The reforms of higher education (HE) student funding and increase in tuition fees to be introduced in 2012-13 have raised concerns that some potential HE students may be deterred from undertaking HE studies. Research undertaken in 2002-03 suggested that prospective students from lower social classes were the most likely to be deterred by fear of debt. The 2012-13 reforms raise the possibility that even larger groups of potential students may now be reluctant to enter HE. Our research explores whether current potential students’ attitudes to debt and HE have changed over time. It investigate how these attitudes affect decisions to enter HE or take  up alternative education and employment options such as studying part-time, taking intermediate-level qualifications, and  combining such studies with apprenticeship training. All these options are of interest to policy-makers because they may encourage more employers to provide financial support and/or apprentice training to well-qualified young people.

The following research questions are being addressed:
 

• What are potential HE students’ attitudes to debt, HE, and the labour market, and how have these changed over time?
• Do concerns over debt and the costs of HE influence potential students’ decisions about entering HE, where and what to study, and mode of study?
• Do potential students perceive HE and its costs as debt accrual or as a beneficial investment?
• Are potential HE students willing to study part-time while in employment and combine such studies with apprenticeship training?
• Are potential students willing to aim initially for intermediate-level qualifications such as Foundation degrees and Higher Nationals rather than Bachelor degrees?
• How do these perceptions, attitudes and aspirations vary by potential students’ socio-economic characteristics and previous academic attainments?
• What are the implications of the findings for policy-makers concerning student funding and finance, widening HE participation and the development of an appropriate mix of higher and intermediate-level skills?

The study consists of:
 

• A literature review to examine existing research relating to student debt, HE participation, and the demand for and supply of intermediate skills training combined with study towards HE qualifications.

• A survey of potential HE students comprising a self-completion questionnaire distributed in class to final year students in schools and sixth form and FE colleges. The sample will comprise a mix of FE colleges, sixth form colleges and schools designed to maximize comparability with the findings of Callender’s 2003 study on student attitudes towards debt. 

• Analysis of survey findings

• A review of policy implications

It is hoped that the survey findings will be of interest to policy-makers, and will provide a basis for seeking co-funding for a later survey of employers’ willingness to support higher apprenticeships and employees studying part-time for HE qualifications.