Students
Top-up fees 'will leave graduates £22,000 in debt'
Higher tuition fees will saddle students with debts of up to £22,000 on graduation, according to a study.
Hello mum…my rent for halls have just soared again
Student housing has always had a reputation for being down at heel. But now it is also high in price.
Laptops are best if you want to grab a computer bargain
A computer is a standard piece of kit for today's student, but buying the latest technology need not break the bank. It is possible to buy a reliable computer for less than £500 and there are plenty of student discounts for software and peripheries.
Is work getting in the way of studying, or vice versa?
Working in part-time jobs for poor pay has become the norm for most students. But while employers are more prepared to be flexible for their undergraduate staff, one in five students finds their tutors less understanding of their need to work.
Hairdressers are taught to cut it running a salon
There is more to being a successful hairdresser than skill with scissors and putting in rollers. Those who dream of running their own salon must learn commerce as well as crimping.
Go to university…but turn down the degrees
Students can beat the winter blues and save money by swapping energy provider and taking simple steps such as using draught excluders.
Frazzled freshers need to watch for thieving landlords
Freshers have a lot on their plate. After the whirlwind of the first term, making friends and coming to terms with being away from home, they were pitched into exams straight after the Christmas break.
Return to go may be a costly move
January is the key time for students who find they have chosen the wrong course or university to try to make a switch, but changing subjects or institutions can be costly.
Bright ideas win backing without battling dragons
Deciding what to do with your career after graduation is never easy. But students who want to set up their own business also face a lack of funds, advice and premises.
Why you should listen to musical advice from mum
Maybe mother was on to something when she insisted that you persevered with your piano or guitar practice all those years ago.
Web spies track down the copycat cheats
Students plagiarising work from the internet had better watch out - many universities are employing sophisticated software to detect whether submitted work has been copied from any one of millions of websites.
Columns
Jenny Little Enterprise and Students Editor, Financial Mail


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Making the grade
Tom Anderton


Tom Anderton, 22, from Hull, graduated from the University of Hull with a 2:1 in history in 2006.

How did you choose your job?
I spent months after graduation looking for a job, with no idea of what I wanted. I found this one, which I'm really enjoying, through an employment agency.
Where do you bank? How bigs is your overdraft?
I have a £1,500 overdraft with HSBC.
Did you take out student loans?
I borrowed about £13,500, which I still have to repay.
What was your starting salary?
I started on £13,000 and I'm still on the same amount.
What was your university town like?
Hull is lively, but quite old. The night life is very good.
What did you enjoy most about university?
Making many good friends.
What do you wish you had done differently?
Started looking for work before I graduated.
What advice would you give a fresher?
Get involved as much as you can and don't be afraid to try new things. Find a balance between work and play.