Hey everyone!

Im about to start a PhD but I havent been a student for over 10 years (!) and feel that I need updating in the (presumably) many and varied monetary advantages of being a full time student!!!! So far, all I know is that I can get reduced Council Tax (up), what other things can I claim? I am married (my husband works) and we have 2 young children. All suggestions gratefully received and will be looked into!!!

Many thanks

:-)

The advantages...

1. You get cheap cinema tickets.
2. You don't have to pay council tax.


The disadvantages...

1. 10% off in HMV is pointless as Amazon is still cheaper.
2. You get paid comparatively poorly compared to what you'd get for equivalent work in the private sector.
3. You work long hours.

All the arcadia stores do at least 10% (dorothy perkins, topshop, warehouse, miss selfridge). Staples do student discount - although inconsistently. One person there gave it to me because apparently they do when its 'back to school' promotion is on.

Use your PhD budget - there should be one set aside for expenses - to pay for conferences, books and software where possible.

www.software4students.com is handy, although try your uni to see if they have copies of anything you need - it can be beneficial to chat up the IT guys

So the Council Tax discount... how does it work? (I have studied part-time for years but am full-time from October thanks to a studentship.)

If you live with someone (e.g. flatmate/spouse) who is not a student, how do they go about administering the discount to the usual sum for the house or flat?

its usually a 25% discount if you live with a non-student. Although you have to apply and the council do have the right to turn you down apparently.

One more important thing: don't forget to make 16-25 rail card. Even if it says, 16-25, it is available to mature FT students as well..you will make lots of savings in your travel. Although it mainly works after 10 am, not bad though to have one. You can get the form online or from the nearby train station. The only thing needed is signature of your dept. or supervisor.

Working/child tax credit as well. Your maintenance grant can't be counted as income as it's non-taxable so the allowance will be calculated just from your husband's wage, assuming he works over 16 hours per week.

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Whenever you buy anything always ask for a student discount as there are lots of places that don't make it clear. For example when I was travelling round the country for my research I often ate at Little Chefs as they do a 25% discount but the majority of staff didn't know about it and I often had to show them how to find it on the till or get them to call the manager or even head office!
Definitely get a railcard. You can't get National Trust membership but English Heritage do a student card if you are interested in that.
New Look, Peacocks and Matalan also do (but I think you have to apply for a special card from Matalan rather than just showing your student card). Loads of other high street stores do, so it is just a case of asking when you get to the till.

Also just remembered Partners/Ryman which is great for stationery.

i'm pretty sure the NT don't do a student discount. I worked for them for two years about four years ago and they didn't then. I would join if they did do a discount so unless they have changed recently I think you were lucky to get a special offer.

It's quite possible, this would have been about five years ago and might just have been a one off discount at the uni. It was really cheap, only about 20 quid , if that. I made really good use of it!

Agh, that might be what it was then - it was quite a while ago but I do remember signing up at the Uni fair. I did have a look the other day how much it cost to join up again, it wasn't as expensive as I thought (but then I earn a lot more than when I was a student, so it's all relative!)

you can check: wwww.studentbasecamp.com

you will find many discounts for student both online and in retailer.