A recent report has shown that British students are studying less than their continental counterparts.

The survey was conducted using 70,000 graduates from 11 European countries. All, apart from the Czech Republic, put in more hours of independent study than the UK students.

According to the report, British students put in 30 hours of study a week. In France, students clock up to 42 hours.

But the report, which was commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, claimed that when it comes to the amount students learn, the actual time spent studying may not be the main concern.

It also found that students in the UK were among the least likely to get work placements, with less than a third spending time on a placement during their course.

UK graduates feel less prepared when confronted with job hunting after leaving university, the report said.

However, it also said that UK students were among the highest motivated in Europe.

Diana Warwick, chief executive of Universities UK, a lobby group, said: “The report rightly acknowledges that the student experience is not all about reported contact hours.”

Related reports:

Times Higher Education | Brits study less than continental cousins