Key findings:
- Satisfaction levels are now at 84% - the highest level reported
- Overseas students (87%) are more satisfied with their course than home students (80%), with those from China, India and Nigeria all reporting high levels of overall satisfaction
- Overall satisfaction for disabled students is lower than average at just over three quarters (77%)
- Almost 2 in 10 (16%) respondents have considered leaving their course, with more than a quarter (27%) of all respondents citing cost of living concerns as negatively impacting their studies ‘a lot’.
Satisfaction among postgraduate students on taught courses in the UK is at its highest level, with overseas students more satisfied than home students, according to Advance HE’s annual Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2024 [LINK], published today (26 November).
However, the cost of living has had a negative impact on the experience of many students, particularly disabled students who report lower satisfaction on average.
The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) is the most comprehensive annual assessment of postgraduate student experiences in the UK, providing critical insights into the evolving landscape of higher education.
Participation in PTES has reached new heights in 2024 with more than 98,000 postgraduate students on taught courses responding across 108 UK HE institutions - the highest ever level of participation. More than two thirds (68%) of those respondents are from outside the UK.
The 2024 survey found:
A slight increase in overall satisfaction from 2023, which at 84%, is at the highest level since PTES began in its current form in 2014.
There are marked differences between satisfaction of home students (80%) and overseas students (87%). Students from China, India and Nigeria all reported high levels of overall satisfaction.
Overall satisfaction for students with a declared disability was markedly lower than average (77% compared to the average of 86%). Satisfaction levels for students with declared disabilities are not quite at the level they were in 2019 and, compared to students with no known disabilities, their satisfaction levels have been slower to rebound since the Covid-19 pandemic.
16% of respondents had considered leaving their course. Difficulty balancing study with other commitments was the most common reason with financial difficulties now the second most common reason, rising from the fifth most common reason in 2022. 27% of all respondents reported that cost of living concerns had negatively impacted their studies ‘a lot’.
The 2024 Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey captures a nuanced picture. While we're celebrating the highest satisfaction levels reported in the survey, the results demonstrate the complex challenges students face.
“Disabled students’ satisfaction is lower on average and deeper analysis suggests they are more likely to leave or be affected by the cost of living.
“Although postgraduate taught students are satisfied with the quality of teaching they receive, they struggle with a lack of sense of community.
“The challenge now is for HE institutions to use the data and insights from PTES 2024 to consider the changing needs and expectations of postgraduate taught students in the UK.”Jonathan Neves, Head of Business Intelligence and Surveys at Advance HE