Four in ten teenagers say that they are getting little or no information about going to university from their teachers and schools, a survey suggests.

The finding, published today by the Sutton Trust education charity, will alarm ministers, who have a target of getting 50 per cent of all young people into higher education.

The poll of 2,387 pupils aged 11 to 16 in England and Wales found that nearly three quarters believed that they were likely to go into higher education – the highest proportion for five years. Only 8 per cent said that they were either “very unlikely” or “fairly unlikely” to go to university, a fall from last year’s 11 per cent.

The main reason given by more than half (52 per cent) of those who did not think they would progress to higher education was the desire to “do something practical rather than studying from books”. Fifty per cent wanted to start earning as soon as possible and 30 per cent thought they could get a well-paid job without a degree.

Only 13 per cent reported that they were “worried about getting into debt as a student”, a big drop from the 20 per cent who said this last year.

However, many students did not believe they were getting enough information from their teachers about going into higher education. Four out of ten said they were either getting “not very much” information (31 per cent) or “none at all” (9 per cent).

Sir Peter Lampl, the chairman of the Sutton Trust, said that while it was encouraging that 75 per cent of young people aspired to university, fewer than half that number actually went into higher education and those from poorer families were the least likely to progress. He said that the lack of information for students about university was worrying and students needed more information on the bursaries and maintenance grants available.

“It is a reminder that support and guidance about higher education needs to start early and be a core part of the school day,” he said.

Bill Rammell, the Universities Minister, said that the Government was encouraged by the fall in the number of students worried about debt and he pointed out that a package of grants, helping two thirds of students, would be available from September.

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