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Right - you've done your sums - but how much is it going to cost to get your education and how can you get financial support?

See how Gloucestershire compares with the rest of the UK.

There's been enough publicity about for you to know that the next three years aren't going to be cheap! In fact Spending three years at University can cost as much as £20,000.

Can you afford to be a student?

The bright side is that you can look forward to the earning around £415,320 more than your non-graduate counterparts over the course of a 40-year working lifetime.

For many of you student life has begun with careful planning to bridge the financial gap.

Accommodation
Accommodation costs are a major factor in a student's financial budget. Gloucestershire comes out quite well in the renting stakes with University of Gloucestershire students paying relatively average rents. (See our cost of living table)

A recent survey by the National Union of Students (NUS) of accommodation costs in universities halls and private residences across the country shows students are having to use an increasingly large portion of their grants and loans to pay rent bills.

The average weekly rent a student is expected to pay in Gloucestershire is £45. The national average for UK University accommodation was £59.77 in 2002, a 5.13% increase on last year.

The average weekly rent nationally in shared student houses was £51.32.

With tuition fees and withdrawal of local authority education funding, freshers can expect to make debts of around £4,000 each year.

But don't panic because there are several avenues to go down when looking for the money you need.

Banks
Some banks offer student packages, which are designed to help you cope with University life, and is carried on when you enter the working world after graduation.

Student debt is on the rise in the UK

Interest free overdrafts are the most important benefit and tend to be staggered so you can borrow more in the second year than in the first, but there are limits so that debts don't spiral out of control. Amounts vary from bank to bank so make sure you look around.

Try not to upset your bank and manage your money carefully. You should never go overdrawn beyond your agreed limit.

Most banks, including HSBC, Barclays and Natwest, try to have a special student banking officer in branches near Universities to advise students. Another point to remember is that the rate of interest charged on credit accounts is often much higher than on overdrafts.

A good source of information for student finance is the website, which contains a regularly updated summary of the best student bank accounts.

Jobs
More students are taking on part-time jobs during holidays, weekends and evenings to help them get through University.

The University bars and cafes often have term-time work available.

Hardship Money
Access Funds and Hardship Loans are available to help students who are in great financial difficulty. They can be used to help with living expenses and course costs, including childcare, travel, accommodation, household expenses, books and course equipment.

You can apply for a hardship loan or an access funds payment once you've started your course. .

Educational Charities
Schools and libraries should have information and contact details for local educational trusts and charities. The Educational Grants Advisory Service, which is part of the Family Welfare Association, also has a comprehensive database of charities and trusts and can be contacted on 020 7249 6636.

Budgeting Plan
Many students plan their income and outgoings each month. The University has student advisors in the Student's Union that can help.

Alternatively you can ask the student adviser at your bank.

There's no need to be embarrassed, they've seen it all before many times.

Have a look at the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Gloucestershire Student Budget planner.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Gloucestershire
London Road
Gloucester
GL1 1SW

Telephone (website only):
+44 (0)1452 308585

e-mail:
gloucestershire@bbc.co.uk