The way a lot of students solve this in Australia, at least in Melbourne where I'm from, is by taking the train (or a tram) to university. The university I went to was adjacent to a train station.

Students from low-income families and that are independent get money from the government which can be used for anything, including public transport passes. Living on campus isn't really a thing in Australia, so a lot of students continue to live with their parents while at uni to save money, or live at an apartment nearby.