New data shows Year 12 students still value university but face uncertainty around careers, scholarships and AI, highlighting the growing need for clearer guidance and real-world exposure
The sixth edition of UAC’s annual Student Lifestyle and Learning Report, released by the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC), provides a comprehensive snapshot of Australia’s Year 12 cohort, tracking trends in career aspirations, study intentions and learning preferences.
Between late 2025 and early 2026, more than 20,000 Year 12 students from every state and territory shared what it’s really like to finish school and make big decisions about the future in a rapidly changing world.
One stand-out finding from the survey was that despite financial pressures and rising stress, students still view higher education as transformational to their future prospects, believing it offers skills, support, and stronger career pathways.
Year 12s still see university as key to their careers
Seventy-six per cent of students said the main benefit of university is gaining better job and career opportunities in 2026. This was closely followed by a strong belief that university study gives them more options (73%), with improving skills and knowledge ranking third (71%).
However, students are making big decisions with only a partial understanding of career outcomes, with just 8% reporting detailed knowledge.
“We see a lot of schools bringing their Year 12s to career expos, which is not the day-to-day but is a valuable way for students to talk to universities, TAFE and other education providers and employers to give them a sense of the range of options available,” UAC Chief Strategy and Engagement Officer, Kim Paino told The Educator.”
“In terms of day-to-day guidance, I think personal stories really resonate with students and teachers and principals sharing their own career paths with students can help students understand that while they have some big choices to make their path after school won’t be linear and that’s okay.”
Paino said helping students stay open to uncertainty and possibility is becoming more important than ever.
“Particularly at a time when we don’t know what the world of work will look like in the future the message to keep learning and keep being open to taking different paths, backed up by the personal stories of those that have already lived that, is worthwhile advice to students.”
Most Year 12 school leavers are already working
When it comes to how students are preparing for life after school, the report found that many are actively comparing multiple pathways and relying on a mix of teachers, open days and online sources.
“Most universities have formal partnerships with schools in their catchment area and other schools beyond their usual catchment that they want to support,” Paino said. “These offer a range of engagement activities that can help students get a sense of what university is like and what it could lead to.”
Paino said exposure to real-world pathways can make the leap beyond school feel far less daunting.
“It is a big transition when you leave school, whether that’s to go to university or TAFE or going into employment,” he said. “Visiting a university or TAFE campus and hearing from people in industry can really help that transition.”
Why students aren’t chasing available support
While nearly half of students reported being only vaguely aware of scholarships, many said they would be more likely to accept an offer if awarded one.
When asked how schools can deliver clearer, earlier and more targeted scholarship information so students don’t miss important opportunities, Paino said it starts with helping students cut through the complexity and understand what’s actually available to them.
“Because there’s a plethora of scholarships available and they vary from university to university, I have a lot of sympathy for students, parents and schools trying to understand what they might be eligible for and how to apply,” he said.
“I think as an important first step schools can raise awareness among students that there are many scholarships on offer and it’s worth students investigating further with the university or universities they are applying to.”
Paino said it’s also important to make students aware that not all of them are merit-based and there are specific scholarships for say students experiencing financial hardship.
“Even with the merit-based scholarships there are some that don’t require an application and will just depend on the student’s ATAR or Year 12 results.”
Year 12s cautious but curious about AI
This year’s survey also uncovered a surprising AI skills gap among school leavers, with 1 in 5 students saying they hadn’t used AI in the past 30 days.
Interestingly, 33% of respondents said they expect their university course to teach them practical AI skills, meaning that universities will likely have to cater to early adopters and complete AI novices.
“I think that the data really shows that even though the technology is evolving rapidly, adoption will take longer,” Paino said. “Like the rest of the community, many Year 12 students perhaps just hadn’t had the time to explore and embed AI into their daily lives.”
Paino believes the rise of AI won’t just be driven by schools but will come down to individual choice.
“While schools and universities will be helping students understand how to use AI –both broadly and in discipline-specific ways – there’s a wider social shift going on and individuals will also be taking responsibility for the extent to which they engage with AI.”