How can Study Abroad affect housing in London?

“Airplane Travel” by Robert De Bock/ CC0 1.0

Hello all and welcome to my first blog in a new series on my preparation and experience as a Study Abroad student at KCL! In this blog, I will give some insights and tips on some of the best practices for when you are preparing to go abroad as well as comparing the different budgetary challenges in London and my chosen destination! I hope this series can be helpful not only to students who are going abroad next year but also those who are pondering whether to apply to go abroad in years to come and who want a clearer picture of what to expect if they do apply.

So just for a bit of context, my name is Tom and I am currently in my second year studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics. I first heard about the opportunity to spend my second semester abroad during an open day at KCL a few years ago and after looking at all of the available destinations for my course, one clearly stood out for me – Singapore. Having the opportunity to study at the National University of Singapore seemed to fulfil everything I wanted from going abroad, which included seeing a part of the world I’ve never been to before, and taking modules that would never be available at King’s.

The first topic I wanted to focus on in this series is housing, as this is an issue that will affect all Semester two outgoing study abroad students. The key issue here is finding housing only for Semester one as most contracts you find are for the entire academic year. However, depending on your contract, there may be several ways to get around this.

Can I sublet?

You may think of subletting, where you effectively rent out your room whilst you are abroad. However, some contracts forbid this practice so always make sure to check this beforehand. If your contract does allow subletting, make sure to get permission from your landlord first. Be aware that by subletting, you have certain responsibilities, such as making sure your subtenants have the right to rent in the UK.

The King’s Money and Housing Advice Service operate a great service where they can check your contract and tell you if subletting is allowed and if so, what your responsibilities will be. You can access their services here.

What about assignment?

Assignment is when someone else can take over your contract through what is known as a deed of assignment. This will then remove your legal liability to your previous contract.

However, there are some caveats here, such as the fact that you may need to pay a fee to assign a tenancy but this should not exceed £50 as per the Tenants Fee Act 2019. The landlord, any joint tenants and also the new tenant must sign the deed of assignment so any flatmates you have would have to agree to this.

Can I use a break clause?

A break clause is when you end your tenancy earlier than the original end date, but different contracts will have different dates for when the contract can be ended so make sure you check this. Note that if you are in a joint tenancy, every tenant needs to activate this clause for it to be considered valid.

How to find someone to sublet or assign to

The first port of call can be to see if any of your friends or course mates will be looking for accommodation whilst you are abroad but if this doesn’t work out, you can use services like the University of London’s Flatmate Finder or the KCL Flatmate Finder Hub to find interested students. You could also advertise on websites such as Spareroom.

You could always become a subtenant yourself or take over someone else’s contract through assignment but make sure that your deposit is properly protected and the landlord is aware of the situation.

There is also the option of King’s Residences or private student halls, who may offer contracts shorter than one year, but this is not guaranteed.

For more advice on how to find short-term housing, this article gives you some more useful information about what to do when you move out of London for a semester.

So hopefully this blog has been helpful in giving you some info and tips on how to find housing if you’re an outgoing Study Abroad student or if you are thinking of applying in the future. Don’t hesistate to conact the King’s Money and Housing Service if you have any questions. I’ll see you in my next blog!

Tom Appleby
King’s Student Money Mentor
Part of Money & Housing Advice

The King’s Student Money Mentors blog shares our students’ personal experiences and thoughts on money-related topics. Any reference, opinions or recommendations on a particular company/brand are only the views of the student(s) who wrote the blog post. King’s College London, the Money & Housing Advice service and the Money Mentor project do not share the views in the blogs nor endorse any of the companies mentioned. Readers should conduct their own research before using any companies mentioned in our blog posts. 

A Typical Week of Spending in London

(Photo by Jaanus Jagomägi on Unsplash)

London has to be one of the most vibrant, lively and exciting cities to live in as a student. But it’s also the most expensive city in the UK… so, just how expensive is it really? In this blog, I’m going to explore how expensive living in London is by taking you through a typical week of my spending as a fourth-year KCL medical student. I’d like to preface that everyone’s individual spending will be different depending on a number of factors and your own spending will fluctuate week to week. However, this blog post should give you an idea of what costs to prepare for and how you can think about cutting down on certain expenses.

Accommodation: £225p/w 

Utility bills: £15p/w 

By far, my greatest cost (and this will be the same for almost every student) was rent. The price shown above is how much I paid for a room in a three-bedroom flat in central London. However, many students will choose to live in student accommodation, especially in their first year, as this is a good way to get to know other students at King’s and make friends. Another benefit is that the weekly rent price includes all utility bills. Make sure to look into the KAAS scheme (King’s Affordable Accommodation Scheme), which offers accommodation at a reduced rate for students from lower income backgrounds if they meet certain eligibility criteria. The weekly rent for King’s accommodation (not including KAAS rates) ranges from £178 to £370.  

Grocery shop £30   

One thing I started to do (and would recommend to other students) was to pick a specific day of the week for grocery shopping, and to create a shopping list before stepping out. This helped to prevent overspending as I was less tempted to pick up random things I wouldn’t need throughout the week or when shopping. I would usually visit Lidl with one of my flatmates at the weekend and spend around £30. On the weeks where I’d just returned from visiting home, I would spend much less on grocery shopping as I’d bring home-cooked food with me. To reduce the cost of your weekly shop, consider shopping at larger supermarket branches as items tend to be a bit cheaper here and also getting a Sainsbury’s Nectar card and/or Tesco Clubcard. It may also be worth looking into signing up to food hubs such as The Borough Food Cooperative. For each visit, members can pick up to 16 items for £4.50, which works out to be a really good deal! 

Transport: £6 

I live just a 10 minute walk from Guy’s Campus, where all my inductions were based this week. I used the tube once this week to go shopping in Covent Garden. Note that I normally spend more on public transport (£15 to £20 each week) as my hospital placements are a bit further away.

Social/eating out: £15 

I try to bring a packed lunch with me most days but ended up getting one meal deal this week. I also went to Covent Garden with a friend and had dinner there. 

Tea and coffee: £5

I’m not much of a tea or coffee drinker, but I got a bubble tea this week for £5. If you do enjoy these drinks, aside from making them yourself to save money, I’d recommend downloading the King’s Move app. This app tracks the number of steps you take each day and you automatically earn points as a result. Once you earn a specific number of points, you are entitled to a reward, such as a free hot drink from any King’s Food venue.

Monthly subscriptions/bills: £14

  • Disney Plus – £8
  • Spotify – £6 (student rate)

Total excluding rent: £74.50

Total including rent: £299.50

Just a reminder that spending and costs will be different for everyone and will differ week to week. E.g., I would spend a lot more on groceries if I was trying new recipes on some weeks or spend a lot more on social activities – especially during the start of the year. I myself am still learning to manage my own money and budget, but hopefully, this has given you some insight into what to expect.  

So, there you have it – a typical week of spending from the perspective of a student living in London!  

Tasniya Aktar and Aanchal Raina
King’s Student Money Mentors
Part of Money & Housing Advice

The King’s Student Money Mentors blog shares our students’ personal experiences and thoughts on money-related topics. Any reference, opinions or recommendations on a particular company/brand are only the views of the student(s) who wrote the blog post. King’s College London, the Money & Housing Advice service and the Money Mentor project do not share the views in the blogs nor endorse any of the companies mentioned. Readers should conduct their own research before using any companies mentioned in our blog posts. 

A guide to transport around London

(Credit – “Airport Travel” by Negative Space/ CC0 1.0)

So, you’ve secured a place at King’s but you’re not sure how to navigate travelling around London. I remember feeling overwhelmed with all the different public transport options so you’re not alone! A lot of this comes down to personal preference but in this short post, I’m going to give a few tips on how to travel around London without spending too much.

Which mode of transport is best?

There isn’t a single correct answer to this question but of course, walking is the cheapest way to get around, with the added benefit of being good for your health and the environment. Cycling is another great alternative. Remember to download the King’s Move app which is free and tracks how many steps you take. You can earn points for simply being active and redeem these points for rewards such as a free hot drink or KCL merch.

How can I save money on travel?

If you live further from campus, walking and cycling may not be viable options. In this case, I’d recommend working out how many journeys you’ll make throughout the week. Generally, if you’re only using public transport a few days a week, then pay as you go will be your best bet. This can be done using any contactless card but I’d suggest getting an Oyster card and using this for your journeys instead. Oyster cards are effectively payment cards that can be used exclusively for travel, meaning that tracking your spending on public transport becomes easier.

In addition, I’d recommend purchasing a 16-25 Railcard, which gives you one third off train fares. The advantage of having both an Oyster card and a Railcard is that you can link these cards, which gives you a one third discount on off-peak pay as you go travel in London. This includes the tube, London Overground, Elizabeth Line, DLR and most national rail services.

Note that the cost of a standard Oyster card is currently £7 and a 16-25 Railcard costs £30. However, you’ll save money in the long run with both of them.

Should I get a Travelcard?

If you’re planning on using public transport most days of the week, it is usually cheaper to purchase a Travelcard than to use pay as you go. A Travelcard gives you unlimited travel at any time on the bus, Tube, Tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth Line and National Rail services in London. There are different types of Travelcards available depending on which zone you’re travelling in. For example, a zone 1-2 Travelcard covers central London whereas a zone 1-6 Travelcard covers the entirety of London. In addition, there is the option to purchase a 7 Day, Monthly or Annual Travelcard. Annual Travelcards offer the best value for money, however if you won’t be in London for the whole year, then you may want to consider a monthly or weekly Travelcard. I would recommend checking the TFL website to compare the cost of the specific Travelcard you’re planning to get vs the total cost of paying as you go for the week.

Finally, some students who do decide to purchase a Travelcard will also purchase an 18+ Student Oyster card. The reason for this is that you get 30% off the price of adult-rate Travelcards (although there is a cost of £25 to purchase the Student Oyster card).

I know that this is a lot of information to digest but hopefully this gives you an insight into the factors to consider when thinking about how to get around London. You can check the TFL website for more information and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!

Aanchal Raina
King’s Student Money Mentor
Part of Money & Housing Advice

The King’s Student Money Mentors blog shares our students’ personal experiences and thoughts on money-related topics. Any reference, opinions or recommendations on a particular company/brand are only the views of the student(s) who wrote the blog post. King’s College London, the Money & Housing Advice service and the Money Mentor project do not share the views in the blogs nor endorse any of the companies mentioned. Readers should conduct their own research before using any companies mentioned in our blog posts.