A new poll has show that only a third of students and recent graduates go to university to earn more money. 

Polling conducted by ComRes revealed that students believe there are more important factors for going to university, including the subject they study (56%) and to simply enjoy studying and learning (48%).

The survey also showed the benefits of going to university for bringing people together with different viewpoints and backrounds. Nearly nine out of 10 agreed that they have met people from diverse backgrounds and with different views to them at university.

In the era of tuition fees, more has been done by the government and universities to promote the financial benefits of going to university. However, eight out of 10 people (79%) believe that more should be done to promote the wider benefits of going to university, regardless of how potential earnings.

Nicola Marsh, Head of Social & Political Research at ComRes, said:

Our research demonstrates that university students and graduates recognise value in the range of benefits gained from attending university, including building independence and confidence, exposure to new experiences, and enjoyment of learning.

Despite the increase in fees and cost of living, students are still overwhelmingly positive about their time at university, with 84% saying they would recommend it as a worthwhile experience.

The survey was commissioned by Universities UK (UUK) ahead of its annual conference. The organisation has recently criticised policymakers for focusing too much on potential earnings.

Speaking ahead of the conference UUK’s President Professor Julia Buckingham said:

Students do not judge the value of universities on their future salaries and neither should policymakers. We should all be asking ourselves if we really want to live in a culture that identifies success by salary alone.

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