Study>Student Life>Cost of Living Action

Cost of Living Action

​​This page brings together the action taken at Cardiff Met to support students affected by the rising cost of living. We are working with the Students’ Union on additional support measures.

Find out more about how we can support you:


Monthly Community Days

We hold monthly Community Days at Llandaff Campus, where local businesses and University services come together. There are several FREE benefits for students:

  • Free haircuts
  • Free clothes swap
  • Free bookshop
  • Free advice from Cardiff Council Waste Management on waste collection in the Cardiff area, collection of recycling bags, food waste bags and caddies


Food

  • ​We have made a commitment to maintain start of year catering prices regardless of ongoing inflationary pressure.
  • We have made a commitment to provide hot meals at an acceptable price point for both lunch and breakfast.
  • We are increasing the number of vending machines on campus to allow hot drinks and food for students studying outside of normal opening hours.
  • The option to purchase end-of-life food at end of catering day to reduce food waste and provide cheaper food/ingredients.


Travel

  • The University hosts regular events where household items can be repaired, and bicycles can be serviced (and repaired) for free.
  • Met Rider: The University bus pass that also gives you unlimited access to all Cardiff Bus services, as well as the dedicated Met Rider routes that link our campuses.
  • Ovo Bikes: The University has purchased 5,000 Ovo Bike passes for students to use. Each pass provides the first 30 minutes of use free of charge – and there’s no limit to the number of times you can use it each day. All our campuses have Ovo stands.
  • The Students’ Union has partnered with Cardiff taxi company Dragon Taxis, to provide students with safe travel even if they are unable to pay.


Heat

Our Learning Centres on both the Cyncoed and Llandaff campuses are open 24/7, ensuring 24-hour heated spaces for study use.


Commuter Kitchens – Free Microwave and Hot Water Facilities

A new commuter kitchen facility has been created in the Barbara Wilding Building, at the front of the Llandaff campus. At Cyncoed, there is a kitchen which is available for students.


Free Shower Facilities

Showers in Sports changing rooms across our campuses are free for students to use.


Free Period Products

The Students’ Union has partnered with Time of the Month, Hey Girls, and Grace and Green to supply free period products to menstruating students at Cardiff Met. Products are FREE to pick up at the SU offices at Llandaff or Cyncoed, and in the SU Shop on Cyncoed campus. Take what you need, when you need it, no questions asked. All products are environmentally friendly and plastic free!


Support to Keep Study Costs Low

  • All Library fines have been removed.
  • Students are not required to submit work for assessment in hard copy (unless it is a requirement in areas such as Cardiff School of Art & Design), reducing the need for a printer.
  • The Library provides free access to around 150,000 print items, 220,000 digital books and 115,000 digital journals. We work closely with your lecturers and will provide access to the resources that you need and are on your course reading lists.
  • Cardiff Met IT department offer students the opportunity to loan a laptop. We have over 250 available, and you can borrow one for free.
  • Library & Information Services will make available any recycled laptops or desktops to students at low prices as and when those may become available.