Cost of living hub

The Student Hardship fund provides financial support to students experiencing unexpected financial difficulties.  We have significantly increased the Student Hardship Fund for 2033/23 and amended the application process to ensure more students can receive the financial support they need. 

If you feel anxious about your financial situation or it’s affecting your mental health, you can get support from our Mental health and Wellbeing Team.

The team can be contacted on 0161 247 3493 Monday to Friday 8:45am to 4:30pm. You can also email the service at [email protected].

Please call 999 if you are in serious distress, or in danger of harming yourself or others. Alternatively:

• Go to your Accident and Emergency Department at your local hospital. The nearest to Manchester Met is the Manchester Royal Infirmary 0161 276 4147. Search for other accident and emergency services
• Contact your GP (Doctor) to request an emergency appointment or call NHS 111
• Call Samaritans 116 123 (free to call, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year)
• Call SANEline 0300 304 7000 (4:30pm to 10:30pm, 365 days a year)
• SHOUT provides text-based crisis support. Text SHOUT to 85258
• The Greater Manchester NHS Mental Health Helpline is open 24/7, call 0800 953 0285
• MindLine Trans+ is a confidential, emotional, mental health support helpline for people who identify as Trans, Agender, Gender Fluid, Non-binary - available Mondays and Fridays, 8:00pm to 12:00pm 0300 330 5468
• Student Space offers text-based, webchat and phone support. Text STUDENT to 85258 (24 hours a day), start a webchat between 4:00pm and 11pm or call 0808 808 4994 (3:00pm to 12:00am).

Free period products

The Union has partnered up with Hey Girls – a community interest company who aim to eradicate period poverty in the UK. Plastic free sanitary products can now be found in The Union toilets, and the Advice Centre for free.

Budgeting

The first step in managing your finances is to create a budget. Below are some tips:

• Calculate any income (this could be your student loan, wages, parental support, etc.)
• Prioritise essential payments such as bills, food, and rent, before spending money on other things. 
• Save some of your money for unexpected costs. You never know when you might need money for an unexpected dentist appointment or a home expense.
• Continuously review your budget. Look at how you are spending positively and the areas in which you need to improve.

Visit The Union’s Debt and Budgeting webpage for more advice on maintaining a healthy balance and download the termly budgeting guide and budgeting worksheet.

EATING AND DRINKING ON CAMPUS

You can bring and heat food on campus by using our campus microwaves, situated in:

• Business School social seating area
• Brooks social seating area
• The School of Art School (two microwaves near the workshops)
• Geoffrey Manton, café seating area

You can also ask for free hot water at any barista outlet on campus or use the hot tap in Number 70 Oxford Street.

Campus food and drink offers and rewards

See our current campus food and drink - everyday offers. 

Download the Mcr Met Food app to earn reward points, access special offers and get every 11th hot drink for free at the food & drink outlets on campus. 

Student discounts and offers

There are lots of student discounts to help you pay for everyday essentials.

Check out our guide on where to find the best student discounts to make the most of the money saving offers.

The Getech student store has a new range of data SIMs, Chromebook, and SIM bundles available as upfront costs for one or two year terms.

Stay connected when off campus, travelling or even at home via the fully managed, hassle-free, unlimited data SIM. The Getech store is one of the places you can spend your Student Support Package via your Met Card.

Studying for free

Laptop loans

We offer a free laptop loan service to all students.  To find out more visit the laptop loan page.

Campus computers

There are lots of computers available on campus for you to use for free.  Find out more here.  

Free WiFi  

You can connect to the ‘eduroam’ wi-fi network anywhere on campus, and at universities around the world. Find our more here.

The Library

Your Library is much more than a building with books, there are lots of study spaces for you to use – from silent, quiet or group study spots. Find out more using the library maps.  They also have plenty of PCs and software packages to help with your studies as well as printing, scanning and copying services.

Getting around for less

Greater Manchester has great public transport links, making getting to campus and around the city convenient, accessible, and safe.

There are a range of travel options for you to choose from - from walking and cycling to public transport - and discounts for students too.

Find out more below:

• Travelling by bus:  Single fares will be no more than £1 for children and £2 for adults if travelling within Greater Manchester. Find out more here
• Cycling or walking: Great for the environment, your health, and your pocket.
• Trains and trams: Getting to Manchester by tram or tram couldn’t be easier.
• Travelling by car: We encourage you to travel to campus using public transport, or by cycling or walking, as there is no student car parking available. However, there are several disabled parking spaces on our campus for those with a disability or medical conditions.  If you do need to travel in by car, why not car share to reduce your carbon emissions and save money.

Discover Box of Broadcasts (BoB) at the library   

With the library’s free Box of Broadcasts (BoB) service, you can record T V and radio programmes from over 75 free-to-air channels, search an archive of over 2.2 million broadcasts dating back to the 1990s and so much more.  

Free things to do around Manchester

 There are lots of free activities and places to visit in Greater Manchester. Have a look at the two websites below for more details:

• Free things to do in Manchester    

If you need a part-time job, the Careers Service is here to help. The Jobs Hub is open 10:00am to 4:00pm where you can pop in and talk to one of our team about finding work, how to apply for jobs and getting your CV ready to apply. Check our drop-in schedule for specialist advise or visit our digital service “Get Career Advice”

Jobs on Campus Jobs4Students employs thousands of Manchester Met students in a variety of well paid, part-time flexible jobs on campus. Find out more and apply for current vacancies here.

Jobs Off Campus Find part-time jobs all over Manchester on Indeed. Local employers also advertise approved jobs just for Manchester Met students on My Career Hub (You’ll find more resources to help you there too).   

The Union Advice Centre is where you’ll find a listening ear and experienced, trained staff offering specialist, student-centred advice. It’s also free and totally independent.

Advisors are available by e-mail, phone, Teams appointments and for face to face appointments - 9:30am to 4:00pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and 12:00pm to 4:00pm on Tuesdays.

The centre can provide advice about housing issues, your studies, finances and more.