Higher education student experience
Higher education includes students studying for a degree at a university or college. This may be an undergraduate degree, or a postgraduate degree such as a PhD or a Masters.
Until August 2024, higher education in Wales was previously regulated and funded by the Higher Education Funding Council of Wales (HEFCW). In August 2024 Medr became operational and took over the functions of HEFCW. Some of our current guidance and publications were written or funded by HEFCW and will remain under HEFCW’s name until being updated in future.
Higher education institutions work with the student body to prepare Student Charters, which set out the mutual expectations, rights and responsibilities of institutions and their students, with appropriate links to further information, designed to support the student’s learning experience. The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales published guidance on how higher education providers should develop student charters and these expectations are included in the Quality Assessment Framework for Wales.
HEFCW published guidance on good practice in funding of effective, democratic students’ unions, and student representation.
In 2022, HEFCW published a report by Advance HE, commissioned by HEFCW, on reviewing policy and practice in relation to supporting postgraduate students who teach.
In 2023, HEFCW published a report by Arad Research, undertaken on HEFCW’s behalf, on the wider experience of postgraduate research students.
Higher education institutions work with the student body to prepare Student Charters, which set out the mutual expectations, rights and responsibilities of institutions and their students, with appropriate links to further information, designed to support the student’s learning experience. The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales published guidance on how higher education providers should develop student charters and these expectations are included in the Quality Assessment Framework for Wales.
HEFCW published guidance on good practice in funding of effective, democratic students’ unions, and student representation.
In 2022, HEFCW published a report by Advance HE, commissioned by HEFCW, on reviewing policy and practice in relation to supporting postgraduate students who teach.
In 2023, HEFCW published a report by Arad Research, undertaken on HEFCW’s behalf, on the wider experience of postgraduate research students.
National Student Survey
The NSS gathers feedback on final-year undergraduate student satisfaction with their course. The NSS is a key piece of student voice for Medr, and uses the NSS outcomes in follow up about quality of education.
The NSS is owned by Medr, the Office for Students, the Scottish Funding Council, and the Department of Economy in Northern Ireland. The Office for Students’ manages the survey for all the funding and regulatory bodies. Ipsos is the company that administers the survey, and CACI Ltd disseminates the outcomes to providers and institutions.
NSS is published as public information, however there are thresholds that must be met to protect student anonymity. To receive subject level outcomes, a course must have at least 10 students responding, and at least 50% response rate.
More information and NSS data is available on the Office for Students website. More detailed NSS results are available to institutions and students’ unions for internal purposes.
All Welsh higher education providers are required to take part in the NSS and promote the survey to all eligible students. All final year undergraduate students can complete the NSS online or over the phone. More information for students regarding the NSS can be found on the NSS website or students can ask their provider.
The question set for NSS 2026 will be the same as NSS 2025. Providers can also choose optional questions that are not part of the public data shared.
| Survey open for students to complete | 07 January 2026 |
| Survey closed for responses | 30 April 2026 |
| Results publication on the Office for Students website | 08 July 2026 |
Data deadlines for providers are set out in Medr/2025/26: National Student Survey 2026.
Other resources:
- Student Guide on inappropriate influence
- Procedures for allegations of inappropriate influence
- Good Practice Guide 2025
The NSS is owned by Medr, the Office for Students, the Scottish Funding Council, and the Department of Economy in Northern Ireland. The Office for Students’ manages the survey for all the funding and regulatory bodies. Ipsos is the company that administers the survey, and CACI Ltd disseminates the outcomes to providers and institutions.
NSS is published as public information, however there are thresholds that must be met to protect student anonymity. To receive subject level outcomes, a course must have at least 10 students responding, and at least 50% response rate.
More information and NSS data is available on the Office for Students website. More detailed NSS results are available to institutions and students’ unions for internal purposes.
All Welsh higher education providers are required to take part in the NSS and promote the survey to all eligible students. All final year undergraduate students can complete the NSS online or over the phone. More information for students regarding the NSS can be found on the NSS website or students can ask their provider.
The question set for NSS 2026 will be the same as NSS 2025. Providers can also choose optional questions that are not part of the public data shared.
| Survey open for students to complete | 07 January 2026 |
| Survey closed for responses | 30 April 2026 |
| Results publication on the Office for Students website | 08 July 2026 |
Data deadlines for providers are set out in Medr/2025/26: National Student Survey 2026.
Other resources:
- Student Guide on inappropriate influence
- Procedures for allegations of inappropriate influence
- Good Practice Guide 2025
Discover Uni
The Discover Uni website is co-owned by Medr, the Scottish Funding Council, the Office for Students’, and the Department of Economy in Northern Ireland. Discover Uni lists all undergraduate courses at UK HE providers.
Discover Uni is owned by Medr, the Office for Students, the Scottish Funding Council, and the Department of Economy in Northern Ireland. The Office for Students manages the administration of the website.
Discover Uni is a website for prospective students to use to compare undergraduate courses across the UK. It highlights data about the provider and course including NSS outcomes and Graduate Outcomes.
All providers of undergraduate higher education in Wales are required to upload data to Discover Uni. Some of this data for a College may be uploaded by a University depending on franchise arrangements.
HESA has published the timetable for the Discover Uni record 2025/26. If there are issues with meeting any deadlines please contact [email protected].
Discover Uni is owned by Medr, the Office for Students, the Scottish Funding Council, and the Department of Economy in Northern Ireland. The Office for Students manages the administration of the website.
Discover Uni is a website for prospective students to use to compare undergraduate courses across the UK. It highlights data about the provider and course including NSS outcomes and Graduate Outcomes.
All providers of undergraduate higher education in Wales are required to upload data to Discover Uni. Some of this data for a College may be uploaded by a University depending on franchise arrangements.
HESA has published the timetable for the Discover Uni record 2025/26. If there are issues with meeting any deadlines please contact [email protected].
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