The UK is experiencing a “distinct wave” of public scepticism about the value of going to university, according to a survey of attitudes across 31 countries.
The nation is the least likely of all those polled to consider university degrees essential or good value, the 2026 Ipsos Education Monitor finds.
It follows findings by the British Social Attitudes Survey, which suggested earlier this year that the proportion of the general public in England who believe a degree is not good value for money has hit a record high.
While people in places such as Argentina and Singapore believe strongly that degrees are worth the cost, just 28 per cent of Brits told pollsters that degrees in their country merit the money spent on them.
“While higher education remains the default route to career opportunity globally, public opinion across Great Britain has diverged significantly from international norms,” the Ipsos findings report.
