We’d like to hear from UK students who are – or are planning to – live at home while studying at university

We’d like to find out about students who are living at home while studying at university, rather than living in student accommodation or a flat share.

Why have you taken the decision to live at home? What are the positives and negatives? How has the cost of living affected your university experience and student social life? Are you happy living at home or would you prefer to move out?

They face long hours, mediocre pay and, at worst, no job, but their optimism is astonishing – let’s support them better

• Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh

When I mentioned to colleagues in the NHS that I was helping with admissions interviews for medical students, several responded with the same wry smile and weary shrug: “Do they know what they’re getting into?” Anyone working with the health service over the past few decades has seen the job conditions get tougher, salaries stagnate and idealism erode within a crumbling system. Brexit, Covid, austerity and the rise in the cost of living haven’t helped.

From the students’ perspectives, they’ve gone through a lot to get here too. Not just the usual high-level academic performance and résumé-building either. This is a group who dealt with school closures and lockdowns during impressionable years, many come from crowded schools with little support and coaching, and yet they’ve found a way to persevere.

Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh

Fit Forever: Wellness for midlife and beyond: On Wednesday 28 January 2026, join Annie Kelly, Devi Sridhar, Joel Snape and Mariella Frostrup, as they discuss how to enjoy longer and healthier lives, with expert advice and practical tips. Book tickets here or at guardian.live