This article looks into why students choose to study locally/commute to university instead of living away from home. The article is supported by research conducted in January 2021 which surveyed a group of 20 university students, from the UK, who either studied locally (55%) or commuted (45%). Followed by an interview with Emma Saunders, 22, a third year university student who chose to commute from Peterborough to her chosen place of study in 2018.
Image source: Pexels. (Kampus, 2021)
Choosing to study locally/commute
Whilst students typically choose to study away from home, there is still a percentage of students who choose to study in their hometown or commute to university on a daily basis. In 2018/19, HESA reported that almost 1.2million students chose to move away from home during their first year of study, whilst 684,830 students chose to live with their parents/guardians or long term residency e.g. renting. Research looking into why students choose to study at a local university or commute has been conducted in order to gain a better understanding of why students choose this option
Friends, family and freedom
Traditionally, students choose to study away from home and live away from their parents. However, due to the pandemic, students may now be exploring the option of studying locally or commuting to university. A study, published in January 2021, revealed the reasons why some UK students choose to study locally or commute to their chosen university.
The study consisted of both male and females, 55% of the group were students who chose to attend a local university whilst 45% commuted. Smaller universities such as University Centre Peterborough (UCP) rely on students attending from surrounding areas who live at home or can commute to the campus. These smaller universities are often cheaper and more accessible for students on a low income which makes it a more desirable option. However, 50% of the students reported that they picked the university due to the fact their friends live close by whilst only 30% based their choice on financial reasoning.
Universities such as Birmingham and Leeds Beckett advertise the benefits of studying locally/commuting to university instead of living in halls. Out of the 20 students that were surveyed, 80% stated that the benefits of studying locally/commuting outweigh the negatives. The benefits that students reported the most were: home comforts (25%), being able to use time more wisely (25%), and, having the opportunity to spend more time with friends and family (25%). Whilst 95% of the students agreed that having less responsibilities, compared to those studying away, is not a benefit that they experienced.
The Office For National Statistics (2020) reports that students who choose to study locally are usually from disadvantaged backgrounds and tend to receive lower results. This information may deter students from choosing a local university/commuting compared to living away from home to study. However, there are still students who choose this option based on a number of factors other than their household income or educational background. Though many benefits come from moving away for university, such as making new friends and learning to live independently, there are still benefits from studying locally/commuting to university. Three benefits identified by the students were: home comforts, being able to use time more wisely, and the ability to spend more time with friends/family. However, only 5% of the respondents stated that a benefit of studying locally/commuting is reduced responsibilities. This may be because many students who choose to study locally or commute are usually older and have responsibilities such as: children, bills, or part-time jobs.
Based on their overall experience, the students were asked if , given the option, would they choose to move away from home and live in halls – 70% of the respondents said they wouldn’t. Furthermore, 55% of the students would recommend studying locally/commuting to a friend.
The daily commute: A third-year students perspective
A large proportion of students in the survey were classified as commuters, meaning that they chose to attend a university outside of their hometown and drive/use public transport on a regular basis to attend lectures. Emma Saunders, 22, a student who studies Criminology away from her hometown, Peterborough, in the East Midlands region of the UK. Emma has one child under the age of 5, she lives in her own home with her partner of 5 years. In 2018, Emma decided to start a new adventure and study Criminology, a subject that has always interested her. However, unlike many university students, Emma already had responsibilities that meant moving towns was not an option. A 1 hour commute for a total of 2 days a week meant that Emma could still receive an education at her desired university whilst providing care to her young child.
When shown the results, Emma felt as though the results reflected the general consensus of views from friends which also commute to university. Emma stated: “The results accurately describe the feelings of many students, moving house and city is very daunting and commuting/studying locally means students can live the best of both worlds picking and choosing the lifestyle that suits them best”.
This article concludes, students are more open to the idea of commuting or studying locally during their university years due to changes in lifestyle preferences. This raises the question of whether Universities should offer more options e.g., online lessons, cheaper travel prices etc. in order to cater for a wider range of students? If you would like to express your opinion on this topic, please do so in the comments.
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