Accommodation - Budgeting | The University of Sunderland

Accommodation - Budgeting

Accommodation will likely be your largest financial outgoing during your studies. Private accommodation costs can vary based on the location and size of the property. However, you can expect to pay between £350 and £750 per month for rent, depending on your needs.

This may exclude utility bills (gas, electric, water) and other additional costs associated with renting a property. It is important to check whether the accommodation you are interested in includes these bills as part of your monthly rent.

You may also incur further costs if the property you rent is unfurnished or part-furnished, as you may need to buy furniture and electrical appliances for your new home.

If you successfully apply for university accommodation or other supported student accommodation, this usually includes utility bills and other additional costs. Student accommodation is almost always fully furnished, and likely has access to shared bathroom and kitchen facilities. The monthly cost of this type of accommodation may seem higher, but when you add the additional costs of private renting, it may be a more affordable option than you expect.

Planning your finances

You will need to consider substantial short-term accommodation costs, and the possibility of paying a large deposit for your long-term property. It is very important you have access to your full maintenance funds presented as part of your Student Route application on your arrival to the UK. We would also advise that you bring an additional £1,000 - £3,000 depending on your circumstances to support your short-term accommodation needs.

You will also have to consider additional costs, including utility bills, which are at a high rate in the UK due to inflation.

Please see the below table for an approximation of the average costs of different types of accommodation in the UK. Be mindful that these are not exact figures and are subject to change.

Property type	Average cost p/m	Utility bills
University accommodation	£400 - £500	Included
Private 1 bedroom	£450 - £600	Not included
Private 2 bedroom	£600 – 800	Not included
Private 3 bedroom	£650 – 900	Not included

Council Tax

Council Tax is a compulsory payment on all properties in England, Scotland and Wales. Houses are placed into bands according to how much they are worth and payments are then worked out by local authorities. The money generated from Council Tax goes towards local authority services such as waste collection, road maintenance and street lighting.

As an international student you are exempt from paying council tax.

As soon as you start renting a property you will need to inform the local council of the date you have moved into the property. However, if others are living in the property are not students, this may affect your exemption.

You can find a letter to prove you are a student and exempt from council tax here - https://sj.sunderland.ac.uk/student-information/your-studies/letter-requests/

This will then need to be sent to council.tax@sunderland.gov.uk.

Our Student Financial Guidance Team have information on managing your money as a new student in the UK on their website.

If you have concerns that you may not be able to afford the cost of living in the UK, please speak to us as soon as you can so we can explore your options moving forward.