New research from Nationwide FlexStudent reveals the biggest self-confessed mistakes made by today's students at university – with money worries topping the list far more than they did for previous generations.
Nationwide today announces it is bringing back its popular FlexStudent current account offer, which will once again offer new students £100 in cash plus £120 in Just Eat vouchers – a combined £220 package designed to ease the financial pressures of student life. This year, students will receive limited-edition debit cards, with three designs, issued at random (see Notes to Editor for images, available while stocks last).
The offer comes as Nationwide FlexStudent research lays bare the everyday mistakes, money habits and housemate flashpoints shaping student life in 2026.
Top 10 mistakes at university – current students:
- Not budgeting or tracking spending - 20%
- Leaving assignments until the last minute - 19%
- Overspending on nights out - 18%
- Relying too heavily on overdrafts/credit - 17%
- Not saving in advance - 16%
- Not saving for emergencies - 16%
- Spending the entire student loan in the first few weeks - 16%
- Not asking for help from tutors/lecturers - 16%
- Living with incompatible housemates - 16%
- Letting living space become messy or stressful - 16%
Top 10 mistakes at university – parents:
- Nothing in particular - 29%
- Leaving assignments until the last minute - 17%
- Choosing the wrong accommodation - 16%
- Living with incompatible housemates - 16%
- Overspending on nights out - 16%
- Not saving anything for emergencies - 16%
- Not budgeting or tracking spending - 15%
- Not saving in advance - 14%
- Not socialising with flatmates early on - 14%
- Not living on campus in first year - 13%
Notably, current students are significantly more likely than parents to regret financial mistakes made, not budgeting or tracking spending (20%), and overspending (18%) – a likely sign of the mounting cost pressures facing today's student population, and perhaps evidence that today's students are more attuned to their own spending habits than previous generations were at the same age.
However, there is a broad consensus between both generations that one of the biggest regrets is, or was, leaving assignments until the last minute (19% for current students; 17% for parents). They are also tied on not saving for emergencies (both 16%) and overspending on nights out (18% vs 16%).
The most common house-share fallouts: Nationwide FlexStudent research also explored the main causes of rows and disagreements in student houses:
Top 10 causes of fallouts with housemates - current students:
- Noise (26%)
- Food being stolen/used up (24%)
- Mess (washing up/tidying) (22%)
- Overspending (20%)
- Owing each other money (19%)
- Borrowing items (19%)
- Partners staying over (19%)
- Guest boundaries (friends/partners around too much) (18%)
- Plans for nights out (17%)
- Bills (14%)
Top 10 causes of fallouts with housemates - parents:
- I never fell out with friends/housemates while at university (25%)
- Mess (washing up/tidying) (20%)
- Borrowing items (16%)
- Food being stolen/used up (16%)
- Noise (16%)
- Guest boundaries (friends/partners around too much) (15%)
- Overspending (15%)
- Owing each other money (15%)
- Bills (14%)
- Plans for nights out (14%)
Noise, food stolen and mess remain constants across generations of student housemates – but with the cost of living higher than ever for today's students, money-related friction – overspending, owing money and bills – now looms much larger on the list than it did for their parents.
Students spending up to £300 a week on food and drink:
The Nationwide FlexStudent research shows nearly four in ten (39%) of current students surveyed spend between £150 and £300 a week on food and drink – this is on top of rent and utility bills. It's little wonder, then, that financial pressure and money-related fallouts rank so highly among today's students, with food shopping and eating out now representing one of the biggest single costs of university life. In fact, 60 per cent of current students say that they are spending more than they had expected or budget on food overall.
The Freshers’ wish list: The research reveals that students are packing their home with an array of kitchen aids and gadgets.
Top 10 cooking appliances/utensils that current students took/bought for university:
- Knives – 22%
- Mini fridge – 21%
- Airfryer – 19%
- Microwave – 19%
- Pots and pans – 19%
- Toastie maker – 14%
- Pasta cooker – 13%
- Cafetiere – 11%
- Grill (e.g., George Foreman) – 11%
- Rice maker – 10%
Beyond the kitchen basics, the presence of air fryers, toastie makers, pasta cookers and cafetieres so high up the list points to a real foodie culture among today's students – far removed from the instant-noodles stereotype of previous generations, and another sign of just how much students are now spending, and caring about, what they eat. Sitting just outside the top ten, nine per cent of current students cite a sushi mat as a must-have.
Tom Riley, Director of Retail Products at Nationwide Building Society, said: “Our research shows just how much more financial pressure today's students feel compared with previous generations, which is why we're continuing to offer real, practical support through our FlexStudent current account offer. Whether it's an unexpected bill or a well-earned takeaway with new housemates, we want students to start university on the best possible financial footing. FlexStudent is available to new and existing students starting an undergraduate course, and can be opened via the Nationwide app or in branch.”
Tom Allingham, student money expert at Save the Student said: "Whether you're starting university for the first time this year, or heading back after your summer break, this research is a great reminder for all students to think about their finances before the new year starts.
Six of the top seven mistakes students make are related to money, and while it's undoubtedly a financially tricky time to attend uni, there are steps you can take to be better prepared.
Working out a budget in advance of the uni year is the single biggest thing you can do. Even if you've not yet started and only have predicted costs, getting at least a rough idea of what shortfalls you might have is much better than finding out a few weeks in! This way, you can discuss the possibility of extra contributions from your parents, plan where you can cut back, or start looking for part-time work before everyone else.
Until the government increases maintenance funding to a liveable standard, funding student life will always be tough. But if you take the time to plan your finances, you'll give yourself a much better chance of making ends meet."
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Case studies:
Case study 1: Erin, Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience student, University of Nottingham (Marlborough, Wiltshire):
"Going to university taught me loads about managing money. Before I started, I'd worked and saved, but when that student loan lands in your account it can feel a bit like free money. It's easy to fall into 'girl math' logic and justify little extras that quickly add up.
"I've found loads of hacks and tips to make my money go further. I volunteered at events to get access to festivals and even managed to get free front-row tickets for Oasis, worth £500. I come from a smaller town and when you get to uni, you realise the fashion and style is really different in cities and keeping up is expensive so I've bought clothes from charity shops and ‘styled them’ and then sold them on Vinted to make some extra cash. In first year, my friends and I also pooled our Nationwide FlexStudent Just Eat vouchers and had 'floor picnics' in halls, which was a lifesaver because we didn't have great cooking facilities and were on really limited budgets.
"Working before university and during the holidays definitely gave me a better sense of what things actually cost. I always think about it in terms of hours worked – a couple of cocktails on a night out can easily be the equivalent of more than an hour's wages from a summer job. It's a good reality check and makes me think twice about the impulse purchases."
Erin's top money-saving hints and hacks:
Case study 2: Georgina, Politics graduate, University of Glasgow graduate (The Highlands, Scotland) "I thought I was pretty independent before I went to university, but moving from the Highlands to Glasgow was a much bigger adjustment than I expected. The biggest surprise was all the hidden costs – halfway through my first term my laptop broke and I needed to replace it immediately, which wasn't something I'd budgeted for at all.
"There can also be a lot of pressure to say yes to every night out, so balancing your social life with your finances isn't always easy. I actually started working much earlier than I'd planned because university was more expensive than I expected. I worked throughout my degree as a tutor, which helped me cover costs.
"It probably took me a couple of years to get really comfortable managing my money, setting aside enough for bills and finding the right balance between being social, keeping up with academic work and staying financially sensible. Looking back, having a more of a financial cushion would have taken away a lot of stress in those first few months." Georgina's top money-saving hints and hacks:
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Media Information:
Lindsay Price, lindsay.price@nationwide.co.uk
Notes to Editor:
The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 4003 UK Respondents split between students (18-25) and parents of children aged 18-25 who have been to university in the past. The data was collected between 29.06.2026 - 08.07.2026. Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the British Polling Council (BPC), and a signatory of the Global Data Quality Pledge. We adhere to the MRS Code of Conduct and ESOMAR principles
[1] Student bank account | FlexStudent account | Nationwide
Offer available at the time of uploading - check website for further updates
FlexStudent breakdown for 2026:
- Cash: students will receive £100 into their FlexStudent account within 14 calendar days of crediting it with at least £500 by 11th December 2026 – e.g., the first instalment of their student loan (£500 doesn’t need to be a one-off transaction). They will also need to make five debit card payments.
- Just Eat: eligible account openings will receive a registration code and can access the £10 voucher code every month for the first 12 months. These can be used online. Access will be provided within 14 days of the student becoming eligible.
- Arranged overdraft: access to an interest-free, fee-free, flexible overdraft throughout a student’s studies (subject to status), where they can set borrowing limits. Students can request up to £1,000 in the first year, up to £2,000 in their second year and a maximum of £3,000 in year three (accounts can be held beyond three years with the maximum £3,000 overdraft). They’ll need to pay in at least £500 or have paid in at least £1,500 in two or more payments over the past year to be eligible for an overdraft increase for years 2 and 3.
- pay in at least £500 each term, keep up with bill payments and stay within their arranged overdraft limit.
- Fee-free purchases and cash withdrawals abroad: FlexStudent account holders will not pay any Nationwide fees for using their card abroad for making purchases or withdrawing cash, giving them peace of mind when travelling.
- Access to the FlexGraduate current account3: Those with a FlexStudent account will have exclusive access to FlexGraduate – a post-university current account with an interest-free, fee-free arranged overdraft designed to help students find their feet after university, allowing them time to pay off their overdraft once their course has finished.
Limited edition card designs available while stocks last
