Belief university is a ‘good idea’, despite the cost, reduces with age, survey finds

Almost a third believe on-the-job training and apprenticeships offer better career prospects - not a university education

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The belief that higher education is a good idea, despite the costs associated with it, reduces with age, according to a new survey.

Research* for the Bank of Scotland has found just over half (53 per cent) of 18 to 24-year-old Scots believe university education is beneficial, fees aside.

However, in contrast, this belief diminishes after graduation age with only one third (32 per cent) of 25 to 34-year-olds saying education is worth the cost. Respondents aged 35 to 44 are the least likely to believe university is worth the expense.

On the whole, just over one in three (35 per cent) believe the cost associated with a university education is worth the expense.

Rachel Bright, Bank of Scotland’s head of customer service, described it as “interesting” to see many young people enthusiastic about a university education and less concerned about the associated costs. However, she added: “Older generations clearly see the value of further education, alongside the benefits that can be achieved through on-the-job training with the potential benefit of having less debt.”

She was making reference to the fact that 30 per cent believe on-the-job training or an apprenticeship offer the best career prospects and not a university education.

Another key finding to have emerged was that one in ten respondents view university education as “no longer financially viable,” an opinion shared most among 35 to 44-year-olds (12 per cent). Those aged over 55 are least like to see university as “not being financially viable,” with only seven per cent holding this opinion.

The findings have come shortly after social mobility charity, the Sutton Trust, found Scotland to have the worst record than anywhere else in the UK when it comes to getting students from poorer backgrounds into university, despite offering free tuition.

Although there have been some improvements north of the border, young disadvantaged Scottish people are four times less likely to go to university than their wealthier counterparts. In England the same figure is 2.4, while in Wales and Northern Ireland, poorer students are three times more likely to do so.

Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary, Liz Smith, said the “damning” report confirms Scotland still has “some way to go” when it comes to offering the same opportunities to poorer students, despite the best efforts of the country’s universities.

*Research completed by YouGov and based on 3,056 online interviews with a nationally representative sample of adults aged 16 and over living in Scotland