The University of East London (UEL) is tackling one of the biggest challenges for students today – money management. Every year, UEL awards £7 million in bursaries and hardship funds to ensure our students thrive. The university understands the financial pressures that many of their students experience while studying in London. Even more impressive is the fact that 77% of its UK students are from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Thomas Murch, a student at UEL, describes the daily fight that so many have come to know as they try to make ends meet. Isaac works in his university’s student union café where he juggles school and work hard to support himself. “I’ve got a lot that I want to accomplish! For the start, I’ve got my duties to attend to,” he told us, reflecting on the weight of the expectations that students are under.
The climate for student finance has drastically shifted over the past decades. The 2025 National Student Money Survey shows that the average student living in London spends over £1,269 per month. This sum is barely enough to make ends meet on rent, utilities, food and other necessities. This shocking figure highlights the fact that most students expect their financial obligations to drown them. A survey found that 84% of students in London said they experience this feeling of being overwhelmed when it comes to their finances.
Recognizing the burdens these students face, University of East London (UEL) has rolled out a number of programs to help students manage their finances.
Issues Addressed
The university offers a series of financial literacy courses, designed to give students skills they need to navigate the world of budgeting and money management. Furthermore, UEL has set up an Essentials Larder, where students dealing with food poverty can get the essentials they need.
To Prof Amanda Broderick, vice-chancellor and president of UEL, opportunity is at the heart of education. “Talent is evenly spread across society, but opportunity isn’t,” she stated, highlighting the university’s commitment to making higher education accessible to all.
On top of these challenges, many students at UEL are having to balance part-time work to support themselves while focusing on their studies. New polling by our friends at the Higher Education Policy Institute has found something stark. For over two-thirds of these full-time students, juggling school and employment has become the new reality. Anand Sasi Kumar, a master’s student at UEL, shared his experience: “When I started earning, I could start to go out more and see more places.” His work opportunity allowed him to budget much better, after having difficulty at first with handling cash flow.
For many students, the financial burden extends much deeper than the cost of tuition alone. The latter happened in September 2025, when English universities raised tuition from £9,250 to £9,535, their first increase since 2017. As students like Viga Lukita are discovering, unreasonably high travel costs in London have added to these pressures, putting them in even more difficult financial circumstances.
Thomas Murch elaborated on his approach to budgeting amidst rising costs: “I make sure my needs are met before I deal with my wants.” This is a common refrain from students who are forced to choose between their basic needs and non-essential items.
UEL tirelessly advocates for its richly diverse students through a plethora of financial initiatives, such as tuition financing and financial literacy resources. It is especially committed to serving students from low-income families. Their approach to financial literacy and direct support as an institution. Equipping students such as Murch and Kumar with the tools to address their financial challenges head-on sets them up for success.
