Graduates keen to make degrees count - graduate jobs

The value of getting off on the right career path has never been greater for graduates after a new report said that students are increasingly concerned about repaying commercial loans they had taken out.

The National Union of Students (NUS) in Scotland said that more support needs to be made available to students at universities and further education colleges after a survey outlined the costs of borrowing money from banks and credit card companies.

The NUS survey found that over half (52%) of students surveyed had taken out commercial loans. Around two-thirds (67%) owed money to family and friends, while 61% had a student loan. Just under a third (31%) owed money to all three.

Low interest rates are beneficial for students repaying the Student Loans Company, but there are concerns that interest rates on money owed to banks and credit card companies remained "comparatively high".

The poll of 6,217 students from 18 higher education institutions and 21 further education colleges in Scotland found that 44% of university undergraduates, 38% of postgraduates and 31% of college students cited commercial loans as their "biggest concern".