Currently, a graduate leaves university with an average debt of over £50,000.


The point at which you begin to repay this debt it currently determined by how much you're earning (and not how much you've borrowed). An apprentice starts to earn as soon as they embark on their placement.


Since April 2025, the minimum hourly rate for an apprentice is £7.55 (for a minimum of 30 hours a week and a maximum of 48, or 40 for under-18s). n most cases, it is a minimum apprenticeship wage and a lot of companies will pay above this hourly rate. There are no tuition fees to pay for the learning and training that you do as an apprentice, and the earnings are paid directly to you as a wage or salary.


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Do you see yourself moving away to learn or staying at home to earn (and learn)?


It’s still, though, not a straightforward, cut-and-dried question of whether to earn or learn, apprentices are expected to learn on the job and there is a high chance this will involve an amount of study. Similarly, the majority of undergraduates take on paid work in the holidays


and often during term time outside of timetable hours, depending on the demands of their course. It's worth remembering that gaining even the smallest amount of real-life experience from even a Saturday job cannot be underestimated in terms of useful skills it will transfer. While the world of work isn't just about money, it's something you'll want to consider whether as a student or a student-apprentice.


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