Less than halfway into the semester, the excitement of independence has worn off and in its place is a budgeting spreadsheet. No matter what I do, the pit of anxiety about money never goes away. And it’s not just me. For so many of us, student life has become an endurance test.
According to the 2025 NatWest Student Living Index, more than half of students (53%) run out of money before the end of every term. A third (33%) have considered dropping out because of financial strain. It’s a bleak picture, and it’s only getting worse.
For the past decade, the NatWest Student Living Index has documented the rising cost of student life. In that time, average rent has jumped 52%, grocery bills are up 43% and the cost of goods and services overall has risen by 38%.
The latest report, based on responses from 5,001 undergraduate students, shows that students are just surviving, not living. Nearly a third (31%) are skipping meals to save money, and a quarter (25%) are turning down their heating. Two-thirds (64%) now work part-time alongside their studies, compared to just over half (56%) in 2015.
While we are not the first generation to take on the role of ‘broke student,’ this struggle should not be considered a rite of passage. There is nothing character-building about having to skip meals to pay rent. We are being failed by the system. Higher education is becoming a privilege rather than a pathway. It is hard to focus on shaping our future when we’re running on empty and worrying about affording next week.
And it’s not just the ‘essentials’ that are costing more. The moments that are meant to make student life a memorable experience are becoming an increasingly expensive luxury. The cost of a typical night out has risen from £21.60 to £28.10 in the last five years.
It is no surprise that many of us are cutting back. The 2025 Index found that 50% of students have reduced their spending on nights out and almost a quarter (24%) say they no longer go to nightclubs. One in five (20%) even said they avoid the pub altogether. When students do splash out, they feel guilty. 40% regret overspending on eating out, and 32% regret overspending on alcohol.
As money worries grow, many students isolate themselves further. More than half of students (59%) told NatWest they don’t talk to anyone about their financial struggles, and only 31% of students said they felt supported by their university when it comes to financial stress.
This isn’t a series of personal failings, it is a structural problem. Student life in 2025 has been shaped by a decade of rising costs and limited support. Rent and bills are consuming more of our money than before. Nights out, meals with friends and small luxuries have become privileges that only a few can afford. We are working harder and budgeting more just to still be broke and starving. The system is not just failing a few students, it is failing most of us.