University Options

This article aims to provide you with answers to important questions about the many benefits of going to university, as well as how much it will cost you. In general, despite the increasing costs, going to university should be a fantastic experience and will benefit you in terms of lifetime earnings and future career prospects, but this is not true for everyone. In addition, going to university is not necessarily the best choice for all students and there are a host of other options out there.

Most students join Westminster Tutors because they are clear in their goal of securing the best university place possible and this is one of our college’s greatest strengths – our university destinations are second to none! Our students are lucky enough to receive expert advice which helps them find the degree course and university that is really right for them. Students often get back in touch with us to let us know how well they have done on their degrees and in their future careers.

For students who don’t want to go to university or want to explore other options we are able to offer high quality personal advice on other training and career opportunities.

What will I actually get out of university?

The most important answer to this question is that you won’t just get a qualification! Going to university offers a host of new experiences which are personally enriching as well as contributing to your future career. Most likely you will get the opportunity to live in a different part of the country, gain your first taste of independence, try out new activities and have the chance to meet a far wider range of people.

In addition, being at university gives you the opportunity to develop a multitude of soft skills which employers value, including working to deadlines, written and spoken communication, problem-solving, research skills, critical thinking, teamwork and leadership.

Overall, university should be an exciting and inspiring experience, but if you feel it is just not for you don’t feel you ought to go as there may be much better ways for you to thrive and be successful.

Am I passionate about my chosen degree course subject?

This is a vital question that you should ask yourself before you start a degree course: you are going to spend at least three years focusing on a particular subject and it will be a long, hard slog if you don’t enjoy what you are studying. In addition, you are unlikely to do well on your degree if you don’t enjoy it as you just won’t have the motivation.

When you finish university the class of your degree can influence your employment and postgraduate study prospects as sometimes a first class or 2:1 degree is required. This means your university degree needs to set you up for future success.

Students often forget the importance of truly enjoying their university studies in their haste to do what they, or what their parents, think they should do. If your degree course has requirements in other areas (for example a certain grade in Maths or English GCSE, or a certain grade in related A levels) it is because these subjects will also be required at university level.

If you have scraped through with the minimum required grade, it might turn out that your degree course is too challenging and, frankly, a bit of a nightmare to get through. A prime example of this is Psychology as degree level study involves a lot of work with statistics. And if you are struggling to hit the A level grades in Biology and Chemistry, then studying Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science are probably not wise university choices.

Meanwhile, students who can see the beauty of Maths and are passionate are the ones who will thrive at university. And students who can think of nothing better than spending many a long hour reading will love having a chance to study English Literature, History or Philosophy at university.

Will university help my long-term career goals?

If you want to pursue certain careers then a degree is pretty much essential, especially for areas like Medicine etc. This is also true for Engineering and having some kind of degree is generally necessary for Law, although you do not have to do a Law degree.

However, there are now a host of alternative routes to gaining a degree or the necessary professional qualifications without going to university. For example, for careers in Law it is possible to do the SQE (Solicitors Qualifying Exams) without a degree, but the reality is that you will need a degree level of legal knowledge to pass. And in terms of becoming a doctor, the government is now piloting Medical Doctor Degree Apprenticeships.

On a broader spectrum, if you are ambitious in terms of your career, many employers do still look to employ graduates without necessarily requiring a degree in a specific subject. However, the playing field is being levelled with some big companies using ‘blind’ applications, where they do not know whether an applicant is a graduate or not, but the soft skills which are assessed during recruitment are developed at university, so graduates may well perform better.

Will a university degree help me improve my lifetime earnings?

In short, the answer to this question is yes. On average graduates’ net lifetime earnings are around 20% higher, although the details may shock you. An extensive study in 2020 found that the difference in lifetime earnings between graduates and non-graduates was £430K for men and £260K for women. Yes, you did read that right.

The shocking difference between what male and female graduates earn on average is due to various factors. Firstly, the gender pay gap persists despite efforts to reduce it. Secondly, women’s careers and earnings may be affected by needing to take time out for childcare or perhaps ageing parents later in their career. Thirdly, there is probably still a tendency for men and women to study certain kinds of subjects, for example careers in STEM are much more highly paid but nurses are lowly paid.

You also need to consider that graduates, both male and female, need to repay student loans and are more likely to pay the higher rate of tax at 40% instead of 20%. If these factors are taken into account, the difference in lifetime earnings lowers to around £130K for male graduates and £100K for female graduates.

Could what I study at university make a difference to my future earnings?

Yes, statistically, what you study makes a big difference to your future earning potential and hence whether your degree represents an investment. Studying Medicine, Law or Economics are the subjects which lead to the highest paying careers, while Computing, Pharmacology, Engineering and Education give good returns regardless of gender.

Sadly, degrees and careers with a greater proportion of women add much less value, with subjects like Nursing, Psychology and English making no difference in earnings, while the Creative Arts and Social Care make negative returns, i.e. the degree costs more than the value added to their earnings. Men also have a negative return if they opt for degrees and career paths that tend to have more women.

However, thinking only about financial returns and future earnings reduces your time at university to a financial transaction, while life at university offers a myriad of other benefits in terms of personal fulfilment, making new friends and gaining wider experiences. If it’s right for you, university will be an enriching experience!

Does the university I go to affect my future earnings?

According to the same broad statistical research carried out in 2020 the university you go to is likely to affect your future earnings. In terms of lifetime earnings, male graduates from the 24 prestigious Russell Group universities get the highest lifetime earnings at a staggering average added value of £480K, followed by men who study at traditional ‘redbrick’ universities which are not Russell Group. This is followed by female Russell Group graduates who at the age of 30 have the next highest earnings, but later in life for women it starts to average out between those who did and did not attend Russell Group universities.

In general for women, about 75% will add to their lifetime earnings by going to university. This means that for a quarter of women, their degree costs more than it will ever benefit them financially. For both men and women, going to the least selective universities adds little or no value to lifetime earnings.

I do want to go to university but how much will it cost me?

In 2025, university tuition fees increased to £9,535 per year in England and Wales so your degree tuition fees alone will cost nearly £30K for a three-year degree and more if your degree is longer.

If you take out a student loan for tuition fees (this is not means tested and is open to everyone), you will need to repay it by deductions from your earnings with interest also accruing. You only need to repay if you earn enough, but the likelihood is that you will still be paying off your student loan when you are starting to wonder if you can get your foot on the property ladder.

If you are resident in Scotland and apply to Scottish universities fees are just £1,820 per year and you do not need to repay them, although you need to make an application each year. Scotland is therefore unique in the UK as Scottish students are still able to gain a university degree free of charge.

How much will my living costs be while I am at university?

Apart from tuition fees, the biggest cost is student accommodation. In London accommodation alone may cost around £14K a year, while for the whole of the UK the average is closer to £8K. On top of that you need to add your living costs for food, clothes, books, travel and everyone needs just a little bit of a social life. It’s no surprise that the ‘bank of mum and dad’ almost always needs to make some contribution, and for many a part time job is essential to help cover living costs.

If your family are on a low income you may get a grant for living costs but it will still be tight. The grant will probably just about cover your accommodation but very little else. For students living away from parents in London the maximum grant is £14K, and for students living away from their parents outside London the maximum grant is just under £9K.

While London holds a massive appeal, it is worth considering that you may have a far better quality of life (and more fun!) if you go to university elsewhere. The other option is of course to live at home, but that means you miss out on some opportunities to make friends in student halls etc. as well as your first experience of independent living.

Is doing an apprenticeship cheaper than going to university?

Yes, an apprenticeship is much cheaper as you are paid a basic salary while you complete the apprenticeship and your training is also paid for. The minimum apprenticeship wage in 2024 was £6.40 an hour but some competitive or degree apprenticeships provide salaries well over £20K.

Generally, apprenticeships involve four days on the job, where you are gaining experience, and one day of study for which you will complete a work-based portfolio. Degree apprenticeships can involve being full time at university and then doing internships at the company over vacations.

You also won’t be burdened by student loans if you secure an apprenticeship and, if you are a good match, you are more than likely to progress onto a better paid job with your apprenticeship provider. However, it is worth bearing in mind that apprenticeships may train you for one very specific career path since they are a great way for employers to fill skills gaps: this might mean you have closed down some of the wider graduate opportunities in the jobs market.

Should I go to university?!

In the end, this is a choice you must make for yourself, but the wisest thing you can do is ask yourself whether you can see yourself enjoying your time at university and whether you have a heartfelt and genuine interest in your chosen degree course. If the answer to both of these questions is a resounding yes, then success at university and most likely success in a relevant career will follow as surely as night follows day.

It’s unsurprising given what it now costs to study at university that students and their families increasingly regard university as an investment, which in turn puts pressure on financial considerations and career prospects when choosing a degree course. But if you are choosing solely on the basis of career prospects, then perhaps it would be better to do a degree apprenticeship or start work so that you have time to work out what you really want to do in life.

Don’t just go to university because you, or your parents, think you ought to. Go when the time is right and get the maximum possible benefits from everything university has to offer!

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