Students pick poverty over getting in debt

Published on 27/01/2009 08:39

STUDENTS across Scotland would rather be short of cash than get into debt, according to new research.

Scotland's Colleges surveyed more than 1000 students, including those at Edinburgh's Telford College, Jewel and Esk, Stevenson and West Lothian College.

It found three-quarters of those currently receiving student loans would prefer to avoid debt, even if this meant having less income to live on.

The survey also found that money is by far the biggest concern for Scotland's college students and that more than half of all students do not understand how decisions were made to calculate their funding and support.

Sue Pinder, lead principal for Scotland's Colleges, said: "This report is the first in a long time to focus exclusively on the financial position and concerns of students. It has found concerns about money are by far the biggest consideration for students in our colleges, and it is therefore of the utmost importance that we address this."