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Go Further With Finance

We want your time at university to be enjoyable and rewarding, and so Bangor University provides its students with the information and support that will enable you to get the best out of your university experience. In particular, it is important that your time here should not be spoiled by unnecessary financial worries.

Please see below some useful information for make your finances Go Further:

 

Being able to manage your money and learning to plan for paying rent, utility bills, books, food and other essential costs is important to avoid financial concerns affecting your studies.
Here are some tips to help you with budgeting:

Create a budget 

We suggest that you create a budget for each term and terms can vary in length.  Take a look at the University Calendar.

Make a list of all your income channels

  • Student Finance – remember that student finance is usually paid tostudents in 3 instalments – September, January and after Easter
  • NHS Funding – usually paid in monthly installments
  • Bursaries
  • Scholarships
  • Wages
  • Savings
  • Financial support for family
  • Other

Make a list of all your costs

  • Rent
  • Utility Bills – electricity, gas, Water Rates, TV License etc
  • Food
  • Course related costs – field trips, lab coats etc
  • Socialising
  • Subscriptions – gym memberships, dentist, contact lenses etc
  • Birthdays and Christmas
  • Travel – home for visits or placements
  • And any other cost you know you have     

Download a simple budget sheet

If you are coming to university straight from school or college, we would advise you to draw up a budget with your parent(s) / guardians as they can help you.  

It will also help your family understand your financial situation as a student and if they can help you financially.

Download an excel budget sheet

Need Help?

If you need help with putting together a budget, or need financial advice on managing your money, please speak to a member of staff in the Money Support Unit either via email moneysupport@bangor.ac.uk or telephone 01248 38 3566 / 3637.

You could also access some of the following useful websites:

 

Student bank accounts often provide students with an interest-free overdraft facility.  An overdraft means you can borrow money (to a pre-agreed limit) without paying interest.  Most banks will need your student finance to be paid into that account to activate a student account.

To check if you are eligible for a student bank account, check with your current bank or shop around as banks may offer you incentives to open a student bank account with them, such as discount cards or vouchers.

Choose a bank account that will suit you and remember to read the T&C’s.  Don’t be persuaded by the largest overdraft or discount card.

More information on the different accounts available can be found on Save the Student or Money Saving Expert.

For further help and support contact the Money Support Unit moneysupport@bangor.ac.uk

 

An agreed overdraft facility lets you borrow extra money through your current account.

For example, if you have no money left in your account and you spend £50, your account balance would be -£50. This means you’re using an overdraft.Here are some tips to make your Overdraft Go Further:

  • Exceeding your arranged overdraft limit can result in charges and may affect your credit score.
  • Use your student account and overdraft responsibly at all times.  
  • Make sure you know your overdraft limit
  • NEVER exceed your overdraft limit!
  • Get into the habit of checking your bank balance regularly to avoid exceeding your overdraft limit and incurring charges.
  • Remember, the money you borrow must be paid back eventually. Check if your bank will convert your student account to a graduate account at the end of your degree. A graduate account may have an interest-free overdraft for a specific period of time and may give more time to repay the money you borrowed using the overdraft facility.

More information about overdrafts

For further help and support contact the Money Support Unit at moneysupport@bangor.ac.uk

 

A credit card is a payment card/app usually issued by banks or financial institutions to allow users to purchase goods or services on credit (to be paid at a later date). You may incur interest on your purchases especially if you do not pay the credit card balance in full when you receive a statement.

Here are some tips to make your Credit Cards Go Further:

  • Use your credit card for needs, not wants.
  • Pay off the balance every month otherwise you’ll incur interest.  If you cannot afford to pay off the balance in full you must pay at least the minimum payment but remember this many not to reduce overall debt.
  • NEVER skip a payment – as this will result in late payment fee and can have negative impact on credit score.
  • Stay under 30% of your credit card limit.
  • Use credit cards to purchase expensive items with a value of over £100 - additional protection – but only if you can them afford to repay the balance in full or monthly instalments.
  • Use a Credit Card with Rewards where possible.
  • Save money with introductory offers – 0% balance transfer etc.
  • Do not use a credit card to withdraw cash – it’s very expensive.

For more information about Credit Cards click here:

For further help and support contact the Money Support Unit at moneysupport@bangor.ac.uk

 

Short Tearm Loans offered from Paypal, Klena can be a good way to spread the cost of more costly items but only if you can afford the instalments

Be careful – If you miss a payment you will be charged a late payment fee and could be asked to repay the whole amount.

If you are struggling with any payments please seek advice or guidance as soon as I realise you need help.

For further help and support contact the Money Support Unit at moneysupport@bangor.ac.uk

 

Phishing is a type of online identity theft that uses email and fraudulent websites to trick you into sharing your information, such as credit card numbers, passwords, account data or other valuable information.

Credible banks or companys will never ask you to enter your personal information by replying to an email, or by clicking on a link in an email which directs you to a website.
Bangor University will never ask for your password or personal details either by email or by phone.

How to spot scam/phishing emails

Email fraud that targets students is on the rise. It is becoming increasingly sophisticated and hard to identify.

At Bangor, we have systems in place to limit how many fraudulent emails get through and to minimise the impact where possible. However, some emails might get through, so it is vital that you remain alert to potential threats and take responsibility for the security of your university computing and email accounts.

Below are some tips to spotting phishing attempts and scam emails:

  • Scam emails can take many forms, including those which claim to come from the University itself. It is important to be vigilant and be sceptical of any unsolicited email which asks for you to click on a link and log in.
  • Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is a scam.
  • Check for misspellings and poor grammar.
  • The email may come from a different email address than the organisation it claims it is.
  • The email starts with an unusual or generic greeting such as ‘Dear valued customer’.
  • A fraudulent email may contain attachments, which could include .exe files.
  • The email may include a sense of urgency, for example, the threat that unless you act immediately your account may be closed.
  • The email may include a prominent website link. These can be forged or seem very similar to the proper address, but even a single character’s difference means a different website.
  • There may be a request for personal information, such as your username, password, or student loan details.
  • The entire text of the email may be contained within an image rather than the usual text format. An image can contain an embedded link to a bogus site.

What action should you take if you receive a scam/phishing email?

  • Do not respond to emails that ask for your password or other sensitive information.
  • Do not click on or open suspicious links or attachments.
  • If you're taken to a login page or website, do not attempt to log in or enter your personal information.
  • If the email appears to be from someone you know, contact the original sender by telephone or create a new email to ask them if the email is genuine.
  • You can report an unusual email in Outlook by using the 'Report Message' button.
  • Report a phishing email sent to your Bangor University address.
    • You should contact our IT services immediately if you have already clicked on a link, entered any personal information or have opened/downloaded any attachments.

Tips to reduce scam/phishing emails in your inbox.

  • If you detect a scam/phishing email do not reply because by doing so you confirm your email address and are likely to get more spam or junk email.
  • Do not buy any product or service advertised in a spam email.
  • Do not click on a link in a spam email even when it says it's the only way to unsubscribe. Clicking on the link confirms your email address to the sender and results in you receiving more spam.
  • Do not email personal information such as credit/debit card, passwords, usernames, mother's maiden name etc.

What to do if you’ve been a victim of scam/phishing?

If you have been the victim of a scam and you have unfortunately lost some money because of it, you should report it as soon as possible to the Police via Action Fraud or by calling 0300 123 2040.

You can also contact the Student Support and Wellbeing teams below as they can provide support and guidance.

For UK students:  Please contact the Money Support Unit, located on the 1st Floor, Neuadd Rathbone, College Road, Bangor, LL57 2DF or by emailing: moneysupport@bangor.ac.uk or by phone: 01248 38 3566 / 3637

For International students:  Please contact the International Student Support Office, located on the Ground Floor, Neuadd Rathbone, College Road, Bangor. LL57 2DF or by emailing: internationalsupport@bangor.ac.uk or by phone: 01248 38 2882 / 38 8070

Important - If you have given away your Bangor University password or your account has been compromised

  • Change your Bangor University password immediately and anywhere else if you’ve used the same password.
  • Sign out or close all pages and websites you have open.
  • Contact our IT Helpdesk Services for advice and guidance
  • Inform all service providers that may be affected e.g., your bank
  • Report phishing websites using your web browser or service provider.
  • Report all phishing emails to the organisations they are pretending to be.

If you are ever in doubt regarding an email’s validity you can contact the University’s IT Helpdesk Services on 01248 38 8111 or via email: helpdesk@bangor.ac.uk and a member of our staff will be able to advise you if the message is genuine.

Specific examples of interest:

Student Loan Company scam/phishing emails

We often see phishing scams that target students pretending to be the Student Loans Company (SLC). They tend to ask for personal details and your bank details for payments.  
Don’t respond to these emails. The SLC, banks and other organisations will never ask for your personal details over email.

Look out for spelling mistakes in the subject line or email address. They may also use forceful or threatening language such as “‘we will stop your payments.” You should also be aware of odd-looking email addresses or subtle changes to a sender’s email such as Hot-mail.com instead of Hotmail.com.

If you are concerned about an email or a call from SLC, please login to your account or contact them directly at furtherinfo@slc.co.uk. This will help them protect your account and keep your personal details secure.

Tips to help you stay safe with SLC emails:

  • Keep an eye out for any emails, phone calls or SMS messages you think are suspicious, especially around the time you are expecting a payment.
  • You shouldn’t post messages online that let people know you’re getting your student finance payment soon; this could make you a target for fraudsters.
  • Always ensure that you are using a secure website when submitting sensitive information online and don’t post personal information on social media pages.
  • Avoid logging in to your student finance account on public networks or computers.
  • If you receive a phone call that you are suspicious about, don’t feel pressured in to giving the requested details.

Scams targeting international students on visas.

We are aware that several students across UK universities have been targeted by fraudsters and have lost large sums of money.

  • Please remember that the Home Office or UKVI will never call an international student to request personal details or payments.
  • Do not make payments or give personal information from people making calls like this.

If you think you may have been targeted or have any concerns, please email the International Student Support Office.

Further advice on frauds and scams is available on the UKCISA website  and the Government website.

 

Video: Go Further - How to Budget

[00:00 - 00:01, spoken by Peer Guide Mairelle] Hi everyone.

[00:01 - 00:06] Budgeting is a life skill to help you manage your money, and not just whilst you're studying at Bangor.

[00:06 - 00:12] To manage your money and to create a budget, you'll need to know your spending and costs and what you have as your income.

[00:12 - 00:19] Your income is usually your Student Finance, any money that you have from working, potentially savings, or family contributions.

[00:19 - 00:26, spoken by Peer Guide Faheedat] If you live in Halls, your rent will be paid in 3 or 7 instalments to the University

[00:26 - 00:36] and then your remaining balance can be split into a weekly or monthly budget for food, books, your hobbies, and monthly subscriptions like your phone service and Netflix.

[00:36 - 00:46] If you need help with budgeting, contact the Money Support Unit at the University, their e-mail is moneysupport@bangor.ac.uk. Peace!

[00:46 - 00:48] A white screen showing the Go Further and Bangor University logos.