The modern university is increasingly focused on student subjectivity, that is, the activity is aimed not at constructing the future of students, but at constructing a subject that can determine and shape its future. But do students connect their current studies with their future life and work? The article examines how modern students evaluate the set of conditions, opportunities and tools that the university gives them to design their future. The purpose of the article is to identify the factors that determine in the minds of young people the connection between learning in the present and what is expected after completing training in the future. The empirical basis of the work was the data of the VIII stage of monitoring the students of the Sverdlovsk region, which are the results of a questionnaire survey of 2000 students from 13 universities of the Sverdlovsk region. The study examined the attitude to study, satisfaction with the quality of training, the use of various forms of education, and the opportunities offered by the university. As a result of the analysis, two groups of factors were identified: objective (a set of opportunities provided by the university) and subjective (personal responsibility and awareness of students). Their combination determines whether students perceive their studies as relevant for their future and whether they note the connection of the acquired knowledge, skills, and competencies with future life and work. It is concluded that the university should not only provide new educational opportunities for students but also engage in the formation of awareness and responsibility of students in designing their future. The results and conclusions presented in the paper will be useful to university management in designing various practices, forms, and methods of working with students. The article may also be of interest to researchers and the general public.