Martin Lewis: Student Loans Decoded

"Student finance has long been a political hot potato. The venom spat across the House of Commons has led to widespread confusion and misunderstanding.

"Schools need to replace the politics with the practical. Only by understanding the true cost of going to university can students and their parents objectively decide if it's right for them. While some rightly choose not to go to university due to the cost, many reject it based on financial myths. That's tragic.

"Too many are put off by the high price tag on tuition fees, and the overall 'debt' figure they're left with, even though that bears little resemblance to what they actually repay. Too few consider the greater challenge of affording to live while studying. Last year, we launched our Student Loans Decoded lesson-length programme – we've had great feedback, but many teachers wanted more.

"So now, together with the Young Money charity, we've created a linked teacher guide, mapped to the financial education planning framework, to make the lesson planning even easier. And as it's received the Young Money quality mark – a stamp of approval for financial education – you can be assured that it meets all the requirements for your classes."