UK Culture – What's a university education worth?

Introduction
This support pack accompanies the audio file 'What's a university education worth?'. To listen to the
audio file, go to:
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/uk-culture/whats-university-education-worth

This support pack contains the following materials:

• a pre-listening vocabulary activity

• the transcript of the audio file
• a comprehension activity
• a vocabulary activity

Before you listen

Activity 01
Use the words and phrases in the table to complete the sentences below.

a. challenging b. having a career

c. interest d. repayment
e. salary f. struggle
g. student loan h. summer job
i. tuition fees j. wage

1. difficult but rewarding

2. extra money paid on a loan or bank savings
3. fight
4. getting a better job or salary within a company over time
5. money a student pays to a university
6. money borrowed from a bank or finance company
7. money paid back on a loan
8. money paid for a week’s work
9. regular monthly or annual pay packet
10. work between academic years

Transcript

Every year, it costs British students more and The average student in England and Wales now
more to attend university. Students are graduates from university with debts of around
graduating with larger and larger debts. So is a £12,000. Students of medicine, who study for
university degree really worth it? longer, usually have debts of more than
£20,000. That is a lot of money. It means
In 2006, the UK government started to allow graduates cannot afford to buy a house for
universities in England and Wales to charge many years. They even struggle to pay rent on a
British students tuition fees. As a result, more flat, because they have to start paying back the
than 80% of students in England and Wales now student loan when they reach the April after
take out a student loan in order to go to graduating (or after leaving a course). If you
university. They use the loan to pay for tuition start to earn over £15,000 a year, the
fees, books and living expenses. Although the government takes repayments directly from your
interest on student loans is quite low, it begins monthly salary. Is it any surprise, therefore, that
as soon as the student receives the loan. the average British person does not leave their
parents’ home until they are 30 years old?
Page 1 of 3
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
 UK Culture – What's a university education worth?

You might think that a British person with a that there are no loans available for them.
degree will find it easy to get a well paid job. Forecasts are that between 2009-19 there will
However, most people in “white-collar jobs” be fall of 6% in the number of 18-25 year-old
seem to have a degree these days, so there is a university applicants across the UK.
lot of competition. Also, British companies tend
to value work experience over a piece of paper. Students have always been seen as not having
Like everyone else, graduates usually have to a lot of money, but “student poverty” is now
start at the bottom and work their way up. That considered a real problem in the UK. Most
can be very frustrating for them, since they are British students expect to get a loan, part-time
often over-qualified for the work they are doing. job or summer job. Worse than that, however, is
While at university, they had dreams of getting the fact student leaders report there are
an exciting, challenging job. Therefore, life after increasing numbers of students turning to crime
university ends up being quite disappointing for to support themselves financially.
a lot of graduates.
By contrast, things are now easier for students
All of the above is beginning to make British from other countries coming to study in the UK,
people question whether a university degree is since the value of the British pound has fallen.
really worth the money. Even before the credit More international students come to Britain each
crunch started, the BBC stated, 'The number of year. The British universities offer more and
British students at UK universities has fallen for more of the available places to richer
the first time in recent history... from 1.97 million international students rather than poorer British
in 2007 to 1.96 million last year [2008]’. It looks students. Some British people fear that, one
like the figures will continue to decline, since day, there won’t be any university places left for
loan companies are now telling some student British students at all.

After listening

Activity 02
Decide if each of the statements about the text are true or false.

1. More than three quarters of all university students in England and Wales borrow money to study
2. Students tend to buy a house soon after graduating
3. Paying back a student loan is always voluntary
4. A degree gives people an advantage when applying for white collar jobs
5. Graduates often feel their first job doesn’t live up to their expectations
6. Numbers of British university students began to decline after the credit crunch
7. Students sometimes break the law to finance their studies
8. More international students are coming to Britain because the UK currency is weaker

Activity 03
Complete the sentences using vocabulary from the preparation activity.

1. We will lend you £3,000, which you will need to repay with .................... of 3% after three years.
2. Paying my fees every year has been a constant .....................
3. With such a small loan, I don’t know if I’ll be able to pay the .....................
4. I’ve got a good job, but I just wish the work was more .....................
5. When term ends, I’ll have to get .................... just to make ends meet.
6. The .................... is £140 a week, but it’s cash-in-hand, so you don’t pay tax.

Page 2 of 3
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
 UK Culture – What's a university education worth?

Answers

Activity 01
1. a; 2. c; 3. f; 4. b; 5. i; 6. g; 7. d; 8. j; 9. e; 10. h

Activity 02
1. True – 80%
2. False – graduates cannot afford to buy a house for many years
3. False – If …the government takes repayments directly from your salary
4. False – …there is a lot of competition…British companies tend to value work experience over a piece
of paper
5. True – life after university ends up being quite disappointing
6. False – Even before the credit crunch…the number of British students… has fallen
7. True – …there are increasing numbers of students turning to crime
8. True - …since the value of the British pound has fallen

Activity 03
1. interest; 2. struggle; 3. tuition fees; 4. challenging; 5. summer job; 6. wage

Page 3 of 3
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.