Key Summary
FAQs
What are the benefits of living at home as a university student?
The biggest benefits of living at home for university are usually lower housing costs, an existing support network, familiarity with the local area and an easier way to keep established work or family routines. You can still join societies, attend events and use campus facilities, but commuting time and independence are important trade-offs to consider.
Is living at home for university cheaper than moving out?
It can be much cheaper if living at home lets you avoid commercial rent, deposits and separate utility bills, but it is not automatically free. Include commuting, parking, food and any contribution you pay your family. Compare your real annual costs with halls or private renting rather than assuming the cheapest weekly rent tells the whole story.
Does living at home affect how much Maintenance Loan I can get?
Yes, for eligible Student Finance England students, where you live affects the Maintenance Loan rate. For 2026/27, a standard full-time student can receive up to £9,118 when living with parents, compared with higher maximums for living away. Your actual amount also depends on household income and personal circumstances. Check the current Student Finance rates.
Can I still make friends at university if I live at home?
Yes, but you may need to be more deliberate about staying on campus. Join recurring societies, speak to coursemates, attend events between classes and suggest specific plans rather than waiting to be invited. Friendships are built through repeated contact, so one weekly society or regular study group can be more useful than occasional large events.
Will I miss out on the university experience by living at home?
Not necessarily. You may miss spontaneous moments that happen in halls, but university life also happens through courses, societies, sports, volunteering, work and city events. The main risk is treating campus like somewhere you only visit for lectures. Staying for activities and building routines around university can make a major difference.
What are the disadvantages of living at home during university?
Common drawbacks include commuting time, transport costs, less spontaneous socialising and fewer opportunities to practise some forms of independent living. Home can also be difficult if you lack private study space or family boundaries are unclear. Living at home works best when the environment is supportive and the journey to campus is realistic.
How long is too long a commute to university?
There is no universal limit, but judge the door-to-door journey rather than the distance on a map. Consider early lectures, late seminars, missed connections, rush-hour traffic and the cost of travelling several days a week. A commute that looks manageable twice a week may become exhausting with a full timetable and evening activities.
How can commuter students get more involved in university life?
Group activities onto campus days, join one or two recurring societies, use gaps between classes for social plans and learn your last reliable route home. Course group chats and commuter networks can help too. Avoid going home automatically after every lecture if you regularly feel that social opportunities are passing you by.
Should I live at home or move into student accommodation?
Choose by comparing finances, commute, home environment, independence and the social experience you want. Living at home can be excellent when it is affordable, supportive and well connected. Moving out may be worth the extra cost if the commute is difficult, home is not suitable for study or greater independence is a priority.
Despite the ‘university experience’ students wish to participate in during their time in higher education, a 2022 survey showed that almost 430,000 students stayed home. As a home student myself, there were big benefits of living at home as a university student compared to living on campus, from finances to skipping those not-so-great experiences in student accommodation. From my perspective, here are the top five benefits of being a home student.
1. The money problem becomes less of a problem
The biggest reason why students stay at home is because it’s a financially viable option. Firstly, you have the opportunity to reduce future debt by reducing the amount of loans you receive. Personally, I was lucky enough to only apply for the tuition loan since the income I earned from my part-time job allowed me to go through university without a maintenance loan. However, if this isn’t possible, the maintenance loan you receive doesn’t have to be the maximum. The amount you apply for could instead be used towards other necessities such as commuting or paying a set rent agreed upon by you and your parents (or a night out, whatever floats your boat).
Secondly, however, the amount you receive might not be enough if you live away from home. A 2024 National Student Money survey found an average student spends £1104 a month, with £540 going towards rent. Because of this, living as a student tends to be constrictive financially. Therefore, you may have to consider any income outside of a maintenance loan: can you earn from a part-time job? Are you eligible for any scholarships or bursaries? Living at home does give you more financial freedom, although any extra money is a bonus!
2. You have a guaranteed support network
For some, living at university may get lonely very quickly. Living at home guarantees you a support network you already have access to. Whether this be family or childhood friends, these groups provide your social needs as well as support for when university gets rough. Compared to some of my peers, the consistent support I gained from my family in person made a difference compared to support from a distance.
However, don’t let the distance between home and university life put you off. I understand how it feels to seem out of place. The worst feeling you can get is going into an introductory lecture to see that everyone but you have made friends. The thought is off-putting, isn’t it? While a common misconception of living at home is FOMO from the “university experience”, this transition into university becomes easier over time, as long as you really let yourself get immersed into it. Joining societies and saying ‘yes’ to almost any social event allowed me to meet many people and find great friends.
3. You know the area better than anyone else
According to other first years at least, you are now officially an expert in the local area. A great benefit is being able to navigate the streets of your home city. If you venture out enough, you know the shops, the sights and the nightlife. While exploring your new campus offers enrichment, the comfort of knowing the city means it’s easier to settle into university.
A great tip for making friends: offer them a tour of the city and show them your go-to places. This worked out well for me and made great conversation starters on life before university. Suddenly, you’re making new memories in the places and they mean a lot more to you than before. And who knows? Maybe you’ll find somewhere you’ve never been before…
4. You have an extra advantage with part-time jobs
Having a part-time job while studying has pros and cons. The bigger advantages include extra money and professional experience to add to your CV (and yes, stacking shelves can provide you with transferable skills). In fact, more than half of students have paid jobs alongside their studies. If you think about it, you can meet other students as well as people from all walks of life.
A part-time job living at home has an add-on advantage of working consistently without the need for any term-time contracts. Living at home allowed me to work between classes and work full-time over holidays. However, check with your employer on your options if you plan to move away. If you have a job with a large company prior to university, you may be able to transfer to your university’s city. It is always worth asking!
Don’t forget to read our tips on balancing work and studying!
5. Home never felt better
The final, and most important, benefit: you live at home! Relocation isn’t necessary, meaning you can transition into full independence in your own time. But you have your bed, you have home-cooked food, you have your decoration and space, the shower works… The comfort of home never felt better after a tour of your friend’s accommodation. You may hear the horror stories of student accommodation on social media, wait until you see the horror stories yourself!
On top of that, the boundaries between home life and university life are clear, especially when your university is a separate campus. Sometimes, I enjoyed being able to come home without needing to worry about what happened that day at university because it was away from me. While this high-school-esque routine becomes tedious, you may count your blessings after a particularly bad day.
Ultimately – it’s up to you!
My list of benefits of living at home as a university student is only subjective based on my experiences. However, it is always worth considering all of your options. Is your chosen subject offered at your local university? Do you have the means to commute? Is home a good environment to live and study in? I am fortunate to be able to have a safe environment and a consistent way of commuting, but this may not be the case for everyone. My last piece of advice is to analyse your current situation and ensure you do what is best for you and your education.