Young People Continue to Back University and Have No Regrets About Their Decision

Despite growing debate about the value of a degree, the results show that teenagers and their parents still see university – not the ‘university of life’ – as the most powerful route to long-term success.

The survey by the University of Lincoln, carried out by YouGov, assessed the attitudes of 2,000 people from representative samples of 14 to 18 year-olds and parents across the UK.

The results show students and parents still have a high degree of confidence in the potential of higher education to boost life chances and career prospects – with nearly nine in ten parents (87%) and young people (86%) saying they think going to university can help someone achieve long-term success ‘at least a little’.

The belief in long-term benefits has been borne out through a separate survey of Lincoln alumni, which showed almost 90% had no regrets about their decision to go to university, their choice of university or how their career had progressed since finishing their degree. The 500 respondents included graduates from the past three decades.

However, while confidence in the value of a degree is high, belief that university is a realistic option varies sharply by region, income and family background.

The data suggests a North-South divide in young people’s belief that university is a realistic option for them, reflecting trends in university application and entry rates nationally. In the North, 41% of teenagers said people in other regions had more chance of going to university, whilst just 13% of young people in the South felt that way.

The University of Lincoln has launched a major new campaign to champion higher education, highlighting the unique experiences of its students and the impact getting a degree has on the future successes of people from all walks of life.

Lincoln’s Welcome to the University of No Regrets campaign seeks to give young people the confidence to make a ‘no regrets’ choice about going to university and choosing Lincoln. Spotlighting real experiences from students and graduates, the campaign highlights the supportive community, quality teaching, and student lifestyle Lincoln offers, challenging myths and misconceptions to present an optimistic view on what university can be.

Professor Neal Juster, Vice Chancellor at the University of Lincoln, said: “University is one of the most powerful engines for social mobility we have and it’s vital that young people from all backgrounds and parts of the UK believe it’s a feasible option for them, if they have the ability and desire to go.  

“This new research shows teenagers and their families still believe firmly in the power of higher education to transform lives but that some feel those benefits are more likely to be experienced by others based on where they live or how affluent they are.  

“At Lincoln, we’ve been widening access to university for decades and the stories of our graduates — many of them the first in their family to get a degree — illustrate powerfully the profound impact university has on individual lives and whole communities.”  

Alisha Hayes, who graduated from the University of Lincoln with a degree in Law in 2023 and is now a trainee solicitor, said: “University enabled me to take paths that I otherwise would have never been able to take.”

Thomas White, who graduated from Lincoln’s BSc Biology course in 2023, is pursuing a science research career as a PhD researcher in vaccine development. He said studying at Lincoln changed ‘everything’: “It gave me independence, allowed me to meet new friends and fostered my love for research that I still have to this day.”

Ninety seven per cent of Lincoln’s new undergraduates come from state school backgrounds and one in five are from low participation neighbourhoods. Nine out of ten recent graduates are in work or further study 15 months after completing their course, and almost four in five are working in roles which fit with their future plans.