UAC's Student Lifestyle and Learning Report 2026

UAC’s sixth annual Student Lifestyle and Learning Report offers a detailed look at the interests, concerns and expectations of students from across Australia.

Between late 2025 and early 2026, more than 20,000 Year 12 students told us what it is really like to finish school and make big decisions about their future in a rapidly changing world.

Their responses show that, despite rising costs and ongoing pressure, students still see higher education as transformational. They believe a degree will give them better job prospects, broader options and stronger skills. This year’s respondents also reveal how they search for courses and what information they feel is missing. They highlight which social channels they rely on and which they are moving away from, and they uncover an emerging AI skills gap among today’s school leavers.
            

Key insights

• Better jobs still lead the way: Seventy-six per cent of students say the main benefit of completing a university qualification is gaining better job and career opportunities. Close behind, 73% believe university study gives them more options, and 71% value improving their skills and knowledge.
• Time pressure beats cost pressure: Balancing study with work or other commitments is now the top concern for future uni students. Sixty-five per cent of respondents are worried about the juggle, while concern about paying tuition and other study costs has eased to 58%.
• AI skills gap emerges: One in five students have not used any AI tools in the past month, and the largest group use AI less than once a week. A third of students expect their course to teach them practical, discipline-specific AI skills, signalling a clear need for structured support.
• Graduate outcomes matter but detail is missing: Sixty-nine per cent of students say graduate employment outcomes are among the most important factors when choosing a course. Yet only 8% say they understand in detail the career outcomes their studies could lead to. Most want clearer course-specific guidance on jobs, salaries and skills.
• Open days remain central: In an increasingly digital world, 45% of students still attend uni open days when they need course information. Students also turn to teachers and careers advisers (49%), family and friends (39%), and careers expos (34%) alongside websites and search.
• Degrees are just the beginning: Sixty-eight per cent of respondents see themselves taking a second university degree in the future. Interest in shorter qualifications such as diplomas and certificates is lower, at 27%.
• Scholarships are underused: Almost half of students (46%) are only vaguely aware of university scholarships. Yet one in three say they would be more likely to accept an offer if it came with a scholarship, pointing to a powerful but under-leveraged recruitment tool.
• Timetables top the information wish list: Seventy per cent of students say that seeing a typical weekly workload and draft timetable would make them more confident in their study choices and help them compare options across institutions.

Download your copy of the Student Lifestyle and Learning Report 2026. If you would like to discuss any of the findings or information presented in this report, please email us at client-rel@uac.edu.au.