A university education has real benefits for students but we recognise that there are costs too.
With thousands of first-year students starting their courses this week, here are three things that people studying at a Russell Group university get for the time (and money) they are investing in their future.
A first-class student experience:
Our members work hard to ensure students benefit from excellent teaching that is informed by world-leading research.
Russell Group universities are home to lecturers and researchers who are world-leading in their fields.
Our members employ more academic staff than the average higher education institution and students from every background are more likely to complete their programmes of study:
On average, Russell Group universities have double the number of academic staff members per student compared to other UK universities.
96% of students continue after the first year at our universities compared to 92% at other universities.
One in three students at Russell Group universities receive some form of financial support.
Russell Group students starting their courses this year will benefit from £1.85bn of investment in new facilities that has taken place over the last five years.
Outstanding graduate outcomes:
Russell Group graduates are in high demand in the workforce and official figures show that employers are willing to pay a premium for them too:
A recent global survey ranked 14 Russell Group institutions in the world top 100 for graduate employability, and 21 in the top 200. Our universities are world leaders when it comes to preparing their undergraduates for the world of work.
95% of Russell Group university respondents were in employment or further study three and a half years after graduation and 90% were satisfied with their career.
Of those graduates in employment, 80% of leavers with a first degree from a Russell Group university were in professional employment compared to 68% for other universities.
Russell Group graduates in full-time employment can expect to earn a median salary of £30,000 per year, compared with a sector median of £27,000.
State-of-the-art facilities:
Whether we are talking about libraries, laboratories or sports, our members are always working hard to improve the state-of-the-art facilities they are able to offer to students.
Since 2012, our universities have invested £930 million in teaching and research facilities, and £920 million on student accommodation, sports and social facilities, libraries and IT.
