Cost of living

Financial assistance

The Student Finance team should be your first point of contact if you need financial help. They offer support and guidance on all aspects of student finance and funds and can provide assistance if you need help managing your money.

You can visit the team on the first floor of the Gateway Building or contact them via:

T:0151 291 3666 E: studentfunds@hope.ac.uk

Student Support Fund 2023/24

The Student Support Fund is a discretionary fund provided by the university to assist Undergraduate, PGCE and Masters students experiencing financial difficulty. 

Applications should be submitted electronically by signing into the link below and it should be noted that the system does not allow applications to be submitted unless all requested supporting documentation is attached to the online application.

Online Application form

There is a separate paper application for students who are EU/Island/International Undergraduate, PGCE and Masters students, which can be downloaded

Student Support Fund EU/International UG, PGCE and Masters Application Form

For details of the Rules and Regulations of the Student Support fund,

Rules and Regulations for Home UG, PGCE and Masters Student Support Fund 23/24

Free access to IT facilities

Microsoft office

We provide students with free access to Microsoft Office 2016, which is the version that is installed on University computers. You can download and install the full version on up to five devices, including PC, Mac, tablet and mobile phone. Your licence will last for as long as you are studying at the University and you will occasionally be asked to sign-in again to ensure you are still a student at Hope.

Please note: This offer does not cover Network of Hope Students

Office 2016 provides access to the following tools:

• PC: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access, Publisher, Outlook, Lync, InfoPath.
• Mac: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote.
• iPad, iPhone and Android: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.

To run these versions, your device must meet the following requirements:

• PC: Windows 7 or later.
• Macs must be running OSX 10.5.8 or later.
• IPad and iPhones must be running iOS 6.1 or later.
• Android devices must be running version 4.0 or later.

Instructions on the installation process are available here.

Jobs on campus

You may want to get a part-time job to supplement your income whilst studying. This is something we can help with thanks to our on-campus careers and employability job service Hope Works, which connects students with a wide range of part-time paid work opportunities based on our campuses.

Opportunities are open to all Liverpool Hope students and there are a variety of roles available.

Previous jobs have included Student Ambassadors, Survey Assistants, Catering Assistants, Writing and Study Skills Mentors and Sports Coaches.

Visit the Hope Works page in the Student Gateway to find out how you can register and apply for jobs.

Reduce your food costs

£1 lunches

Our chaplaincy team offer a hot lunch for just £1 every Monday during term time. This is a great way to reduce your weekly costs and we would encourage you to take advantage of this.

The chaplaincy is located at the rear of the EDEN Building at Hope Park and also provides access to a microwave and a kettle for those students who need to prepare lunch brought from home whilst on campus.

You can contact the chaplaincy team on:

T: 0151 291 3545 E: chaplaincy@hope.ac.uk

TooGoodToGo

If you are looking to reduce your spending on food, then the TooGoodToGo app is worth considering.

It works alongside shops, cafes and restaurants to prevent food waste, allowing businesses to sell unsold meals or products nearing their sell by date for a reduced price.

Using the free-to-download app, you can buy food directly from recognised brands and local independents near to you at a reduced rate.

Find out more and download the TooGoodToGo app.

Food tips

• Plan your meals in advance and shop weekly, rather than daily, so you can benefit from the savings you make by buying in bulk.
• Consider buying supermarket own or value brands, which often tend to be cheaper and just as good as branded items.
• Keep an eye out for special offers, such as buy-one-get-one free deals. This is an easy way to cut costs, but make sure you are still only buying what you need.
• Make a point of checking out the reduced item shelves in supermarkets. These products are often made available near the end of the day, so shopping later in the evening may allow you take advantage of further savings.
• Re-use plastic bottles or purchase a single use bottle to drink from. A 500ml bottle of water may cost £1 or more in the shops, so this is an easy way to cut your costs.

Useful links

• NHS Eatwell guide
• Money Saving Expert’s supermarket shopping tips
• Save the Student: 55 ways to save money on food
• Money Aware: How to save money on your food budget

Save on transport and travel

Shuttle bus

The University runs a free shuttle bus service for students on weekdays between our three campuses: Hope Park, Creative Campus and Aigburth Park. In addition to providing free transport to and from your lectures, you can also use the shuttle bus to save money on journeys to the city centre as our Creative Campus is based in the heart of Liverpool. You can find out more information, including the Shuttle bus timetable here

Discounted travel

There are many student travel cards which will help you make savings and you should check travel company websites to see which discounts you can take advantage of whilst you are at university.

Some of the most popular travel cards are:

• 16-25 Railcard- Saves one-third on train fares.
• 26-30 Railcard- Saves one-third on train fares.
• Young Persons Coachcard- Saves one-third off coach travel.

Take advantage of student discounts

As a student you can benefit from a range of discounts, which can save you money on food, clothes and many other products you might need whilst studying.

This shouldn’t be a reason to buy things you don’t need, but it is worth exploring how and where you can make savings.

The National Union of Students (NUS) Totum card, which offers discounts with hundreds of brands, is the best place to start and you should also check out Unidays and Student Beans, which also offer savings on fashion, food and entertainment.

Managing your money: General advice

Budgeting is a valuable life skill and particularly so for students.

For many of you, university may be the first time you have been required to manage a budget but these tips and advice are a good starting point to help you through the cost of living increase.

Open a student bank account with an interest free overdraft

Student bank accounts are set up to cater for the needs of students.

The main difference from a standard current account is usually the overdraft facility. Many student accounts offer an interest free overdraft, which means you don’t have to pay interest on anything within the overdraft limit.

Whilst it is best to avoid getting into debt, an overdraft is a good option to have in case of an emergency.

Plan your spending

Planning what you need to spend and when is key to budgeting successfully and can prevent you getting caught out later in the term.

Once you receive your student funding it is a good idea ensure the following are sorted as soon as possible:

• Pay your rent.
• Pay for your travel home at the end of term. It usually works out cheaper to buy tickets in advance.
• Think about future costs, such as field trips or house deposits and try to save some money towards these.
• Work out how much you have to spend each week until your next instalment is due. Set a spending goal for each week and try not to go over it.

Know your rights

Council tax: Full-time students will be given details of how to obtain a council tax exemption certificate when they enrol. This may mean you are exempt from paying council tax or your bill may be reduced by 25%, so make sure you check what you are entitled to.

TV licence: Paying for your TV license may seem like a big expense, but the fine will be significant if you choose not to and are caught. However, you may be eligible for a refund for the period covering the summer months when you are away from the University. Visit tvlicensing.co.uk to find out more.

Additional tips

In addition to the above, there are also some simple behaviours you can implement into your everyday routine that will help reduce costs.

• Turn lights off when you’re not in the room to save on electricity.
• Only use the heating when you need it as this will save both money and energy.
• Unplug appliances and technology which drain electricity when not in use. Devices which are left on standby, such chargers, laptops, games consoles and TVs, will likely be using energy. Unplugging these items will save you money.
• Put your spare change in a moneybox as those small savings can accumulate and prove useful towards the end of term.
• Don't rush out to buy all the books on your reading list. Check to see which ones are essential, make use of the library and look for second-hand book shops.

Useful links

• Get help from Citizens Advice with the cost of living
• Money Helper’s advice for students and graduates
• The Money Charity’s advice for students
• Save the Student: Tips for managing the cost of living increase