Navigating Changing Options Current Students report –Autumn term 2022

Wave Nine –Fieldwork October 2022

Date: 2nd March 2023

Report Prepared by:

Liam Clements, Research Executive

Barbara Bradshaw, Senior Market Research Consultant

Beth Wiles, Research Manager

Summary of findings

University Experience

• Overall, nearly nine‐tenths (86%) of current undergraduate respondents reported being happy on their course so far this academicyear, around four‐fifths (83%) of current undergraduate respondents felt supported by their university at this time

• Respondents most frequently indicated that they were happy with their university’s approach to teaching and learning (88%), providing the resources they need to do their course (83%), and health and wellbeing support (81%). Respondents were least happy with their university’s approach to supporting students with rising costs of living (50%).

• Respondents were most likely to agree that their university is doing the best it can under the circumstances (75%) and least likely to agree that they are getting value for money for tuition (55%). Final year respondents were however less likely to agree with the statements than those in earlier years of theiruniversity life.

• When asked for one word to describe their feelings about their university experience so far this academic year, the most frequently mentioned words were ‘busy’, ‘interesting’, and ‘exciting’, however feelings were mixed, with ‘stressful’ or ‘overwhelming’ also suggested.

• Current undergraduate respondents identified planning their time/managing their workload (70%), advice on staying motivated (53%), and developing independent study skills (53%) as areas in which they now required support having started university.

• Getting the grades they want/need (66%), managing their workload (64%), and the cost of living (62%) were the most frequentlycited issues worrying respondents at the moment. Respondents had a number of concerns, each selecting an average of around 6 of those listed.

• To support with the rising cost of living, current undergraduate respondents most frequently wanted to see subsidised food and drink options available on campus (62%), subsidised costs for course essentials (61%), and on campus facilities for students to make their own hot drinks / meals (47%).

• 85% of respondents currently living away for university were satisfied with their accommodation this academic year.

Careers and Employability

• Nearly three‐fifths (59%) of respondents reported feeling either quite or very concerned about getting a job after they graduate; among final year respondents 79% were quite or very concerned.

• Only around two‐fifths (37%) of respondents had already decided on a career path. Similar proportions indicated that they had maybe (35%) or not (28%) made this decision.

Mental Health

• Around two‐fifths (37%) of respondents reported that their mental health was either good or very good at the moment.

• Over three‐fifths of respondents felt that they knew how to connect with coursemates / classmates (65%) and that they had a support network they could reach out to (63%). Around half of respondents (54%) felt able to cope with the uncertainty at the moment .

Background and Target

Audience

Background and Approach

Thesefindingsarefromthe9th waveofTheStudentRoom’sNavigatingChangingOptionsResearch.Werepeatthissurveyregularly,sothatwecanhelp youngpeoplenavigatethesechallengingtimes,totrackchangesovertimeandtodelivervaluetoourclientsandTheStudentRoom.

Methodology and target audience

An online survey was shared with relevant members of The Student Room Community.

• The target audience was current undergraduate students studying a degree at a UK university.

• Fieldwork took place between 17th October and 1st November 2022.

Respondent

395 complete and partial responses were received, all UK students currently studying an undergraduate degree. Any significant differences by year of study are identified throughout this document.