Thinking about tertiary study next year, but not sure how you'll pay for it? We break down the costs and show you how two nzgirls did it...

StudyLink can help ease some of the financial burden you may face by covering some of your living costs and fees. Whether you decide to stay at home or go flatting, here’s how two recent nzgirl grads did it...

Name: Louise Larkin
Age: 21
Studied: Bachelor of Communication Studies - Advertising Creativity, three years fulltime

What costs did you encounter at uni?

• Bus: $800
• Books: $300 to $400
• Stationery and printing costs (this cost heaps thanks to studying advertising!): $500
• Food while at uni: $300
• Fees: About $4,600 a year

What costs did you encounter at uni?

• Rent: Flatted for about one year at $117 per week. This wasn’t too bad for rent, there were three of us sharing an apartment in Beach Haven. In the past I have flatted for a year and paid $100 just for a room, so $117 wasn’t too bad.
• Food: About $50 a week. This was usually enough to feed myself, although I often went over to my parents for dinner.
• Other stuff: Petrol $20-30 a week, car maintenance $1000 (over one year), text books etc $300 per year, social expenses about $30 a week. 

Handy Tips

• Student Allowance: The amount of money you can qualify for varies depending on your parent’s income, your living situation and if you have children. You don’t have to pay your allowance back, so it’s definitely worth checking out the StudyLink site to see if you qualify!
• Student Loan: There are three sections to the student loan – compulsory fees, course related costs and/or living costs. You have to pay this one back, so make sure you're only getting what you really do need!