Teenagers are rushing to enroll in courses at the Open University so they can live at home and deal with the rising cost of living.
According to OU statistics, the number of 18 and 19-year-olds choosing to study from home has increased by 17% over the last five years, and university leaders have seen an increase in interest in their distance-learning programs.
Another study indicated that 83% of adults over 30 who are still in school are anxious about managing their living expenses this fall, up from 67% of students in higher education.
The poll by Universities UK, which represents 140 educational institutions, found 55 per cent of concerned students feared rising costs might prevent them from completing their studies.
OU student Kianna Graham, 21, of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, said: ‘I need to stay and study at home because I can work at the same time. Especially with the prices of transport going up too, this is the best option for me.
‘I have friends who don’t know how they’re going to cope with living away from home.’