Glasgow the ‘most expensive city in UK’ for students

A Student Living Index compiled by the Royal Bank of Scotland found that students in Glasgow have the lowest term time income (£786.60 per month) despite working above the average number of hours in part-time jobs.

Glaswegian students are also hit with above average household bills and receive the lowest amount in Scotland when it comes to bursaries/scholarship. However they also have the highest spend of all Scottish students on going out.

The Royal Bank of Scotland Student Living Index surveyed almost 3,500 students across the UK to determine the most affordable place to study. The survey takes into account a range of factors, from how much students spend on going out to how much time they spend studying.

Scottish universities have both the highest and lowest monthly student incomes. Aberdeen sees students receive the most in the UK from term time work, £220 a month, more than double the UK average of £97. Students in Aberdeen also have the highest overall term-time income when taking into account all sources of money such as mum and dad and personal savings, £1583.80 per month, which is £440 more than the national student average. Glasgow has the lowest total income at under half that, £786.60 a month.

While in Stirling students are the most fashion conscious, spending the most on clothes and shoes in the whole of the UK. Dundee students are spending the most on household bills, £30 more than the UK average of £43 a month. St. Andrews students are the most likely to say they have chosen to study there due to the University’s reputation. While students in Edinburgh spend the least in Scotland on going out, £19.90 per month compared to the UK average of £25.10.

Dan Jones, Royal Bank of Scotland head of student accounts, said: “The Student Living Index helps students to see how they might budget while at University. Our main priority is to help students stay on top of their finances throughout their studies and our Student Account offers a number of features to help students make the most of their money and their time while at University.”