College life
College life (right)

Living Costs for Undergraduates

As an undergraduate, your living costs will depend on your lifestyle and your priorities - but major items such as rent and the Kitchen Fixed Charge can be clearly budgeted. In addition to these costs, the College Bursar suggests a termly budget of £1000 to cover food, books, entertainment, and so on. Students who remain in Cambridge during the vacations will (of course) require more.

Room rents, fixed charges and the cost of meals at Fitzwilliam are comparable to those charged by other Cambridge colleges.

Fitzwilliam College Rents 2011-2012

Room Type

Rent/Term

Residence Duration/Term

College rooms with basin £863 10* weeks
College rooms with shower £1040-£1070 10* weeks
College rooms fully en-suite £1117-£1220 10* weeks
Off-site rooms £855-£1211 10* weeks

* 9 weeks in the Easter Term for those not graduating. Rent is reduced pro rata.

Kitchen Fixed Charge

This reflects the fixed overhead costs for College catering operation, the Library, and squash court charges.  The charge is levied on the following basis:

  • Living on main College site: £200 per term, including an allowance of £80 for catering taken within college
  • Living out of College, in College property: £89 per term, including an allowance of £40 for catering taken within college
  • Living with partner/family: £72 per term, includes an allowance of £40 for catering taken within college

Expenses

Here are a few typical costs to help you budget.

Room Rent as above
Coffee in the College Cafe Bar £1.20
Pint of beer in the College Bar £1.70
Two-course meal in the Buttery £4.50
'Formal Hall' meal £8.20
Sandwich from the Buttery £2.40
Laundry £2.40 / wash
Replacement University Card (if you lose it) £15.00
Printer cost - double-sided sheet of A4 (black & white) £0.06

Local Transport:

Taxi fare from College to Cambridge railway station £7-£10.00
Train fare from Cambridge to London (off-peak) £20.00
Bus fare for all-day travel anywhere in Cambridge £3.40
Single trip bus fare on Univ 4 (subsidised by the University) £0.60
Cycle hire for one month £40.00
Cycle hire for one year £100.00
Cost of buying a bicycle £75-£250

Other local expenses:

Annual membership of the University Gym £40.00
Cheap meal out in curry house near the College £10-£15.00

Items on your College bill:

Room rent - charged per term as above
Kitchen fixed change

as above

PPI Insurance - College's insurance scheme

£9.70 or £11.70

Fitzwilliam Society membership - split over your terms £72
Linen hire - if you choose to hire it from College £20
Fitzwilliam deposit - returnable when you graduate £150
Telephone deposit - for those living on the main site £100
Accident Transport Fund (College Taxi Scheme) £10
Food/drink from the Dining Hall and Cafe Bar  
Computer networking, telephone charges, and printing/copying charges are included on your second and all subsequent termly bills.  Click here for further information.