Students are pleading poverty, with many going without meals due to a lack of money.

A Unitec survey has found one in six students are regularly going without food, while many are struggling to pay rent.

Film student Rosie Stanton said the student allowance of $178 a week isn't enough.

She told Mike Hosking she works three jobs and still struggles.

"They're still expecting that you can survive on what other people survived on 10 or 20 years ago.

"Auckland's got so much more expensive. New Zealand in general has got so expensive and we're still expected to live on $178 a week."

LISTEN ABOVE AS ROSIE STANTON TALKS TO MIKE HOSKING