Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Hard times force more students to live at home

Updated at 8:46 pm on 27 January 2011

More tertiary students are giving up the freedom of flatting to live at home so they can make ends meet.

A survey for the Union of Students' Associations shows the proportion of students living with their parents has jumped from a quarter three years ago to more than a third.

Flatting or living in halls of residence have long gone hand-in-hand with tertiary study.

But the latest of the students' association's three-yearly surveys shows 38% of students are choosing to live with their parents, up from 26% three years ago.

The union says the change is significant and caused by the recession.

It says the number of students working while studying has fallen dramatically, students' average incomes have dropped and more are taking loans to pay for their fees.

The survey found that 65% of students worked during the academic year last year, down from 90% three years ago.

Those that did find jobs worked fewer hours and earned less. The average annual income fell from $7584 to $5892.

The survey found 77% of students were taking a student loan to cover their fees, up from 69% three years ago.

Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand