Students' debt depression

Money worries are leading to soaring levels of clinical depression among undergraduates, new research reveals.

Their misery has a serious impact on their academic performance - putting many on course for a 2.2 rather than a 2.1 degree.

The ground-breaking study - the first ever to look at links between student debt, depression and exam results - suggests many bright undergraduates are not achieving their potential because of the growing financial burdens of study.

Student groups reacted with dismay today, warning that many students were buckling under the strain of juggling academic work with part-time jobs.

They fear the introduction of top-up fees - charging students up to £3,000 a year for their courses - will mean even more young people succumb to anxiety and depression.

Student debt is soaring in Britain, with graduates from London universities owing an average of £15,000 by the end of their final year.

Last year, 900 students filed for bankcruptcy in a bid to escape their debts.

The study measured levels of depression and anxiety among young people before

they started university, and mid-way through their courses.

By the end of their second year, the average exam mark among students who had money worries and were depressed was 58 per cent, a 2.2.

The average mark among those who had no cash concerns was just under 62 per cent - a

An NUS spokesman said: "These figures are very worrying, and the situation is only going to get worse with top-up fees. The strain on students who are struggling to get essays in on time at the same time as find the money to pay their bills, is immense.

"It is not surprising that many end up suffering from anxiety and depression, and that this affects their marks."