Each year, we ask students how money is shaping their university experience – and impacting their mental health.
This year, we spoke with 1,500 students from across the UK to learn more about their thoughts, feelings, and experiences to discover the financial reality of being a student in 2025. Based on their responses, this report explores the gap between what students have and what they need.
In this special anniversary edition, we’ve also explored five years’ worth of data – and uncovered trends in student financial wellbeing to show you where students need additional support.
Our findings have revealed some troubling truths:
- 72% of students feel hopeless about their financial situation
- Almost 70% of students across the UK believe that their financial worries will lead to a lower grade at the end of their degree
- 57% of students have experienced feeling too hungry or cold to study.
However, as nearly 80% of students are confident that attending university is worth the cost despite tuition fee rises, our data shows that there are areas of nuance.
What’s covered in this free report?
- The reality of students’ finances in 2025
- Trends over the past five years of data
- Conversation starters to help you to take action
Who is the report for?
This report is for:
- Both academic and professional staff in universities and colleges at all levels – from leadership to junior colleagues
- HR and talent specialists leading student-focused activity like internships, graduate recruitment, and degree apprenticeships
- Policymakers, politicians, and anyone making decisions about the future of Higher Education in the UK
- Teachers and support staff in schools and academies considering how their pupils may need preparation for university life
- Any professional with an interest in the wellbeing and outcomes of current students and future generations.
