What is an efficient way to avoid extensive student loans during uni?

An efficient way to avoid building up large student loans at university is to reduce the amount you need to borrow in the first place by combining smart course choices, financial planning and part‑time income. This can include living at home or choosing lower‑cost accommodation, budgeting carefully, and working part time alongside your studies to cover day‑to‑day expenses. Applying for scholarships, bursaries and hardship funds can also significantly reduce costs, as these don’t need to be repaid. Another option worth considering is degree apprenticeships or sponsored degrees, where tuition fees are covered and you earn a salary while studying, meaning you can graduate with little or no debt. Planning ahead and understanding all your funding options before starting university can make a big difference long term.

Just to add on Bal's comment, some sixth form/college students work part-time, and save some money for uni. This means when it comes to applying for student finance (particularly the maintenance loan) you might feel you dont need to take the full amount due to having some savings built up.

Thank you, I really appreciate this. I currently have a part time job that iv been saving from since September so hopefully that’ll alleviate some of the initial expenses.

Thank you so much. I’m not sure if you can see my other response but Iv been putting amounts of my pay into my savings from my current part time job since September so I think they’ll contribute to some of the initial expenses.