On Thursday, August 18, A Level students from Cheshire West and Chester schools will learn if they have secured the grades required for their chosen course at university.

If they do well their next step could be at one of the UK’s many institutions but with this year’s graduates owing an average £41,000 and new research, from the University of Southampton and the NHS, suggesting students’ financial worries are causing depression and drink problems is a degree now too costly to contemplate?

The average cost of three years’ tuition fees alone is £18,000.

It seems a huge sum to pay for a higher education but English undergraduates paid an average £6,000 in yearly tuition fees in the 2013-14 academic year according to the OECD, (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).

And now some universities in England are telling potential students their tuition fees will rise in 2017 - the first increase since 2012.

According to research from The Money Charity, new graduates in England face average debt levels of more than a third of the average mortgage. WorryingSo is there another way to get a degree - for free, or for less?

1. Find a company who will pay for your degree

Not as far-fetched as it might seem – such degrees are sometimes called sponsored degrees.

A new degree developed by The University of Chichester and Peter Symonds College in Winchester has produced a BA (Hons) in Insurance. The academics worked with Be Wiser Insurance to create the UK’s first degree in Insurance.

Schemes vary, but this particular programme offers undergraduates a salary of £18,000 a year and covers tuition fees. Students are offered a management level job on graduation.

2. Study abroad

Brexit might mean this option is not available for the full three years, but currently there are opportunities to study free (or at low cost) in The Netherlands, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Austria, Greece and more. Many courses are also taught in English – visit topuniversities.com for more information.

3. Higher and Degree Apprenticeships

These are quite new and similar to sponsored degrees. Many universities are working in collaboration with businesses to offer such apprenticeships – covering all sorts of roles and industries. Early adopters include Airbus, Morrisons and Barclays.

Sheffield Hallam University has been working with Nestlé to create the ‘Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship’, which will give young people the chance to become the next generation of business leaders. To find out more about Degree Apprenticeships visit The Student Room’s Apprenticeship Zone

4. A full fee scholarship

Such scholarships do exist, but they are rare. A couple of examples include those offered by Newcastle University and London’s Goldsmiths university.

This year Goldsmiths had ten full tuition fee waivers - worth £27,000 each for Lewisham’s brightest talent, covering fees for three years. Use http://www.scholarship-search.org.uk to search for more of these.

5. Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding means you are relying on the generosity of others, be they family, friends or absolute strangers to pay your fees. This radical route seems to be most successful if you have a fabulous back-story, ask for smaller sums of money and offer something tangible in return. One successful crowdfunding student, Sarah Atayero from Luton managed to raise over £6000 from 210 ‘backers’ to help with her MSc at King’s College London – she starts this September.