Surveys
The University conducts regular surveys to listen to the voice of our undergraduate and postgraduate students.
National Student Survey (NSS)
The National Student Survey (NSS) takes place at most higher education providers across the UK and is run each Spring Term. It is aimed at final-year undergraduate students.
The NSS is your chance to feedback on your student experience during your time here at the University. It's an independently run survey and you'll be asked to give your opinions anonymously on what you liked about your course and also what you think we could do to improve things here at Essex.
The results are made publicly available to help prospective students make informed decisions about where and what to study. Your voice is hugely important and could help to shape the future of your course and the University.
If you're eligible to complete the survey, Ipsos Mori will contact you in the Spring Term to invite you to fill in the survey online.
More information about NSS
Sharing your information
The University is required to pass details of students in their final year to Ipsos-MORI for the National Student Survey (NSS). This data is used only for the survey and removed from their systems as soon as the survey is over. All responses are reported anonymously. Find out more about the NSS.
Opting out
You will be able to update your preferences when the next survey is launched in the Spring Term.
UK Engagement Survey (UKES)
The UK Engagement Survey (UKES) is a national survey for undergraduate students. It invites you to reflect on your time at University so far in relation to your course and wider learning experience. The survey is run each spring term and is open to first, second and some third/final year students.
We’re keen to make sure students have the best possible experience while studying at the University. To do that we need to know what we are doing well and what we can do better. The survey is a chance to reflect on how you study and what might help your studies in future. The results also help the University and Students’ Union to make changes that will improve what we do in future and to make sure we keep doing the things that are of value to students.
If you’re eligible to complete the survey, we will contact you in the Spring Term to invite you to take part.
Take the survey
For more information about UKES
Sharing your information
The University passes details of students in their first, second (and a small number of third/final year undergraduate students) to JISC who co-ordinate the UK Engagement Survey on behalf of Advance HE. All responses are reported anonymously.
Opting out
The University will contact eligible students by email and text during the survey period. If you do not wish to receive any communications and/or want to opt out of the survey, you can do so by emailing studentenexperience@essex.ac.uk providing your full name and course registration number.
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES)
The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) is the only UK higher education sector-wide survey to gain insight from taught postgraduate students about their learning and teaching experience.
The PTES gives you the opportunity to provide open and honest feedback on your experience of postgraduate taught study at Essex, your course and your department. It considers your motivations for studying your chosen programme and your experience, where relevant, of undertaking a major project/dissertation.
If you’re eligible to complete the survey, we will contact you in the Spring Term to invite you to take part.
Take the survey
More information
Sharing your information
The University passes details of students who are undertaking a postgraduate taught course to JISC who co-ordinate the Postgraduate Taught Survey (PTES) on behalf of Advance HE. All responses are reported anonymously.
Opting out
The University will contact eligible students by email and text during the survey period. If you do not wish to receive any communications and/or want to opt out of the survey, you can do so by emailing studentvoice@essex.ac.uk providing your full name and course registration number.
PGR Student Voice Survey
Our PGR Student Voice Survey was developed in collaboration with our PGR community, for our PGR community. It seeks feedback on your experience as a postgraduate researcher. Your department/school receives fully anonymised and aggregated results which help us to inform planning and improve our services in future academic years.
The results also help the University and Students’ Union to make changes that will improve what we do in future and to make sure we keep doing the things that are of value to our PGR students.
Your information is not shared with any external organisations, as the survey is operated within the University. The survey is completely confidential and survey results are anonymous.
The PGR Student Voice Survey runs biennially and all registered PGR students are eligible to complete the survey. In the year that the survey is running, we will contact you in the Summer Term to invite you to take part.
Student Module feedback
Student module feedback (formerly Student Assessment of Module and Teaching (SAMT)) is your opportunity to provide direct feedback on the quality of the modules you have chosen. Student module feedback is carried out every year and all registered students have the opportunity to take part in the survey.
Student Voice Groups receive a summary report on the student module feedback. The outcomes of student module feedback are also considered as part of the Annual Review of Courses (ARC) reports. Departments also let students know what action was taken in response to previous surveys.
You can find more information about this process by visiting the Student Module Feedback webpage.
National Student Housing Survey (NSHS)
The National Student Housing Survey (NSHS) takes place at most higher education providers across the UK and is run each Autumn and Spring Term. This survey is for all students living in University-owned or administered accommodation.
The NSHS is your chance to feedback on your student experience within our accommodation during your time here at the University. It's an independently run survey and you'll be asked to give your opinions anonymously on what you liked about everything from your booking experience to how good the internet is, and also what you think we could do to improve things here at Essex.
The results are delivered to the University and we use this information to help improve the student experience. We also have the potential of being nominated for some national housing awards. Your voice is hugely important and could help to shape the future of your accommodation and the University.
We will send an email once you have arrived and then again in the Spring Term to invite you to fill in the survey online.
Graduate Outcomes Survey
After you graduate from the University of Essex, you will be asked to fill in the Graduate Outcomes Survey. It is the biggest annual social survey in the UK and captures the perspectives and current status of graduates.
All graduates who have completed a higher education course in the UK since August 2017 are asked to take part in the survey 15 months after they finish their studies.
Other University surveys
The University conducts a number of other surveys to enhance the quality of our services. You may receive an email with an invitation to participate in one of those surveys after using services on campus.
You can also tell us about your experience by voting using the question boxes or tablets located in some catering outlets.
Travel and Transport Survey
Each year the Sustainability team asks the whole University community to complete a Travel and Transport Survey. We ask for information about how you travel to, from and between our campuses. It helps us to understand where to focus our attention in our on-going work to support sustainable modes of travel.
Residence Life Survey
Students living in on-campus accommodation at our Colchester and Southend Campuses will be contacted by Residence Life to fill in a survey, asking them about their experience with the service.
Race Equality Charter Survey
Help us eradicate racial discrimination
We're submitting our Race Equality Charter application in 2022. Complete our student survey to let us know whether you think racial inequality exists on our campuses and your suggestions for things we can do to advance race equality. Your responses will help shape and inform our action plan.
Students' Union surveys
The Students’ Union runs a variety of independent surveys to inform its priorities and services. To find out more about these please visit the Students’ Union website.
