A third of parents with children aged 13-21 say they have little or no understanding of the new university tuition fees system in England and Wales, and over half say they have not received enough information on university funding, our poll has found.
The survey also revealed that more than half of parents of 13-21 year olds who plan to go to university think that universities should have to explain how they will spend the new fee income; 56% say that universities should be clear about how a degree can improve students’ career prospects after graduation; and one in five say universities should show heightened student experience such as enhanced careers advice.
- 33% of parents with children aged 13-21 say they have little or no understanding of the new university tuition fees system in England and Wales
- While 55% of those parents believe they have not received enough information about the new fees arrangement
- 53% of parents of 13-21 year olds who plan to go university think that universities should explain how the income from tuition fees is spent
- And 56% of this group think that universities should be clear on how a degree can improve their child’s career prospects after they’ve finished studying
- 40% of parents believe that higher fees should lead to heightened student experience, including improvements such as enhanced careers advice
Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive of Universities UK and Steve Smith, President of Universities UK commented: ‘The need for clear and accessible communication on the new fees system is absolutely paramount – but so is the space and ability to show the wide ranging benefits of higher education. Some parents are rightly worried that they don’t feel they have enough information to make informed choices. [We need to highlight] the incredibly important role that universities play in our society, and the benefits that a university education can offer.’
The results come in the wake of the second annual Universities Week in the UK, which aims to increase public awareness of the wide and varied role of the country’s universities. Universities Week looks at the many different ways in which universities affect all of our lives ‒ from supporting the economy, to working within local communities, to looking at how their research programmes could change our futures.
