First year students spend an average of £2,000 in advance of starting university, according to a new report by UCAS Media, with the majority of purchases coming in August and September.
However, prospective students start researching items they might purchase for university months in advance of receiving their results – and even in advance of taking exams.
It’s all about the money, money, money
Despite Gen Z being recognised as the prudent, risk-averse generation, smoking and drinking less, watching less TV, and caring for the environment, they have been outed as enthusiastic spenders during their academic years, with some of their top picks being celebratory drinks, takeaway food, and nights out.
But not all financial decisions are luxurious buys to celebrate enrolment and graduation. Students were found to spend big on laptops, bags, and course material. Additionally, 30% of first-year students said they regretted not buying items with a certain practicality, such as kitchenware, stationery items, and season-appropriate clothing.
More than 22,000 students were surveyed to gather the data for the Spend lifestyle report, including over 8,100 first-year students.