How much does a year in London cost?

What is the school, it usually says on the website.

Yeah, let me clarify the question. I go to a law school in the States that has a full 2L programme in it’s own facility in London. See here. So tuition is definitely fixed, but a lot of those other figures are based on expected housing costs – we need to find our our flat –, travel costs, dining costs, etc. So the Q is really how much does living in London cost?

Notre Dame is a fine school, I would say it all depends on where you live, how you live, and who you live with. One thing you have to keep in mind is that everything in UK is typically more expensive. I would say that if you base housing on a $1,500 a month rate(I know it’s kind of high but better be safe than sorry). So about 6 months of that along with $150–200s a month for groceries, and maybe a little bit more for just things you want. You might consider getting a few people to room with so you can split up the expenses.

london is so expensive. take what it costs to live here and double it, pretty much. that being said, i studied abroad in law school and loved it. i was in venice for a summer for a vandy program. enjoy!

Don’t forget transport costs! You’ll probably have some commuting to do, and I imagine you’ll want to explore as much as possible. Costs can vary, but expect to pay a lot more than public transport in the US. It looks like a travelcard for zones 1–2 is $180/month now (see here ).

For accommodation, check out the International Student’s House. It’s very central, and may be less hassle than looking for a flat.

Also, you mentioned “dining” costs. London is pretty expensive. Depending on your budget and appetite, you may find that the local approach – eating at home and then going out for a couple of beers – works well, even on a grad student’s budget.

Oh and as for clothing: buy your clothes before you leave.

Have fun!

The London Guide linked to your ND web site is pretty good. Has all that you need to know, and makes sensible estimates of costs. I’d strongly endorse the suggestion in guide that you take advantage of the University of London facilities – London has many University Colleges (e.g. UCL, Kings, Imperial, Queen Mary etc.) that co-operate via the University of London. It has a great student union facility just of Tottenham Court Road, and excellent student support services (e.g. accommodation). I’m not sure if the ND facility is linked to the UoL system.

Most London students who are not in college owned accommodation will live in shared flats / houses. This works if you have a means to find others looking and hook up with them. The UoL accommodation office would be a good place to start.

I would also recommend the International Students House (big ad in guide) – it is expensive but I knew some people who got in when I was at college – a great facility and great location.

Finally, only point that I thought misleading in the guide is the plug for American Express. It is not widely accepted in the UK compared to Visa or Mastercard. If you plan to use a credit card in the UK you really need a Visa or Mastercard as well as an AMEX.

Travelwise, you should get an Oyster Card . The last time I used one was a couple of years ago and it charges about £1 for every time you get on a bus/tube. Groceries will likely cost you more than $200 a month. When my brother was at Uni (8 years ago, not in a major (read: expensive) city), he used about £25 a week on food, then he had added expense on nights out and “drinks”.

It’ll be well worth it because London is a wonderful City, just be prepared to spend spend spend!

I’m in the same position as you, going to Buckinghamshire at the end of the year. Good luck to the both of us.

Thanks for the help everyone. Let’s hope the dollar to pound ratio improves a bit ;)

Depends.
How good are you at panhandling?

(Kidding. The cost of living in London is higher than for most places in Britain, but because of this the loans and grants you get from Student Finance England will be greater than if you went to another part of the country. As for renting a flat/apartment, student accommodation might be your best bet. It isn’t exactly glamourous, but it does the job and is cheap.)