University not worth cost, say students
22/06/2015
Many students believe the experience of education they receive from going to university is not worth the £9,000 a year cost, a survey from the BBC has shown.
40% of the first students to pay higher fees do not believe their course has been good value for money, according to the survey of undergraduates in their final year of degree courses in 2015. Just over half believed they were getting good value, and 8% were undecided.
The survey, which asked 1,004 students questions about their course, also discovered that there were distinct differences of opinion between students doing different types of courses. Two-thirds of those studying science, technology, maths and engineering - subjects that require a lot of practical teaching and staff time - said their courses had been good value. In comparison, 44% of humanities and social science students, which tend to receive less direct teaching time, said they felt their courses represented good value.
58% of students said they felt like their courses had left them somewhat prepared for the future, but only one in eight students said they would still go to university if they had to make the decision again.
Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, believes that universities should tell their students exactly where their money is going to increase moral.
Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, said that there was no evidence to support that the higher fees introduced in 2012 deterred students from going to university. She said:
"The shift in England from public funding to increased fees means that students are understandably, and rightly, demanding more from their university courses. Universities are responding to this and are also improving the amount of information to students about courses to ensure that their experience matches their expectations.”
Need financial advice?
If you have any personal finance questions related to this news article, then please contact our financial advisers. You can get in touch by asking a question online, calling us on 0800 092 1245, or by arranging a visit.
Share this..
Related stories
Could swine flu cost the UK economy £50 billion?
When a renowned figure such as the Ernst & Young ITEM club makes a prediction that the swine flu pandemic in the UK could cost the country around £50 billion it certainly is time to sit up and listen. As we have covered on a number of occasions, not only is there a potential loss of life, with the UK government expecting a maximum 65,000 fatalities from the pandemic, but the loss of business and...
Read MoreHow did the Bank of England get it so wrong?
This week will see Mervyn King write again to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to explain why UK inflation is currently 3.2% against the 2% limit which the Bank of England introduced sometime ago. Many are now starting to question the quality of forecasts from the Bank of England and wondering how the Bank got it so wrong regarding the UK economy and inflation. The truth is that the Bank of Engl...
Read MorePublic turn to Gordon Brown in times of need
A new survey in the Times has placed Gordon Brown were well ahead of David Cameron when it came to who the UK population would trust as the country enters a recession. Perversely it seems as though Gordon Brown, seen by many as the architect of at least part of the current recession, may well benefit into 2009 and beyond because of David Cameron's perceived inexperience in coping with such a drama...
Read MoreWhy are the banks still in control of the UK economy?
Over the last few days a number of financial experts have been asking the question as to why the banks are still holding the UK economy to ransom. While a controversial argument, a look back over the last few months will see that the situation we are in at the moment was predominantly down to greed in the financial system. However, despite the banking sector around the world falling to its knees a...
Read MoreWill the UK follow India in rate hike?
Today's news that the Indian authorities have been forced to push base rates higher because of strong inflation could be a perfect replica of the forthcoming UK situation. While the Indian economy may well be slightly stronger than the UK this perfectly illustrates how inflation is now becoming a major problem for some governments around the world. It is the influence of outside parties, such as t...
Read More