Page 1 of Who has the biggest student debt competition?

I`m an irish student studying in wales and always thought that student debt was more an american thing before i came over here.

When i was an undergrad in Ireland we weren`t offered student loans, so i have no debt now. Which is fantastic. I just can`t figure out how i (or rather my parents) managed it since i didn`t work (i gave a few tutorials, but no where near enough to support myself).

I guess the situation is slightly different in Ireland in that you just usually go to the university that is nearest to you so lots of people can stay at home.

I lived with my grandmother while at uni so i had no rent.

Anyway, just wondering who has the biggest student debt and how much is it?

no one like a gloater, son

Sorry, it does indeed sound like that!!!

If it`s any consolation i got an interest free overdraft over here and in the past year have racked up a grand on it.... so i guess i do have a student debt. ;)

I wish students would stop whining about this. You chose to go to university so you can get a degree and get a better paid job to pay the loan with and then have a good standard of living.

I was not academically clever enough to go to university so I started a bussiness that will hopefully give me a better standard of living. In the prosess I have gone in to a dam sight more debt than most student ever would. My choice. You don`t hear me whinging about it. Apart from now ;)

All the best,

Dr 42%er.


It`s not easy being different. It`s not easy being cool....but somehow I manage....

I`m a student, and I don`t whinge about my debt. I know that when I get working that the payments will barely dent my paycheck, and I was fully aware of the whole debt situation before I decided to go. I`ll probably be about £25,000 in debt when I finish.

Ah well, that`s life. :p

You are a rare breed Ben.

All the best,

Dr 42%er.


It`s not easy being different. It`s not easy being cool....but somehow I manage....

Trouble is Ben, things dont always go according to plan.

I completed my post grad studies in IT in the middle of the IT slump of 2001. I couldnt get a decent job for love nor money, despite having excellent qualifications. In the end I took a series of s*** jobs to make ends meet. But after everybody took their slice I barely had enough to pay the rent at the end of the month.

Thats the problem nowadays. Graduates arent guaranteed a good Job straight out of Uni unless they qualify in something like engineering, law, medicine or accounting.

My mate Indiana Knowles got a first in archeology. He then found out that 2/3rds of decent archeology work was unpaid. Not the best planning, mind, but still.

Anyway, Im not as in debt as I was thanks to finally facing up to it and getting some decent financial help, rather than burying my head in the sand and letting the banks take me up the ass every month.

But I cant really complain as I had the time of my life at uni and dont regret a minute of it. Shame I didnt realise I was mortaging my 20`s.......

Tbh, if I hadnt met the mrs at uni, If given my time again I wouldnt choose to go through education again. Everyone I know who chose an apprentiship or some kind of vocational work after school is doing really well for themselves, without being in a lick of debt. Aside from 4 years of getting caned every night and lots of casual sex, uni hasnt really given me anything I wouldnt have been better off learning in a work study program in engineering or something.

Ive got a decent job now, but it was a struggle to get the bastard!

ho hum......

f*** you all (especially the irish gloater).. i work fulll time. go to university full time.. and look after my daughter full time...

and I have soooo much debt.. that I`m probably going to have remortgage the house..

why should we have to pay to go to university?.. it`s a f***in joke.. does anyone actually get value for money?.. i certainly don`t .. lectures cancelled.. lecturers with no idea about the outside world, lecturers being late, marking down because it doesn`t agree with their feminsit bollocks..

aaaarrrgghhhhh!!!...

My shop could go belly up and I would lose everything. I am taking a risk.

You may not get a well paid job. You are taking a risk.

I am sure you get better interest rates too.

At least you are not moaning.

All the best,

Dr 42%er.


It`s not easy being different. It`s not easy being cool....but somehow I manage....

I just want to know why they pay for 2 pints of cider using switch..... ;) :p