Debt worries put students off third level

FEAR of debt is discouraging leaving certificate students from pursuing a college education, a survey shows.

More than half of the students said they did not want to go on to university and almost two-thirds said cost dictated their college choice.

More than 40% said the reintroduction of tuition fees would affect their decision to go to college and a similar percentage said they could not afford to attend college away from home.