The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and Advance HE have released their annual Student Academic Experience Survey for 2026, revealing a notable uptick in how undergraduates across the United Kingdom perceive the value for money of their courses. This positive shift comes amid ongoing financial pressures on both students and institutions, offering a timely snapshot of resilience in the sector.
Conducted with over 10,000 full-time undergraduate respondents, the survey tracks perceptions that have evolved significantly since its inception in 2005-06. The 2026 edition highlights improvements in value-for-money ratings, satisfaction with course choices, and institutional support mechanisms, while also flagging persistent challenges in areas such as harassment and support for rural students.
Key Findings on Value for Money
One of the standout results from the HEPI 2026 Student Academic Experience Survey is the rise in students rating their course as good or very good value for money. This figure reached 45 percent in 2026, marking an increase from 37 percent the previous year and representing the highest level recorded in more than a decade. The improvement spans diverse student demographics, including home and international students as well as various ethnic backgrounds, suggesting a broad-based positive trend rather than an isolated development.
Teaching quality emerges as the primary driver behind these enhanced perceptions, complemented by strong ratings for course content and available facilities. Students also appear better equipped to navigate financial pressures, with modest gains in access to guidance and support services playing a supporting role.
Teaching Quality and Contact Hours
Ratings for teaching quality have improved across multiple measures, reaching record highs in several categories. Students particularly appreciate staff who motivate them, clearly outline expectations, and effectively use scheduled sessions to support independent learning. Feedback on assessments has also seen significant gains, with positive experiences now notably higher than levels observed ten years ago.
Average weekly contact hours stand at 15.5, remaining elevated compared to pre-pandemic figures. Independent study averages 11.1 hours per week. On average, students report that nearly four academics know their name and academic progress, though experiences vary, with some indicating stronger personal connections than others.
Student Satisfaction and Retention Indicators
Two-thirds of respondents (66 percent) expressed happiness with their choice of course and institution, up from 56 percent in 2025. Only 7 percent indicated they would have preferred options entirely outside higher education. The proportion considering withdrawal has dropped to 22 percent, the lowest in recent years, pointing to stronger overall commitment among the student body.
These satisfaction levels hold across age groups, home and international students, and ethnic backgrounds. However, students on degree apprenticeship programmes show comparatively lower satisfaction, highlighting the need for tailored expectation-setting and support in vocational pathways.
Paid Employment During Studies
Paid work during term time has become the norm, with 65 percent of full-time undergraduates engaged in employment. Those working average nearly 14 hours per week, bringing total commitments to around 44 hours when combined with study demands. Institutions are responding with targeted support, including deadline flexibility, timetable adjustments, and skills recognition programmes. International students benefit particularly from this assistance in navigating local job markets.
Freedom of Expression and Campus Climate
Seventy percent of students feel comfortable expressing views on campus even when others disagree, an increase from the prior year. Where discomfort exists, it often stems from personal confidence or public speaking concerns rather than institutional barriers. The survey underscores opportunities to build debating skills, especially among students from state school backgrounds or disadvantaged groups.
Emerging Challenges: Harassment and Rural Experiences
New questions in the 2026 survey reveal that 22 percent of students experienced harassment related to protected characteristics in the past year. Elevated rates were noted among trans, Jewish, disabled, and LGB+ students, warranting continued monitoring and targeted interventions across European institutions facing similar issues.
Rural students report lower wellbeing, weaker belonging, and greater gaps between expectations and reality. Longer commutes and higher rates of online study contribute to these disparities, raising questions about equitable access to in-person resources and transport support.
Stakeholder Perspectives Across Europe
Leaders from Advance HE and HEPI have welcomed the findings as evidence of sector resilience. Comments emphasise the role of dedicated staff in delivering quality amid funding constraints, while calling for attention to gaps affecting specific student groups. In the broader European context, similar surveys and policy discussions in countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and France reflect parallel concerns around value perceptions and student support.
UK Russell Group institutions have highlighted the results as a vote of confidence in university staff and provision. These insights resonate with European higher education bodies seeking to balance quality, affordability, and student wellbeing.
Photo by Winston Tjia on Unsplash
Implications for European Higher Education
The improved ratings signal potential lessons for universities continent-wide. Enhanced teaching practices, better integration of employment support, and attention to inclusion could bolster value perceptions elsewhere. As European institutions navigate post-pandemic recovery, demographic shifts, and funding debates, the HEPI survey offers data-driven benchmarks for policy and practice.
Financial pressures remain a backdrop, yet the survey suggests students increasingly recognise the returns on their investment when support structures align with their realities.
Future Outlook and Recommendations
Looking ahead, sustained focus on teaching excellence, inclusive campus environments, and responsive support for diverse student needs will be key. European policymakers and institutional leaders may draw on these UK findings to inform strategies that enhance accessibility and perceived value across the sector.
Institutions are encouraged to expand skills development for confident expression, strengthen rural student provisions, and address harassment through proactive policies. Continued tracking via annual surveys will help measure progress and identify emerging trends.