if your maintenance loan is less than your rent:

if your maintenance loan is less than your rent, here's what I would suggest. Obviously I'm not a financial expert by any means, I'm just sharing my experience also having gone through this as a student. So, first things first, don't panic. So many students go through this and I don't feel like people talk about it enough. I would suggest looking into different accommodation offers if you haven't already accepted yours because I spent so much money year, whereas I think I should have looked around at chats, seeing what other places were available before I locked in my contract. The worst thing that you can do is actually stress yourself out trying to survive on nothing. Actually calculate how much money extra you need and see what income to meet that different. So whether it be friends, you who can give you a loan, your family who might be able to help out, but if not, what part-time jobs can you already look for in your university city to help you with the rent payments? Check if you're university specific scholarship, grants, bursaries, anything of the sort because again, I did not do this, but even if there's a chance they might be eligible, research before university starts because I wish I had, it would have helped me a lot more with finances. And last but not least, I don't know what other universities like, but at university, we have an essentials hub where eligible for a few spare items of food, extra things that you might need around the house, per week. And I think that's such a great scheme to have, especially with the cost of living crisis. So look into anything your union, university team for any extra funding that you might be able to get. Or know, because they understand, rents getting higher, maintenance loans are probably seeing the same or less, or students who are facing this. So that offer I support, but I understand how difficult it actually is. I think the main thing that I want to get across is don't suffer in silence. That is literally the worst thing you can do yourself. And just come take action of maintenance loan last, or do what I did, which was just literally try and get as many hours in my part-time jobs as I could to that. Thankfully, I understand, easy. I have got some other videos on part-time employment, check for if you want to go check it out for my best tips for that.