Student Finance

Students are highly confused by the new university tuition fees and loans system which begins this month, research published today by the Independent Taskforce on Student Finance Information reveals.

Students heading to university this autumn can expect to spend an average £9,250 a year on the cost of living, according to research published on the day A Level results come out.

Fewer students have applied to start university this year says admissions body Ucas, raising concerns it's down to confusion over higher tuition fees.

The communication of student fees has been described as a "national scandal" as a poll shows 59% of people in England feel they have little or no understanding of the new finance system.

With every English university announcing 2012 fee levels today, many will assume the higher the charge, the more money students will repay.

Only one third of pupils correctly understand how the new tuition fees system works, a new survey has revealed.

Schools across the UK are being encouraged to offer financial education lessons with the launch of My Money Week and Teen Cash Class Activity Sheets.

University goers have been warned to beware an increasing number of scam emails purporting to be from the official Student Loans Company (SLC).