Teenagers flock to Open University to avoid debt

The soaring cost of higher education has seen the number of young people studying at the Open University (OU) increase by 22 per cent in the last year, according to new figures.

Most of the 18 to 24-year-olds choosing to study at the OU are also holding down a full-time job while they do their course.

Senior academics at the university are now convinced that fears of growing student debt means that the trend is likely to continue in years to come.

Professor Allan Cochrane, the OU's Pro-Vice-Chancellor, said: "One factor is the fees going up across the sector. Everybody knows wherever they go they may have to pay more fees. For many young people, they know they're going to have to work anyway to get extra to make ends meet.

"Studying with the Open University is one way they can do that with a full-time job and maintain their economic status."

The Government is expected to unveil plans that will allow universities to charge top-up fees of up to £4,000 a year in the New Year.

Meanwhile, a report by vice-chancellors earlier this month showed that more than 50 per cent of students admitted that they were handing in poor assignments because of the pressure to go out to work and make ends meet. Two thirds of the students surveyed said they were working more than 11 hours a week.

The OU figures show that the number of 18 to 24-year-olds at the university has shot up from 11,854 last year to 14,459 – almost three times as high as six years ago. Students who opt for this route have far fewer costs because they stay at home.

The Government has been trying to produce a blueprint for the future of higher education, which is due to be published next month. Though the details are still uncertain, ministers are adamant that the cost of university courses will have to rise.

Professor Cochrane said that the applicants, who include many that are going straight from school to OU study, fall into two camps.

"Some are high-flyers who have good qualifications and are holding down a good job that they don't want to leave," he said. "Others may have struggled at school and are disappointed with what they have achieved and are looking for a foundation course to go on to take a degree."

Some of the most popular courses for 18 to 24-year-olds are in business studies or health and social care. The OU believes that its marketing of courses focussed on careers has proved attractive to people in this age group.

Most courses cost about £450 for what is the equivalent of half-time study – cheaper than the £1,075-a-year tuition fees levied by the Government.

For the first time this year the OU advertised in earnest during the clearing process after A-level results had been announced. "It had a spin-off," Professor Cochrane said. "Some of their parents opted for courses, too."