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6. Students' Attitudes and Behaviour

Introduction

6.1 This chapter examines students' attitudes and behaviour in terms of the financing of their own study and study in general. Students were asked about their thoughts and actions in relation to the costs of study prior to starting that study and whether they were given any guidance in this process. It considers, as well, students views on their broader financial well-being whilst studying, reporting on how their financial situation has impacted on both their studies and more generally how they live their lives outside of university and college. The chapter also considers a number of attitudinal questions. These questions cover issues such as living standards for students, educational mobility and current funding policies. The chapter also includes students' thoughts on their future aspirations and expectations, including what they expect to earn on completing their courses.

6.2 Most of the data for the chapter is drawn from a series of questions in the main survey. Except where discernible differences exist between types of FTHE students ( i.e. sub-degree and degree only), the data from the main survey encompasses responses from FTHE combined students, part-time HE students and FTFE students. Towards the end of the chapter a complementary data set is reported - that from the interviews of working class students studying FTHE. This data set allows a drilling down into answers to some of the same questions and issues with a group of students who are the target of the HE widening access policy agenda in Scotland. It explores their personal experiences of financing study.

Main Survey Data

6.3 This section sequentially reports questions from the main survey related to students prior to study, during and after that study. It also reports students' thoughts on students' living standards, educational mobility the funding of study.

Considerations before Going to Study

Table 6.1: What costs of studying did you think about before starting your course?

6.4 Across all types of students in Table 6.1 the main cost they thought about prior to commencing their study was the cost of books and equipment needed for the course. For other costs there are some variations in emphases across the different student groups. For FTHE students food, drink and household goods costs were important, as were the costs related to accommodation as well as travel to and from college and university. Food, drink and household goods were also signalled as important by PTHE students (and slightly more important than books etc.), followed by the catch-all category 'other course expenditure' (52%) and, again, costs related to accommodation. FTFE students also signalled the costs of travel as the second main consideration (75%) and, again costs related to accommodation.

6.5 Across the rest of the costs identified by the student groups several other things are noteworthy. One is the concern of FTHE students about repaying their student loan and Graduate Endowment. Entertainment costs were also important to FTHE students but likewise much less so for PTHE and FTFE students. PTHE students were much less concerned than FTHE and FTFE students about not being able to earn as much if they had gone straight into employment. On the other hand, the cost of childcare was more important to these PTHE students.

Table 6.2: Were you given any information/guidance about the cost of studying before starting your course?

6.6 As Table 6.2 shows, FTFE students were the most likely group to get advice with 64% of them having been given some advice/guidance about the costs of studying prior to starting their course. This group was followed by PTHE (58%), FTHE (49%).

Table 6.3: Where did you get this information?

6.7 Where they are currently studying, or their previous school or college that they attended, was the most likely source of advice/guidance on finance for all groups of students (Table 6.3). Family friends and SAAS were also used by over a third of FTHE degree students, less so by PTHE and FTFE students. FTHE students were more likely to use the Student Loans Company as a source of information. PTHE students were more likely to use LearnDirect Scotland.

Table 6.4: Would you have liked more information?

6.8 As Table 6.4 reveals, 70% of the FTHE students that received information indicated that they would have liked more information on their finances prior to commencing studying. Well over half of FE students that received information would also have liked information. Most PTHE students that received information felt they had received sufficient information.

Table 6.5: How available student funding affected decision to study

6.9 On the issue of student funding, over 60% of all those students responding to Table 6.5 indicated that they would not have studied without funding. Over a third of FTHE students indicated that the availability of student funding was prominent in their decision on whether they studied close to home or lived with their parents.

6.10 This table masks some important differences within HE students. FTHE sub-degree students were much more likely (60% versus 38%) to have considered the availability of student funding in the decision to study full-time or part-time.

Table 6.6: How opportunities for work after graduation affected choice of subject

6.11 Around half of the students that responded indicated that they had chosen a vocational subject with a clear career link (Table 6.6). Over half of the FTHE students similarly indicated that they chose to study a subject for which there are plenty of jobs, a higher figure than FE students (43%) and PTHE students (29%). Just under a third of all students chose a general academic based subject in order to keep their options open in seeking work after graduation.

Experiences Whilst Studying

Table 6.7: Have you ever thought about leaving your course before completing it?

6.12 Table 6.7 demonstrates that a clear majority of all students had not considered quitting their study before the completion of their course (two-thirds versus one-third approximately).

6.13 Of those students who had considered quitting, financial reasons were prominent for all students, though that prominence varied in intensity from around a quarter of PTHE students to three-quarters of FTFE students (though note the low number of students in FE who considered quitting). The table masks an importance difference in this respect within FTHE students: FTHE sub-degree students were more likely than FT degree only students to emphasise these financial reasons (44% versus 32%).

6.14 For PTHE students, domestic/personal/medical reasons most triggered their thoughts of quitting. FTHE students are most likely to consider quitting because they become disenchanted with their course of study or the college or university, and for these students this reason is almost as important as financial considerations.

Table 6.8: How financial difficulties affected work at college/university?

6.15 Despite financial concerns not generally triggering thoughts of quitting study, over 80% of those students reporting that financial difficulties did affect their study-related work, reported that it caused them worry and stress during their studies (Table 6.8). Similarly, 60% of FTHE degree students said that their financial difficulties made it difficult to buy books and materials for their studies. Though less prominent, the inability to buy books and materials was also a concern for FTHE sub-degree (43%), PTHE (47%) and FTFE students (45%). Over half of the FTHE degree students found it necessary to take a paid job during their studies, a figure that was markedly higher than FTHE sub-degree students (37%) and PTHE (36%). Just over a quarter of FTFE students found it necessary to work in a paid job. FTHE degree students were also the most likely group to also work extra hours in a paid job, with nearly half of this group reporting this requirement. Around a third of the other groups reported that it had been necessary to seek extra hours in their paid jobs.

Table 6.9: Which best describes the money you have to meet your current needs?

6.16 The majority of all students surveyed reported that they had insufficient money to meet their current needs (Table 6.9). FTFE students were the most likely to report that they had less than they needed with 77% having at least a little less than they need. Within the combined HE students figure, more FTHE sub-degree students thought that they had a lot less money than they need (27% versus 20%). Just under a third of FT and PTHE students reported that they have about the right amount of money, a view expressed by just over 10% of the FTFE students.

Table 6.10: What have you gone without/cut down on because of shortage of money? (Students without children)

6.17 Across all students without children there were variations in the impact of perceived financial hardship, though some commonalities (Table 6.10). Going without or cutting down on clothes was prominent across all students, though more prominent amongst FTHE students, who were also more likely to report having to go without or cut down on shoes. These students were also more likely to report having to cut down or go without alcoholic drinks. Going without or cutting down on food at college was reported prominent amongst FTFE students. Both FT and PTHE students reported having to cut down or go without holidays. All students reported having to go without or cut down on going out and/or entertainment; indeed it was the greatest perceived financial hardship for PTHE and FTFE students. As such, the financing of going out/entertainment is therefore a recurring issue for FTHE students.

Table 6.11: What have you gone without/cut down on because of shortage of money? (Students with children)

6.18 For students with children, the pattern of perceived financial hardship is more mixed (Table 6.11). For both FTHE and FTFE the greatest perceived financial hardship again occurs in relation to going out/entertainment (but note small number of respondents). PTHE students also feel the pinch on going out/entertainment, but for these students family holidays feel the pinch most. Family holidays are also squeezed for FTFE students. Both FTHE and FTFE students report going without or cutting down on clothes, shoes, alcoholic drinks and sports and hobbies, as well as visiting friends or family. Within the combined HE students figure, FTHE degree only students were much more likely than FTHE sub-degree students to go without or cut down on books and other course related equipment (55% versus 20%). Once again FE students also appear to go without or cut down on food at college. For all of these students, however, making sure that their children never go without appears to be more important than going without themselves. Moreover, virtually none of these students report that money is never tight.

Table 6.12: This academic year, have you ever been in the situation where you have not been able to pay for any of the following:

6.19 FTHE students, both sub-degree (28%) and degree (22%) students were most likely to report that the item they have not been able to pay for during the academic year is food (Table 6.12). For PTHE students the most likely item was utility bills (16%). For FTFE students the item they could not pay for was travel to and from college (42%).

Post-study Expectations

Table 6.13: What do you expect to do when you finish your current course?

6.20 The group of students that remained most confident about their prospects after graduation was FTHE degree students. Table 6.13 reveals this, with over half of this group suggesting they would get a job in their chosen career. This sense of optimism was less apparent in the FTHE sub-degree students (38%), FTFE students (32%) and PTHE students (25%). A number of respondents also indicated that they are likely to take a more advanced course once they have completed their current course. This view was expressed by over half the FTFE students, nearly 40% of FTHE sub-degree and a quarter of PTHE students. Surprisingly only 14% of FTHE degree students indicated they were likely to take a more advanced course.

Table 6.14: What has influenced your choice of what to do when you finish your current course?

6.21 The most consistently reported response from all HE students to the question of what has influenced their choice of what to do when they finish their current course was to seek personal fulfilment (Table 6.14). This desire for personal fulfilment was reported by 67% of FTHE degree, 62% of PTHE, 59% of FTHE sub-degree. It was also important for FTFE students at 47%. However, more important for FTFE students was the need to acquire advanced qualifications in order to obtain their desired job (49%). There were variations in emphasis on the need to pay off debts. It clearly did not drive post-study choices but was more important to FTHE degree only students than either PTHE or FTFE students. Perhaps relative, these students also had more drive to earn as much as possible.

Table 6.15: How much do you expect to earn on graduation?

6.22 The Prospects website - http://www.prospects.ac.uk - which is the UK's official graduate careers website cites recent data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency ( HESA) which suggests that the average salary for full-time first degree graduates from 2007 whose destinations were known and who were in full-time employment in the UK six months after graduating was £19,300. The same website also reports the most recent survey from The Association of Graduate Recruiters ( AGR) the median salary for graduates in 2008 is £24,500.

6.23 The expectations of our respondents, as indicated in Table 6.15, are broadly in line with these figures. Around a third of FTHE degree students for example expect to earn between £20,000-23,999 on graduation, with just over a fifth expecting £16,000-19,999. Similarly, 37% of the FTHE sub-degree students and 39% of the PTHE students also expect a salary somewhere between £16,000-23,999. Perhaps surprisingly, 35% of FE students also expect to earn a salary within this bracket, though 31% of FE students also expect to earn less than £12,000 when they complete their course. In this respect and not unsurprisingly, more FE students than HE students expected to earn the lowest income; though a similar percentage as for FTHE sub-degree students expected to earn more than £32,000.

The General Experience, Outcomes and Funding of Study

Table 6.16: Thoughts on living standards for students

6.24 When considering living standards for students the most important areas identified by all the survey respondents was students' being able to afford books needed for courses (identified by over 90% of all sub-groups), having an adequate space to study and students being able to afford internet access at home (Table 6.16). Students' ability to buy a PC and accessories was also accorded a high degree of importance by the respondents.

Table 6.17: Thoughts on educational mobility

6.25 On the question of educational mobility in Table 6.17, all students agree that having a degree as opposed to not having a degree helps to get a better paid job, though FE students seem less convinced - though self-interest/affirmation may be at play here. All students also agree that having a degree provides for better job choices. It is interesting though that whilst it is perceived that the chances of getting a job are improved by having a degree, there are more mixed perceptions that having a degree results in those workers having better working conditions; likewise greater control over working lives. In addition, a majority neither agreed nor disagreed that workers with degrees had greater job satisfaction - not even HE students could agree that this outcome might occur.

Table 6.18: Thoughts on funding policy

6.26 On the question of whether overall current funding policies are pretty fair, a significant minority of students disagreed with this view (Table 6.18). Over 40% of both FT and PTHE students disagreed with the view that current funding policies are fair, with over a third of FE students also disagreeing with this proposition. It is noticeable that fewer PTHE and FTFE than FTHE students perceived current funding polices to be fair.

6.27 There was also clear agreement amongst all students, and a majority in all cases, that students should not be expected to contribute towards fees and living costs after graduation.

6.28 There was consistently strong support for the view that students from less well-off families should get non-repayable living costs Student support. Over 70% of FTHE sub-degree, FTHE degree and FTFE students supported this view. Sixty seven per cent of PTHE students also supported grants for poorer students. Similarly, respondents were more likely to express support for Government supporting students from lower income backgrounds. Over half of FE students agreed that it is more important to fund lower income background students, a view also supported by nearly half of both full and part-time HE students.

6.29 The vast majority of HE respondents agreed with the proposition that students should not be expected to contribute towards fees, with respectively 71% of FT sub-degree and 69% of FT degree students supporting this view. Support for this view also came from PTHE and FE students though their endorsement of such a view was not as widespread with 56% of both groups supporting the view that students should not contribute towards fees. There was also relatively strong support for the view that all students should receive non-repayable living costs grants, with FTHE sub-degree and FTFE students particularly supportive of this view. There was little support from any students for a graduate tax to replace loans.

Interview Data

6.30 This section reports data from the interviews conducted with 52 FTHE students from working class backgrounds drawn from the main survey. The participation rate in higher education of students from lower social classes remains stubbornly low and concerns continue about the impact of funding policies for low income families, with the working classes shown to be more averse to risk and debt (Archer and Hutchings 2000; Christie and Munro 2003; Connor et al. 2001; Knowles 2000; Forsyth and Furlong 2000, 2003a). The purpose of these interviews therefore was to explore the personal experience of these students in relation to the financing of their own study and higher education study more generally.

6.31 Appendix C provides brief details of the interviewees' study. The interviewees identified themselves as having parents who were machine operatives, sales and customer service staff, personal service staff or elementary staff - the lower occupations. It must be noted that these self-selecting interviewees cannot be considered as representative of all students, particularly as the majority (37) were mature students (25 years old and over). However, they are a group who have a specific set of financial needs and who raise concerns in policy terms.

6.32 The interviews explored these students' reasoning and thinking about how finances are managed alongside study. As with the questionnaire for the main survey, questions were asked sequentially about attitudes and behaviour prior to, during and potentially after studying higher education. Questions also asked them to think about their general attitudes to the financing of higher education study. In this report we concentrate on a selection of the findings - the financial circumstances of the interviewees, why they said they went to university, the paid work that helped them fund their education, their views on student loans, their attitude to debt, why some had chosen not to take a loan, and who they thought should pay for their education.

6.33 The data from the interviews is presented sequentially, asking the students to reflect on the financing of their higher education study prior to, during and potentially after university. Their attitudes to the general funding of higher education study are then presented. First, however, some brief details of the students' financial circumstances are provided.

The Financial Circumstances of the Interviewees

6.34 The majority of respondents had parents who both worked (31 of the 52). Parents were able to assist in the financing of these students through university. However, as the majority of our interviewees were mature students and, in policy terms, there is no expectation that the over 25 year olds are supported by their parents, these students could have been doubly disadvantaged: from working class backgrounds and without financially contributing parents. Also, given that most interviewees were mature, it is probably not surprising that some had parents who had now retired or who had died. These particular students are unlikely to have enjoyed the level of support that those who had parents still working were able to provide.

6.35 There were other personal circumstances associated with their parents that may have impacted on finances. Some of the interviewees had experienced the death of one or both parents, while some had been raised either by single parents or extended family members.

Reasons for Going to University

6.36 There were a number of reasons why students entered higher education, such as injury while in employment or serious illness.

6.37 More generally, students regarded higher education as a way of improving their job prospects and regarded it as form of vocational training. While the students were not asked what they did before going to university, it sometimes emerged during the interviews that a good number had been in low paid jobs such as shelf-stacking in supermarkets or other routine work in call centres and saw education as a way out into the external labour market or upward through firms' internal labour markets. As two interviewees remarked:

'I left school when I was 16 and I only left with standard grades and I didn't go in for Highers and I think it was when I was about 23 ... I was just floating about [in a] kind of dead end job if you like, no disrespect to the people who work in those jobs. But it just wasn't for me so I thought ... I wanted a career in social work.'

'I just felt that my opportunities were limited. I thought that it would open a lot more doors. I didn't see much progression in many jobs that I was doing at the time.'

'I worked in social work for years prior to doing my degree and I thought I better go and get the degree to follow up, to progress professionally.'

6.38 Some interviewees admitted to being less strategic and felt that they simply fell into university, prompted by tutors and careers advisors:

'All I wanted to do was leave school and earn money. And the family weren't well off, so I felt that my contribution would help. And it was through doing a HNC back in 2005, and doing Higher English at night school that it made me … as the end of the course came up, it was my English tutor that suggested going to university. But that was never something that had been on my radar, but I thought well I'll apply at clearing and if it happens, it happens. And it happened.'

'My careers advisor has said to me, you should probably go and do social sciences, didn't have a clue and left and then went and worked for a year. That's when I was 18. I was 19 when I made the decision to go back, because I decided that I didn't enjoy like working at that level, I wanted to go to university and get a degree.'

6.39 As a consequence the interviewees had mainly chosen vocational degrees that they perceived would lead to specific jobs in, for example, forensic chemistry or teaching. Appendix C lists the students' career plans and aspirations.

Thinking About How They Might be Funded

6.40 In terms of considering how their study was to be financed, the mature students told of having to be self-directed in sourcing funding and often felt disappointed in that endeavour:

'There is a thing called Funder Finder which allows you to put in as many details as you can sort of remember and it gives you details of bursaries and things that you might be able to apply for. Unfortunately, none of them really fitted me.'

'There was no way that I could find out exactly how much money I'm going to have each week.'

'There's not really a lot of information forthcoming, you've got to search it out.'

6.41 By contrast, the younger students recalled being more confident that funding existed and would be forthcoming:

'I've not really thought about it until I actually got a place, you know, and that was a big issue because ... how on earth am I going to pay for this and SAAS is there and also because my sister gets money from SAAS as well, so that was quite a help as well because she gets it perhaps I'll get it as well. So I tried and there it was.'

'My chemistry teacher at the time let me know about the bursary scheme and gave me application forms and was a reference in that, and we basically, you know the Careers Advisor told us about the Student Awards Agency for Scotland's Bursary Scheme.'

'I just thought it would take care of itself ... because I knew I'd be getting funding from SAAS.'

Working Through University

6.42 Once at university, the majority of interviewees undertook paid employment during term-time and/or vacations. Only 6 of the 52 interviewees did not work, though felt that it would have been beneficial to do so but could not; the reasons being either health problems or having childcare responsibilities.

6.43 Some of those students with paid employment were able to use the skills that they had acquired before coming or while at university to generate income to financially support themselves. Most however, as the main survey also indicated (Chapter 2, Table 2.35) had routine jobs in call centres, retail or hospitality for example. And they worked, they felt, out of necessity:

'I can't afford a lot of the books that they ask to buy. You get them out of the library if you can [but] unfortunately the library has like one copy of each one so if you're unlucky then someone else has taken it out before you.'

'In total [student funding] was just enough to get by. I mean, that's basically what it is, enough to get by. Not that I think you should be living in luxury and driving your Ferrari at university, but in terms of, like, you know, it doesn't afford you any kind of … you've got to work, you've got to go to university, so that's, you know, you just get by on that.'

6.44 The Cubie Report of 1999 recommended ten hours paid employment per week for HE students so that, in effect, part-time work could complement full-time study. Some students adhered to this approach but realised that they were lucky to be able to do so; many others were undertaking longer hours - confirming the main survey findings for both FTHE and FTFE students (Chapters 2 and 5, Tables 2.37 and 5.15 respectively).

'I normally would do about nine or ten hours a week. I know there are people who need to [do] like sixteen hours or even more, twenty hours ... I don't know how they do it. I suppose if you've got to do it, you've got to do it. So I'm probably fortunate enough that I can get away with only working the nine hours or ten hours a week which I'm quite happy to do. I would rather be a bit short of cash than … [be] stressed out'

'Finances definitely take away from study time because I've got to work extra, you know, and I've got to work as many hours as I can. Although 22 [hours] is on my contract but I've got to take as many as I can. For instance I'm due four weeks holiday and I've had to say well, "Would it be okay if you paid me for them." Because I need the money rather than a holiday.'

6.45 As the two quotes above indicate, the students are having to make trade-offs. Whilst having paid employment provided financial viability for studying, the interviewees noted that such work impacted on their study:

'… because of my shifts it left me little time to study.'

'I had to do extra hours quite often. That did affect me, and it was night shift that I was working as well, and so that did affect me in terms of going to lectures or concentration levels or just having time to do the work'

'… it has also meant that other times when I would like to be fresh and awake and bright as a daisy, I'm kind of slightly tired because I've not had enough sleep and I've been standing in the bar till one or two in the morning.'

6.46 … and their general university experience:

'You hear a lot about student life, and the social aspect of things, and I don't feel that I really got the whole University experience. ... I didn't really get to know a lot of people, fellow students. And that was perhaps difficult in terms of projects and just having people to kind of talk to about particular studying or research you were doing.'

Attitudes to Student Loans

6.47 Of course, as the data in Chapter 2 illustrates, paid employment is not the only source of income for these students; all were eligible for student loans. Most exercised that option, though a small number (6) chose not to.

6.48 The vast majority of the students spoke about an inevitability in having to have a student loan. Student loans were described as 'unavoidable', 'necessary', simply 'a means to an end' or as 'the norm'.

'I have the attitude that if I don't have the money in my hand for something I want, I can't afford it. And I just don't … get it. It's just the way I was brought up. My parents were like that and I've always been like that all my life … it would really cause me sleepless nights if I thought I owed money that I couldn't repay. And it's not worth it … [but with student loans] it's a means to an end, really, isn't it? If I want to get this qualification, if I want to go to university, I'm going to have to take this on.'

'I've got two sets of student loans. The first set of student loans I have is based on one repayment system and the other set of student loans is based on another repayment system and I'm not entirely sure what the difference is but I know that so far I have to be earning something like £15,000 a year before I even think about paying them back. So in that way they're a lot less stressful but I do know that I'm going to leave university with quite a lot of them.'

6.49 There were still concerns expressed, however, about having to take on a student loan, which is not surprising given that the interviewees were the types of students with backgrounds more likely to make them debt adverse, according to research:

'Just a student loan, I mean that's a big debt for me because as a family we don't have any debt apart from the mortgage. So I just hate debt altogether. We've never had an overdraft or anything, not that we're rich, just that we're… if we can't afford [it] we don't have it, you know.'

6.50 Despite their background, some of the interviewees were, nevertheless, relaxed about student loans as debt. Indeed, student loans were perceived differently to other forms of debt:

'I mean it's, it's still a debt but as debts go it's not one that you should really lose sleep over.'

6.51 A small number of interviewees went as far as to argue that they did not even consider their student loan as debt, one saying:

'I'll be honest and say that I don't really count student debt when people ask me about my debts.'

6.52 The interviewees also noted that another key difference between commercial loans, such as those available from banks, and students loans was the way in which the latter was to be paid back, although interviewees appeared to be vague on the details of what paying back might entail.

6.53 Some students, however, were more concerned, and a small number had decided not to take out a student loan. One who did not explained why:

'It really, really freaks me out, like completely freaks me out, that's why I don't want a student loan because I can't stand thinking of how much interest that I'm going to have.'

6.54 Other reasons as to why students had not taken out a loan included direct or indirect experience of past bad debt problems. For example, one interviewee spoke of a family member who had £30,000 worth of debt and this student did not want to replicate this problem and so was set against taking out a student loan. The family member referred to was also against that student taking on more debt.

Attitudes to Debt Generally

6.55 Thus, whilst the students saw debt derived from student loans as normal, inevitable and different, there were still mixed attitudes about study-related debt and debt in general. Some of the students were very relaxed about the debt they had accrued or were accruing as a student, as these two examples show:

'[Debt] … it's going to happen anyway, may as well live with it.'

'… you can't go to university unless you are [willing to take on debt]. I mean, that's the point. You see the loan, just says it all, I mean, you can't go to university unless you're willing to take on debt. I don't have the resources to fund my way through university … so I have to take on debt.'

6.56 There were those students who were less accepting of debt generally, and for whom taking on debt was not welcome:

'It probably runs in my family … it's probably a life experience thing in terms like you know eventually you need money for things so if you have to borrow money then essentially that's what you have to do, so it's not okay but it's just there's some things that's the only way you can get things done.'

'I hate debt, I hate owing money, absolutely hate it but, when you don't have a choice in the matter that's hard but it's not something I would choose to do, and it's not something I would recommend anyone to do, because once you're in it getting back out is just impossible just about, especially now.'

6.57 For some the attitude to debt had been shaped by earlier, very personal experiences, not social class background. For example, in the case of one student who had become bankrupt this student had ' learned how to budget properly, because it wasn't until I went to declare myself bankrupt that I got any kind of help with budgeting'.

6.58 However, in the main, debt was an accepted fact of student life, and there was a hope, if not expectation, that the financial difficulties being experienced now were an investment that would bring benefit in the future:

'I think the debts are manageable. Being a graduate the opportunities are there to earn more in the end, so I think it's worth it.'

Attitudes to the Financing of Study

6.59 There were mixed opinions about the satisfactoriness of current funding provision for higher education study.

Table 6.19: Attitudes to current funding provision

6.60 As Table 6.19 indicates, only a minority of the students thought that current funding provision is good. However, overall, most thought that current funding is at least adequate. Interestingly though, the older, mature students (those of 25+ years) were more likely to state that current provision is bad - perhaps because they are more aware of past funding arrangements before student loans.

6.61 Mature students with dependent children were more vocal in their concerns about accumulating debt whilst studying:

'When a single parent or a lone parent's going back to work or to college, they're doing it to better themselves and better their families. Instead just now, they end up even more in debt than what they were to start with.'

'People are concentrating more on working and earning money to survive rather than actually studying and exploring their own potential and exploring their own self development through academia.'

6.62 When asked about who should pay for students' higher education, the most popular answer across the students was the government. Interviewees provided dual reasons as to why the government should pay. Firstly, they stated, the government would get the money back later in income tax. Alternatively, interviewees acknowledged that they were now or at least should be being weaned off dependency on their families. As one interviewee stated:

'I don't think my family, anyone in my family, at my age should have to contribute just to keep me supported.'

6.63 A small number mentioned that current or future employers may contribute, particularly if the course was vocational. Some interviewees thought that students or their families should pay, or at least make some contribution if they could afford it. For example one of these interviewees said:

'I don't think they (students) should get everything handed on a plate.'

6.64 In discussing current funding provision for the study of higher education, the interviews raised a number of points. The most common of these points raised by the interviewees are presented in Table 6.20 below.

Table 6.20: Points raised about current funding

6.65 Although raised, and clearly of some concern for some of the interviewees, as the table shows, there is no groundswell of opinion expressed on any of the points. Younger students were more likely though to opine that not paying fees has enabled them to study and to query the efficacy of means testing bursaries and loans, and to suggest that student grants be reintroduced. The same issues were of similar salience for mature students. Although some younger students perceived a disjuncture between the available financing and the costs of living - ' they don't give you enough money to live on never mind do anything else,' - it was mature students who were much more vocal in this respect. This perception was iterated by a one such student with a dependent child:

'I really don't think they've taken into consideration the actual cost of living. If you think about it four, four and a half thousand in a year is actually what, probably about four months of someone's wages, I know it's probably hard to encourage people to go out and get part-time work and stuff like that but, sometimes people just cannot do that, I mean I couldn't do it because I had my son, you know'

6.66 Beyond the opinions expressed in Table 6.20, as with the respondents to the main survey there was a clear belief that the government should help those students who are struggling or who come from families who cannot afford to pay.

'They're [the government] looking for [a] good workforce and well qualified people but they've got to put in the effort and if … the parents are able to pay it, but not many parents can, are able to pay it.'

Conclusions

6.67 Drawing on data from both the main survey and the interviews with full-time higher education students, this chapter has considered the attitudes and behaviour of these students prior to starting their studies, the financial challenges and the choices they make as a result of these challenges whilst studying and their views as to what their futures are likely to be after studying.

6.68 Responses from the main survey indicate that prior to starting their studies students appear to have mixed experiences as to the extent and usefulness of the provision of information and guidance about the costs of studying, with FTHE students particularly indicating that they would have liked more information prior to starting their studies. Whilst studying, students across all of the sub-groups reported a number of difficulties with a number indicating that they had thought about leaving their course prior to completing.

6.69 Although it was only an issue for a minority of students, the main reason indicated for considering leaving their course early was due to concerns about their finances. However, over 80% of all students reported that their financial difficulties had caused them worry and stress during their studies. Students also reported that they often went without or cut down on a number of things due to perceived financial hardship.

6.70 In looking forward post-study, a number of respondents indicated that they were likely to continue their education with another, more advanced course. For those students looking to go in to employment there was a generally realistic assessment of their likely earnings for their first job after graduation, though only a minority of PTHE and FTFE students thought that they would obtain a job in their chosen career; likewise only 50% of FTHE students. There were also mixed expectations about the impact of having a degree on various job outcomes, for example working conditions and job satisfaction.

6.71 When questioned about current funding policy it was clear there was a degree of discontent with the current arrangements, with a significant minority of students disagreeing with the view that current funding policies are fair. In particular, students indicated their support for targeted support from government towards students from low income backgrounds.

6.72 Many of these attitudes and behaviours appeared crystallised amongst the students from working class backgrounds that we interviewed. These students, for example, expressed the same attitude towards current funding - that government support should target students who were struggling financially or from less well-off families. Overall though, with the exception of mature students being more likely to express a desire for the return of student grants, most of the interviewees seemed relatively satisfied with current funding arrangements.

6.73 There was, however, concern about the accumulation of debt as a consequence of studying, but also some resignation about its inevitability. This concern, particularly for mature students with dependent children, tended to centre on the disjuncture between the level of funding currently available and the costs of living. Given the finding from the main survey that students with dependent children have the most expenditure (see Chapter 3, Table 3.6), this concern seems justified.

6.74 Whilst most students had student loans, some did not in an attempt to avoid accumulating debt. However, generally, having a student loan was perceived as normal, again inevitable and also different from other types of debt, particularly that derived from commercial sources such as banks.

6.75 To help ease their financial difficulties whilst studying, most students had paid employment. This employment often involves relatively long working hours - certainly more than recommended within the Cubie Report of 1999. As a consequence, it was perceived to have a detrimental effect on the process and outcomes of study as well as the general student experience.

6.76 Most students hoped, and indeed expected, that the financial hardships being experienced now would be ameliorated by future benefits, particularly through the acquiring of better jobs. Indeed, these students appeared vocationally instrumental in the choice of subject for study.

6.77 Younger students appeared satisfied, even indifferent, to sourcing information about the cost of study and the availability of funding prior to going to university. Mature students were more likely to express dissatisfaction in this regard and felt disappointment in the lack of available information, an experience that was compounded, particularly for those with dependent children, by the level of debt being accumulated during study.

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