MANCHESTER, UK – For 19-year-old Amelka Zambrzycka, a first-year biology student at the University of Manchester, her three-hour daily commute from her mother’s home in Horwich is a worthwhile trade-off for the £7,000 in savings on university accommodation.
Despite the freezing weather and long journey, Amelka’s routine involves a 25-minute walk to the train station, a 25-minute train ride to Manchester Oxford Road, and then a further 30-minute walk to campus for her 9am lectures. While many of her peers are just waking up in their nearby halls of residence, Amelka has already been up for two hours, having completed the first leg of her two 90-minute journeys.
The University of Manchester estimates that first-year students can expect to spend £7,875 on accommodation alone in the 2025/26 academic year. Combined with other expenses like groceries, takeaways, clothes, and course materials, the total estimated cost for first-year students in Manchester this year is £13,685.
However, Amelka’s commute allows her to save a significant portion of these costs, as her mother does not charge her rent, and she only spends around £700 per year on public transport. “My mum doesn’t charge me rent, and even though I buy my own food and will spend about £700 this year on public transport, my costs are a fraction of what they would be if I lived nearer the university,” she says.
The University of Manchester has recognised the growing number of commuter students and has created a dedicated commuter lounge for them to use between lectures. The lounge, which opened at the end of 2024, provides a “home away from home” for students like Amelka, offering amenities such as lounge seating, study areas, kitchen facilities, lockers, and showers.
“I live in there, that is my house,” says Amelka. “Without it, I would have nowhere to go, other than the library, but you can’t really socialise in a library. In the lounge, you can always just come in, strike up a conversation with a random person, and you always have something in common because they’re a commuter. Everyone loves it, it’s perfect.”
While Amelka acknowledges that it can be more challenging to socialise as a commuter student, she has made plenty of friends through the university’s commuter student network. “I felt so left out at the start of uni, I was so worried about making friends,” she says. “I’m so much more confident now.”
Despite the occasional disruptions to her commute, such as train delays, Amelka believes the benefits of her setup outweigh the drawbacks. “There have been multiple times when my train just hasn’t shown up for two hours, when they’re supposed to come every half-hour,” she says. “But I also bought a three-year railcard – so I need to get my money’s worth.”
As Amelka continues her studies, she is still considering her options for next year, including the possibility of living with friends. However, the commuter lounge and the savings she has achieved through her current living arrangement have made a significant impact on her university experience.