Hi there, I'm Balthazar, I'm a first year student from Denmark and I study Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and I'm going to tell you about my experiences regarding living cost as an international student.

Now personally I found that the financial burden of studying in Oxford was quite manageable for me. Obviously moving out and living alone is
expensive and you have to plan accordingly but I believe there are great ways to make it work.

Prices in Oxford are what they are for developed countries and most people won't be able to afford to eat out every single night, but that's all okay. I found groceries and stuff you buy in supermarkets in general to be quite cheap and it's possible to cook for yourself. If you use vegetables mostly and use seasonal vegetables, it'll be very cheap and a good way to connect with your friends and do something together.

That doesn't mean you can't use the college hall too though; that's a good way to get cheap food as well because most colleges subsidize their hall. Colleges in general are very helpful and understanding about financial matters and you'll be able to borrow books at the libraries, meaning that you won't have to pay for those.

If I had to give some advice as to how to make ends meet as an international student, I'd say that the most important thing is to plan ahead and budget accordingly. The University has guides for what you might expect to spend your money on, and I believe that having a good budget is a great reassuring way of not having to stress about it. Aalso buying tickets home (if you need those) in good time means that they'll be cheaper and that's good.

Lastly, don't stress too much. Some people think that everybody at Oxford is very rich and that they won't be able to participate in social life if they aren't, but it couldn't be further from the truth. Most people live off government funds and we all have to think about how to make ends meet but that's okay, that's part of being a student and we find a way to make it work - and I'm sure you will too!