UK — The British Social Attitudes survey found in 2025 that 34% of people in the UK believe a university degree is usually not worth the time and money. This is an increase from 2005, when 14% held the same view.
The same survey showed that 36% of respondents believe university graduates end up being financially a lot better off than non-graduates, down from 50% in 2005. The shift in public opinion coincides with rising costs of higher education and changes in the labor market. When tuition fees were introduced in 1998 at £1,000 per year, about 6% of school leavers attended university. By 2025, that figure had risen to 36%, with more than 2 million domestic students enrolled in UK universities. English students now pay up to £9,535 annually in tuition fees.
Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, acknowledged current economic challenges but defended the value of degrees. “There’s no getting away from the fact that it’s a challenging labour market out there for everyone seeking work, not just graduates, which is a reflection of the current economy.” She added, “But the data consistently shows that those with a degree are more likely to have a job, earn more and have better health.” Stern also said, “And a university education doesn’t just benefit the individual. If we want our country to grow, we need more graduates entering the labour market.”
Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, noted that skepticism remains a minority view. “While university still benefits most graduates most of the time, the lack of substantial economic growth means the rewards are not always as great as people hope beforehand.” He added, “However, despite years of negative rhetoric, it is still only one in three people who think university is not worth it.”
Alex Stanley, vice-president for higher education at the National Union of Students, offered a personal perspective shaped by financial strain. “I wouldn’t be in this role without it.” Stanley said, “And it is the experiences I gained, beyond the piece of paper, that make it valuable.” He criticized the current funding model, stating, “But the funding system did not work for me. I had to do three jobs alongside my studies and my grades suffered as a result.” Stanley also described his ongoing debt burden: “And despite not being able to live on the loans I received, I still have over £50,000 of debt which is growing each month despite my repayments.” He concluded, “The funding system is broken, and that is decaying trust in the university model.”
Student loan repayment thresholds in the UK will be frozen for three years starting in 2027, following previous freezes that departed from earlier promises to uprate them with inflation. There is also growing disquiet about above-inflation interest rates charged on student loans. Younger graduates who experienced the tuition fee system are more disillusioned about the value of a university education than those who did not pay fees.