Words, images and multimedia by Armineh Sepahi and Marilia Muniz
For a 23-year-old Gursevak living in London, the rising cost of living has meant more than spending extra money. Sometimes, it has meant skipping meals to save enough money for travelling to university.
“I have skipped several meals to just save a few pounds that I can spend on travel,” he said.
The student, who is studying BA Business Management at London Metropolitan University, moved to the UK six months ago. He says life in London is much more expensive than in India, and the difference has changed his daily habits.
Since moving to the UK, he has struggled to balance the cost of food, travel and other living expenses. He also works part-time but does not want to ask his family in India for financial help.
“I don’t want to burden my family back in India to ask them for money,” he explained.
His experience shows how the rising cost of living can affect students’ eating habits and the choices they make every day.
But not every student deals with these pressures in the same way.
Veronica, 32, is a Sports Therapy student who also works as a masseuse. She spends around £50 a week on food and says rising prices have changed what she buys.
“I never skipped a meal just to save money, but I bought something cheaper instead,” she said.
Unlike Gursevak, Veronica has not had to miss meals. However, she believes the increasing cost of living has affected her eating habits and made her more careful about spending money on food.
For Gursevak, the problem is not only the price of food but also its quality. He says he now spends more than £300 per month on food and has arranged a meal delivery service to his home.
However, he feels the food he eats in the UK contains less protein than the meals he used to have in India.
Both students also raised concerns about the support universities give to students on a tight budget.
Veronica believes universities are not providing enough help to students struggling with living costs.
Gursevak described a difficult experience when he visited a food bank. He said he felt uncomfortable with the way his situation was handled and believed he was told he was not struggling enough to receive food.
“I don’t think the university has provided enough for students struggling to afford food,” he said.
He also believes other students are facing similar difficulties. He says he has seen friends and colleagues skipping meals because they cannot afford all their living expenses.
Veronica is less certain whether students are regularly sacrificing healthy food, but she believes many are choosing cheaper options to manage their budgets.
Their experiences show two different sides of the same problem. Some students are changing what they eat, while others are missing meals altogether.
For Gursevak, studying in London is not just about attending classes, working and building a future. It can also mean making difficult decisions about basic needs.
When students have to choose between paying for travel and eating a meal, the real cost of student life goes far beyond university fees.
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