LANCASHIRE students think they will graduate with more than £15,000 of debt.

According to the 2006 NatWest Student Money Matters survey, the county's scholars expect to top the £15,000 mark in debt for the first time.

The study quizzes sixth formers starting university this year.

And those from Lancashire who were questioned said they expect to pay £34,434 for a three-year degree course.

This is up from £29,494 last year and includes the new tuition fees.

As a result, they expect to graduate with £15,381 of debt, an increase of £661 on 2005 figures.

However 74 per cent of 2006's intake believe that going to university will help them with their future job prospects and 52 per cent wanted to use the opportunity to train for a specific career such as medicine or law.

The survey revealed that graduates now leave university with £13,612 of debt, an increase of £572 on 2005.

But the percentage of graduates leaving university with debts of over £10,000 remained the same as in 2005 at 62 per cent.

The average starting salary has fallen this year from £13,930 in 2005 to £12,618 in 2006, however the same number of graduates (23 per cent) did have a job confirmed on graduation.

Two thirds of the students questioned admitted to being concerned about the amount of debt that they were in.