation, you will also need to budget for expenses while you are looking for a place to stay. If you come more than three days before the start of term, you may be able to stay in vacation residence, which costs around £11.00 per day on a room only basis. If you come less than three days before the start of a term, you will have to stay in a local hotel or Bed and Breakfast. You will also need to budget for making a number of telephone calls to prospective landlords and also for bus or taxi fares to travel to see prospective houses or rooms.

Food

The amount needed for a food budget varies, depending upon what type of food you eat and how much you eat. It also depends upon whether you will be using the College catering facility or cooking for yourself.

Students who will be living in College Residence Halls, will either be living in self-catering or catered "pay-as-you-go" accommodation. Students in self-catering accommodation will have unlimited access to a kitchen where they can prepare their own food. Basic food items can be purchased at the College shop on campus. There is also a small grocery store in Englefield Green, which is a few minutes walk away. Several larger grocery stores are located in Egham, which is a 15 to 20 minute walk from the campus.

In self-catering accommodation, you can expect to spend about £4 per day on food if you buy only basic ingredients and cook for yourself. However it is important to remember that if you buy frozen or ready-meals, prepared sandwiches or other convenience food, your costs could run as high as £10 per day.

In catered "pay-as-you-go" accommodation, students must purchase their meals from one of the College dining halls. On average, students in pay-as-you-go accommodation spend about £5 per day on their food. Students in this type of accommodation will have access to a pantry, which will have an electric kettle for boiling water and a small microwave to enable students to warm snacks or make hot drinks. Students are not permitted to have any cooking appliances such as, microwaves, toasters, steamers, rice cookers or pressure cookers in their rooms. Students in "pay-as-you-go" accommodation are not allowed to cook; please do not consider disregarding this rule as it could lead to formal discipline and even a requirement to leave College accommodation.

Course Expenses

In addition to your tuition fees, you can expect some additional academic expenses while you are studying. Students in every department should budget for items such as books, notebooks, paper, pens and photocopying, Additional expenses will depend upon your course and department. For example, some students will be required to purchase lab coats and protective eyewear for laboratory work, and some students may be required to pay expenses for field trips or for study abroad. Other students may be required to attend films or stage productions. Your department should be able to advise you about the type of expenses you are likely to have on your course.

Postgraduate students should allow for additional expenses such as travel associated with conferences and thesis presentation of their research. It may cost up to £300 to prepare a thesis (typing/photocopying/binding) for examination.

Insurance

Unfortunately, sometimes students experience problems while they are travelling or while they are at the College. Students can sometimes have property lost or stolen and sometimes become ill. You need to seriously consider purchasing appropriate insurance for your time at Royal Holloway. You will need to ensure that you have appropriate medical coverage for your entire stay at the College and during any travelling that you intend. Information about the coverage of the National Health Service is detailed in Section 4.9, and you should review this carefully. You should also obtain insurance coverage for your personal belongings, in particular for expensive items such as computers. Please be aware that the College does not insure or accept any liability for the property of students living in Halls of Residence. The Students' Union at the College has information about UK insurance providers that specialise in policies for students.

Click here for a budget worksheet, to help you estimate your annual costs

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