A recent survey of 1,058 students reveals their satisfaction with the university experience and their accommodation. Current students were satisfied with their overall university experience – scoring 7.5/10. They were also equally satisfied with their student accommodation, scoring an average of 7 (on a scale of 10) with over half of respondents a highly satisfied 8 or above.
The survey, conducted by Accommodation for Students (AFS) in February 2022, shows that over 90% of university students are benefiting from a return to on-campus teaching and are enjoying their university experience, however 67% want some elements of remote learning to remain in place.
Of the respondents, 52% were experiencing a mix of on-campus and remote learning, 39% were primarily on-campus, and 8% were studying remotely. Satisfaction levels with the quality of teaching styles was consistent across all teaching methods – scoring 7.6/10. Almost 60% of students scored 8/10 or higher for satisfaction and closer analysis revealed there were very little differences in satisfaction levels between the students experiencing the different methods of teaching.
Furthermore, most students actively want some elements of remote learning to remain in the longer term, in particular access to recorded lectures to provide flexibility and the opportunity to catch up ‘on-demand’.
The research also reveals that one of the most important criteria for satisfaction with student accommodation was how well the property was managed. Current students are broadly satisfied with their property management – scoring 6.9, however those that experienced the best standard of property management were likely to be most satisfied overall.
While previous AFS research indicated that price and location were the two most important criteria for students when searching for accommodation, this new research reveals that these factors had little impact on satisfaction levels once a student had taken occupation of the property. Students who live over one hour away from university were just as satisfied with their accommodation as those that live under a five minute walk away.
The study also reveals a huge rise in online methods for searching for student accommodation and students’ satisfaction with these methods. Students were just as satisfied with online property viewings as they were with a traditional property tour.
“Students have successfully adapted to the changes, both in the way they experience university and how they search for and find accommodation. This presents opportunities for both universities and student accommodation professionals in the way they engage with students in the longer term.”
Simon Thompson, Managing Director, Accommodation for Students
The results of the student satisfaction survey were presented at a live webinar on 28 April 2022. View the presentation.
