Support with the cost of living

We understand it’s a difficult time with the cost of living increasing, and we’re working hard to try and reduce the financial pressures for our students where we can.

We have a range of initiatives which you can access to make sure you can take part in campus activities as much as possible.

  • We’re making sure you don’t go hungry when you visit campus, with free fruit, porridge and soup sachets available, along with selected food outlets offering £1 meal deals.
  • We offer emergency shopping vouchers for students in urgent need and have free sanitary products available.
  • As part of the work we do around sustainability we’re encouraging our students to make greener travel choices where possible and have a range of discounts on bus and train travel, as well as discounts at selected cycle stores.
  • We’ve developed a Campus Sport social programme where you play your favourite sport and keep active for only £1 per session.
  • Our Cambridge and Chelmsford campuses have discounted gym memberships at Helmore gym and The Old Factory.
  • You’ll have access to free health and wellbeing resources as well as free and confidential counselling.

We have a team dedicated to offering advice and support around good money management who are on hand to help you navigate money matters, from budgeting to identifying funding you may be able to access. We’ve also got a range of scholarships and bursaries which you may be eligible for.

You can enhance your CV, boost your income and gain experience and skills by working part-time around your studies. Our campus recruitment agency ARU Temps is part of ARU’s Employability Service, and provides paid temporary work to fit in and around your studies.

Full-time undergraduate students can also apply for a Maintenance Loan to help pay for living costs, while postgraduate students can apply for a Masters or Doctoral Loan. These loans are provided by the Government and you can apply for them before you start your degree course. Check our student finance pages for more information about the loans, and other sources of funding: