A survey of more than 300 Manchester-based 16-19 year olds in full-time education at all local schools and colleges with a wide social mix - reveals that most are confused by the barrage of news and initiatives on financial support and ignorant about the level of costs and fees they are likely to meet at universities.

The research was a joint project between Manchester Metropolitan University Education Liaison Office and the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA). Its prime purpose was to investigate factors affecting decisions about higher education made by sixth form and further education college students. As well as investigating awareness about financial arrangements in higher education, young people were also questioned about their interest in higher education, plus their main sources of advice and guidance.

Main findings

Financial arrangements

Only 39% of Year 12 and 57% of Year 13 students knew both that they had to pay tuition fees and how much they would be. Even more alarmingly, only 9% of Year 12 and 30% of Year 13 students realised that top-up fees are due to come into effect only in 2006 and did not apply to them.

About half of students expecting to be charged fees made unrealistic estimates of how much they would have to pay, with as many expecting to pay more as expecting to pay less.

Most students either underestimated the costs of accommodation and living or didn’t know what they might be.

Awareness of the student loan is reassuringly high, but the numbers expecting a grant of some sort are worrying.

Advice and guidance

The people 16-19 year old students rely on most in choosing which universities to apply to are their friends, but teachers, tutors and parents also exert a strong influence. Advice from personal or form tutors is considered to be more significant than other professional sources such as careers advisers and the Connexions service.

Students also rely heavily on published sources of information (to which they attach greater importance than any person) such as prospectuses, although they look at relatively few before making their choice of university. Web sites and university open days are also rated highly.

Other findings

The research reveals very high levels of interest in higher education, although many young people begin serious investigations about HE options relatively late. The vast majority (88% of year 12 and 92% of year 13) would like to enter higher education and similar numbers are confident, although unrealistically in some cases, of getting a place.

More than 90% of students say they have "parental support". Only 2 out of 216 responses to one of the questionnaires indicated parental opposition to entering higher education.

The majority of young people intend to study at a local higher education institution and live at home with parents. However, this pattern may not be typical of other areas of the UK as there are more HEIs in the Greater Manchester area than any other UK city other than London.

The perceived relevance of higher education to career development is very high, with 94% rating it as important, although only half had any idea what that career might be.

Investigation of the reasons why some students do not take up offers of places at universities was carried out by Manchester Metropolitan University`s student adviser team through telephone interviews. Although numbers were small (this was not part of the main research project) financial factors were the most frequently cited reason for withdrawing.

Susan McGrath, Head of Education Liaison at Manchester Metropolitan University and project co-leader comments on the findings: Ignorance about financial arrangements and the role of friends in advising about higher education were the two findings that most concerned us. The friends they rely on are those still at school or college, not those already in HE. We have found finance to be a major factor in decisions by students not to enter HE. So ready availability of clear, authoritative information is an urgent need.

McGrath points out that the current drive to increase participation rates in higher education makes sharing knowledge and good practice on progression particularly important. She says: Getting progression right is vital. If students don`t get places on the right course, at the right university, they won`t be likely to finish their courses successfully.

Judith Edwards, LSDA`s Regional Director for the north-west and project co-leader adds: It is encouraging to see such enthusiasm for higher education, but worrying that so few young people really appreciate what it will cost or have any idea what kind of career they might be preparing for. The reliance on friends, parents and form tutors for information and advice is also significant, suggesting that the more accessible the source the greater its perceived importance. But the reliance on people who are not trained advice and guidance professionals is a concern. Perhaps we need to consider how to provide accurate information to those from whom they will, in fact, seek it.