Britain's university students are feeling the effects of the credit crunch, too.
Students could be facing increasing financial concerns - as their university town becomes subject to rising living costs.
According to new figures from HSBC, rents and other lifestyle costs are set to become increasingly important concerns among many people planning to study in another town. The bank also suggested that the UK's more expensive areas to live in, such as London and the south west of England, might become less popular as study destinations as a result.
The credit crunch and rising food prices have both been blamed for this trend: general inflation has increased to an above-target 3.3 per cent, according to the government, while HSBC's own figures show that the average weekly rent in the capital city now exceeds £100.
The bank's Lucy Payne said: "A student's biggest regular expense is rent and, with the escalating cost of property and rent, you could be paying upwards of £100 a week for a room in a shared house, depending on where you live. Ask yourself whether your student loan and a part time job are going to cover that and leave you enough to enjoy your student life."
She added: "It's really tough for students when they first start university. Many students are moving away from home for the first time, making new friends and going through some pretty big changes. They suddenly find themselves having to manage large amounts of money at the beginning of the term when they get paid their loans and have to budget."
