Between student loans, overdrafts, credit cards and store cards, the vast majority of students have access to at least one form of credit.
Increasingly, short-term lenders are also targeting students who are running short of funds.
And whilst credit can be enabling, it can cause financial difficulties if not managed properly. It's vital to understand how different forms of credit work, so you can make the informed decision about whether a particular type is right for you or not.
NUS and the money education charity Credit Action have worked together to produce Credit Crunching: a student guide to credit. This sets out information on all the different types of credit available to students, the pros and cons of each as well as details of how these are usually repaid.
There's also a helpful glossary explaining financial terminology and information about sources of help if you should need them.
