Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland, sitting on the country’s east coast with a population of around 643,000. This historic port city is alive with culture and entertainment and offers a fantastic student experience alongside top educational opportunities. In this guide, we explain how you can experience the best of Belfast while staying within a student budget.
Belfast is a strong educational centre, and there are two unis in the city offering a large range of courses and modes of study; Queen's University and Ulster University.
At undergraduate level, the annual tuition fee is £9,250 for most students from England, Wales and Scotland, however if you live in Northern Ireland or even the Republic of Ireland then you’re in luck! Tuition fees for the 2023/24 academic year are capped at £4,710 which makes going to uni in Belfast approximately half as expensive as anywhere else in the UK.
You can receive a tuition fee loan from the Student Finance company for your country which will cover your costs for as long as your course takes to complete. As well as your tuition loan, you can also receive a maintenance loan from Student Finance to help with living expenses. These loans are means-tested and based on your household income, so students from lower-income families will receive more support.
You won’t get stuck with unrealistic loan repayments either. Student Finance only begin to take repayments once you’re fully employed and earning above an annual threshold. As a new student you’ll be on Plan 5, which means you’ll only start paying back your loan once you’re earning £25,000 or more.
Be sure to check out the scholarship and bursaries offered by your chosen uni too. There are opportunities to get some extra funding for your studies if you know where to look. Queen’s University Belfast has a range of options including a large selection of international funding awards. Last year, more than £1.5 million was made available to international students, including an Asylum Seeker Scholarship which pays for all tuition fees and awards a further £8,000 per year to cover living costs.
Avoid the guesswork of university living costs with our new Student Cost of Living Calculator. From accommodation to bills, it breaks down all the costs to help you plan your budget with confidence.
Your chosen uni will probably have several halls of residence within the city. These are a great way to live close to your campus with hundreds of like-minded students from your year. Making friends couldn’t be easier.
There are options for all preferences and budgets. Ulster University has recently built a new £250 million campus at the heart of Belfast’s historic Cathedral Quarter, with two halls of residence. They offer rooms starting at £110 per week, studio apartments at £191 per week, and even a family flat for £275 per week.
Queen’s University offers single rooms and shared bathrooms for as little as £85 per week, three-bed apartments for families for £215 per week, and a range of options in between.
If you’d prefer to rent your own place in town you’ll find plenty of choice. For a city of its size, Belfast is known for having extremely affordable rent prices. A studio flat in the city centre costs around £915 per month, and a three-bedroom apartment will be about £1,350 per month, working out to around £450 per room.
In general, Belfast rent prices are lower than many other UK cities. Since rent is a big portion of your monthly budget, you can choose to save a lot on housing or find a place with more space and a more desirable location. Utility bills are also much cheaper in Belfast, at around £45 per person per month, and this will bring you additional savings in the long run.
Belfast has a population of around 643,000 and a wide range of supermarkets to pick up cheap shopping ingredients. There are also many independent stores and weekly farmers markets selling organic produce at reasonable prices. Average prices for some commonly bought items are:
Milk (1l): £1.36
Bread loaf: £1.44
Rice (1kg): £1.96
Eggs (12): £2.77
Cheese (1kg): £5.82
Chicken fillets (1kg): £6.53
Apples (1kg): £1.95
Potatoes (1kg): £1.16
Signing up for a supermarket loyalty card can help to save money on groceries. Most shops now offer a points-based system with money off coupons awarded once you’ve spent a certain amount, as well as discounted items.
Belfast is a great place for a night out. There’s a large and very active student population, meaning many restaurants, pubs and clubs will offer student discounts and special weekly deals. Keep your eyes open and you’ll find out where to go on which days of the week to save some cash.
Prices for eating out vary on the quality of the restaurant, but a three-course dinner date for two at a mid-range restaurant will probably set you back around £70. In contrast, a takeaway burger or kebab meal is likely to cost £7, an affordable way to refuel when you’re on the go.
Drinks prices hover around £5, whether it’s a local pint or a bottle of imported beer. Remember, there are Student Union bars, local spots and other student-friendly options all over town where you can save some pennies.
The best way to get around Belfast is probably by road, but the city boasts a range of alternative public transport systems including tram, rail, and even by sea. There are several different bus services which serve a wide regional area and offer an affordable means of daily travel. A monthly adult travel pass starts at £60 which is around £2 per day for unlimited travel.
A monthly travel pass starts at £57.50 which is less than £2 per day for unlimited travel. As a relatively compact city, Belfast is quite walkable and good for bikes. There are public-hire electric bike services available at only £5 for an annual subscription and over 30 docking stations located around the city centre. Perfect for a speedy and hassle-free journey!
There’s a lot to discover in Belfast, so you’ll want to budget for spontaneous activities and unexpected expenses. There are many one-off events in the city’s yearly programme of music, arts, theatre and sports which you won’t want to miss out on.
Your uni will also organise a range of clubs and societies which are usually either free or just a few quid to join, but may later require an extra budget for certain activities or trips. You won’t need to set aside loads though – a cinema ticket only costs around £10 so whatever the weather, you should always be able to find an evening’s entertainment.
Depending on your lifestyle and accommodation costs, we’d recommend budgeting around £900 a month in Belfast, not including your tuition fees.
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