Students ‘working harder’ under 9k fees, survey suggests
Students paying £9,000 fees may be socialising less and working more than their counterparts under the lower-fee regime, new research suggests. According to the National Student Housing Survey 2013, which polled more than 20,000 students between February and May, only 54 per cent of students said they enjoyed socialising in their accommodation compared with 62 per cent last year.
Only 63 per cent of students said they had formed close friendships in accommodation compared with 67 per cent in 2012, while just 36 per cent said there was a strong sense of community among students – down from 43 per cent last year.
The survey supports anecdotal evidence that the 2012-13 cohort of students, the first to be charged fees of up to £9,000, are more focused on their studies than those in previous years given the higher individual investment in their education …