Sussex has recorded a strong improvement in this year’s National Student Survey (NSS), with a higher response rate of 76.4% and increased positivity scores in all seven themed categories and in all 27 questions.

The results published yesterday (Wednesday 9 July), are based on feedback from final year students and show continued progress, building on last year’s improvements.

Key achievements include:

• sixth in the UK (and first in the South East) for the Organisation and Management theme, focusing on how well our courses are run;
• a  94.4% positivity score for how good our teaching staff are at explaining things;
• a 91.5% positivity score for how well library resources have supported students’ learning; and
• increasing our overall positivity rank by 18 places, compared to universities included in the UK league tables. Overall positivity is the average of positivity scores across questions 1-24 in the survey. 

At individual subject level, our highest ranked subject for overall positivity was Social Work which is 2^nd in the UK of 73 providers. 

Our Students’ Union (SU) also scored well and improved on last year, moving up 10 places to 46th. This is important, as student unions make an essential contribution to the overall student experience and the ‘student voice’ at universities in the UK. 

Vice-Chancellor Professor Sasha Roseneil said: “With a rise in positivity scores across all themes and all questions, the 2025 NSS results provide clear evidence of very real improvement in our undergraduate students’ experience at Sussex. The positivity score of 94.4% for how good teaching staff are at explaining things is fantastic, and to be ranked 6^th nationally for ‘organisation and management’ demonstrates that our students have really appreciated how well their courses are run. And, really importantly, having increased our response rate from 73% to 76.4% this year, we can be confident that these results are a true reflection of our finalists’ views.

“As well as contributing to national league table rankings, the NSS results provide us with an opportunity to analyse our strengths and identify opportunities for further improvement. We must keep up the excellent progress we have made over the past three years – but for now, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed to these results. They are testament to the hard work, dedication, and excellent teaching and support provided by colleagues across the University.”

The NSS is organised annually by the Office for Students (OfS) and gathers final year undergraduate students’ opinions on their experience of their course and the support provided by their higher education institution.

Improved results in the NSS help to make Sussex a more compelling choice for staff and students, and the results inform league tables and university guides.