The Property Marketing Strategists (TPMS), as part of its Youth Forum, delivered alongside data partner Dig-In and sponsored by The Crowd Agency has completed a survey and focus group with UK-based university students to find out what they had wish they had known before they started university.
“I wish I had a lot more budgeting advice before I started in my first year. The uni gave us a sheet with a vague amount of what students had on average with spend. But if you added it up, it added up to way more than the loan you would actually get.”
Student in the focus group
313 current students responded to the survey with 77% female and 49% between the ages of 18-20. The survey found that overall students wish they had been better prepared and given further information on key matters before they started their new lives at university.
One of the key findings was around household bills with 72% of survey responders stating that they didn’t have enough understanding about them. With student accommodation providers promoting all-inclusive bills as part of their packages, the benefit may be lost on this high number of students. Budgeting their money was, however, something that students would like more support on.
“Moving away to university is a big milestone. The world continues to move on at a fast pace and these results show how important it is to consider the information we are providing and ensuring it is relevant. In the last few years we have seen a cost-of-living crisis where little financial support has been offered to students. Budgets are even more stretched but have we been able to effectively adjust our advice for these new situations that students find themselves in?”
Deenie Lee, Co-founder, TPMS
The survey also showed the need for students to be given further information about their future flatmates before starting university. 43% of survey respondents said they ‘didn’t know anything’ about their future flatmates and would like to be told more. Students in the focus groups all agreed with one of them saying “It would have helped if everyone introduced themselves, or if we were able to get in contact with each other before we moved in.”
“Such a big move can cause anxiety for many young people so providing them with information about what university is like, how many hours they’ll be expected to study, how much everything will cost and who they will be living with could be very beneficial. Knowing so much upfront might ensure students settle in quicker and ultimately reduce the risk of dropping out.”
Sarah Canning, Co-founder, TPMS
Key findings
- 49% of our respondents said that the number of hours they were required to be on-campus in their first year was less than they expected.
- 72% also stated that they didn’t have enough understanding about household bills before they started.
- 43% of our respondents said ‘yes they wish they had known more because they didn’t know anything’ about their future flatmates.
- 79% predicted before they started university that their flatmates/people they lived with would have an impact on their experience.
- 42% said making friends was harder than they expected.
- The top three life lessons they wish they had known before starting university; Life admin 60%, 48% registering with a local doctor/dentist, 42% changing addresses.
Access the full report and focus group soundbites.
