調查指出:英國大學生畢業時平均欠債4.4萬英鎊

The Sutton Trust says those who graduated from English universities last year - under the 9,000 pounds fees regime - owed an average of 44,000 pounds. The average debts in other English-speaking countries ranged between approximately 15,000 pounds and 29,000 pounds.

日前，薩頓基金會表示，按照每年9000英鎊的學費制度，去年從英國大學畢業的學生平均欠債金額約爲44000英鎊。其他英語國家的平均債務約爲15000英鎊到29000英鎊。

The Sutton Trust says on average American Graduates owe between $29,000 (20,500 pounds), for students at public or private non-profit universities, and $32,600, for those at private for-profit universities.

該基金會表示，美國公立或私立非盈利性大學的畢業生平均欠債約爲29000美元，而私立的盈利性大學畢業生平均欠債爲32600美元。

Students who left Canadian universities last year were on average 15,000 pounds in debt, those leaving Australian institutions were 20,900 pounds in debt, and graduates from New Zealand universities owed on average 23,300 pounds.

去年，加拿大畢業生的平均欠款爲15000英鎊，澳大利亞畢業生爲20900英鎊，而新西蘭的大學畢業生的平均欠款數額則爲23300英鎊。

Sir Peter Lampl, who chairs the Sutton Trust, said: "These debt levels are by far the highest in the English-speaking world and are more than double average debt levels at universities in the United States, where students study for four-year programmes, rather than three. They impact on the ability of graduates to go to graduate schools, to afford a mortgage, the timing of having children and other major life decisions."

薩頓基金會主席蘭普爾·彼得爵士表示：“到目前爲止，英國大學畢業生的債務水平是所有英語國家及地區裏最高的，比美國畢業生平均債務水平的兩倍還要多，而美國大學的學制爲四年而不是三年。這些債務會影響畢業生上研究院、負擔抵押貸款、養育孩子的時間以及其他重要的生活決策。”

"The cost of going to university has become so expensive that more young people should seriously consider higher level apprenticeships, preferably to degree level. By choosing this route, they will earn while they learn, incur less debt, and develop skills which are greatly valued in the workplace." he added.

他還補充說道：“上大學的成本太高了，以至於更多的年輕人應該認真考慮更高層次的學徒制，而非學位制。通過走這種路徑，他們可以邊學習邊賺錢，減少學費債務並提高對工作有價值的技能。”

A BIS spokesman said: "More people than ever before are now able to benefit from higher education, and the application rate for students from disadvantaged backgrounds is at a record level. Graduates only pay back on earnings above 21,000 pounds and enjoy a considerable wage premium of 9,500 pounds per year."

國際清算銀行的一名發言人表示：“和以往任何時候相比，現在更多的人能夠從高等教育中受益，來自弱勢背景的學生申請率達到了創紀錄的水平。不過，大學畢業生就業後年收入達21000英鎊以上纔會開始償還學生貸款，並享受每年9500英鎊的工資溢價。”