A report showing data for earnings from work, income from family and friends, student spending, savings, borrowing and debts for September 2014 to August 2015.
This is the latest release in the series: Student income and expenditure survey
Student income and expenditure survey amendment notice
The research teams of DfE and Welsh Government are notifying the reader of methodological considerations in the data analysis of the Student Income and Expenditure Survey.
Many of the variables used in the survey have a positively skewed distribution. In these cases, when reading the report, the reader is advised that the median average is a more useful measure of central tendency than the mean average.
In relation to the regression models used in the report, readers are advised that the predictive power of the regression models has not been assessed. Results give indications about the association of each independent variable with the dependent variable, controlling for the other variables in the model, but should not be used to calculate fitted probabilities.
Plans for future analysis are currently being considered. Results of any future analysis will be made publicly available at the earliest opportunity.
The value of the raw data is not affected and can be accessed by accredited researchers in the ONS Secure Research Service
All parties / authors have agreed with this statement.
This final version includes comparisons between the financial position of Welsh-domiciled and English-domiciled students.
Full time students
- Average estimated income was just over £16,300, an increase of 43% compared to 2011/12, reflecting the expansion of the student support package to fund the higher fee regime introduced in 2012.
- Over half received a Welsh Government Learning Grant or Special Support Grant, and more did paid work during term time than in 2011/12.
- Family contributions made up a much lower proportion of income compared with the last survey.
- Average expenditure was just over £18,800 and had increased by 34% since 2011/12. Participation costs had more than doubled.
- Total borrowing averaged just under £7,300 following the first year, just below £15,000 following the second year and just over £19,000 following the third year.
- Whilst the use of commercial credit and arrears increased, although overall borrowing did not change between 2011/12 and 2014/15.
- Due to the Tuition Fee Grant, Welsh-domiciled full-time third year students had lower net debt (borrowing less savings, average £16,500) than English-domiciled students (whose net debt averaged £28,500).
Part-time students
- Average estimated income, at just below £14,000, had also increased since the last survey, but this margin of increase was less than for full-timers, and meant that unlike in 2011/12, part-timers’ income was lower than full-timers’.
- Most part-time students were in continuous paid work and most received social security benefits.
- First year students predicted they would end the year with just under £7,700 of borrowing. Those in their third and higher years of study predicted total borrowing of under £2,900. This borrowing included a substantial component of commercial debt, reliance on which had increased since the 2011/12 survey.
An infographic sets out some headline results. A detailed technical report will shortly be available in the UK Data Archive.
Reports
Student income and expenditure survey, September 2014 to August 2015 , file type: PDF, file size: 12 MB
Student income and expenditure survey, September 2014 to August 2015: summary , file type: PDF, file size: 514 KB
Student income and expenditure survey, September 2014 to August 2015: infographic , file type: PDF, file size: 555 KB
Contact
Sara James
Telephone: 0300 025 6812
Rydym yn croesawu galwadau yn Gymraeg / We welcome calls in Welsh.
Media
Telephone: 0300 025 8099
Rydym yn croesawu galwadau yn Gymraeg / We welcome calls in Welsh.