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 ……………. 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 ………….. to buy a house for
universities in England and Wales to …………… many years. They even …………. to pay rent on
British students tuition fees. As a result, more a flat, because they have to start paying back
than 80% of students in England and Wales now the student loan when they reach the April after
…………. a student loan in order to go to graduating (or after leaving a course). If you
university. They use the loan to ………… for start to earn over £15,000 a year, the
tuition fees, books and living expenses. government takes ……………. directly from your
Although the interest on student loans is quite monthly salary. Is it any surprise, therefore, that
low, it begins as soon as the student ………… the average British person does not leave their
the loan. parents’ home until they are 30 years old?
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 UK Culture – What's a university education worth?

You might think that a British person with a that there are no loans …………….. for them.
degree will find it easy to get a ……………. 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 ……….. work experience over a piece of Students have always been seen as not having
paper. Like everyone else, graduates usually a lot of money, but “student …………….” is now
have to start at the …………….. and work their ……………… a real problem in the UK. Most
…………….. That can be very frustrating for British students expect to get a loan, part-time
them, since they are often ……………..for the job or summer job. Worse than that, however, is
work they are doing. While at university, they the fact student leaders report there are
had dreams of getting an exciting, challenging increasing numbers of students ……………… to
job. Therefore, life after university ends up being crime to support themselves financially.
quite disappointing for 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 ……………. the money. Even before the More international students come to Britain each
credit crunch started, the BBC stated, 'The year. The British universities ………………….
number of British students at UK universities more and more of the available places to richer
………………. for the first time in recent international students rather than poorer British
history... from 1.97 million in 2007 to 1.96 students. Some British people fear that, one
million last year [2008]’. It looks like the figures day, there won’t be any university places left for
will continue to ……………, since loan British students at all.
companies are now telling some student

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.

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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?

Activity 04
Complete the sentences with vocabulary from the gaps.

1. to …………………..tuition fees
2. to ……………………..for tuition
3. to ……………………the loan
4. to …………………..the student loan
5. to …………………….from university (to finish)
6. to ……………….to buy sth (to be able to buy)
7. “student……………….” is a real problem
8. the loans are ……………………..(easy to get)
9. the figures will continue to …………………..(to fall)
10. the number of students …………………….(has decreased)
11. to be ……………..the money (to have a particular value)
12. to be …………………….for the work (too good)
13. to start at the ………………. and work their way …………
14. to ………………work experience (to assess)
15. a ……………….job (with a high salary)
16. the government takes ………………………from your salary (the act of giving back)
17. students ………………….to pay rent (have problems)
18. poverty is ………………………..a real problem
19. many students ……………………..to crime
20. the universities …………………available places to richer students

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