The Sheffield College celebrates positive National Student Survey results

Students on university level qualifications at UC Sheffield have rated their experiences very positively, according to new national survey results.

The National Student Survey (NSS) asks students about their experience of studying at higher education institutions including universities and colleges.

UC Sheffield is the home of degree level qualifications at The Sheffield College. This year’s results, published in July 2026, for students at UC Sheffield show a positive upward trend across the board. 

The NSS covers ten themes which include course teaching, learning opportunities, assessment and feedback, and academic support.

The other themes are course organisation and management, learning resources, student voice, the Students’ Union representing academic interests, mental wellbeing and freedom of expression.  

Students in the final year of their undergraduate course are invited to take part in the survey anonymously. Of the 10 themes, the results for nine at UC Sheffield were higher than last year. 

• Mental wellbeing rose to 100% from 79.5%
• Freedom of expression rose to 97.2% from 81.2%
• Academic support rose to 90.3% from 79.6% 
• Teaching on my course rose to 89.6% from 83.2%
• Assessment and feedback rose to 89.4% from 75.9%
• Student voice rose to 88.4% from 62.2%
• Learning resources rose to 82.4% from 76.4%
• Students’ Union rose to 81.3% from 71.8%
• Course organisation and management rose to 79.2% from 59.2%
• Learning opportunities dipped slightly to 82.8% from 83.3%

Angela Foulkes CBE, Chief Executive and Principal, The Sheffield College, said: “We are really proud of these results which demonstrate a significant increase in positive feedback across most of the survey themes.

“I would like to recognise our staff for their commitment to providing such a positive teaching and learning experience that sets our students up for their future careers.”

UC Sheffield courses include higher technical qualifications, honours and foundation degrees, higher national certificates and diplomas, and higher apprenticeships. 

The subjects offered range from animal care and management, bakery and patisserie technology, computing and digital technologies and creative practice to construction, early years education, games design, performing arts and policing.  

The college has also been given the green light to offer flexible higher education qualifications next year as part of wider government funding changes.

From January 2027, eligible students will be able to study individual modules rather than committing to a full qualification.

For students, this means their studies can fit more easily around jobs, childcare and other commitments whilst still providing the option to build a full qualification.

The National Student Survey 2026 is available on the Office for Students website.

Find out more about university level qualifications at UC Sheffield. Visit www.sheffcol.ac.uk.

Pictured: A UC Sheffield student gets ready for graduation in November 2025. Photo credit: Joe Horner.