How to Live in London: Student Guide

London is a diverse city packed with vibrant entertainment, indie boroughs and multicultural history. All of this combined with the life-changing opportunities for work and education make it a fantastic place to live, study and start your future.

However, London is also one of the most expensive places to live in the UK, and when you’re a student counting every penny, the thought of moving to the big city can be overwhelming. But it shouldn’t be.

LHA London believes that everyone should be able to make their dream come true, and the cost of living should never be a barrier. With this guide on how to live in London as a student, you’ll find that the majesty of this historic city can be fully appreciated even when you’re living on a budget.

London Transport

London can seem huge when you’ve just moved here, but when you know your way around and get to know your transport options, you’ll quickly realise that it’s not as difficult to navigate as you’d think.

Understanding the transport available is one of the first things you should do when moving to London. You have the choice between:

The London Tube

You can get almost anywhere in London when you use the London Underground and Overground trains accessible on the London Tube. The Tube’s easy tap as you go system makes it efficient and time-saving – and you can jump on and off to go meet friends or find different study spaces.

Check how much your rail fare will cost in London on Transport For London’s Tube and rail fares guide.

Bus routes

If you’re coming to study from abroad then you were probably sold the image of London’s iconic bright red buses. Luckily, these are everywhere you look and can also take you to almost any place within Central London.

If you’re studying at one of the universities situated in the very heart of the capital and prefer a less crowded mode of transport, the bus is probably the best option for you. Use London’s journey planner to discover the closest bus route to your university and student accommodation, and find out where in the city it’ll take you.

Uber

One of the more popular modes of transport in London is the taxi service, but when you’re a student you’ll probably feel far safer jumping in an Uber with your friends than a black cabbie.

Don’t forget to have the Uber app pre-installed so you’re never caught out when you need to get somewhere in a hurry.

Cycling

It’s no secret that London roads are infamous for traffic. Even if you’re moving from somewhere distant in the UK, you’re likely to have heard the stories of rush hour traffic. Which isn’t fantastic when it aligns with your uni lectures. Luckily, cycle routes are prominent all over the city.

There are many benefits to cycling around London:

• You don’t need to rely on bus/train timetables to get places
• It’s a completely free mode of transport
• You’ll have more options for nimble travel
• Easy exercise when you’re sat down studying for most of the day

Just don’t forget to lock your bike securely in a suitable location when you leave it.

Driving

As a student saving money, you’re not likely to voluntarily drive around the London streets. However, if this is your choice of transport then you need to be aware that London is a low emission zone. This means there is a daily congestion charge of £15. But you can find more information on vehicle regulations at Transport for London’s congestion charge page.

How to save money as a student

After transport, one of the biggest concerns you may have about living in London is the cost of everything.

Even without the cost of living crisis, London is one of the most expensive places to live in the UK, and as a student this can seem overwhelming. But don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to keep costs down and make your time as a student comfortable!

Choose accommodation that is relatively close to your uni

If you’re studying in the centre then this might be a little harder to achieve. But by finding accommodation that is close to your university, you’ll be able to drastically cut down on travel costs.

Search for affordable accommodation

As an accommodation charity, LHA London strives to provide everyone who wishes to study in London with the best living space possible. Our student accommodation covers the full scope of the capital, offering affordable homes without compromising on quality, safety or the social aspect that is so fundamental to student life.

If you’re looking for inexpensive accommodation to see you through your uni years, then you don’t have to look very far to live your London Life.

Take a look at what we have available using our location map.

Get your student ID as soon as possible

As a student in London, you’ll have access to student discounts across a wide range of shops, restaurants and cafes but you’ll need to prove you are eligible for it. The easiest way to do this is to show your student ID at the checkout.

However, some shops and online retailers will insist on seeing a UNIDAYS ID. For this, you still need to enter the details of your student ID.

Here are just a few of the fantastic places you can get discount at using your Unidays account:

• ASOS
• Levis
• PureGym
• Beauty Pie
• Vodafone – yes! Discount off your phone contract!
• Adobe Creative Cloud
• Domino’s
• Deliveroo

Avoid ‘name brand’ food

Just because something has a big brand’s name on it, doesn’t mean it’s better quality. Supermarket brands are just as good as the big labels, but much cheaper! These items will be your best friend if you’re cooking on a budget.

It’s also good to limit the amount of takeaways you eat. Whilst it might be easier to order a takeaway, it’ll eat your budget very quickly if you’re ordering them regularly. Stick to the healthy stuff.

Get an Oyster card

However you plan to travel, we would highly recommend getting yourself an Oyster card. Oyster cards can be used on pretty much all train and bus services within London and can save you a huge amount on travel costs.

Oyster cards aren’t accepted at Elizabeth line stations between Reading and Iver.

Essential London Apps

There are so many features designed to make living in London easier for students and they’re completely free! So why not use them?

1. Unidays – As we mentioned above, Unidays is an absolute essential for any student living on a budget!
2. Uber – A must for accessing safe travel without needing to bring cash with you
3. CityMapper – Amazing for locating where you are in the city and navigating your way around
4. Whatsapp – Free calls and messages to anyone in your location or outside the country; perfect if you’re studying abroad
5. vouchercloud – Gives you the best money-saving offers straight to your phone

Things to do in London on a budget

London is known for its vibrancy and culture and so much of it is free to access! This means it’s so easy to go explore in your free time, find a cosy study spot in the peaceful parks and take your family when they come to visit you.

Visit Big Ben and Buckingham Palace

When people think about London, the chances are the first image that pops into their heads will be the quintessential view over the Thames that encapsulates The London Eye, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. An absolute staple, all you need to do is walk down from Trafalgar Square to South Bank to appreciate the view.

If your family hasn’t visited before, then this is definitely one of the best places to take them. You could also tick the biggest and best landmarks off your list on a Free London Landmarks Tour.

The British Museum

The British Museum is completely free to access and lays the foundations for an educational day out. If you’re studying History, Architecture or even Anthropology, you can’t afford to miss a day spent perusing the many corners of global narrative that the British Museum explores.

Brixton Windmill

Brixton itself is well known for its indie culture, so we would recommend spending at least a day absorbing the offbeat music, food and Brixton Village when you get the chance, but don’t forget to hit Brixton Windmill and Educational Centre whilst you’re there.

Royal Observatory

The Royal Observatory in Greenwich gives you the chance to stand at the centre of time itself and admire Britain’s largest telescope from one of the best views in London.

Take a tour of The Globe Theatre

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is just a short walk down from Big Ben and their guided tours are a great way to pass the time on a weekend when you’re living on a budget. If you fancy watching a performance from the standing stalls, you’ll be able to get your hands on tickets for just £5.

Kensington Gardens

For a more peaceful budget day out, take a walk around the peaceful but beautiful Kensington Gardens. Plenty of green spaces and memorial statues are available to explore – you really can spend a full day here!

For more ideas, take a look at Visit London’s guide on cheap things to do in London.

Areas to check out in London

As a student, it’s likely you’ll want to experience as much culture, nightlife and social activities as possible. For a burst of life that built the London we know today, we’d suggest visiting the following boroughs:

• Brixton
• Camden
• Kingston Upon Thames
• Richmond
• Tower Bridge
• Kings Cross
• Soho
• Shoreditch

How to stay safe in London

London is a safe place to live, but as with any big city it is worth taking precautions as a student to ensure you make the most of your time here.

To stay safe in London, consider:

• Planning your route before you leave
• Only using registered taxi services and licenced black cabs
• Avoid walking alone at night and stick with your friends
• Keep your property in a bag or pocket with a secure zip
• Set up emergency contacts on your phone

Finding affordable accommodation

London is famously one of the most expensive places to live in the UK which makes finding affordable accommodation one of the most difficult parts of studying in the capital.

However, LHA London believes that the cost of accommodation should never be a barrier to following your dreams. That’s why we provide affordable student accommodation across London that gives you the freedom to live your London life as you choose.

Our hostels cover all major points on the city’s map and cover your bills too, so you don’t need to worry about any additional costs while you focus on building the life you want.

For more information about how our charity can help you get set up in the big city, take a look at our available accommodation and don’t forget to check out our offer to discover what we can offer you.

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