ONE in three students miss lectures as they struggle to make ends meet with part-time jobs.

A survey carried out by the National Union of Students and the GMB general union also revealed one in eight part-time jobs pay less than £3 per hour. The findings come as the NUS was about to vote on reversing its commitment to a return to fully-funded student grants at its annual conference in Blackpool.

They argue that no political party could accept the tax increase this would require - estimated at six pence in the pound.

It says a more realistic solution to student poverty is a reformed student loan scheme which could be repaid through a graduate's working life. The survey also found that:

One in five students failed to submit work assignments because of time spent earning cash.

Nearly eight out of ten working during term-time say their studies have been affected.

NUS president Jim Murphy said the results made "depressing reading."

Sheena Ewing, vice principal at Blackburn College, said: "It's very true that a lot of students over 19-years-old have financial problems and take part time jobs.

"We have no record here of how this affects our students but we do offer a range of part time and vocational courses which enable people to study and work."

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