Some 60% of students in the survey said the cost of groceries has made fresh fruit and vegetables less accessible.
For some Kiwis, being able to say “I’m a poor uni student” is a rite of passage and often comes with nods of understanding from people who have taken that well-trodden path.
Those who moved away from home for the first time learned quickly just how the world worked, how expensive things were and what to prioritise in their meagre budgets.
For some, two-minute noodles, baked beans and a cheap loaf of bread became the staple diet.
However, it would come as a shock to many to learn that some students today are skipping meals and classes, citing food and public transport costs.
Victoria University Student Association’s latest State of the Student survey found that 38% of the 1238 respondents have recently missed a meal, while 60% said grocery costs have made fresh fruit and vegetables less accessible.
It has caused a “massive increase” in the number of students making use of the community pantry available on campus.
The survey found almost half of those using public transport said the cost made them consider other means of getting to university, while 38% said the cost had driven them to skip classes altogether.
Public transport is costing $20 or more per week for 29% of students.
Perhaps an even more concerning finding wasn’t students skipping meals, but that 70% were already considering leaving New Zealand after graduation.
We constantly hear that the country needs more skilled workers, higher productivity, innovation, and knowledge-based industries.
Yet this survey suggests that the people training for those roles are relying on food pantries and are planning to leave the country.
Do our economic and social ambitions match the reality of the people we expect to deliver them?
Are we turning tertiary education from a ladder of opportunity into a system that favours those who can already afford to climb it?
When students are forced to rely on family support to cover essentials such as food, rent and transport, tertiary education risks becoming a privilege.
The survey also suggests a growing number of students no longer believe enduring the struggle will necessarily lead to opportunity.
Some people are unlikely to have much sympathy for university students, the majority of whom come from middle-class families. But the survey findings should also be recognised as yet another sign of how feeble our collective economic situation is post-Covid.
Our economy needs an investment in retaining our talent through graduate incentives in critical sectors, regional employment programmes and stronger links between universities and employers.
We could also explore cheaper transport for students, better access to campus food programmes and flexible study options.
No government can instantly solve the cost-of-living crisis, but it can remove some of the barriers that stop students from succeeding.
If the next generation of skilled workers no longer sees a future here, we should all be paying attention.
