Pre-arrival questionnaire national pilot - Wave One initial results

The 2025 Pre-arrival Academic Questionnaire (PAQ) national pilot Wave One initial results, produced in collaboration with the University of East London and Jisc, draws on data gathered from incoming undergraduates across 15 diverse higher education institutions in England. The findings shed light on the learning histories, expectations, wellbeing concerns and financial pressures students carry with them as they enter higher education. 

The report reveals significant gaps between what students expect from higher education and the reality they encounter on arrival, with implications for how universities design transition support for increasingly diverse student bodies. Key insights include: 

• Uneven confidence on entry. Students arrive with highly varied levels of academic, social and practical confidence, shaped by their prior educational environment, qualification pathway and personal circumstances. Disabled students, carers, commuters and mature entrants report notably lower confidence on entry. 
• Misaligned expectations. Many students expect high levels of structured contact and readily accessible feedback, assumptions rooted in school experience that do not always reflect contemporary HE models. 
• Digital and AI readiness overstated. Assumptions about students' digital preparedness are challenged by the data, which show heavy reliance on traditional learning approaches and limited exposure to generative AI or sophisticated digital tools. 
• Financial and wellbeing pressures arrive early. Nearly six in 10 students expect to work during their studies, yet many underestimate how common term-time employment actually is. Financial concerns and wellbeing worries are present well before students set foot on campus. 

Download the full report below.