University freshers lack basic life skills, with many never having cooked, cleaned, or shopped for themselves, according to new research.
A survey carried out by Sainsbury's Finance found 20 per cent of new university students have never washed their own clothes, while 14 per cent cannot even boil an egg.
More than a fifth (22 per cent) have never shopped for food on their own, while 13 per cent have never done their own ironing.
The results are based on a poll in September 2011 of 512 students starting university in 2011, carried out by OpinionPanel.
It found that for more than half, going to university is cutting the apron strings for the first time, with 57 per cent having never lived away from home.
One in 10 freshers (11 per cent) claimed they do not know how to cook, with 14 per cent having never even boiled an egg. Many are likely to struggle with cleaning, with one in five having never cleaned a bath or shower before leaving home, and almost one in 10 (9 per cent) had only ever used a dishwasher to clean the dishes.
Sainsbury's also warned that more than a quarter (25 per cent) of freshers have never budgeted for themselves and 7 per cent have never set up a bank account, with 18 per cent never having opened a savings account.
The research found two-thirds (69 per cent) of new students have never paid a utility bill and 68% have never paid rent before.
Natasha Virtue, from Sainsbury's Finance, said: "Living alone for the first time with the responsibility for studying, managing finances and making new friends can be a daunting prospect. We'd urge students to take time to think about their finances, there are lots of helpful tools online for example on the UCAS web site itself."