Journalism student Kieran Miller was worried about money, but he compared student bank accounts and chose one that gave him a free 16-25 Railcard, and signed up for student discount schemes.
Though it might be exciting to see your first maintenance loan payment hit your bank account in one big lump sum, Kieran, 19, says you need to remember it has to last until the next instalment.
With the help of his mum, Kieran, from Swansea, made a provisional budget before moving away, but warns that it’s easy to get caught up in the student experience and spend more than you planned to.
“When you start uni and you’re living away from your family and you’ve got this new sense of freedom it was also really difficult to stay strict financially because you want to make mates with people,” he says. “Someone might invite you to go for food or to go for a drink – and you’re like, ‘I don’t really want to say no because this is a chance to connect with someone.'”
As well as student loans, most universities offer a variety of scholarships and bursaries, and it’s worth checking whether you’re eligible.