The Great Hunt: What unexpected expenses did you have at uni?

Former_MSE_Sam_M

Doing a budget before you head off to uni should be a top priority, but did anything crop up that you didn’t expect?

We want to know anything you had to fork out for at uni that you didn’t expect or budget for.


Thanks in advance.

[purplesignup][/purplesignup]

dw1

Joining a sports team worked out quite expensive. The membership fee was cheap (£25) but all the extra stuff adds up pretty quickly - official kit for £80, £100+ on new boots etc over the year, £50 a time on transport and accommodation for weekend tournaments, not to mention endless socials in the pub.

In the end it was worth it for the new friends and experiences but not something I budgeted for.

Avatar73

A wife and 2 kids

guiriman

Photocopying. Lots and lots of photocopying, particularly of cases in the two law modules I had to take. Balanced it out by buying second hand text books (previous edition) most of the time and photocopying the exercises from the current edition though!

ade1982

Paying for course notes were unexpected.

Insurance for personal possessions is easily forgotten. (it used to be a specific policy for uni, but this was 2006)

MalC4

The signed tenancy agreement expected us to leave the property to the same standard as we received it. I thought this was a standard comment and didn't have any issues, knowing that we'd look after the property and leave it clean. Then just before we leave the house the agent tells us that it was provided as professionally cleaned and that they want it left to a professionally cleaned standard. I spoke to the tenancy deposit scheme people and they said they're having more and more complaints that landlords/agents are taking advantage of students because they hold the deposit (and what student knows what professionally cleaned looks like?). The number of disputes being submitted relating to withheld deposits are rising and yet there's no protection for students. We're looking at sharing a cleaning bill withheld from our deposit of £270+ (and we left the house clean!).

agrinnall

ade1982 wrote: »

Paying for course notes were unexpected.

Which shyster university was this? I've never heard of such a thing.

Anna1664

I went to Uni in 1999 to study film production and within the first week had paid £50 'course materials' fee (on top of normal student fees which I had a student loan for) I didn't mind that so much but when I got further into the course we were told that film stock, processing and telecine were not included in the course materials fee. I've blanked out how much it cost because it was so expensive and also because in the groups that I worked in often the other students didn't actually pay their share but I'm guessing I spent around £5000 - 10000 during the 3 years. It was a massive shock and I didn't know how on earth I would pay for it as I was supporting myself not relying on parental support. I used all my savings (around £2000) managed to get the 'emergency fund' each year at Uni which was around £500 cash and £500 on top of my student loan and knew that I needed to get a job! However I also knew I couldn't work during term time as I was struggling academically (was diagnosed as dyslexic in my 2nd year) so I looked for a summer job. I failed the typing test for a jobs agency and the only other work the agency did was labouring on building sites so I asked if I could do that. My first day labouring on a site they were expecting 3 labourers and only I turned up; they were so impressed with me; they said I'd done the work of 3 labourers so asked if I could stay all summer and they'd pay me 3 times a normal wage. The labouring made me good money (I kept doing it after Uni too) and kept me physically healthy for working in the film industry. Although it was a nightmare at the time it was 'character building' and when I worked as a Head Lecturer of a Film-Making course between 2010 - 2013 I made sure that the course was set out so that there were no un-expected fees or costs and that all students had equal opportunities no matter what their financial situations were.

Anna

ade1982

Yes, they've been pulling those strokes since I was an undergrad way back in 2004.

Take many, many photos of everything!

SamMarc

Field work costs for earth science courses.
I had to do 3 weeks independent mapping and numerous field courses around the UK and Europe.

None of the costs were provided upfront, nor was there any sort of cap

WibblyGirly

My council tax. Paid full price for the first year of uni in my private rental as the council took forever to apply the 25% discount we got (partner not a student).