Cut the cost of university

Students can leave university tens of thousands of pounds in debt. Sarah Moore offers some tips for making education more affordable.

More and more parents are aware that it's never too early to start saving for your child's university education. With tuition fees recently tripling from a maximum yearly amount of £3,000 to £9,000 under the last government, and living costs also rising sharply in many parts of the country, a three-year degree can end up costing as much as £75,000, according to the National Union of Students.

Students who aren't able to rely on help from family to pay some or all of their costs face the prospect of graduating with tens of thousands of pounds in debt. Even though these are likely to be state-provided student loans that can be paid off over decades, most people would prefer to avoid having that burden hanging over them for much of their working life. However, there are a few ways to soften the blow and make education more manageable for those who are struggling to afford it.

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Sarah is MoneyWeek's investment editor. She graduated from the University of Southampton with a BA in English and History, before going on to complete a graduate diploma in law at the College of Law in Guildford. She joined MoneyWeek in 2014 and writes on funds, personal finance, pensions and property.