If you're a full-time undergraduate student from the UK, you can apply for a maintenance loan to help with your living expenses. The loan is unlikely to cover all your university living expenses, which is why many students also take on part-time work to help fund their studies. 
 
Scholarships, bursaries, and grants don't have to be repaid and can make a huge difference to your student budget. Extra funding is awarded for all sorts of reasons, not just for top achievers and straight-A students - explore scholarships and additional funding available at Queen's. 

Many shops and restaurants in Belfast will offer student discounts - so don't be afraid to ask if it's available. If you want to take advantage of exclusive student savings, head over to our student discount page for more information. 

Student-friendly budget calculators are an effective way of helping you figure out how much money you'll have to spend each month. We recommend students try out the UCAS Student Budget Planner to help manage their finances.

Speak to our Student Union Advice Team

SU Advice, we have a dedicated team of advisers with a wealth of experience to help you with any issues you may be having - funding your studies included. Advice is free, confidential, and completely impartial and independent from the university. Find out more about drop-in services.

Student financial support

If you’re experiencing financial difficulty during your time at university, we have dedicated student financial support available such as the Student Support Fund and University Financial Assistance Fund. Find out more about financial support available here.

Money managing resources

If you need additional support regarding managing your money while at university, here are our recommended resources:

• Blackbullion
• Money Saving Expert’s Guide and Tools to Save Money While Studying
• Student Minds

Save on travel with Translink

If you're aged between 16-23 years old in Northern Ireland, you can apply for a yLink smartcard for all which gets you 50% off Translink bus and rail travel, as well as up to 50% off Belfast to Dublin Enterprise services.

Over 24 and in full-time education? Apply for the free 24+ Student Railcard and access great savings on NI Railways services, as well as Enterprise services to Dublin.

Getting around the city

Using local taxis? If you happen to jump into a Value Cabs make sure you ask for a receipt as they offer a Receipt Treats scheme which gives exclusive offers and discounts with a wide range of local businesses, just present a Value Cabs receipt within 7 days of your journey!

Should I commute to university?

As a student from Northern Ireland, you may be wondering whether to move into university accommodation, privately rent in Belfast or live at home and make the commute to campus to help keep monthly costs down.

We have many students who decided to live at home during their time at university, hear about their experience: 

A guide to living with your parents while at Queen's | Stay at home and have a great student experience

As a student in Belfast, you will be able to find part-time work opportunities in the city centre and on campus. Working part-time while studying can be a great way to gain experience that will be beneficial when it comes to applying for graduate jobs and offer an additional source of income.

If you're an international student, you may be able to work up to 20 hours per week during term time (this does not affect work placements that are part of your course) - rules around working while studying in Northern Ireland will be outlined in your visa.

There are also opportunities to work on campus, and feedback has shown that working for our university departments can be beneficial to students as we can work with you to help you balance your studies.

Find out more about the opportunities available on campus.

A budget for books will be dependent on your course, lecturers will advise on recommended reading lists. Before you go ahead and buy brand-new books, it's a good idea to check the university's library as many key texts will be available online or to borrow. As well as that, you may be able to pick up the books second-hand for a cheaper price.

Some courses may have additional costs for field trips, events, or supplies. Any additional costs for your chosen course will be detailed under the ‘Fees and Funding’ section on Course Finder.

As a Queen's student, you will also get access to free Microsoft 365 software.