How much is the average amount of money sent home by a university student?
The amount of money sent home to university students varies greatly depending on whether they live alone, the area they commute to, and whether rent is included. Even if the national average seems sufficient, in urban areas, living expenses can increase and many students feel that the amount of money they send home is not enough.
Below, we will provide a multifaceted look at the current state of remittances, including the national average, the market price in urban areas such as Tokyo, whether rent is included or not, and even the percentage of university students who receive remittances. We will provide information that will be useful for families who are about to decide how much remittance they send home, as well as those who are considering reviewing their remittance amounts.
Average amount of money sent home by university students nationwide
The average amount of money sent home to university students nationwide is said to be around 70,000 yen per month. This average is for students who live alone, and includes cases where their parents pay part or all of their rent.
However, this amount alone does not allow them to live completely, and many students supplement their living expenses with part-time income or scholarships.
In particular, in regional cities and areas with low average rents, it is possible to get by on an allowance of around 70,000 yen, but this is still not enough to cover rent, food, and utility costs. For this reason, it is important to think of the national average as a "reference value" only, and to consider it in relation to the average rent and living costs in your area.
Average amount of money sent home by university students in Tokyo and other urban areas
For university students in urban areas such as Tokyo and the greater Tokyo area, the average amount of remittance sent home tends to be around 90,000 yen per month, which is higher than the national average. The biggest factor is rent, with even a one-room apartment often costing around 60,000 to 80,000 yen, so most of the remittance goes towards housing costs. Therefore, even if the amount sent home is around the same as the national average, it is easy for them to feel that their overall living expenses are insufficient.
Students in urban areas tend to be highly dependent on part-time income in addition to money sent home, and balancing this with their studies can be a challenge. If you are considering university life in Tokyo, it is essential to consider not only the amount of money sent home, but also choosing an area with low rent and the total cost, including initial expenses.
Differences in the average amount of money sent home with and without rent
When considering the amount of money to send home, it is important to consider whether it includes or excludes rent. If rent is included, the average amount is often around 80,000 to 100,000 yen, and this level is a good guideline, especially in urban areas.
On the other hand, if parents pay the rent separately or students pay it themselves, the amount of money sent home for living expenses may only be in the 10,000 to 20,000 yen range.
If you only compare average amounts without understanding this difference, it's easy to misunderstand that the amount of money sent home is "too little" or "too much." In reality, the amount of money you need to send home varies greatly depending on whether or not you have to pay rent, so it's important to clearly break it down and then compare it with the market price.
Percentage of university students receiving money from their parents
It is said that about 90% of university students who commute to school from outside of their homes receive some kind of financial support from their parents. It is particularly difficult for students living alone to maintain their lifestyle without financial support, and in many cases, receiving financial support from their parents is a given.
On the other hand, the amount of remittance varies widely, ranging from a supplementary allowance of a few tens of thousands of yen to cases where it covers the majority of living expenses.
Furthermore, in recent years, rising prices and rents have led to an increase in the amount of money sent home by families, and an increase in the number of families who are considering combining it with part-time work or scholarships. Rather than just deciding whether or not to send money home, it is important to consider how much it will cover, which will lead to a more realistic decision.
The actual cost of living for university students living alone
For university students living alone, it's essential to understand how much living expenses they need each month when considering how much money to send home and part-time income. Living expenses are heavily influenced by rent, and vary greatly depending on the area and property conditions. In addition, food, utility bills, and communication costs add up, so if you start living alone without knowing the full picture, you're likely to find yourself with less money than you thought.
Here we will provide a detailed explanation of the average monthly living expenses for university students, their breakdown, and income structure.
Average monthly living expenses for a university student
The average monthly living expenses for a university student living alone is estimated to be around 120,000 to 130,000 yen. This amount includes expenses necessary for daily life, such as rent, food, utilities, and communication fees. Rent accounts for a particularly large proportion, and it is not uncommon for it to account for 40 to 50% of the total.
In regional cities, rent can be as low as around 100,000 yen, but in urban areas such as Tokyo and the greater Tokyo area, rent is high and can sometimes cost nearly 150,000 yen. For this reason, it's important to consider living expenses based on the average rent in your area, rather than just looking at the national average.
When considering how much money you can send home or earn from a part-time job, using this average cost of living as a guideline will help you make a realistic decision.
Breakdown of living expenses (rent, food, utilities, communication, etc.)
When looking at the breakdown of living expenses for university students, rent is the largest expense, accounting for an average of 50,000 to 70,000 yen. The next most common expense is food, which can be around 30,000 yen if you eat out or use convenience stores a lot, and generally in the 20,000 yen range even if you mostly cook at home. Utility bills for electricity, gas, and water are around 7,000 to 10,000 yen combined, and communication costs, including smartphone and internet fees, are roughly 5,000 to 8,000 yen. When you add in the cost of daily necessities, entertainment, transportation, etc., monthly living expenses come to around 120,000 to 130,000 yen.
Understanding the breakdown will help you clearly identify items you can save on and expenses that are easy to review, and will also help you adjust the amount of money you send home.
Breakdown of income (remittance, part-time work, scholarships)
The three main sources of income for university students living alone are money sent home, part-time work, and scholarships. Many students live off their money sent home, making up the shortfall with part-time income. The average amount sent home is around 70,000 to 90,000 yen, but in many cases this is not enough to cover all living expenses, so it is common for students to earn around 30,000 to 50,000 yen a month from part-time work.
Additionally, many students receive scholarships from the Japan Student Services Organization and other organizations, spending tens of thousands of yen each month on living expenses. However, since scholarships require future repayment, it is important to consider the balance between these and money from home or part-time work. Organizing your income breakdown will help you live a comfortable university life and reduce the burden on your future.
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How much is a reasonable amount to send home? How to decide the amount
There is no "correct" amount to send home to university students, and the appropriate amount varies depending on the family situation and the student's lifestyle. However, deciding on an amount without a set guideline can result in insufficient living expenses or an excessive burden on parents. When considering the amount to send home, it is important to make a comprehensive judgment based on factors such as the breakdown of living expenses, expected part-time income, the type of university and commuting arrangements, etc.
Here we will outline some specific ways of thinking to determine a reasonable amount to send home.
The guideline for sending money is "rent + minimum living expenses"
The basic guideline for deciding how much to send home is whether it will cover "rent plus minimum living expenses." Rent is a fixed expense that occurs every month and is difficult for students to adjust, so in many cases parents will cover the cost through remittances. In addition, when you consider the minimum living expenses such as food, utilities, and communication fees, a standard amount for sending home is around 80,000 to 100,000 yen per month.
On the other hand, if students are expected to cover their rent with part-time job income, their lives are likely to become unstable and there are concerns that this will affect their studies. A realistic and reasonable approach would be to first support the basic expenses of life with money sent home, and then for students to adjust their own social and entertainment expenses.
How much income should you expect from a part-time job?
When deciding how much to send home, it can be difficult to decide how much to include in your part-time income.
Generally, part-time income for university students is around 30,000 to 50,000 yen per month, and there is a limit to the amount of money they can earn steadily while balancing their studies. Therefore, if you base your living expenses too much on part-time income, you will find it difficult to make ends meet if your shifts are reduced or your income drops during exam periods.
When considering sending money home, it is important to think of part-time income as "supplementary income" and not assume that it will cover all of your living expenses. It takes time to get used to the new living environment, especially right after enrolling, so it is safer not to expect a high income from the start and to set aside some leeway in how much money you can send home.
Different approaches to public and private schools/commuting from home
The appropriate amount of money to send home also depends on whether the child attends a public or private school, and whether they commute from home or away from home.
In the case of private universities, tuition fees are a heavy burden, and many families want to keep the amount of money they send home to their parents low, so they often cover part of their living expenses with part-time work or scholarships.On the other hand, at national and public universities, tuition fees are relatively low, so it tends to be easier to send money home to their parents to cover living expenses.
In addition, if you commute away from home, you will have to send money home because you will have to pay rent and utility costs, but if you commute from home, it may only be for transportation and lunch.As such, it is important to consider the balance of financial burden for each family, taking into account the type of university and the mode of commuting.
Option to review the amount of allowance after enrollment
The amount of money you send home doesn't have to be decided and set in stone before you enroll. Once you start living there, you may find that your expenses are higher than you expected, or that you can save money. For this reason, it's important to have the option of reviewing the amount of money you send home after enrolling.
Many families set a slightly more generous amount for the first few months, then adjust it once they have a clearer picture of living expenses and part-time income. By regularly sharing income and expenses and discussing it with your child, it becomes easier to maintain a reasonable amount of money to send home. Being flexible and able to adjust your allowance will lead to a stable university life in the long term.
What to do if you feel that the amount of money sent from your parents is insufficient or too little
During your time at university, there are many times when you may feel that the amount of money you receive from home is less than you expected, or that living expenses are tight. Unexpected expenses such as rising prices and rent, as well as social expenses and textbook costs, can pile up. When faced with such a situation, it is important to know specific ways to deal with the situation and make realistic choices, rather than becoming anxious instinctively.
Here we will summarize some typical measures such as part-time work, scholarships, educational loans, and reviewing expenses.
Things to keep in mind when supplementing with part-time work
When you feel like you don't have enough money from home, the first thing that comes to mind is supplementing your income with a part-time job. In fact, many university students earn around 30,000 to 50,000 yen a month from part-time work, but you need to be careful about balancing this with your studies. Taking on too many shifts can affect your class attendance and exam preparation, which could ultimately lead to repeating the year or failing to get enough credits.
It is also important to be aware that income can be unstable during exam periods and after long holidays. It is important to think of part-time work as a supplementary source of income and not rely on it for all of your living expenses. Setting reasonable working hours and using it to the extent that you can continue is a safe choice in the long run.
Use scholarship programs
If it is difficult to make ends meet with just money sent home or a part-time job, taking advantage of scholarship programs is a realistic option.
In particular, scholarships from the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) are widely used, and because students receive a fixed amount each month, they help stabilize their living expenses. While grant-type scholarships do not require repayment, it is important to note that loan-type scholarships require repayment after graduation.
Scholarships can be used not only for tuition fees but also for living expenses, but it is important to consider the future burden when deciding on the amount to borrow. Rather than simply borrowing the full amount because you don't have enough money from home, limiting it to the bare minimum will reduce the burden of repayment after graduation.
Consider an education loan
If the burden of sending money home is too great for the entire family, you may consider taking out an education loan. Education loans are primarily borrowed by parents and are used to cover tuition and living expenses, and unlike scholarships, they are not repaid directly by the student.
On the other hand, the larger the loan amount, the greater the impact on household finances, so it is essential to create a solid repayment plan. It is realistic to use it for limited purposes, such as when you are temporarily short of money from home or when the burden of tuition fees increases. It is important to consider the balance with scholarships and money from home.
Review your living expenses and reduce them (rent, communication costs, etc.)
In addition to increasing your income, reviewing your expenses is also an effective way to deal with a lack of money sent home. Rent in particular accounts for the largest portion of your living expenses, so simply considering areas and properties with lower rent when renewing your lease or moving can significantly reduce your monthly burden.
You can also save a few thousand yen to 10,000 yen each month by switching to a low-cost smartphone and cooking at home instead of eating out. By sorting out your living expenses and reviewing them starting with your fixed costs, you can create an environment where you can live comfortably even if you receive little money from home.
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Ways to reduce the burden on parents
Sending money to university students is a monthly expense that can easily become a significant financial burden for parents. Continuing to send large amounts of money beyond their means can have an impact on the entire household. Therefore, rather than simply reducing the amount of money sent, it is important to reduce the burden by finding ways to reduce living costs and reviewing support methods.
Here, we will explain in detail easy-to-put-into-practice methods such as choosing a home, saving on fixed costs, and sending money other than money.
Choose an area and property where you can keep the rent low
The biggest factor that affects parents' financial burden is the rent they have to pay every month. Rent accounts for the largest portion of living expenses, and even a difference of a few thousand to 10,000 yen can add up to a large annual amount. For this reason, choosing an area with low average rent, even if it is a little far from the university, is an effective strategy.
Additionally, choosing an older property, a property a little further from the station, or a property with minimal facilities can help keep rent low. While it's important to balance commute time and safety, if you want to reduce the burden of sending money home, it's important to keep your finances in mind from the housing selection stage.
Share savings on food and communication costs between parents and children
Aside from rent, everyday expenses such as food and communication costs are easy to review. Food costs tend to increase if you eat out or use convenience stores more often, so simply cooking at home can save you a few thousand to 10,000 yen per month. Sharing these kinds of ideas between parents and children can help reduce the amount of money you send home.
Additionally, communication costs are a prime example of how you can reduce your monthly fixed expenses by switching to a low-cost smartphone or reviewing your plan. Rather than leaving saving up to the student, discussing which expenses to cut and how much to cut and coming to a common understanding will help you continue sending money home at a reasonable rate.
Choosing to send money other than cash (food and daily necessities)
Sending money doesn't necessarily have to be cash; sending food and daily necessities is also an effective way to reduce the burden on parents. By regularly sending essential items such as rice, seasonings, frozen foods, toilet paper, and detergent, you can directly reduce the student's expenses.
Another benefit is that it is easier to prevent wasteful spending because the use of money is clearer than with more cash. Food expenses are particularly difficult to save on, so sending food remittances leads to a stable lifestyle. By choosing a method of sending remittances that combines money and goods, it is possible to provide support with less of a burden on both parents and children.
[Case by case] Differences in average remittances and thinking
The average amount and approach to sending money to university students varies greatly depending on the type of housing and lifestyle. The necessary living expenses and the burden on parents will vary depending on whether the student lives alone, in a student dormitory or student hall, or at home. If you only use the average amount as a basis, there will often be a surplus or shortage.
Here, we will divide the amount of money sent into three typical cases and explain the differences in guidelines and ways of thinking about it.
For university students living alone
University students living alone tend to receive the highest amount of remittances. The national average is around 70,000 to 90,000 yen per month, and when rent is included, it is not uncommon for the amount to reach 80,000 to 100,000 yen. Since students need to cover all of their living expenses, such as rent, utilities, and food, remittances form the foundation of their lives.
However, few families are able to cover all of their living expenses with money sent home, and many students rely on part-time work or scholarships to get by. If you live alone, it's important to consider the average rent and the commute to school, and set a reasonable amount for your allowance.
If you live in a student dormitory or student hall
University students living in dormitories or student halls tend to be able to keep the amount of money they send home relatively low. In many cases, the cost of meals and utilities is included in the dormitory fee, so monthly expenses are kept constant, and the average amount sent home can be around 30,000 to 60,000 yen.
In particular, student dormitories that include meals allow students to significantly reduce food costs, making it easier to send a lower amount of money home. However, there may be curfews and other rules, so you need to consider the balance with the degree of freedom. For families who prioritize cost, this is a realistic option that can reduce the burden on parents.
Cases where you live with your parents but receive money from them
Even university students who commute from home may send money home to cover transportation costs, lunch fees, textbook fees, etc. In these cases, the amount sent home is typically small, around 10,000 to 30,000 yen per month. Because they don't have large fixed expenses like rent or utility bills, the proportion of money sent home as a percentage of their overall living expenses is low.
When you live with your parents, the amount of money you receive is more of a "subsidy to support your studies" rather than a living expense, and is often adjusted flexibly as needed. It is important to set a reasonable amount depending on your family's policies, the distance to school, and whether or not you have a part-time job.
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Frequently asked questions about sending money to university students
When it comes to sending money to university students, many families have questions such as "Is this amount enough?", "For how long should I continue?", and "Is sending money even necessary?". The correct answer for sending money varies depending on the family environment and the student's lifestyle, so it can be difficult to make a judgment if you only use averages as a basis.
Here we will look at three of the most frequently searched questions and provide a realistic explanation of the amount and duration of remittances, as well as the possibility of no remittances at all.
Is 50,000 yen a small amount?
Whether or not 50,000 yen in remittance is too little depends greatly on whether it includes rent. If 50,000 yen includes rent, it is easy to find a living expense in urban areas, and in most cases part-time work or scholarships are required. On the other hand, if your parents are paying rent separately or you live in a student dormitory or student hall, you may be able to get by on 50,000 yen.
The national average amount of remittance is said to be around 70,000 to 90,000 yen, so while this number may seem small, what's important is the balance with overall living expenses rather than the amount. After sorting out your expenses, it's important to clarify which income will cover any shortfalls.
How long do most families continue to send money home?
The length of time that remittances are continued varies depending on the family, but generally, many families aim for it to continue until graduation. In particular, for those living alone, it is common for families to continue sending remittances throughout the four years in order to create an environment where their children can concentrate on their studies.
On the other hand, some families gradually reduce the amount of money they send home as their child progresses through the grades, their part-time income becomes more stable, and they become able to manage their own living expenses. Discussing "for how long" and "how much" at the time of enrollment makes it easier to create an allowance plan that is satisfactory to both parents and children.
Can you survive in college without money from your parents?
To sum up, it is possible to live your university life without receiving any financial support from home, but it depends on the circumstances. If you live with your parents and don't have to pay rent or utility bills, or if you have a sufficient income from a part-time job, you may be able to live without receiving any financial support from home.
However, if you live alone and receive no financial support from your parents, you will have to balance your studies with high working hours, which can be a big burden. This may affect your academic performance and health, so if you choose not to receive any financial support, it is important to carefully plan your living expenses and income. The key to deciding whether to continue your university life in a way that is not too difficult is whether you can do so.
summary
The average amount of money sent home to university students nationwide is said to be around 70,000 to 90,000 yen, but the actual amount needed varies greatly depending on whether you live alone, the area you live in, and whether you include rent. It is important to consider how to combine money sent home, part-time work, and scholarships after understanding the main living expenses of rent, food, and utility bills.
Additionally, the amount of money you send home isn't something you can just decide on once and then forget about it; it's also a realistic option to review it based on your child's actual living situation after enrollment. Rather than continuing to send a large amount of money that you can't afford, finding a way to make it work for both you and your child by choosing a place to live, cutting down on fixed expenses, and sending other forms of money will lead to a stable university life.
