Cost of living – Support at Kingston University

At Kingston University, we are committed to providing support to our students during the cost of living crisis. We recognise that the rising cost of living can make students feel uncertain about their finances.

On this page you will find lots of useful resources, hear from some of our current students, and find out more about support available to you during your time studying at Kingston.

What our students say

Hear from our students and their top tips when it comes to managing money.

Financial aid

In 2022, Kingston awarded more than 700 bursaries to new students with a household income below £25,000 to help them have the best possible start at university.

More about bursaries.

There are a number of different support funds available for students who find themselves in financial difficulty at any time while studying with us. Information on what support might be most suitable, including comprehensive budgeting advice, can be found on our dedicated student cost of living webpage (internal link).

Work opportunities on campus

The University is an accredited living wage employer and offers many opportunities for students to secure paid work on campus.

To name just a few of the roles available, students can work for the University as:

We also have strong connections with local employers.

The University's Careers and Employability team can help students find the right part-time work opportunity to fit in with their studies.

Support on campus

Events

University staff have organised and hosted events such as a Winter coat and warm clothing drive where staff gifted items of clothing for students to choose and collect for free. More than 250 warm items were snapped up by students, with leftover clothing donated to local charity shops.

A book drive was held at our Penrhyn Road campus which saw staff generously donate hundreds of reading and text books. The success of this initiative has seen the installation of a permanent bookcase where staff and students can drop off and pick up books for free.

Future events will be publicised to staff and students.

Warm spaces

Our campuses offer warm spaces for our students including libraries that are open in the evenings throughout the week, and for 24-hours at our Penrhyn Road campus.

Useful links

Kingston acknowledges the great work that is being carried out by charities nationally, as well as support being offered by local councils including the Royal Borough of Kingston. A few examples are listed here:

International students

If you are an international student considering applying to join Kingston University, you can also find out more in our guide to the cost of living in London for international students.

Warm coat initiative

As the temperatures start to dip, staff at Kingston University have been coming together to help students get ready for winter by donating warm clothing for a series of coat drives being held across its campuses.

More than 250 donated warm items were snapped up by students who attended the Kingston Hill event.

More about the warm coat initiative
Staff holding up clothing items donated to the warm coat initiative.
A table full of tinned food.

Food banks evolve

The traditional model of food banks is evolving to become more sustainable as charities and organisations report unprecedented demand and fewer donations in the face of the national cost of living crisis.

Kingston University researchers have conducted a two-year study, rethinking the traditional model of food banks.

More about food banks

Current students and staff

We recognise the worry and anxiety that can be caused by financial difficulty and it is important that you feel able to ask for help if you need it, whether it be practical or emotional support.