Student Living Survey 2004/5
Wave 5
Presented by:
Professor Robert Worcester
26th January 2005
Contents
 Methodology
 Getting to University
 Student Life
 Accommodation
 Citizenship
 Academic Life
 Paid Employment
 Student Finances and Debt
 What Next?
 Key Findings
Methodology - Wave 5
 1,007 face-to-face interviews with full-time students
 20 UK universities
 Fieldwork: 25 October - 24 November 2004 (c. 30 min questionnaire)
 Quotas on:
–
–
–
–
subject
ethnicity
gender
academic year /postgraduates
 Same methodology across all five waves
 Wave 1 - sample 1,103 (Fieldwork 23 Oct - 15 Nov 2000)
Wave 2 - sample 1,068 (Fieldwork 22 Oct - 16 Nov 2001)
Wave 3 - sample 1,086 (Fieldwork 22 Oct - 15 Nov 2002)
Wave 4 - sample 1,065 (Fieldwork 30 Oct - 27 Nov 2003)
Getting To University
Social Class Profile of University Students
AB
C1
C2
DE
60%
50%
40%
42%
40%
39%
38%
11%
9%
9%
9%
42%
41%
40%
37%
30%
45%
34%
20%
10%
9%
8%
11%
9%
12%
8%
0%
Wave 1
Wave 2
Wave 3
Wave 4
Base: All students; Wave 1 (1,103), Wave 2 (1,068), Wave 3 (1,086), Wave 4
(1,065), Wave 5 (1,007)
Wave 5
Family Encouragement
Q9 How much encouragement did your family give you in your
decision to go to University?
% A great
deal
All
students
% A fair
amount
% Not very
much
66
AB
C1
C2DE
Base:
% None at
all
19
73
59
62
All students; Wave 5 (1,007), AB (456), C1 (342), C2DE (202)
% Not
applicable
54 6
17
20
24
433
6 5 9
52 6
What are Students
Basing their Choice of University on?
Q8 Which factors were important to you in your selection of
universities?
Top Mentions
59%
The course offered
Overall reputation of
the university
39%
37%
Academic reputation
Located in city
Visited it & liked it
Ability to live at home
The atmosphere
University league
tables
Close to my family
Recommendations
from friends/family
Base: All students; Wave 5 (1,007)
27%
26%
21%
20%
19%
16%
16%
Student Life
The Student Experience
Q75
To what extent do you agree/disagree with
% Strongly
agree
% Tend to
% Neither
disagree
agree
nor disagree
% Tend
to agree
W1
“I am happy with
life”
85
39
W5
“Having the W2
freedom
to live how I want
is the best part
of the student
experience” W5
Base:
46
88
42
26
26
68
65
46
42
39
All students; Wave 1 (1,103), Wave 2 (1,068), Wave 5 (1,007)
% Strongly
disagree
DK/no
opinion/
N/A
%
5
10 4 1
3
8 21
10
16 9 1
9
20
8 1
1
2
5
5
Health & Fitness [1]
Q75
To what extent do you agree/disagree with
% Strongly
agree
% Tend
to agree
% Neither
agree
nor
disagree
% Tend to
disagree
% Strongly
disagree
opinion/
N/A
70
W1
26
“I care very much
about health and
fitness, in body
and in mind”
Base:
8
44
21
71
W5
25
All students; Wave 1 (1,103), Wave 5 (1,007)
% DK/no
62*
10
46
17
822
Health & Fitness [2]
Q75
To what extent do you agree/disagree with
% Strongly
agree
% Tend
to agree
% Neither
agree
nor
disagree
% Tend to
disagree
% Strongly
disagree
71
W5
“I care very
much
about health and
fitness, in body
and in mind”
25
46
17
10
8 2*
17
9
8 1*
17
10
8 2*
73
Men
29
44
71
Women
Base:
23
All students; Wave 1 (1,103), Wave 5 (1,007)
48
% DK/no
opinion/
N/A
Footloose and Fancy Free?
Q76
Which of the following best describes your current situation?
% Single,
not
looking
All
students
% Single,
looking
% Relationship,
not serious
31
18
35
Aged up to 22
22
15
Aged 26+
21
15
Base:
11
19
Aged 23-25
24
12
13
7
% Serious
relationship
13
25
26
16
All students; Wave 5 (1,007), Aged up to 22 (738), Aged 23-25 (117),
Aged 26+ (151)
% Live with /
married
7
22
38
Alcohol
Q77
How risky do you consider… Binge Drinking
% Very risky
All
students
Men
% Not very
risky if
careful
% Not risky in
moderation
59
55
% Not risky
at all
25
26
% Don’t know
13 1 2
15
22
32% spend over £20 a week
Women
62
35% spend over £15 a week
Base:
All students; Wave 5 (1,007), Men (461), Women (546)
24
11 1 2
Drugs
Q77
How risky do you consider…?
% Very
risky
Smoking
cannabis
Taking dance
drugs
Taking
cocaine
Taking
heroin
Base:
% Not very
risky if
careful
% Not risky
% Not risky
in moderation at all
63
16
87
91
98
All students; Wave 3 (1,086), Wave 5 (1,007)
Ever
% Don’t know %done
(Wave 3)
16 2 3
39
73 3
10
42* 2
8
*2
N/A
Gadgets
Q73
Which of these do you personally own?
All students
Women
Men
48%
49%
47%
47%
53%
43%
Advanced mobile
phone
DVD Player
36%
41%
32%
Digital camera
Non-portable games
console
19%
9%
16%
MP3 player
Base:
23%
11%
All students; Wave 5 (1,007), Men (461), Women (546)
32%
Crime
Q77
How risky do you consider…?
Walking alone at night in a strange area
Not risky at
all
Not risky in
moderation
Don’t know
1%
4%
10%
% very risky
48%
Very risky
37%
Not very
risky, if
careful
Base:
All students; Wave 3 (1,086), Wave 5 (1,007)
All
48%
Men
Women
22%
69%
Non-white
White
42%
50%
Scotland
North/NI
43%
58%
The Worst Aspects of University Life
Q11
What, if anything, do you consider to be the worst aspects of
university life?
Top Mentions
W3
%
W1
%
50% 51
55
43
40
Wave 5
Having little money
43%
Being in debt
No regular income
27%
30
30
Juggling university work
with other commitments
27%
31
31
24
-
Needing to work and
study at the same time
Base:
23%
All student; Wave 1 (1,103), Wave 3 (1,086), Wave 5 (1,007)
Current Accommodation
Value for Money
Q45
To what extent do you consider your current
accommodation to be value for money?
Very poor value
Do not pay /
don’t know
18 4%
3%
Fairly poor value
Very good
value
19%
14%
79
60%
Base:
All students in rented accommodation; Wave 5 (649)
Fairly good value
Tidiness
Q54
Which description best fits your bedroom if you were to go
into it right now?
Complete
tip
Very
Very messy
ordered
6%
6%
Fairly
messy
17%
22%
48%
Base:
Fairly
ordered
All students; Wave 5 (1,007), Students living in shared house / flat (409)
Citizenship
Ethical Consumers
Q25
Which of the following sound very much like you?
I am sympathetic to environmental
and social concerns but not active
60%
I would describe myself as an ethical
consumer
25%
I frequently discuss companies’
ethical behaviour with my family and
friends
None of these
Base: All students; Wave 5 (1,007)
21%
7%
Citizenship
Q24
Which of the following things have you done in the last Adult figs
12 months?
%
Top Mentions
Donated money to
charity, including a
badge
62%
56%
Sent items to be
recycled
71
-
Taken action to be more
energy efficient
32%
-
Read or heard about a
company’s social actions
32%
-
Voluntarily helped a
charitable organisation
Attended a local
community event
Base:
29%
27%
All students; Wave 5 (1,007), GB adults 16+ July – September 2004 (2,037)
39
38
Level of Activism
Q24
Which of the following have you done in the last 12 months?
Number of activities done
None
10%
90%
One or more
Two or more
77%
63%
Three or more
49%
Four or more
Five or more
Six or more
Seven or
more
Eight or more
Nine or more
Base:
36%
26%
18%
13%
9%
All students; Wave 5 (1,007)
5 or more actions
All
36%
Men
Women
33%
38%
Up to 22
23-25
26+
32%
38%
52%
Changes in Students’ Voting Intentions
Q80
How would you vote if there were a General Election
tomorrow?
% Labour
Wave 1
% Liberal Democrat
36
23
42
Wave 2
Wave 3
% Conservative
34
33
28
37
Wave 5
28
34
35
24
29
Wave 4
General public
% Other
23
17
15
14
20
13
20
19
31
Base: All who would vote; Wave 1 (733), Wave 2 (730), Wave 3 (712), Wave 4 (687),
Wave 5 (630), All British adults certain to vote November 2004
15
19
11
Changes in Students’ Voting Intentions
Q80
How would you vote if there were a General Election
tomorrow?
Others
Green Party
12%
Scottish/Welsh
Nationalists
UKIP
Other
3%
19%
1%
3%
Base: All who would vote; Wave 1 (733), Wave 2 (730), Wave 3 (712), Wave 4 (687),
Wave 5 (630)
Government out of Touch
The Government is out of touch with the views of students like myself
Strongly
disagree
(1%)
Tend to
disagree
Don’t know/no
opinion
8%
7%
Strongly
agree
26%
Neither
24%
agree
nor
disagree
35%
Tend to
agree
Base:
All students; Wave 5 (1,007)
By party support
% Strongly Agree
All (1,007)
26
Other (115)
43
Conservative (123)
31
Lib Dems (217)
30
Labour (175)
18
Academic Life
Overall Attitude to University
Overall Favourablility
Fairly
unfavourable
Neither/nor
Very
unfavourable
(1%)
4
3%
8%
Very
favourable
Satisfaction with quality
of teaching
Fairly
unsatisfied
4
3%
10%
Neither
/nor
87
88
Fairly
favourable
Base: All students; Wave 5 (1,007)
Very
satisfied
35%
39%
49%
Very unsatisfied
(1%)
52%
Fairly
satisfied
Rating of the University Package [1]
The customer service you receive from your university
% Very
good
% Fairly
good
% Neither
good
nor poor
% Fairly
poor
% Very
poor
58
Wave 4
11
13
45
24
64
Wave 5
Base:
20
% DK/not
stated/
N/A
7 4 7
8
44
All students; Wave 4 (1,065), Wave 5 (1,007)
19
62 9
Rating of the University Package [2]
The value for money you receive from your course
% Very
good
% Fairly
good
% Neither
good
nor poor
% Fairly
poor
11
7 4
59
Wave 1
20
39
18
58
Wave 3
17
41
23
64
Wave 5
Base:
26
38
All students; Wave 1 (1,103), Wave 3 (1,086), Wave 5 (1,007)
% DK/not
stated/
N/A
% Very
poor
21
13
10
7 3 9
9
6 3 6
Rating of the University Package [3]
Q20
To what extent do you consider each of the following to be
good or poor at your university?
W3
W1
%
% Very good
%
Availability of course
materials online
34%
50% 43
-
Availability of
periodicals journals
Standard of teaching /
lecturing
Availability of course
books in the library
34%
26
24
33%
29
34
26
19
25%
23
22
24%
20
-
19
-
Availability of IT
Academic tutor system
Support received for
academic studies
Contact time with tutor /
lecturer
Base:
27%
22%
All students; Wave 1 (1,103), Wave 3 (1,086), Wave 5 (1,007)
35
-
Additional Funding
Q81
From 2006, universities will be able to increase the charge
for tuition fees for UK students up to £3,000 per year. What
do you think this extra funding should be spent on?
Top Mentions
31%
30%
More spending in the library
Improved security
More access to PC’s/technology
23%
18%
18%
17%
Smaller teaching groups
More contact time with lecturers
Improved teaching
rooms/theatres/labs
Better paid and better motivated staff
Higher quality of student residential
accommodation
Scholarships or bursaries
12%
9%
8%
Base: All students at English & Welsh universities; Wave 5 (796)
Paid Employment
Student Employment & Wages
Q29
Do you currently have a job which you are paid to do?
Average
hours per
week
% who have a job
All students
AB
C1
C2DE
Base:
42%
36%
41%
Average
earnings per
week
14.5 hrs
£86
13.6 hrs
£80
15.2 hrs
£93
57% 15.2 hrs
£88
All students; Wave 5 (1,007), AB (456), C1 (342), C2DE (202)
Reasons Why Students Say They Work [1]
Q35
For which of the following reasons do you work?
Need money for basic
essentials
To afford to socialise
To afford new clothes/music/
mobiles etc
Cannot manage on student loan
Gain extra skills
Looks good on CV
To save
To afford a holiday
Pay for tuition fees
Afford somewhere nicer to live
43%
33%
31%
27%
23%
22%
17%
12%
6%
Base: All who currently have a job; Wave 3 (435), Wave 5 (419)
W3 Change
(+/-)
%
68% 57
44
38
28
23
22
17
11
6
+11
-1
-5
+3
0
0
0
+1
0
Reasons Why Students Say They Work [2]
Q36
If you didn’t work, in which of the following areas, if any,
would you need to make savings?
60%
Going out
45%
40%
39%
Clothes
Alcohol
Mobile phone
28%
26%
20%
Music
Food
Accommodation
Other
None of these
Don’t know
2%
5%
3%
Base: All who currently have a job; Wave 5 (419)
Types of Student Work
Q30
Which, if any, of the following types of job do you currently
do during term time?
Top Mentions
33%
Retail
17%
12%
Bar work
Catering
Clerical/office
Nursing/health care
Teaching
Sport / leisure
Work for the university
Work for Students
Union
Call centre
Base:
8%
7%
5%
5%
5%
3%
2%
All who currently have a job; Wave 5 (419)
Attitude of University to Employment
Q37
To what extent do you agree/disagree with ….
% Strongly
disagree
% Tend to
% Tend to
agree
disagree
% Disagree
“Received help
from university in
choosing paid
work that would
minimise the effect
on my studies”
41
20
21
53
32
Base: All who currently have a job; Wave 5 (419)
21
Neither/N/A/
Don’t know
%
46
17
6 11
Tutors/lecturers understand
my need to work during term
time
“Received help & advice
from university to help
balance work and course
commitments”
% Strongly
agree
% Agree
30
19
16 3
11
92
16
37
40
36
Attitudes Towards Work
The percentage of working students who agree with each statement …
“My employer appreciates
my course commitment &
tries to be flexible” (81%)
“Only paid work
available is
manual, unskilled
work” (23%)
“Tutors/lecturers
understand my need
to work during term
time” (46%)
“I enjoy going
to work” (69%)
“The work experience I have
gained while at university will
help me to get a full time job
after graduation” (55%)
“Received help from
university in
choosing paid work
that would minimise
the effect on my
studies” (11%)
Base: All who currently have a job; Wave 5 (419)
“My employer values my
contribution” (79%)
“The conditions at
my workplace are
terrible” (5%)
“Received help &
advice from university
to help balance work
and course
commitments” (19%)
Finances
Managing Finances
Q58
To what extent would you describe yourself as financially organised?
Not at all
organised
Don’t know (*%)
Not very
organised
20%
4%
Very
organised
Very
organised
%
21%
All students
21
Age:
55%
Up to 22 yrs
23 - 25 yrs
26 + yrs
Fairly organised
Base:
All students; Wave 5 (1,007), up to 22 years (738), 23-25 (117), 26+ (151)
18
26
35
Managing Finances
Q60
Which of the following statements best describes how you are
managing financially at the moment?
% Keeping
up without
difficulties
Wave 2
Wave 3
Wave 4
Wave 5
Base:
% Keeping up
but struggles
from time to
time
39
40
37
43
% Keeping
up but a
constant
struggle
75
77
78
79
% Falling
seriously
behind
with
some
bills
% Having real
financial
problems &
have fallen
behind with
many bills
36
18
37
18
41
17
36
15
All students; Wave 2 (1,068), Wave 3 (1,086), Wave 4 (1,065), Wave 5 (1,007)
6
42
5
32
4
31
5
32
Don’t
know
%
1
-
1
2
Expenditure
Q61
& Q62
In a typical month during term time, how much do you
personally spend on…..
Men: £81
Women: £72
Men: £114
Women: £87
£76
Going out
£99
Alcohol
£126
Food
Men: £41
Women: £42
Men: £31
Women: £31
Men: £137
Women: £116
Base:
All students who spend on each item
£31
Mobile
phones
Men: £24
Women: £20
£64
Cigarettes
£42
Clothes
£22
Music
£19
Films
Men: £62
Women: £66
Men: £21
Women: £15
Course Expenses
Q63
This term, approximately how much, if anything, do you personally
expect to spend on …
£70
Course books
£16
Stationery
Course related
equipment
Course related trips
Base:
£15
£10
Photocopying
£8
Printing from
computers
£8
All students; Wave 5 (1,007)
Current Debt
Q67
How much money overall, if any, do you currently owe,
and must repay as a direct result of being at university?
£
All Students
AB
C1
C2DE
£6,000
£5,750
£5,500
£5,250
£5,000
£4,640
£4,750
£4,500
£4,579
£4,250
£4,000
£3,750
£4,841
£4,603
£4,515
£4,406
£4,912
£4,808
£4,760
£4,619
£5,889
£5,778
£5,285
£4,622
£4,203
£3,575
£3,500 £3,326
£3,181
£3,250
£3,157
£3,000
Wave 1
£3,621
Wave 2
Wave 3
Wave 4
Base: All students; Wave 1 (1,103), Wave 2 (1,068), Wave 3 (1,086), Wave 4
(1,065), Wave 5 (1,007)
Wave 5
Anticipated Debt
Q68
How much money overall do you anticipate owing once you have
completed university and have to repay as a direct result of being
at university?
All Students
AB
C1
C2DE
£
£11,000
£10,500
£10,255
£10,000
£9,376
£9,500
£9,000
£8,327
£8,500
£8,000 £7,652
£7,500
£9,161
£8,989
£8,816
£9,341
£9,327
£10,579
£10,087
£9,744
£9,102
£8,873
£8,419
£8,133
£7,430
£7,000 £7,026
£6,500
£6,304
£6,000
Wave 1
£7,347
Wave 2
Wave 3
Wave 4
Base: All students; Wave 1 (1,103), Wave 2 (1,068), Wave 3 (1,086), Wave 4
(1,065), Wave 5 (1,007)
Wave 5
UNITE/MORI Student Debt Index
All students
Retail-Price
Index
Current
Debt
Anticipated
Debt
Wave 1
100
100
100
Wave 2
103
123
116
Wave 3
104
138
125
Wave 4
107
143
133
Wave 5
110
159
139
Type of Student Debt
Q69
To which of the following are you in debt to and must repay?
77%
Government student loan
Overdraft from bank
Credit card
Parents
Personal loan
Store card
Friends
Unpaid utility bills
Other family
Mail order catalogue
Car finance
Hire purchase
Other
36%
17%
11%
5%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
2%
1%
2%
Base: All students who are currently in debt; Wave 5 (687)
Average
£6,514
£1,127
£1,167
£1,552
£4,455
£ 366
£ 159
£ 149
£1,299
£ 223
£4,497
£1,858
£5,473
Concerns About Student Debt [1]
I am seriously worried about the debts I am going to incur as a
result of going to university
% Strongly
agree
Wave 1
Wave 2
Wave 3
Wave 4
Wave 5
Base:
% Tend
to agree
% Neither
% Tend to
agree
disagree
nor disagree
36
14
22
36
12
24
38
11
27
40
13
27
30
10
20
21
18
16
14
17
19
% Strongly
disagree
32
% DK/no
opinion/
N/A
13 12
36
25
11 9
39
24
15
8
39
23
16
7
40
25
15
13
All students; Wave 1 (1,103), Wave 2 (1,068), Wave 3 (1,086), Wave 4 (1,065),
Wave 5 (1,007)
Concerns About Student Debt [2]
% Strongly
agree
% Tend to
agree
% Neither agree
nor disagree
% Tend to
disagree
% Strongly
disagree
30
“I am seriously worried about
the debts I am going to incur
as a result of going to
university”
10
40
20
17
25
Base:
16
All students; Wave 5 (1,007)
15
13
26
49
“I don’t worry about my
debts at the moment, I can
pay them off when I start
working”
% Don’t
know/no
opinion/
N/A
33
11
16 10 14
Stress [1]
Q75
To what extent do you agree/disagree with
% Strongly
agree
% Tend to
% Neither
disagree
agree
nor disagree
% Tend
to agree
% Strongly
disagree
opinion/
N/A
53
W2
17
“Since being a
university
student
I feel under a lot
more stress than
before”
Base:
33
36
13
23
58
W5
% DK/no
20
All students; Wave 2 (1,068), Wave 5 (1,007)
10 *
24
38
15
17
7 2
Stress [2]
“Since being a university student I feel under a lot more stress than before”
% agree
All students (1,007)
Men (461)
Women (546)
AB (456)
C1 (342)
C2DE (202)
Base:
All students; Wave 5 (1,007)
58%
54%
61%
56%
57%
66%
Investing for the Future
“The money I am spending on my education is a good investment
in my future”
Strongly
Tend to
disagree
Don’t know/no
disagree
Strongly
(*%)
opinion (2%)
agree
%
Neither
agree nor
2%
disagree 6%
50%
39%
Tend to
agree
Strongly
agree
Wave 1
Wave 2
Wave 3
Wave 4
Wave 5
Base: All students; Wave 1 (1,103), Wave 3 (1,086), Wave 5 (1,007)
44
48
48
44
50
A Worthwhile Experience
Going to university is a worthwhile experience
% Strongly
agree
% Tend
to agree
% Neither
% Tend to
agree
disagree
nor disagree
Wave 1
Wave 2
Wave 3
Wave 4
Wave 5
Base:
95
74
64
68
62
66
% Strongly
disagree
96
96
95
95
All students; Wave 1 (1,103), Wave 2 (1,068), Wave 3 (1,086),
Wave 4 (1,065), Wave 5 (1,007)
21
32
28
33
29
DK/no
opinion/N/
A
%
3 1*
2
3 **
*
31
*
3 1*
1
3*
2
What Next?
What Next?
Q26
Which of these statements, if any, comes closest to what
you intend to do when you have graduated?
W3 Change
Top Mentions
(+/-)
%
Start work straight away in
a ‘graduate’ job
33
+4
23
+1
20
+2
19%
17
+3
18%
17
+2
12
+1
37%
Look for a ‘graduate’
job
24%
Take a temporary job
22%
Go travelling
Further study straight
away
Go on
holiday
13%
Base: All students; Wave 3 (1,086), Wave 5 (1,007)
Employment Prospects
I’m optimistic about getting a job when I finish my course
Tend to
disagree
Strongly
disagree
Don’t know / no
(1%)
opinion
Neither agree
nor disagree
4%3%
9%
Strongly
agree
38%
Tend to
agree
45%
Base: All students; Wave 5 (1,007)
Strongly
agree
%
All students
38
Science &
engineering
43
Social sciences
37
30
Arts
Widening Participation
Effect on Gaining Employment
Increasing numbers of graduates will make it harder for me to get a job
Don’t know/no
opinion
Strongly
disagree
Strongly agree
4%
Tend to
disagree
6%
21%
13%
Neither 15%
agree
nor
disagree
Strongly
agree
%
Wave 3
Wave 5
Change
40%
Tend to agree
Base: All students; Wave 3 (1,086), Wave 5 (1,007)
10
21
+11
Money & Success
I feel under a lot of pressure to succeed and make money
Don’t know/
no opinion
Strongly
disagree
Strongly
agree
%
Strongly agree
3%10%
10%
Wave 1
Tend to
disagree
22%
32%
Wave 2
Tend to agree
Wave 3
Wave 4
Neither
agree nor
disagree
Base:
23%
Wave 5
All students; Wave 1 (1,103), Wave 2 (1,068); Wave 3 (1,086), Wave 4 (1,065),
Wave 5 (1,007)
8
10
13
15
10
Expected Salary Levels
Q27
What do you expect your annual salary package, before tax,
to be when you start work after university?
All students
Men
Women
£19,314
Average initial salary
£20,468
£18,394
£29,474
Average salary after
5 years
£31,384
£27,894
Base: All students; Wave 5 (1,007), Men (461), Women (546)
Preparation for Working Life
University has set me in good stead for my working life
Strongly disagree
(1%)
Tend to
Don’t know/no
disagree
opinion (3%)
Neither
agree nor
disagree
Strongly
agree
%
3%
12%
Tend to
agree
47%
Base: All students; Wave 5 (1,007)
34%
Strongly
agree
All students
34
New university
30
Old university
37
Development of Soft Skills
Q22
Q23
First years….Which, if any do you feel university will equip you with?
Third+ years…Which, if any, has university already equipped you with?
Will equip (1st Year)
Self confidence
Ability to work under
pressure
Organisational ability
Working constructively
with others
Problem solving
Base: All 1st year students; Wave 5 (284), All 3+ year students (302)
Already equipped (3+ Years)
70%
49%
64%
61%
56%
48%
51%
47%
49%
46%
Development of Soft Skills
Q22
Q23
First years….Which, if any do you feel university will equip you with?
Third+ years…Which, if any, has university already equipped you with?
Will equip (1st Year)
Already equipped (3+ Years)
47%
44%
45%
Verbal skills
Initiative
34%
45%
41%
42%
Networking / social
skills
Budgeting / managing
money
Good grammar /
spelling
28%
24%
20%
Base: All 1st year students; Wave 5 (284), All 3+ year students (302)
Development of Business Skills
Q22
Q23
First years….Which, if any do you feel university will equip you with?
Third+ years…Which, if any, has university already equipped you with?
Will equip (1st Year)
Already equipped (3+ Years)
57%
58%
Giving presentations /
speeches
IT skills
49%
44%
Report writing skills
47%
48%
Analyse complex
issues
43%
37%
Base: All 1st year students; Wave 5 (284), All 3+ year students (302)
Development of Business Skills
Q22
Q23
First years….Which, if any do you feel university will equip you with?
Third+ years…Which, if any, has university already equipped you with?
Will equip (1st Year)
22%
Good business sense
20%
Commercially astute
13%
9%
Office skills
10%
9%
Base: All 1st year students; Wave 5 (284), All 3+ year students (302)
Already equipped (3+ Years)
Key Findings
Key Findings (1)
 No statistically significant changes in social class profile of
students over five waves
 Two-thirds receive a “great deal” of encouragement to go
university by their family
 The course remains the most important factor in the choice
of university
Key Findings (2)
 Students are generally happy and contented, believing university to be
a worthwhile experience
 Those who live away from home are happier, enjoying the freedom to
live how they choose
 The proportion of students who are feeling stressed is on the increase
 Money continues to be a problem – and accounts for three of the top
five “worst” aspects of university life
 One the whole, students have a positive view of their university and are
satisfied with the quality of teaching they receive
Key Findings (3)
 Few see academic aspects as key contenders for additional
funds, the library and increased security are given as the top
priorities
 Courses appear less demanding, as fewer students now feel
“fully” stretched
 One in eight have or are seriously considering changing course
– most likely to be a result of them changing their mind or
because the course had not met their expectations
 Although sympathetic to the environment and social concerns,
the majority are not active ethical consumers.
Key Findings (4)
 Students are less likely than the average British adult to
either donate their time or money to charity
 Almost a quarter say they “will not vote” or are
“undecided” on who they will vote for if there was a
General Election tomorrow
 Those who state a preference are most likely to support the
Liberal Democrats
 Four in ten students work during term-time, with the
majority claiming to work to pay for basic essentials
Key Findings (5)
 Most likely to be employed in retail, bars and catering – few are
using the skills learned on their course
 Most students consider themselves to be financially organised
and to feel they are “keeping up with their bills & commitments”
 As more feel confident about their abilities to manage their
finances, fewer worry about paying off their debts than at any
time since the study began
 Most students are optimistic about getting a job despite
possessing few business skills - they believe that university has
given them a good grounding for their working life
Sample Profile (1)
Wave 1
Wave 2
Wave 3
Wave 4
Wave 5
All students (base)
1,103
1,068
1,086
1,065
1,007
Social class:
AB
C1
C2DE
37%
41%
22%
38%
42%
18%
42%
41%
17%
41%
37%
20%
45%
34%
20%
41%
25%
20%
15%
44%
23%
21%
12%
44%
22%
22%
13%
44%
23%
20%
13%
Subject:
Science and
engineering
42%
Social sciences
22%
Arts
21%
Other
15%
(combined and education)
Unweighted percentages
Sample Profile (2)
Wave 4
Wave 5
Wave 1
Wave 2
Wave 3
All students (base)
1,103
1,068
1,086
1,065
1,007
Gender:
Men
Women
46%
54%
46%
54%
48%
52%
44%
56%
46%
54%
Type of student:
Undergraduates
Postgraduates
86%
12%
89%
11%
88%
12%
86%
14%
85%
15%
Mature student
33%
30%
29%
34%
32%
Type of university:
Old
New
41%
59%
50%
50%
53%
47%
51%
49%
50%
50%
Unweighted percentages
Thank You
worc@mori.com
caroline.callahan@mori.com