18 Appendices Introduction Finance Thematic analysis Applicant Index Report 2026 Figure 12: You said you considered a degree apprenticeship, why did you ultimately decide on a degree instead? I still wanted the university experience 41% I believe the salary I’d get when graduating would be higher with a degree in my chosen profession compared to a degree apprenticeship 27% I couldn’t find a degree apprenticeship I liked 25% Degree apprenticeships didn’t exist for my chosen profession 21% I didn’t get the offer/opportunity I applied for 19% Base=886 (applicants who had considered a degree apprenticeship) Belonging, equity and inclusion Back to contents Applicants who had considered a degree apprenticeship were asked why they ultimately chose a standard degree instead. The most common response was “I still wanted the university experience”, especially among those intending to live in university or private halls. Just over a quarter (27%) chose a traditional degree because they believed it would lead to a higher salary in their chosen profession than a degree apprenticeship.