Most students will have some financial difficulties at some point and it is always better to seek help with financial problems as soon as they occur.
You can read on tips on how to manage your finances on a student income through our new budget guide, filled with lots of tips and tricks to help you manage your money better.
Below are some common areas that students may need help with, as well as some links to help you with your money whilst you're at BNU. If you cannot find the information here that you need or you would like to discuss something in confidence, then get in touch with us on suadvice@bnu.ac.uk.
Student funding
Student Finance England (SFE)
Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS)
Student Finance Wales (SFW)
Student Finance Northern Ireland (SFNI)
NHS Social Work bursaries
NHS Learning Support Fund
BNU Financial Support, Bursaries and Scholarships
If you find that you are struggling with your money, you might be able to apply to the University for additional funding to support you.
To apply for any of the BNU funds, you must have applied for all student funding, benefits, and grants, that you are eligible to apply for, prior to applying.
If you would like to discuss any of the funds, you can email us at suadvice@bnu.ac.uk.
Bank accounts
Whilst you're studying it's worth looking at your bank account to see if you are getting the best value from it. You may be eligible to apply for a student bank account which could be beneficial to you financially, or with what it may offer in additional benefits.
You can check with your current bank to see what accounts would be best for you or check out the Money Helper guide to student and graduate bank accounts.
Budgeting your money
A budget is a simple way of checking the amount of income you have coming in minus your outgoings. The difficulty with budgeting for students is that your income will vary during your time as a student, with loan payments being paid termly rather than weekly or monthly.
If you're looking to develop your budget a little further and to plan your finances out over the year, the The Bucks Money Forecaster is a tool that could help. The forecaster allows you to see your finances over a 12 month period, which may help with planning ahead for times when your income will be lower, or identify periods where you expect your expenditure to increase.
For something more short term or flexible, a budget planner will allow you to see a snapshot of your income and expenditure over a defined period.
The cost of renting
If you're looking to find a new place to live, either on your own or as a small group, you'll want to check what you can afford and take into consideration the fixed costs, like rent, as well as the variable costs including utility bills.
The Cost of Rent Calculator is a tool to help you calculate the cost of a property, and to compare properties with each other. You can print out the worksheet to take with you to viewings, or use the spreadsheet.
If you're still looking for further information, then you might want to check out The Student Money Manual or see the BNU Careers and Employability Service.