More than half of students in Scotland have skipped a meal due to lack of money, new research has indicated. A total of 52% of the more than 5,000 college and university students and apprentices responding to an NUS Scotland survey said they had missed a meal for this reason.More than two-fifths, 42%, said they had gone without heating through money struggles.
The union surveyed 5,306 students and apprentices across Scotland online in November for their latest cost of survival report, published today (Wednesday).More than a third (37%) said they worried about money all the time while another third (33%) said they did so frequently.
Some two-thirds (66%) believe this has affected their mental health.The most common source for additional financial support was loans from family and friends, at 41%, but about one in 10 (11%) said they used a food bank, a rise from 8% in January 2022.
More than a third (37%) of respondents have considered dropping out for financial reasons.The most common reason is not having enough money in their loan or bursary (34%) but the cost of living was cited by just under one in five considering dropping out (19%).
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