In addition to your travel to Lancaster, and payments for tuition and room, there are certain other expenses you must be prepared for shortly after arrival.
Food
The estimates in the Study Abroad Handbook are generous figures based on the estimated cost of eating all meals in the campus cafeterias. You can save considerably and meet many more British students by preparing your own meals in your college kitchen.
College insurance/key deposits/college fees
All students will need to pay their College a deposit of £200. This is for insurance and key deposit. This is refundable subject to a room inspection and the return of your keys. Any damages will be deducted from your deposit. Additionally, there will be a charge of approximately £20 - £30 (College fee) per student. You will be required to pay this fee to the college and it is non refundable.
Books
Students generally report spending about as much money on books at Lancaster as at home. Books are expensive, but students generally purchase fewer of them and do more library work than in North America. This varies of course, depending on the preferences of the student and the requirements of the courses taken. Do not buy books before the start of classes unless this is specifically recommended. Check in each class to see which books are recommended for purchase.
Personal expenses
These include entertainment, postage, phone, laundry, clubs and sports fees, transport, film, snacks, gifts, travel and other expenses. Amounts vary enormously depending on a student's tastes and budget. Take a lead from your British friends, who are likely to be on very limited budgets. There are many free and inexpensive activities available, and many student discount offers in the UK.
Clubs and societies
These charge a nominal membership fee, normally payable upon joining, as well as fees to cover the cost of certain special trips or activities. You should try to delay paying the membership fee until you have attended one meeting of the club and are sure you want to join.
Local transport
Buses run between the University and Lancaster town every 15 minutes and cost £1.50 for a single ticket and £2.25 for a return ticket. You can also buy a Unirider bus pass which covers either one term, two terms or three terms. For information please see the Stagecoach website. If you lose your pass, you do not get another one.
Vacation expenses
If you plan to travel, as most students do, you must of course include vacation travel expenses in your budget calculations. These vary enormously depending on where, and in what style, you travel. If, like most students, you have a limited budget, rest assured that you'll be able to enjoy your travels as European students do by planning wisely and taking advantage of the many student travel discounts available in the UK and Europe to holders of the International Student Identity Card.