Do you need to take your car to uni?

Deciding whether or not to take my car to university was one of my biggest questions before I left. After months of discussion and debate I decided to sell my car. Not having a car has saved me a tonne of money over the last year but I can’t say that I don’t miss having one.

If like me you are trying to make the decision here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Will you be moving away from home?
• Are you moving to a city?
• What are the parking facilities at your uni?
• How much does it cost you to run your car each year?
• Do you need a car when you’re back at home?

Will you be moving away from home?

This point is key because if you are moving away from home and into halls then you are less likely to need a car compared to if you’ll be commuting into uni each day. Although I do know people who commute using public transport each day so having a car is definitely not essential.

Are you moving to a city?

Most city universities or campus universities within a city have good public transport. For example, at my university we have our own bus station on campus and get a discounted bus pass.

Further, having a car in a city is often more of a hinderance than a help. Think trying to find parking, dealing with traffic and one-way systems, sometimes simply using public transport is your best bet.

What are the parking facilities like at your uni?

This is something you definitely need to look into because it could make the decision for you. For instance, the university that I go too doesn’t offer parking permits to halls residences unless they have a valid reason – such as a medical or family need.

Hence, if I took my car to uni with me I’d either have to try and get a spot in the general parking and pay £15 a day or have nowhere to park. Therefore, the argument is sort of redundant as I wouldn’t actually be able to keep my car at uni.

READ MORE: 5 Easy Ways to Save Money on Food At Uni

How much does it cost you to run your car each year?

Having a car is SO expensive!! Especially if like me you had a crash in your first year of driving. Hence my insurance didn’t reduce as much as I was expecting it too and would still cost over £1000, add the cost of petrol, tax and parking… running my car would cost at least the same amount as one terms rent.

Look into how much it costs to run your car versus the cost of public transport in your new area.

Also it would be a good idea to look into options on how to get home. My journey back home from uni is around 110 miles so would approximately cost £18 in petrol one way, but a train ticket bought at the right time with a railcard only costs £5.

So, in this instances it isn’t cost effective to own a car. As someone who is trying to save money this cost isn’t justifiable.

Do you need a car when you’re back at home?

This is a question I wish I’d thought about before I sold my car! When I came back home for Christmas, I was home for 4 weeks and living in a small town without a car and very limited public transport is very isolating. I spent the whole holiday wishing I could go and visit all the new friends I’d made at uni who were now all spread out around the UK.

My advice would be to think about whether you need access to a car when your home because if you go home during the breaks, you’ll be back for over 12 weeks. The answer to this question is wholly circumstantial and completely depends on your own personal situation and needs.

If you find yourself in the same predicament that I was in, not having a clue what to do, answering these questions is a great starting point. If you are still unsure, my biggest piece of advice would be to hold off on making the decision. Keep your car for your first term just to see whether or not you can live without one.