More than two in three university students in paid jobs while studying
More than two in three full-time university students are now undertaking paid work during term time, a survey suggests.
University undergraduates are spending less time on independent study as more take on jobs, according to the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) think tank and Advance HE report.
A survey of 10,232 full-time undergraduates in the UK found that 68% had paid work while they were studying, up from 56% in 2024.
The number of students working in term time has nearly doubled in a decade, with only 35% in paid employment in term time in 2015.
The Student Academic Experience Survey 2025, carried out between January and March, suggests time spent on independent study has fallen significantly, from 13.6 hours per week in 2024 to 11.6 hours this year.
Experts have suggested that cost-of-living pressures are affecting the student experience, and they say universities should consider how they can support students who are balancing multiple commitments.
Students now spend an average of 39.8 hours per week in paid work and study, which is a slight fall from 41.7 hours per week in 2024, the survey found.
But the report said the figures imply that 'something had to give' and the hours spent in employment have 'partly come at the expense of independent study time' which has declined significantly in the past year.
The proportion of undergraduate students reporting that their course is good or very good value for money has dropped from 39% in 2024 to 37% this year.
The report said: 'Students have faced some particular and ongoing challenges around the cost of living and needing to work for pay while at university, which has in turn put greater pressure on how the overall experience has been perceived in terms of value.'
The findings come as university leaders have been warning of significant financial concerns caused by a drop in the number of international students, as well as frozen tuition fees paid by domestic students.
A number of institutions across the UK have announced redundancies and course closures over the past year as a result of growing financial pressures.
Nick Hillman, director of Hepi, said: 'Given the severe funding challenges, many students are struggling to pay their bills and institutions are often struggling to provide their students with what they expect, though both students and staff have also displayed considerable resilience in the face of adversity.
'The fact that a large majority of students now undertake paid work during term time, and often at a high number of hours each week, suggests the student experience is completely different to the norm when today's policymakers were in higher education.'
More than one in 10 (11%) students said they would not enter higher education if they could decide again, compared with 6% last year.
But the survey also found that 26% of students said they felt their experience had exceeded their expectations, which is an increase from 22% in 2024.
Alison Johns, chief executive of Advance HE, said: 'While the higher education sector faces significant financial challenges, it's encouraging to see evidence of resilience in the student experience.
'The quality of teaching and assessment feedback remains strong, and more students are having their expectations exceeded than ever before.
'However, the striking increase in students undertaking paid work alongside their studies signals a fundamental shift – and institutions will be thinking carefully about how they accommodate this change.
'We need to consider how teaching, learning and support can evolve to better serve students who are balancing multiple commitments while maintaining academic quality.'
The Government announced in November that undergraduate tuition fees in England, which have been frozen at £9,250 since 2017, will rise to £9,535 for the 2025-26 academic year.
It also announced that maintenance loans will increase in line with inflation in the 2025-26 academic year to help students with their living costs.
A spokesperson for Universities UK (UUK) said: 'These survey results demonstrate that universities continue to deliver high quality teaching, despite immense financial pressures.
'There has been a significant increase in students who feel their experience has exceeded their expectations, and high levels of satisfaction with the quality of teaching and assessment feedback.
'However, the cost-of-living crisis is hitting students hard, with increasing numbers taking up part-time work alongside study, creating less opportunity to engage with the wider student experience.
'Universities have stepped up their support by providing additional targeted hardship funding, digital technology so they can continue to learn flexibly, increased wellbeing and mental health support, access to discounted meals and other helpful initiatives.
'But to ensure that all students who want to are able to access and make the most of their time at university, we need the Government to do its bit to protect the student experience by urgently addressing the insufficient maintenance package.'
A Department for Education (DfE) spokeswoman said: 'The dire situation we inherited has forced us to make tough decisions to put universities on a firmer financial footing, but we also recognise the challenges facing students and have increased maintenance loans in line with inflation to support them.
'We have also protected Strategic Priority Grant funding to boost access and participation, and are calling on universities to do more to expand opportunity and improve outcomes for disadvantaged students.
'We aim to publish our plans for HE reform as part of the Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy white paper in the summer, as we fix the foundations of higher education through our Plan for Change.'
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Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
More than two in three university students in paid jobs while studying
More than two in three full-time university students are now undertaking paid work during term time, a survey suggests. University undergraduates are spending less time on independent study as more take on jobs, according to the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) think tank and Advance HE report. A survey of 10,232 full-time undergraduates in the UK found that 68% had paid work while they were studying, up from 56% in 2024. The number of students working in term time has nearly doubled in a decade, with only 35% in paid employment in term time in 2015. The Student Academic Experience Survey 2025, carried out between January and March, suggests time spent on independent study has fallen significantly, from 13.6 hours per week in 2024 to 11.6 hours this year. Experts have suggested that cost-of-living pressures are affecting the student experience, and they say universities should consider how they can support students who are balancing multiple commitments. Students now spend an average of 39.8 hours per week in paid work and study, which is a slight fall from 41.7 hours per week in 2024, the survey found. But the report said the figures imply that 'something had to give' and the hours spent in employment have 'partly come at the expense of independent study time' which has declined significantly in the past year. The proportion of undergraduate students reporting that their course is good or very good value for money has dropped from 39% in 2024 to 37% this year. The report said: 'Students have faced some particular and ongoing challenges around the cost of living and needing to work for pay while at university, which has in turn put greater pressure on how the overall experience has been perceived in terms of value.' The findings come as university leaders have been warning of significant financial concerns caused by a drop in the number of international students, as well as frozen tuition fees paid by domestic students. A number of institutions across the UK have announced redundancies and course closures over the past year as a result of growing financial pressures. Nick Hillman, director of Hepi, said: 'Given the severe funding challenges, many students are struggling to pay their bills and institutions are often struggling to provide their students with what they expect, though both students and staff have also displayed considerable resilience in the face of adversity. 'The fact that a large majority of students now undertake paid work during term time, and often at a high number of hours each week, suggests the student experience is completely different to the norm when today's policymakers were in higher education.' More than one in 10 (11%) students said they would not enter higher education if they could decide again, compared with 6% last year. But the survey also found that 26% of students said they felt their experience had exceeded their expectations, which is an increase from 22% in 2024. Alison Johns, chief executive of Advance HE, said: 'While the higher education sector faces significant financial challenges, it's encouraging to see evidence of resilience in the student experience. 'The quality of teaching and assessment feedback remains strong, and more students are having their expectations exceeded than ever before. 'However, the striking increase in students undertaking paid work alongside their studies signals a fundamental shift – and institutions will be thinking carefully about how they accommodate this change. 'We need to consider how teaching, learning and support can evolve to better serve students who are balancing multiple commitments while maintaining academic quality.' The Government announced in November that undergraduate tuition fees in England, which have been frozen at £9,250 since 2017, will rise to £9,535 for the 2025-26 academic year. It also announced that maintenance loans will increase in line with inflation in the 2025-26 academic year to help students with their living costs. A spokesperson for Universities UK (UUK) said: 'These survey results demonstrate that universities continue to deliver high quality teaching, despite immense financial pressures. 'There has been a significant increase in students who feel their experience has exceeded their expectations, and high levels of satisfaction with the quality of teaching and assessment feedback. 'However, the cost-of-living crisis is hitting students hard, with increasing numbers taking up part-time work alongside study, creating less opportunity to engage with the wider student experience. 'Universities have stepped up their support by providing additional targeted hardship funding, digital technology so they can continue to learn flexibly, increased wellbeing and mental health support, access to discounted meals and other helpful initiatives. 'But to ensure that all students who want to are able to access and make the most of their time at university, we need the Government to do its bit to protect the student experience by urgently addressing the insufficient maintenance package.' A Department for Education (DfE) spokeswoman said: 'The dire situation we inherited has forced us to make tough decisions to put universities on a firmer financial footing, but we also recognise the challenges facing students and have increased maintenance loans in line with inflation to support them. 'We have also protected Strategic Priority Grant funding to boost access and participation, and are calling on universities to do more to expand opportunity and improve outcomes for disadvantaged students. 'We aim to publish our plans for HE reform as part of the Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy white paper in the summer, as we fix the foundations of higher education through our Plan for Change.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Where the grid hits hardest: Energy distribution costs across Europe compared
Energy bills are a major part of living costs. Energy prices vary widely across Europe. Bills include not just energy costs, but also taxes and distribution fees. The share of electricity and gas bills that goes to distribution, essentially what you pay to use the grid, also differs from country to country. So, how much of your energy bill goes to distribution companies in Europe? And which countries pay the most for distribution? Also known as network charges, this portion of the bill mostly includes both transmission and distribution costs. The Household Energy Price Index (HEPI), compiled by Energie-Control Austria, MEKH, and VaasaETT, provides a detailed breakdown of residential end-user electricity and gas prices. The breakdown includes four components: energy, distribution, energy taxes, and VAT. As of April 2024, the share of distribution in household electricity prices ranged from 11% in Nicosia to 65% in Budapest, closely followed by Amsterdam (60%). However, in Amsterdam, the distribution share would drop to 39% if the tax refund were not considered. The capital cities of Hungary and the Netherlands stand out as clear outliers, with more than half of the electricity bill going to distribution. The EU-27 average was 28%. Other high-share cities include Luxembourg City (46%), Podgorica (43%), and Bucharest (42%). Many Central and Eastern European cities such as Kyiv, Vilnius, Riga, Zagreb, Belgrade, and Warsaw have distribution shares well above the EU average. Western cities like Paris (35%) and Lisbon (34%) also fall into the higher group. The Nordic capitals (Helsinki, Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen) tend to have lower shares (between 17%–23%). Southern Europe shows some of the lowest distribution shares, including Athens (15%) and Rome (15%). Cities like Berlin (29%), Vienna (30%), Tallinn (29%), Dublin (30%), and Prague (31%) are close to the EU average, showing moderate distribution cost impact. Among the capitals of Europe's top five economies, London and Madrid had the lowest distribution share at 18%. On average across the EU capital cities, the distribution share is slightly lower in gas prices (23%) than in electricity prices (28%). The distribution share in residential end-user gas prices ranged from 10% in Kyiv to 43% in Bern. In addition to Bern, the distribution share exceeded one-third of gas bills in Sofia (37%) and Bratislava (34%). In Dublin, it came close to that level at 32%. Among the EU capitals, Amsterdam had the lowest distribution share at 13%, followed by Zagreb and Tallinn, both at 15%. The variation in gas distribution shares among Europe's top five economies is smaller compared to electricity. London and Madrid had the highest shares at 22%, slightly below the EU average, followed by Rome at 21%. In Paris and Berlin, the shares were even lower—17% and 16%, respectively. Rafaila Grigoriou, HEPI project manager & head of VaasaETT's Greek office, and Ioannis Korras, senior energy market analyst at VaasaETT explained that network costs are determined based on local requirements and national strategies for the development and upgrading of distribution and transmission networks. A significant portion of national network investment costs is passed on to end-user bills through network charges. 'Disparities among markets are primarily driven by their investment plans and are related to electrification demand, level of RES penetration, distributed generation, the age of the network infrastructure etc.' Grigoriou and Korras told Euronews. VaasaETT experts also noted that the comparison of network cost shares in total bills between countries may not always accurately reflect the true significance of network costs in some cases. This is especially true in cases where regulations or support schemes affect the energy component of the bill. Cities like Budapest and Bucharest clearly illustrate this effect. In Budapest, the electricity distribution share is 65%, equal to 5.94 c€/kWh. In contrast, Bucharest has a lower distribution share of 42%, but the actual cost is higher at 6.75 c€/kWh. This is due to differences in end-user electricity prices: 9.1 c€/kWh in Budapest versus 16.1 c€/kWh in Bucharest. The same pattern applies to gas distribution in these cities as well. The breakdown of energy bills can vary over time or during extraordinary situations, depending on the country. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 is a clear example of such a disruption, which led to sharp changes in energy prices. 'Since the beginning of the energy crisis, there has been a significant number of temporary support measures that involved the reduction or abolishment of network charges or taxes in European countries,' Rafaila Grigoriou told. 'Those have affected both electricity and gas bills and a small number of those are in fact still active in some markets. Slovenia is an example of this for residential electricity customers.' she added. While this article does not aim to analyse or compare final consumer energy prices across Europe in depth, providing these figures still offers valuable context. As of April 2025, household end-user electricity prices ranged from 9.1 € cents per kWh in Budapest to 40.4 c€/kWh in Berlin according to the HEPI. The EU-27 average was 24.7 c€/kWh. Among EU capital cities, gas prices in the same period ranged from 2.5 c€/kWh in Budapest to 34.1 c€/kWh in Stockholm, with an EU average of 11.1 c€/kWh. Euronews compared and analysed residential end-user electricity and gas prices across Europe as of January 2025, examining both nominal prices and those adjusted for purchasing power. The article entitled 'Electricity and Gas Prices Across Europe' also explores the factors driving the differences in energy prices across European countries.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Record number of universities in deficit
A record number of universities are in deficit as pressure grows on the Government to commit to bailouts for institutions that could go bust. Telegraph analysis of the financial accounts for 143 higher education providers in 2023-24 found that 61 chalked up deficits last year – about 43 per cent of the sector. It marks the highest figure on record and a significant jump since 2022-23, when 44 UK higher education institutions were in the red, according to Telegraph analysis. Politicians and experts urged the Government to spell out its plans to ease pressure on the sector amid fears that one or more universities could buckle in the coming months without further support. Nick Hillman, the director of the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi), said it was '100 per cent not sustainable' for ministers to continue to rule out rescue packages for any institutions that fail, as he warned that morale within the sector had reached its lowest point in decades. The Telegraph analysed the deficit relative to income at UK higher education institutions last year after removing adjustments to expected liabilities to the pension scheme, which performed well in 2023-24. This provided a better picture of how universities' day-to-day spending related to overall income. Five institutions were found to have recorded a deficit relative to income for the sixth year in a row, including Bishop Grosseteste University, Cranfield University, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) and the University of Reading. Bishop Grosseteste University, which specialises in teacher training, recorded a 19 per cent deficit relative to income last year, with the Lincoln institution spending £3 million more than it earned. Coventry University recorded the second-highest shortfall of UK higher education institutions in 2023-24, with a 16 per cent deficit relative to income. Mr Hillman said: 'It's not massively surprising, because we all know the way the world's been going, but it is interesting to get the hard numbers because what we've been relying on is projections. 'Multiple years in a row in a deficit – that to me is the crucial point… And it's already got worse since the time period covered by [the] data, because inflation has continued to eat away at tuition fees, and the National Insurance rise has come in. '[It's] 100 per cent not sustainable [for ministers to rule out a bailout]... Every government for decades has said that if a university goes bust, we don't bail them out, but it's nonsense.' Dr Hollie Chandler, the director of policy at the Russell Group, said: 'These figures reflect the situation that universities have been warning about for some time – the financial challenges are significant, and many institutions are being forced to make very difficult decisions to safeguard their futures. 'Sustainable funding' 'Whilst universities are doing what they can to mitigate the situation, these measures alone will not be enough without government action to create a sustainable funding landscape.' Universities have blamed current financial pressures on the eroding value of tuition fees over the past few years and a sudden drop in international students. Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, announced last November that the Government would raise university tuition fees in line with inflation next year for the first time since 2017, with further funding reforms to be unveiled by this summer. But she has said universities should not expect taxpayer-funded rescue packages and instead told institutions to manage their budgets. Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln has 'implemented a programme of transformation to reduce operating costs' - Phil Crow/Alamy Leading university figures have warned, however, that the tuition fee rise alone does not go far enough, amid concerns that many universities are now teetering on the brink. It comes after the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) was forced to step in with a £22 million funding package for the University of Dundee in March as the Scottish institution struggles with continuing financial pressures. In a letter to Ms Phillipson sent on Tuesday, Helen Hayes, a Labour MP and chairman of the education select committee, warned that failure to address the worsening crisis across the sector would present a 'grave risk' to some universities. Ms Hayes, who represents a cross-party group of MPs, urged Ms Phillipson to unveil contingency plans 'in the event that one or more universities cease to be able to operate'. 'Serious challenges' 'The committee is clear from our evidence session that there are currently a number of very serious challenges facing the higher education sector which, if left unchecked, present a grave risk to the financial viability of some institutions and courses,' she said. Ms Hayes warned that university bankruptcies would also pose threats to 'the local economy in places where a university is an anchor institution and major employer, and ultimately to the international reputation and standing of the UK'. Vivienne Stern, the chief executive of Universities UK, told The Telegraph that 'the reality for most universities is that they have had to make serious cuts' to weather the storm. Telegraph analysis of the sector's latest financial accounts showed that universities laid off a record number of staff in 2023-24, with 10,223 redundancies across 108 of the country's largest institutions. In total, universities were forced to pay out £210 million in severance payments across the country – almost double the previous year. The University of Oxford laid off 656 staff last year, although many were part of Oxford University Press, costing the institution £5.3 million. The University of Nottingham paid out £13.8 million to 408 staff, while the University of Central Lancashire paid out £10.5 million to 264 staff – their largest round of dismissals in at least a decade. Mr Hillman warned that larger universities with healthy endowment funds would likely be shielded from the financial turmoil, while smaller, more niche institutions are expected to be the most vulnerable. He likened it to the impact of Labour's introduction of VAT on private school fees, which is unlikely to wreak havoc on schools like Eton and Winchester Colleges, while more small-scale institutions have warned it could send them over the edge. 'Universities hate it when they're compared to independent schools… but I agree the analogy between them is very, very close,' Mr Hillman said. The Hepi director also claimed there was growing discontent among university chiefs over Labour's approach to the sector, with recent policies echoing those of the previous Tory government. Rishi Sunak, the former prime minister, was roundly criticised after announcing a ban in 2023 on most foreign students being allowed to bring family members with them to the UK, which many have blamed for a dramatic drop in international student numbers. Sir Keir Starmer is now considering applying further restrictions on student visa applications from nationalities considered likely to overstay and claim asylum in the UK, The Times reported earlier this week. Mr Hillman told The Telegraph that despite hopes that a change in government 'would mean a new understanding in Whitehall towards universities, that's not how people currently feel'. 'People think that this Government seems to regard universities very similarly to the previous government. There's an even greater sense of demoralisation, because it feels like the flames are getting closer,' he said. 'Firing on all cylinders' Ms Stern told The Telegraph: 'Falling per-student funding, visa changes which have decreased international enrolments, and a longstanding failure of research grants to cover costs are creating huge pressures in all four nations of the UK. 'University leaders are gripping the problem… Our universities are something the UK can be genuinely proud of. They contribute over a quarter of a trillion pounds to the economy each year and are essential to the Government's growth ambitions and the UK's future economic success. We need them to be firing on all cylinders.' The Department for Education was approached for comment. Prof Andrew Gower, vice-chancellor of Bishop Grosseteste University, said: 'As seen across the sector, it is an increasingly challenging operating environment for universities. 'In response to these challenges, over the past three years, Bishop Grosseteste University implemented a programme of transformation to reduce operating costs whilst continuing to grow activity, maintain quality and deepen the impact of our teaching, research and knowledge exchange.' A spokesman for Coventry University said: 'Our deficit for the financial year 2023-24 was consistent with our size, our previous success in recruiting international students, and our strategic decision to reform our structures and practices. 'We didn't create the financial crisis in the higher education sector, but we saw the storm coming and our deficit is partly due to our decision to spend some of our substantial cash reserves to buy time to reshape and resize the group over two years, with three years of planned change happening in year one of that programme.' A spokesman for the University of Reading said: 'While we face many of the same financial challenges affecting many UK universities, we have in recent years made strategic decisions to draw on reserves rather than make short-term cuts, while also focusing on improving teaching. This has supported our key principle of environmental and financial sustainability.' A spokesman for SRUC said: 'Like much of the higher education sector in Scotland, SRUC has faced significant financial challenges in recent years and we are continuing to make good progress in addressing these. We have also recently made a number of strategic investments, including obtaining taught degree awarding powers and launching Scotland's first new vet school in 150 years.' Cranfield University and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama were approached for comment. The University of Oxford declined to comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
