Studying at University can be quite a challenge. Keeping on top of your coursework while juggling your other commitments can be hard. UK Guarantor we have compiled an overview of some great student focused services to help your time at University go more smoothly.
1 Saving money
Students have always been offered great discounts, by companies that are keen to attract them. NUS is the original discount scheme and they have recently launched TOTUM, a discount card which will save you money on a wide range of product and services, including groceries at the COOP. The card costs £14.99 for one year and there is a ‘lite’ option which is free. It is worth remembering that one benefit of having an official student discount card is that it will get you access to a wide range of local discounts that are not advertised online.
Both UNIDAYS and Student Beans have a strong range of online discounts and, unlike TOTUM are free. The Apple student discount and wide range of clothing offers are particularly attractive. It is also worth checking out Save the Student who offer impartial money saving tips and remember ISIC, which offers international discounts for those of you that love to travel.
2 Accommodation
There is a wide range of student accommodation available once you are done with University Halls (or if you don’t fancy living in them). This includes Private Halls like our partners at Hello Student and shared houses. Whatever you are looking for, Accommodation For Students is the place to start. It is the one website that lists the full range of options. They also have help team, who offer free advice and will even find you a place to live!
Other high quality companies that can assist include Endsleigh, a student specialist insurance company to protect your belongings and Glide, who help students in shared accommodation receive one simple utility bill, saving arguments over who has paid the bill and who has not.
3 Getting great grades
There are number of great Apps and services to support your studies. RefMe has been around for a number of years now and is a great way to automatically reference your work. The App version even allows you to scan bar codes on books to create automatic citations. The myHomework study planner is an increasingly popular tool, which helps students to efficiently organise their studies. Studyblue is an App which enables you to share and access work from other students to help you prepare for exams and assignments, while, RescueTime is not just for students, but is an invaluable way of avoiding distractions from all of the technology you are using.
4 Traveling Around
Once you have moved on from University accommodation, it is likely that you will need to travel around on public transport. This can be costly, particularly in larger cities. The Transport for London student discount is a must for those studying in the Capital city. Nationally, the 16-25 railcard secures you 1/3rd off rail fares and is available to all students in full time education. Similar to this is the Young Person’s coach card, which saves you 1/3rd on National Express journeys. It is also worth checking out different offers from student bank accounts as some offer travel cards as part of their incentives for joining. Locally you will find that the majority of bus companies provide a student discount, like this one from Stagecoach which can help to offset the day to day costs of travel.
5 Where we fit in
Many students and a significant proportion of recent graduates are required to provide a UK based guarantor when they rent a property. Without access to a UK Guarantor, you may be required to pay your rent in advance. An alternative to this situation is to use UK Guarantor.
UK Guarantor is the UK’s leading rent guarantor service for students. Starting at £249 we act as UK based guarantor to enable our customers to secure their accommodation and pay rent in instalments.