A third of students picking universities based on bursaries, study finds

Out of the 5,722 students who took part in the annual Options survey, 36 per cent said they will choose universities specifically because they offer bursaries or financial support.

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Dr Lee Elliot Major, chief executive of the Sutton Trust, an educational charity dedicated to improving social mobility, said: “It should be a major concern that debt is becoming a much bigger issue for young people.

“Under the current system, nearly three-quarters of students will fail to clear their student loans before they are written off after 30 years, and the large majority will still be paying off their loans well into their forties, figures that will increase with the abolition of grants and increase in fees.

“Those from disadvantaged homes now face the largest debts with the abolition of maintenance grants next year and this could have a serious and detrimental impact on their social mobility, but many middle income students also face the prospect of higher repayments than before, something that could impact on their ability to afford a home in later life.”

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