摘要：Following the introduction of tuition fees and the student loan scheme, it has been hypothesised that negative perceptions of debt to fund tertiary study may be inhibiting secondary student enrolment at university. This study investigated how the idea of debt to fund tertiary study is perceived by senior New Zealand secondary school students. It also tested the hypothesis that a promotion campaign portraying education as an investment, rather than a cost, would increase university enrolment by secondary students. The results indicate that while most secondary students acknowledge the benefits of a tertiary education, many have a genuine fear of indebtedness and do not accept that a university degree provides the job security which would guarantee debt repayment. Misconceptions about the eligibility criteria for borrowing under the student loan scheme are widespread and perceptions of the level of university tuition fees are inflated. Neither students' attitudes to incurring debt for tertiary study nor their probability of enrolment changed significantly following administration of a promotion campaign portraying education as an investment
