University textbooks can easily cost £40, £60 or even £100 each, but in most cases you shouldn't be paying full price. Before buying anything on your reading list, go through the cheaper options first.

Start with your university library

This should always be your first stop. University libraries commonly provide physical copies alongside access to e-books through your university login.

Check the catalogue as soon as you receive your reading list, particularly for heavily used core textbooks. If every copy is already out, you may also be able to reserve one.

For books your university doesn't hold, ask the library whether it can obtain a copy through an inter-library loan. Jisc's Library Hub Discover covers collections from more than 100 UK and Irish academic, national and specialist libraries, so universities can often source material held elsewhere.

Check whether you actually need to buy it

A book being on a reading list doesn't necessarily mean you need your own copy.

Look at how your lecturer classifies each title. A core or essential text may be used throughout the module, while recommended or further reading might only be needed for a chapter or two.

It's worth waiting until the first lecture before spending £50 on a book you’ll barely use, but first look at cheaper options.

Look for a legitimate free version

Some academic textbooks are legally available online for nothing.

OpenStax provides free textbooks. Its books can be read online.

Often you won’t find the exact textbook on your module, but they can be excellent alternatives for learning the same material.

Also search your university's online library resources before buying an e-book yourself. Universities pay for access to large collections that would otherwise be expensive for individual students.

Buy the previous edition

One of the easiest ways to save money is to check whether you really need the latest edition.

For many subjects, an edition from a few years earlier contains almost identical core material and is a lot cheaper.

There are exceptions. Subjects such as law, medicine, accounting and rapidly changing technical fields can depend on current legislation, standards or guidance. Check with the lecturer before using an older edition for these.

Buy second-hand

If you do need your own physical copy, search the ISBN rather than just the title, this will make it easier.

Some places to check:

  • World of Books
  • eBay — particularly useful for older editions and individual student sellers
  • AbeBooks
  • University Facebook groups and student marketplaces — graduating students often selling here
  • second-hand book sales run by your department, students' union or academic society

Sell them again afterwards

If a textbook costs £35 second-hand and you sell it for £25 at the end of the year, it has effectively cost you £10.

Keep them in good condition and resell anything you won’t be using again. Try to sell to lower year students rather than a trade-in.

Avoid pirated textbook sites

Searching for a textbook followed by "free PDF" can lead to unauthorised copies. Textbooks are normally protected by copyright in the UK, and distributing copyrighted copies without permission can infringe that copyright.

The best order is simple: library → university e-book access → legitimate free resources → older edition → second-hand copy → new copy.

Buying a brand-new textbook should be the last option, not the first.