Students Ask: 'Is It Worth It'

With the cost of higher education rising and student debt spiralling, many students are beginning to question whether university is worth it. A recent Government survey has found over half of all students believe their academic performance was affected by increasing money worries, with one in twelve full-time students considering dropping out because of it. It is also affecting those entering high education, with a third of students basing their decisions on which university or which course, around the amount of financial support they can receive.

The research, conducted by the Institute of Employment Studies and the National Centre for Student Income and Expenditure Survey, found that in 2008, students had an average debt of £3,500 after their first year, compared with £2,400 three years earlier, with students more becoming dependent on their student loans, instead of their families, for support.

Many students are also turning to paid work to help them survive, with it representing 20 per cent of their total income. Half of part-time students and one third of full-time students believed that paid work affected their education, with three quarters saying they had less time to study.

However, David Lammy, the Minister for High Education, believes ‘‘finance should never be a barrier to good education. This is why we continue to make generous loans and grants available to students.’’

(Published in the Ghair Rhydd- 4th May 2009)