Many Students skipping class to pay for studies

40% can't afford university without a part-time job A third of college and university students are missing lectures in order to work part-time, as rising university costs force them to pay their way through their studies.

A recent study of 1,000 students, by home shopping firm Kleeneze, also found that 40% of students questioned said they couldn’t afford to go to university without a part-time job and that one in ten had to take on two jobs around their studies. Almost a third (29%) of those questioned expect to have more than £20,000 in debt when they graduate and 31% expect to move back in with their parents.

Jamie Stewart, managing director for Kleeneze, said: “As the cost of going to university continues to rise, students are reliant on part-time jobs to supplement their student loans. “However, traditional student jobs often don’t provide the flexibility they need, which leaves them with a difficult juggling act to deal with and it’s prompted some to look at alternative earning opportunities. “We’ve seen enquiries from 18 to 20 year olds increase more than ten-fold in the last year as a result. Many are signing up to become Kleeneze distributors, because they want to control the hours they work and their earnings.”

The survey also revealed that 46% of students would like to be their own boss when they finish university and a fifth of those polled had been inspired by shows such as Dragon’s Den to become an entrepreneur. Jamie added: “There seems to be a real ambition in today’s students to run their own business. At Kleeneze we give people the opportunity to work for themselves, with the support of our network behind them. It’s given some of our student distributors a taste for being their own boss and some have gone on to work for Kleeneze full time after graduating.”

The survey of 1000 students was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Kleeneze.