Data used on our site

The data displayed on our site about the universities and courses comes from a variety of sources as well as an expression of some of our own opinions. We strive to show the most up-to-date data available wherever possible but encourage visitors to check data independently with universities, colleges and higher education providers.

Please note not all education providers are shown on this website. For a more extensive list we recommend you check out Discover Uni.

Data sources

National Student Survey

Final year students at UK institutions are asked to complete the National Student Survey (NSS) and to give feedback on their course. Students respond to statements using a five-point scale from ‘definitely disagree’ to ‘definitely agree’. The numbers you see on this website are the percentage of students who either responded ‘definitely agree’ or ‘agree’ to each statement. The results are used to help unis and colleges improve and can give insight to prospective students. The survey is run by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the UK higher education funding and regulatory bodies.

For more information about the NSS, visit the Office for Students website.

Destination of Leavers from Higher Education Survey

The Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey collects information from students six months after they finish their course (or thereabouts). It asks them what they are currently doing. If they are working, it asks them about the type of job they are doing and how much they earn.

Longitudinal Education Outcomes dataset

The Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset uses government tax records to produce earnings data. As it doesn’t rely on students responding to a survey it includes data for more students than the DLHE survey.

About the LEO data displayed on our site:

The LEO data shows how much graduates working in the UK were earning three years after graduating. The data includes taxable income for those who had tax deducted at source by their employer and does not include earnings for those who were self-employed. We only publish LEO data for courses taught at English providers.

You can find out more about how the statistics are produced and provide feedback on the Office for Students website.

Data collected from universities and colleges on individual students

The UK higher education funding and regulatory bodies collect data from universities and colleges about all their individual students. We use this data to create some of the statistics we use.

The datasets we use are the:

Understanding the data

The data that we publish is from reliable sources and can help you make an informed decision in where and what you want to study. It’s important to consider the data presented in context. We recommend you don’t make decisions based on small differences between courses. Instead look for large differences, and particularly where figures are much lower than for other courses you are considering.

Remember to consider other factors that can help you in choosing a course or university and may affect your experiences more so than the statistics as presented here. Think carefully about what you are looking for from your time at university. What you hope to achieve while you are there as well as once you complete your course. What factors (city or countryside location, living at home or away, campus-based or not) will go in to helping you feel not only at home but able to thrive while at university.