The National Student Survey (NSS) asks students across the UK to share their views on their academic support, teaching and assessments, and the wider student experience. More than 71 per cent of eligible students in the UK responded to the survey – over 357,000 final-year undergraduates. Data can be broken down by characteristics such as disability, eligibility for free school meals, age, and ethnicity. While there is no UK score for overall satisfaction with course quality, students in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are still asked the question.
A data dashboard with all the results and findings can be found at:
At-a-glance:
- All survey themes have seen an increase in positive responses compared to 2024. The vast majority of students were happy with the teaching on their course, with nearly 87 per cent responding positively, compared with just over 85 per cent in 2024
- On the assessment and feedback question, positive response rates differed by as much as 10 per cent between high tariff universities, which had the lowest scores, and low tariff institutions, which had the highest scores
- More than 78 per cent of students responded positively to questions relating to ‘organisation and management’ although some institutions are performing “noticeably below” their benchmarked score
- Students at specialist creative and specialist other providers were least positive about “organisation and management”. The difference in responses between these groups and students at higher tariff universities was more than 10 per cent
- Disabled students were less positive about their higher education experience across all survey themes, with the most significant differences seen in responses to questions relating to ‘organisation and management’
- Positive response rates by ethnicity to questions on course teaching were generally similar, with Black and White students being the most satisfied
- Responses by free school meal eligibility were also in line with average positivity rates
- Over 77 per cent of undergraduates were positive about ‘the student voice’ compared with 74 per cent in 2024
- In Wales, 82 per cent of students said they were satisfied with their course overall this year, up from 80 per cent in 2024. Increased positivity was recorded across all question in the survey
- In Scotland, overall satisfaction rates increased by 2.6 per cent to 80.7 per cent
Implications for governance:
At a time when institutions are facing acute financial challenges and questions are being raised about value for money in higher education, the rise in positive responses to the National Student survey will be welcomed across the sector.
At least for the moment, universities and colleges are managing to protect, or even improve, the quality of teaching and learning and the student experience, with an increase in student satisfaction across all the areas covered by the survey questions.
Delving deeper into the data shows that some institutions are performing better than others in some areas. Organisation and management scores and assessment and feedback scores reveal significant differences between groups of institutions, for instance. Governors will no doubt wish to look closely at where their own institutions stand on this spectrum, and consider the implications.
The National Student Survey data is an important source of information and a tool in board oversight. Governors may want to consider how they perform compared to the average and compared to grouped scores, particularly on metrics where the differences between institutions are more pronounced.
Groups of students can also give varying responses. The data shows that across the board, disabled students were less positive about their higher education experience across all survey themes, although scores in 2025 were higher than in 2024.
In the press release accompanying the data release, John Blake, director for fair access and participation at the OfS said the results show that “institutions across the sector could be doing more to ensure disabled students are getting the high quality higher education experience they are entitled to”.
Mental health provision and, more recently, supporting students with neurodiversity, are a key focus for institutions and, again, it may be helpful for boards to look at institutional-level data to ensure sufficient resources are being allocated to academic and student support services and that signposting is effective.
Scores across ethnic groups were relatively similar across most areas, with Black students recording the highest positivity levels out of the various ethnicities on teaching, assessment and feedback and student voice.
These results suggest that work at many institutions on engagement, belonging and equality, diversity and inclusion activities aimed at underrepresented groups are paying dividends.
Similarly, responses from undergraduates that had been eligible for free school meals (FSM) while at school were generally in line with average positivity rates. On the academic support question there was some variation, with 85 per cent of FSM eligible students happy with their support compared to 87.5 per cent of their non-eligible peers, indicating more could be done here.
Using the OfS NSS dashboard, results can be analysed by different levels of study and subjects studied for a range of characteristics, including criteria such as local students, and allowing providers to usefully examine different aspects of their provision and benchmark against comparator institutions. NSS data covering care experienced, estrangement and service children will be made available in the autumn.
Medr in Wales and the Scottish Funding Council have already press released their overall student satisfaction scores, taking advantage of the all-encompassing measure that is no longer available to English universities and colleges.
Universities from all corners of the UK have jumped at the chance to quickly update their websites, with examples of universities publicising top NSS results in their mission group or higher than average scores in particular subject areas. At a time when “good news” stories in higher education are thin on the ground, this year’s NSS results provide an opportunity to celebrate, while taking note of any areas that still require attention.
Find out more about our services for Governance professionals
Good governance is critical to success in higher education. We produce and share a wide range of guidance, research, news, toolkits, training, governance effectiveness reviews and tailored consultancy to help institutions thrive through robust, effective governance.
