Undergraduate degrees won't get you anywhere now.

I've had to do a Ph.D in order to find myself a decent job, but at least I was fully-funded to do my further degree...

Betty, London, UK

I have two degrees and currently temping as graduate jobs are proving to be scarce! In the meantime a ski season seems more likely! At least I'll be able to get some sort of work that enables me to develop all those skills (team work, cleint service etc)! Alternatively, hello Australia!

Elizabeth, Camden, England

Michael:
If you spend £5 a day on lunch = £25 for the 'working week'(!) + £50 a week on food shopping then you should think about diverting some of this towards gym membership.
A computer is a one-off (besides you can get laptops for £400 now) and having a car as an undergrad is ridiculous.

Sarah Foster, London,

Re: Frank, Swindon.

So I am guessing a Conservative government would facilitate higher education participation for the less affluent through their benevolent commitment to public expenditure? I think not.

Will, Manchester,

Re: Frank, Swindon.

So I am guessing that a Conservative government would facilitate higher education participation for the less affluent through their benevolent approach to public expenditure? I think not.

Will, Manchester,

“Young people who go into the workplace thinking the world owes them a living aren't going to do well.”

Employers must also understand that we do not owe them anything. I've turned my back on 'grad schemes' as I refuse to jump through a dozen hoops being left waiting months to be told yes or no!

Adam, Cardiff,

In mu opinion, the best option nw is to temporarily give up you r ambition.Land jobs that could be unrelated to your field of studies.Temping as a sales person or restaurant worker could a choice .At least show that your are nt being complacent

Henry Poong, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I am glad, i dropped out of my law degree and return home to help my family shop in Indonesia. I have to say, being in university is not really good for everyone who seeks employment. I salute the internship of Germany's industry where teenagers are recruited early to train them for work.

ferry, jakarta, indonesia

Some students keep their room over summer as some universities are moving to a semester based timetable. Other students also have cars since public transport is dodgy in some areas.

Car = + 1500
Five pound lunch/day = +1300
Books = +400
Computer = +1000
Lunch 5/day= +1300
Food is more like 50/week

Michael, Edinburgh,

Joe, that is an optimistic rent estimate and could you pls let us know how students should eat on 3 pound 30 pence a day without having to resort to a diet of Tesco 79p white beans?

And how about clothing, transport, books, utility bills, study materials, interning & job hunting costs etc. etc.

Jesse, London, UK

Once again higher education is becoming the preserve of the wealthy. The very politicians who enjoyed free higher education and received maintenance grants are the ones who have introduced fees and decimated grants. Unless, of course, you happen to live in Scotland. Where is the United Kingdom?

Dan, Ilford, Essex

Increasing student debt has also seen a shift in what subjects students choose to study.

More students choose subjects geared towards the financial sector, e.g. economics, etc. due to the potential to earn higher salaries, hence causing a fall in students in other subjects, e.g. engineering.

Ed, Wembley, UK

I can't see where £12,500 a year could possibly come from. As one of the class of 2008 I have not had to pay top-up fees.

I am sure there may be some who manage to accrue such debt, but that cannot be the average surely? My loan was around £4k per year, fees around £1100.

Wil, Nottingham,

Nevermind all you graduates. New Labour has declared war on the middle classes so you are better off on the dole than trying to get a job and earn an honest quid.
Why not have 20 kids and a drug addiction ? Then you will be wealthy ?

frank, swindon, uk

To Joe Sider, it is possible if your uni is in london, especially those of us that were unfortunate to be in central. Average rent is between £100-£150/ week. Even the cheaper halls are £140/week for just a room!! And we have to rent for the full 12months n don't forget transport, food etc.

Roxy, Camden,

Joe Sider: 'grants' don't exist anymore. Many landlords demand rent over summer. And essential travel costs?

Some students are wasteful and irresponsible but I had no parental assistance, no grant, a job throughout (and no tuition fees then) and still graduated in 16.k debt in 02.

Wake up!

Tanya, Derby,

Canada whose economy is still expanding is desperate for qualified immigrants. Plus a free health service, good schools and low cost housing in most areas. Canada is very European in life style, Brits are very welcome, plus a low crime rate. I emigrated five years ago and never regretted it.

Dr Hugh Phillips, Boucherville Quebec, Canada

Eric- law, banking, 'business' etc with no intention of making any contribution to society

I'd say you have a chip on your shoulder. We all need lawyers, banks and the contribution of business- don't we? Your perception that these professions don't contribute to society makes no sense. 1996 IT

Paul Tinker, Henley-on-Thames, UK

By 'soft skills' presumable he means the kind of munbo jumbo that got us into this financial catastrophe?

Don, Leeds, UK

London
1st year halls £140 per week. After that, zone 2/3 area at a comparatively cheap £118 per week. Tuition at £3000 for the first 4 years. Total cost over a 6 year med course: £48000.

Current hours are 8-5 plus nights, with 3 weeks off a year. And I haven't eaten or gotten on a single bus yet.

Matt, London,

History repeats itself: a hundred years ago the British government expanded higher education to compete with Germany's economic successes, but then the huge number of graduates could not get jobs and they emigrated with their skills.

Support business and enterprise, Brown, not the public sector.

J Jenkins, York,

David - Timetables may chop and change through the week but they NEVER go into the evening.
Is your little darling too good for a spot of regular bar work?

Alex West, Warks,

Why take a graduate or school leaver when businesses are able to recruit experienced workers from anywhere in the world? That is after all what globalism is about, the ability for the rich to absolve themselves of responsibility for what ever costs them a penny.

Steve, London, UK

5 years at uni to do medicine, no financial support from parents. 2 night a week job working in a pub. £13,000 debt now for the whole 5 years and now I'm earning as a doctor. How anyone can get £12,500 in debt PER YEAR I don't know. It wasn't like I even lived like a pauper - had a great time!

Name withheld, Nottingham, United Kingdom

I have been working part-time in the careers service of a well-known London university for three years. So far, there is no evidence of 2008 graduates facing a tougher market than previous years' graduates. However, those who only think about going into banking and finance are suffering indeed.

Jamie, London, UK

Our daughter just started last year of degree course. We pay rent & £375 a mth living allowance. She has loan for tuition fees & any extras. She's one of the lucky ones - but we won't be funding anything after she graduates next year. Let's hope she gets a job!

Diane , South Brent,

If the students did medicine,chemistry, physics etc they have my sympathy. However, all too many now just do law, banking, 'business' etc with no intention of making any contribution to society, just of lining their own pockets. I hope that these are now destitute. (1984 physics graduate).

Eric Skelton, Cardiff, Wales

The government needs to make sure that International students return to their home country after studying so that they can't compete with UK graduates. Research and teaching/lecturing positions should only be available to UK citizens to keep UK workers in work. British jobs for British people.

John, London, UK

To parents complaining that they get 'poor value for money as their children only get a few hours lectures per week'....Plenty of time for them to work then!

Eric Skelton, Cardiff, Wales

One has to look at the core problem behind this..inflation...just like house prices rising, so did the debts of the young and the costs of providing education.

Ritchie , strasbourg, france

My advice to recent graduates; move to Central London. I graduated in 2004 and am still not covering interest on my student loan - amounting to £32 a month increase in debt. The Jobs Market in the north cannot deliver. Even with a higher cost of living, London is a better option. Abandon the North.

Mike, 26, Manchester, UK

No, Ian Clarke,

This is the Capitalist System exemplified. One tries to pick up the cheapest competent graduate after they have graduated and picked up some work experience (that in any event they could have done without a degree or instead of doing it)!

Austin Tassletine, South West , UK

When feeling sorry for themselves with their debts students should remember how much pensioners have to live on and how many times they can go out and drink themselves senseless!

John R, Chippenham, Wiltshire

My daughter is in her second year and we have stopped paying for 'digs' @400per month.The 3k per year for Uni is an absolute rip off for 2-2.5 days per week tuition and that is no even consecutive days students cannot provide continous employment for 3-4 days per week to get savvy with money & life

david , northumberland, uK

Today as I drove my daughter to work I noticed a young man, who had obviously been sleeping rough, walking up our prosperous street shivering in the cold. I never expected to see scenes from Dickens in the C21st. Something is very, very wrong with the way we run the world. I expect worse will follow

Chris, London,

I agree with Joe Sider; don't forget they'll have a job over the summer stacking shelves or flipping burgers too. Most people I knew NEVER bought books, we went to the library instead. Lecturers always recommended books they and their mates wrote anyway! Maybe it's times to go back to trades+crafts?

Kevin, Salisbury, UK

"This year's graduates had to pay more than £3,000 a year in tuition fees for the last two years of their degree, so will have higher levels of debt than their predecessors"

That's actually wrong. Those that started a three year course in 2005 and graduated in 08 weren't in the top-up scheme at all

James, London,

So here's the plan Britisher new graduate pals. Fly the coop; you got the degree so now's the moment to walk away. From Britain, all that debt. Before you get sucked into responsibilities. Leave it and retirement will the next opportunity. What’s the downside? So get on the web; "University lecturer, Shanghai". Clean passport, cut rate telephone cards... Seek your fortune in the colonies.

Andrew Milner, Yokohama, Japan

I'm currently on one of HSBC's graduate schemes and I know for a fact that, this year, HSBC is taking on more graduates than ever before. Barclays and Lloyds too no doubt.

Graduates benefit their companies far into the future. Firms cutting back on their graduate schemes must truly be in trouble!

Ian Clarke, London, UK