{{first_name}} Stop Wasting Years and Thousands on a Degree That Might Not Get You a Job

Good morning {{first_name}}

This is what we’re talking about today: university in the UK and whether it’s actually worth it anymore. This one will be a long newsletter so grab a cup of tea and relax.

My opinion is simple

For most people, I don’t think going to university is the best move

Not because uni is useless

Not because people who go are wrong

But because too many people go without thinking and the cost is bigger than they realise

Most people treat uni like the default move: school → uni → degree → success

A lot of people don’t even go to uni because they want to

They go because it’s what everyone around them assumes you should do

That’s backed up by official stats showing a lot of graduates just drift into the path rather than choosing it with purpose

You spend years studying

You pay a lot of money

You leave with a piece of paper that says you’re “qualified”

Then you try to get a job

And many people still struggle

Official UK data shows that “59% of graduates from 2022/23 say they are in full-time employment 15 months after leaving higher education”

So even after graduating only about six in ten graduates are in full-time work not long after finishing (graduateoutcomes.ac.uk)

That means lots of people with degrees are either in part-time work, doing more study, or still searching for stable employment

At the same time, life is getting expensive

Tax takes more

Weekly food shopping costs more

Rent and bills keep rising

None of that waits for you to graduate

Here’s what a typical student spends in the UK (monthly averages):

Total: ~£1,100+ a month just to live

And that doesn’t count tuition fees in England which are around £9,500 a year

After university (adult life costs):

Total: Easily £1,800–£2,500+ a month depending where you live

Even if you have the money for uni, the time cost is huge

Years where you could be building skills, earning, or starting something real

After uni, bills are only higher

A degree doesn’t magically pay them

Now, some people say

“I have the money, so uni isn’t a problem”

Fair enough

If you can afford it, the stress is lower

But you’re still paying a price

That price is time

Three years

Sometimes more

Time you never get back

If you’re getting real value skills you’ll actually use, a clear path, real experience then go ahead

That can be worth it

But if you’re just there because it’s the next step, that’s where the cost becomes too high

Time is the most valuable thing you have

With that same time and even that same money you could

Let’s be clear about one thing

Manchester Metropolitan University is one of the best for local careers and community ties

And big names like Cambridge University are known across the UK and world

They’re both legitimate places to study and they can be good for the right person

But just because a university is well known doesn’t mean everyone needs to go there

Not every course leads to a job that pays well or matches what you studied

A degree can help

But it isn’t the only way to learn

And it’s definitely not the only way to succeed

I’m not saying don’t go to uni

If your future truly needs it, and you know exactly why you’re there, then it can be the right move

But don’t go by default

Here’s the one thing that matters most

University is a tool not a promise

If it gives you real value, use it

If it doesn’t, the time cost alone makes it expensive

Choose your path on purpose

Talk soon {{first_name}}

Yousaf

Sources/Data mentioned:

“59% of graduates from 2022/23 say they are in full-time employment 15 months after leaving higher education”

(graduateoutcomes.ac.uk)• Student living costs UK

“The average student’s living costs are about £1,142 a month”(savethestudent.org)

• Breakdown details (rent, groceries) based on Student Money Survey 2025 (savethestudent.org)

Summary

Uni can help some people, but it’s not automatically worth it

Most students spend over £1,100 a month while studying, face years of time costs, and only around 6 in 10 grads get full-time work soon after finishing

Think about whether the degree gives real value for your time or if there’s a better path to building skills, experience, and income