Virgin StartUp survey finds more than a third of parents would prefer their child to start a business rather than go to university, as A-level results day approaches.
With A-level results day approaching, new research suggests many UK parents are becoming more open to entrepreneurship as an alternative to the traditional university route.
A survey commissioned by Virgin StartUp found that 35% of parents with children aged 13 to 21 would rather their child started a business than went to university this year. The research surveyed 1,000 UK parents between 15 and 20 July 2026.
The findings also show strong support for entrepreneurial education. Some 87% of parents said entrepreneurial skills should be taught in schools, while 85% said they would support their child if they chose to start a business instead of going to university.
The research comes as students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland prepare to receive their A-level results on Thursday 13 August.
Parents Question the Traditional University Route
The survey suggests that attitudes towards higher education and career planning are changing.
Around 41% of parents said they believe a university degree is less important for building a successful career than it was 20 years ago.
Cost is a major factor. Among parents who questioned the importance of a degree, 63% pointed to the cost of education and student debt. A further 56% cited changes in the job market, while 54% pointed to greater awareness of alternatives such as apprenticeships, vocational careers and self-employment.
The findings do not show that parents believe university is no longer valuable. Instead, they suggest that more families are considering a wider range of routes into employment and business.
For young people interested in entrepreneurship, starting a company can offer an alternative path into the labour market. However, it also comes with financial risk and does not provide the same professional qualification as a university degree.
Most Parents Are Already Encouraging Entrepreneurial Skills
The survey found that 63% of parents said they are already encouraging an entrepreneurial mindset at home.
Money management is one of the most common ways parents are doing this.
Among the activities reported in the research:
- 60% said they teach their children about saving money.
- 40% encourage them to invest their savings.
- 36% explain costs, pricing and profit through household budgeting.
- 33% encourage children to sell unwanted toys or other belongings.
- 28% have encouraged their children to track income and expenses.
- 27% have helped them develop or pitch business ideas.
- 23% have helped their child start a small venture.
The figures suggest that some parents see practical financial skills as an important part of preparing young people for work, whether they eventually become employees, freelancers or business owners.
AI and Social Media Are Changing How Young People Can Start Businesses
Technology is another factor behind the changing attitude towards entrepreneurship.
The Virgin StartUp research found that 62% of parents believe social media and artificial intelligence have made it easier for young people to start a business.
For a new entrepreneur, digital platforms can reduce some of the traditional barriers to launching a company. Social media can provide access to customers, while AI tools can help with tasks such as drafting marketing material, researching ideas and handling basic business administration.
That does not remove the need for business skills. Young founders still need to understand customers, pricing, cash flow, legal responsibilities and the risks involved in running a company.
Schools Could Play a Bigger Role
The strongest finding from the survey is the level of support for teaching entrepreneurship at school.
87 per cent of parents said entrepreneurial skills should be taught as part of the school curriculum. Financial literacy was identified by 52% as a priority, followed by problem-solving at 48% and communication skills at 43%.
The findings point to a broader definition of career preparation.
Rather than preparing students solely for university or traditional employment, parents appear to want schools to provide practical skills that could be useful across different career paths.
Financial literacy, communication and problem-solving are relevant not only to entrepreneurs but also to employees, managers and people running their own businesses.
The UK Youth Labour Market Adds to the Debate
The survey comes against a difficult backdrop for young people entering the UK labour market.
ONS estimates show that 1.012 million people aged 16 to 24 were not in education, employment or training between January and March 2026. That represented 13.5% of the UK’s 16-to-24 population, up from 12.5% a year earlier.
The number was up by 89,000 compared with the same period in 2025 and 55,000 from the previous quarter.
However, ONS warns that NEET estimates are based on the Labour Force Survey and that some volatility remains in the data. It advises users to be cautious when interpreting short-term movements and to consider longer-term trends.
The figures therefore provide important context, but they do not prove that entrepreneurship is the answer to rising youth inactivity.
A Growing Interest, But Not a Guaranteed Alternative
The survey highlights a clear change in attitudes, but enthusiasm for entrepreneurship should not be confused with evidence that starting a business produces better career outcomes than going to university.
A business can fail, income can be unpredictable and young founders may have limited access to capital or experience.
University also remains an important route into many professions, while apprenticeships and vocational training provide additional alternatives.
For parents, the emerging message appears to be less about choosing one route over another and more about giving young people the skills to make informed decisions about their careers.
Virgin StartUp’s Role
Virgin StartUp, which supports early-stage UK founders, said the research reflects growing interest in entrepreneurship among young people and their families.
The organisation has also been working with students through entrepreneurship programmes, including a recent pitching competition involving 40 London students.
The wider organisation says it has delivered more than £100 million in Start Up Loan funding to more than 7,000 UK founders.
What the Findings Mean for Businesses
The growing interest in entrepreneurship among parents and young people could have implications beyond education.
If more young people consider self-employment or starting companies after school, demand could increase for business support, finance, mentoring, accounting, digital marketing and other services aimed at early-stage founders.
At the same time, teaching financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills could help young people understand both the opportunities and risks involved in starting a business.
The survey does not establish that more young people will actually become entrepreneurs. What it does show is that entrepreneurship is becoming a more accepted part of the career conversation among UK parents.
As thousands of students receive their A-level results, the traditional question of “university or work?” may increasingly include a third option: building a business of their own.
This article is based on research commissioned by Virgin StartUp and UK labour-market statistics published by the Office for National Statistics.
