Students facing a high degree of cost at university

Students embrace after viewing their A-level results outside St Paul's Girls School in London (Reuters)

With A-level success now behind them, those students who have managed to secure a university place will have to find an average £53,330 to get through a typical, three-year course.

About 20 per cent of parents are expecting to foot the bill for their children's higher education, according to research from LV=, though at least the same number have no idea how the cost will be met.

The picture varies by almost £18,000 around the country. Average costs north of the border for non-Scottish students come in at £47,516, attending a Welsh university will set a student back an average of £51,764 and a West Country higher education is expected to cost around £54,625. Higher education in London will typically set students back an eye-watering £65,504.