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Some people studying at university for the first time are just realising how much of their student loans are being eaten up by unforeseen expenses.

Brightside chief executive Dr Tessa Stone believes managing finances will become more important for the next generation of students, with budgets tightening and fees becoming more expensive.

"It's going to be crucial … that they have a plan and they really understand as much as possible what the costs of living away from home … might be," she said.

While it is quite easy to find out about what financial assistance is available, such as grants, many students fail to factor in all the necessary costs.

"No one asks them to build a budget and say how much do you think you will pay for accommodation and what does a gas bill cost," she noted.

Dr Stone believes parents and schools have joint responsibility for making financial management work for students.

There is a role for the national curriculum precisely because some parents will not have had any experience with student loans. They may not even have gone to university themselves, she added.