Student Case Studies

Do you have a story tell about managing your finances as a student? Is there something you learnt as a student that will be helpful to you in managing your finances for the rest of your life? Contact us about featuring on these pages. Email the NASMA Office with a short explanation of your circumstances.

Name: Josie Stone

Age: 22

Studied: French & German

University: University of Exeter

I studied French and German at the University of Exeter, received a standard maintenance loan, which wasn’t enough to cover my rent and paid my own way through university.

During my final year, coming back from a year abroad with very little savings left, my only option was to work during my studies. I had 2 part time jobs, which I juggled with university work and society commitments. It can appear tough, but as long as you manage your time properly and find a routine that works for you, having a part time job and succeeding academically is more than achievable! This kind of time management is also great preparation for your post-university working life, trust me! My top tip is to keep all tax related documents, particularly P60’s. They may not seem important now, but working multiple jobs can lead to you overpaying tax, and in order to claim this back, you need these documents. I submitted a claim to HMRC and got over £500 back! Part of it dated back from 2008, so make sure you’re on top of your tax!

Josie says, "It can appear tough, but as long as you manage your time properly and find a routine that works for you, having a part time job and succeeding academically is more than achievable!"

Name: Jonathan Adonis

University: University of East London

I began my first year at the University of East London (UEL) late and as such only applied for my student funding in the middle of August. Unfortunately, my application was not processed for almost 6 months and this really affected my ability to manage my finances.

Added to this, I became homeless not long after starting University and spent 10 days living in a tent in a local park. I was able to get help from my University until my funding arrived but meanwhile I had to take some positive steps to address my situation.

I started looking for work and I was able to secure a position as a Student Ambassador and the wages combined with University support really helped me to find a new home. However, as this work was only seasonal, I knew I needed to do more.

I came up with the idea of cleaning the communal areas of where I was living, in return for a 25% monthly rent reduction, which my landlord was very happy with.

My next thoughts moved to how I could maximise my income without working long hours during Mon-Fri as I was concerned about my grades. I used to be a therapist and was able to develop my work and did this at weekends and during the holidays which was a real boost to my finances.

Being aware that this work was not guaranteed I signed up with my University to become a Support Worker helping students with disabilities, who needed someone to scribe or read.  I do this for approx 15 hours a week and as I am already at University I do not incur any additional expenses related to this.

Getting my finances in order and exploring ways to maximise my income has meant I am able to focus on my course and this has really paid off.

I have been selected as an Elite Representative for the Business School at UEL and volunteer for a Green Impact Project. I am looking forward to graduating with a 2:1 and I am confident of my career prospects.

Jon says, "When I became homeless at the start of my first year at UEL, I thought that it was the end of the road for me. However, with the help and expertise of the Smart team I was able to turn it around and I now look forward to graduating with nothing less than a 2:1".