Cost of living support

In partnership with Arts Students' Union, we have introduced measures to support students with the rising cost of living in 2022-2023.

Extra financial support

This year, we increased the financial support from the University for students with financial difficulties, adding a further £1m to our funding support schemes and increasing the size of support payments.

• The UAL Hardship Fund is available to students whose families have an income of under £45,000 per year.
• The UAL Bursary is funded by the University and is paid in each year of study to all home undergraduate students who are entitled to a full means-tested maintenance loan. The Bursary was increased to £1,200 per year from 2022/23.

Reduce, re-use, re-cycle

Our new Re-use units provide on-site mobile storage spaces to store free surplus materials, and deposit unused or surplus materials to share with others.

These units support our longer-term efforts to ensure no usable material is wasted at UAL, in line with our climate and sustainability goals.

The Swap Shop at CSM is also available for all UAL students to get unwanted materials that can be re-used, re-purposed or repaired.

Reducing the cost of course materials

For the remainder of the academic year, we have subsidised some materials and print charges, to help reduce the cost of study.

Price reductions include:

• reducing open-access print charges across UAL by 50%
• reducing the cost of materials sold on the e-store by up to 50%
• increasing free materials available to students in workshops and technical areas
• removing charges for some technical services, such as laser cutting and 3D printing.

Specialist printing services at CSM and LCC will not be discounted.

While discounts have been introduced on some new items, we encourage students to use sustainable options to re-use and recycle materials where possible.

Where discounts have been introduced on new items, this is done with fair usage in mind.

Warm spaces

We have extended canteen opening hours to 10pm at Camberwell Peckham Road, CSM Kings Cross and LCC Elephant and Castle for students, staff and visitors to use as warm social spaces in the evenings. Food is served in these canteens until 8pm Monday to Friday.

Lower cost food

We started offering new lower-cost menu options in our cafes. There are 5 different affordable dishes, made up from basic ingredients but still nutritional, which are available at all canteens. These meals cost £3.75 for students. Our popular vegan soup with crostini is another affordable option, costing only £2.70 for students. The soup is available 12–2pm at all canteens, and in the evenings at CSM, LCC and Camberwell between 5–8pm.

Free period products

We have worked closely with Arts SU and Student Changemakers to address period poverty at UAL. Free period products are now available to all students at all sites. You can pick them up from our dispenser points in libraries, canteens and at student services desks, which are filled with eco-friendly and organic period products from Grace & Green. Free period products can also be found at Arts SU offices.