Student Income and Expenditure Survey 2011/12: Welsh-domiciled Students

This report shows data for earnings from work, income from family and friends, student spending, savings, borrowing and debts.

Key points:

• Full-time student income during the academic year fell by 15 per cent in real terms between 2007/08 and 2011/12.
• Average total income for all full-time students was £10,730 and £11,555 for all part-time students.
• Income from state-funded sources of student support has broadly kept pace with inflation and remained stable over time.
• Income from paid work and family accounts for a lower proportion of income over time, increasing the importance of state financial support for full-time students.
• A greater proportion (39 per cent) of part-time students said that the availability of funding and financial support had affected their decisions about higher educationin some way. A substantial increase from those affected in 2007/08.
• The average total expenditure (including tuition fees) for full-time students was £13,591 and £18,236 for part-time students. Full-time students were spending proportionally more over time on housing and participation costs.
• 'Net debt’ levels (i.e. borrowings less savings) among comparable students have increased since the previous survey. For full-time students this has been driven by an increase in borrowings.
• There was no significant difference in the level of full-time student income or spending between Welsh and English-domiciled students.
• Welsh part-time students average income was considerably lower than those of English-domiciled part-time students.
• Both Welsh-domiciled full-time and part-time students earned considerably less than their English counterparts.