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Learn about climate-friendly diets while facing food insecurity, and how you can take action! Join us in the Interactive Sustainability Centre (LIFE 0017) on September 21st at 5:00 PM to connect with the UBC sustainability community. RSVP here for a chance to win a gift card from our sponsors: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4ZXyk0mt0iBrJfU

Home ams UBC finances

Are you enrolled in Summer Term 2 at UBC? If you live outside of Metro Vancouver and all of your classes are being delivered online for the Summer 2022 Term 2 (July- August), you may be eligible for an U-Pass BC exemption. Deadline to apply is July 18, 2022.

If you plan to apply for an exemption:

DO NOT pay the U-Pass BC fee in July
DO NOT load the July U-Pass BC onto your Compass card

Applications for exemptions do not guarantee approval. There is a limit on the applications approved for each exemption category. Apply for an exemption as soon as possible.

Visit the U-Pass BC program page to learn more.

Home ams UBC finances

This week four students share how far they go to get their degree. If you have a story to share you can submit it anonymously.

Name: Guy

Going to UBC on a tight budget means I have to decide between…

This question doesn’t get what’s going on. The whole point is that I CAN’T choose. You choose UBC, that’s it. That choice leaves you with bus for transportation only, ramen as food mostly, regrets after spending on a night out. It sucks, its a garbage lifestyle.

Finances affects my education by…

I go hungry days before a paycheck. Difficult to study or focus when hungry. Before you ask, yes I go to the food bank. Its shameful UBC is content with food bank as a solution. Its been YEARS. Fix the problem.

The most desperate thing I’ve done at UBC because of money…

Prostitution. I’m still doing it, safely of course, and I’m good at it. You’d think its desperate, probably. I’m used to it by now, its my normal.

What would really help me is…

No more punitive fees. No more punitive interest. How are those fees justified? How is that money used? That is money forced out of students hurting financially. Shameful. Extremely shameful.

Name: Lorelai

Going to UBC on a tight budget means I have to decide between…

Experiencing “student life” then immediately crippling debt, or a commuter’s version of “student life” then leaving with mild debt.

Finances affects my education by…

adding additional pressure in my life. School is tough on its own, and life finds way to toy with you- adding finances as yet another burden in your life takes away any means of pleasure while being a student. Any spare time slot in your timetable you try to incorporate work into. Whatever remaining time I have is left for my 3 hour commute and studying. There is no doubt that if I didn’t need my jobs or had been financially supported during my studies that I would have phenomenal grades.

The most desperate thing I’ve done at UBC because of money…

Plan my days around events that give out free food so that I don’t have to pay for a lunch or save time in the mornings from not making something. As well, a positive from my frugal behaviour has been discovering places on campus where I can snatch some free coffee. I’ve also cried on countless occasions to my ESP and the poor guy nearly cried with me. All fond memories.

What would really help me is…

if there were scholarships that truly extended to all kinds of students. I have no particular hollywood sob story that scholarships tend to look for. It truly gets under my skin when UBC prizes itself on how diverse and inclusive they are but yet I am not eligible for anything. There are no scholarships for my ethnicity/background, there are no scholarships for my city (unless if I were Chinese- I wish I was joking), there are no scholarships for my particular degree (not to mention the fact that my bc student loans emailed me halfway through a semester because they realized that they weren’t supposed to give my particular degree some of the bursary money (only 2 degrees out of all of the Arts degrees are in their badbooks apparently). After trying to get me to return $600 of my bursary money which they had already given, I had to reject my degree to keep the money). All in all, UBC you are like one expensive girlfriend who asks way too much from me and I’m at that point where I don’t think I can be the person you need to keep you happy. It’s not me, it’s you baby girl. And for that reason, I’m afraid we may have to part ways. You will always remain a chapter in my life that “shaped” my character.

Name:Janson

Going to UBC on a tight budget means I have to decide between…

Paying my tuition or seeing my family over reading week

Finances affects my education by…

Limiting what schools I could apply for.

The most desperate thing I’ve done at UBC because of money…

Is getting a sugar daddy to help pay for my living costs

What would really help me is…

Cheaper residence options. It’s absolutely absurd how much I pay for my room in place vanier.

Name: Z

Going to UBC on a tight budget means I have to decide between…

Going into debt or not being able to graduate.

Finances affects my education by…

constant stress, sleepless nights, increased anxiety, focus that could and should be directed to schoolwork

The most desperate thing I’ve done at UBC because of money…

considered and am still considering selling my eggs post graduation to pay off my student loans before i take out more for my masters

What would really help me is…

less unavoidable student fees which don’t benefit me in anyway: cheaper tuition or cheaper materials by moving entirely online: removal of the government interest on loans

Have finances interfered with your ability to focus on school? Share your story with us anonymously. Stories are a powerful way to shine more light on a subject that affects so many students and will help the AMS advocate for a more affordable education.

Home ams UBC finances

This week UBC students share their struggles to get enough to eat. If you have a money story to share you can submit it anonymously.

Name: gage resident

Going to UBC on a tight budget means I have to decide between…

Groceries or not being able to socialize with my friends because I cannot afford to get a coffee at a coffee shop to study

Finances affects my education by…

Having to work two days a week (16 hrs) instead of having that extra time to study and do homework

The most desperate thing I’ve done at UBC because of money…

not bought a required textbook because I couldn’t afford to get groceries if I bought it

What would really help me is…

healthy affordable groceries on campus

Name: Haley

Going to UBC on a tight budget means I have to decide between…

Food or missing out on going anywhere with friends

Finances affects my education by…

I’m just worried every time I buy food

The most desperate thing I’ve done at UBC because of money…

Gone to random clubs events for free food

What would really help me is…

Lowering food costs at ubc

Name: Bob

Going to UBC on a tight budget means I have to decide between…

Food and saving up for extracurriculars or leisure time.

Finances affects my education by…

making me work extra hours when I should be studying.

The most desperate thing I’ve done at UBC because of money…

not eat because I had a long day at the campus, ran out of food, and didn’t want to buy from campus shops.

What would really help me is…

if food on campus was cheaper.

Name: Ellie

Going to UBC on a tight budget means I have to decide between…

Food and plans with friends.

Finances affects my education by…

Not being able to buy nutritious food to help me concentrate in class. Not being able to afford textbooks so looking for illegal pdfs online.

The most desperate thing I’ve done at UBC because of money…

Eat oatmeal every meal time for 4 days

What would really help me is…

More affordable grocery options nearer campus.

Name: Judy

Going to UBC on a tight budget means I have to decide between…

Cooking food at home or ordering food during exams.

Finances affects my education by…

A good portion

The most desperate thing I’ve done at UBC because of money…

Dont wanna talk about it

What would really help me is…

Lowered tuition. This is just brutal… pathetic.

Home ams UBC finances

In this series UBC students tell us their challenges of juggling school and finances. If you have a story to share you can submit it anonymously.

Name: Penny Pincher in Denial (PPD)

Going to UBC on a tight budget means I have to decide between…

Living 1.5+ hours from campus or cutting my food budget in half and working part-time
Partaking in Vancouver’s delicious foods at the expense of a few days meals or skipping out on socializing and meeting people
Figuring out how to live off $100 a month or failing to do so and starving a few days
Going to the library everyday to fight for access to reserve books or getting them in less legal methods
Skipping out on buying medication so I can afford my rent/food

Finances affects my education by…

Not having access to technology all the time = less time to study: I had several computer dependent courses but I was unable to checkout the laptop longer than a day which meant I had to walk to and from the library or to different ones if they were all checked out. That was kinda ok but I had to reinstall/reconfigure the programs every time I checked out the laptops and was late to class often.
Constantly rejecting socializing invitations because I can’t afford to join, or even skipping out on certain courses that require extra funds.
I need to juggle work and school and taking care of a dependent. If funds are too low I sometimes have to skip class to pick up extra shifts.
Mental breakdowns because of the stress, panic attacks, and was in the hospital twice for health issues.

The most desperate thing I’ve done at UBC because of money…

Almost sold myself to make money – but I stopped before anything happened. (Discovered that I have caring friends who gave me loan – which I worked overtime in the summer to pay back).
Also, went to every free event possible on campus that had food so I could eat.

What would really help me is…

Better shared resources or information/resource center that reaches across campus (lots of information stays on the north half, the south half never knows what’s going on).
Clearer actionable things that we can do to alleviate funding – not just an assigned ESP but a listing of possible routes to help reduce financial burdens.
Better fee structure of courses outlined before registration: including costs of required text books and necessary equipment (please no surprises). Also for mandatory courses in later years.
Free food that would’ve been thrown out (such as from catering), yes I know about the food bank but I don’t feel comfortable going there. With the other option there’s a guide that it’s for sustainability reasons.

Home ams UBC finances

Tuition, debt, rent, groceries, and other living expenses quickly add up, leaving many of us with a close to a negative balance in our bank account. Most students are constantly worried about money, and financial stress not only restricts our budget – it can also sink our degrees. To help students deal with financial hardship, we need to understand how money worries affect you. So we asked.

79% of students reported that financial stress prevents them from focusing on school. This means that you are not alone. The majority of us feel anxious over money, which gets in the way of getting schoolwork done.

Expensive city

Vancouver is currently ranked as the second most expensive city in the country to rent an apartment. As such, students’ feelings about rent are largely unexpected, but also extremely frustrating. 82% of students reported feeling stressed about paying rent every month. While groceries seem to be less of a worry, it remains a concern for over half of students.

How are students getting money?

Many are able to attend university with the help of grants and loans, and over half of those that require this type of financial assistance explained that they wouldn’t have been able to afford their studies without it. In addition, 71% of students reported that they were receiving financial support from their parents or other relatives.

However, while the proportion of unemployed students is larger, those who work largely feel like they could complete their education more effectively if they didn’t have to work.

Even with work and external support, 57% of students believe that their total income is insufficient to meet their needs during the school year. The question that follows is fairly obvious: what is something that would really help you if you’re dealing with financial hardship? Higher wages, lower tuition, cheaper on-campus housing, more understanding workloads for those that are employed, and more financial assistance for international students were some of the options that students suggested would help with their struggle.

University on a budget

Attending university on a tight budget also means having to make tough choices. Students reported having to choose between buying healthy food and having some room in their budget for extra expenses, maintaining good mental health and picking up work shifts during school, or their family wellness and their future. Others have to limit the courses that they take in order to be able to work, and reported feeling exhausted due to the lack of free time.

Enduring financial hardship is difficult, and talking about it isn’t easy either.