Two thirds of final year students admit to being concerned about the current economic climate, and over a third are planning to continue their studies next year, according to a new report by the National Union of Students (NUS) and HSBC.
The 'Students in Employment and Post Course Plans' survey, published yesterday, also reveals that middle class students are more likely than any other group to have to support themselves financially while at university.
Findings include:
- 66% of final year students are concerned about the current economic climate
- 30% of final year students said they had changed their plans for after they
graduate as a result of the economic climate
- 38% of final year students planned to do further studying, up from 27% last
year
- 42.5% of students from middle income families work during term time, compared
to just 36% from poorer families and 27% of students from richer families
NUS President Wes Streeting said: "It is clearly an extremely worrying time for many students, with top up fees leaving them in record levels of debt and graduate job prospects drying up.
"Middle class students in particular are feeling the pinch. They do not qualify for grants or bursaries, but their families are not earning enough to support them through a degree.
"It is remarkable that some vice chancellors are still insensitive enough to call for even higher fees during a time of economic crisis. They have to acknowledge that students and their families are already bearing enough of a burden."
According to a recent report by Universities UK, graduates would owe an average of over £26,000 if the cap on fees were raised to £5,000 a year, and over £32,000 if the cap were raised to £7,000 a year. Despite this, more than half of university vice chancellors surveyed by the BBC in March called for charges of at least £5,000 per year, or for there to be no upper limit.
Notes:
The 'Students in Employment and Post Course Plans' survey was carried out by GfK on behalf of NUS and HSBC. The quantitative phase of the survey consisted of an online questionnaire, which ran between the 2nd and 24th of June 2009. A total of 1187 students took part in the survey.
Source: NUS | 
