The results of the National Student Survey (NSS) were released Wednesday 9 July - a huge thank you to every student who took part. 76.4% of students said we were effectively representing your academic interests (up 3.9% from 2024). This puts us in the top 10 students' unions in London and in the top 10 across the Russell Group.
Students also told us we're continuing to have a positive impact on their sense of belonging (up 2.4%), and helping students to discover useful life skills (up 3.3%).
What is the National Student Survey?
The National Student Survey (NSS) is conducted annually across Universities in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, gathering feedback from final-year students about their higher-education experience, covering aspects including academic support, teaching, assessments and the overall student experience.
This year, over 357,000 final-year students across the UK participated in the survey, representing a 71.5% response rate from eligible students.
How are we representing your interests?
The National Student Survey (NSS) includes questions about Students' Union's representation of academic interests. This year, Students' Union UCL has improved 3.9%, from 72.5% last year to 76.4% this year. This puts us in the top 10 students' unions in London and in the top 10 across the Russell Group.
We've had an incredible year of academic wins, as championed by your student officers and representatives, and we're delighted that this has been reflected in the results of the survey.
We had a record-breaking Leadership Race turnout making it the largest student election in the UK again this year and students are taking the lead in shaping their education and impacting policy at a national level – launching Research into the International Student Experience and attending roundtables in Parliament to advocating for climate action at COP29.
We have an active network of over 2,000 Academic Reps engaged in representing your interests at across UCL. Our Academic Reps have been incredibly effective in representing your interests in your area of study. Officers launched two key reports this year, Representing your Academic Interests 2025 and Student Priorities for Education Report 2025, these reports helped secure changes to your education from UCL decision makers using Academic Rep and student feedback. Their dedication was celebrated in the Academic Rep of the Year Awards, which saw a record-breaking 239 nominations for 112 individual Academic Rep.
Some of the ways we've championed your voices
- Welfare and Community Officer, Rachel Lim, attended Parliament to campaign for a stronger Renters Reform Bill, calling on MPs to better protect student tenants. We submitted evidence to the Government and contacted 44 London MPs who represent the constituencies you live in to demand urgent reform.
- Union President Goksu Danaci represented UCL students at COP29, standing alongside 60,000+ delegates to shape the global climate agenda. She met with youth leaders from across the world to discuss the importance of student activism in securing a sustainable future.
- Education Officer, Shaban Chaudry, delivered a major institutional win with the rollout of UCL’s new Delayed Assessment Scheme, providing a more compassionate and flexible approach to academic deadlines and emergencies.
We’re looking forward to seeing UCL continue to listen closely to students. The report highlights that students value when their voices are heard and represented, and Students’ Union UCL remains dedicated to empowering student leaders and amplifying the student voice.
This increase is a testament to the effective influence of our 2000 academic reps across UCL, who shape decisions for the better. I want to thank each and every one of our reps for their dedication to representing student voices over the past year.
Sarah Jilani, Education Officer 2025-26