NEARLY nine out of 10 GCSE pupils said accumulating debts of up to £20,000 would frighten them off applying to university, a survey has shown.

A third said they would not go on to do a degree if universities charged fees of £2,000 a year, research by academics at Brighton University for the National Union of Students showed.

Professor Andrew Church and Dr Judith Watson at Brighton questioned 1,000 first year GCSE students attending comprehensives in England where achievement was at or below the national average.

They found that 85 per cent would decide against going to university if their debts on graduation reached £20,000.