How your answers keep universities accountable

When you're invited to complete the Graduate Outcomes survey around 15 months after finishing your course, you might wonder whether your response really makes a difference.

As the independent regulator for higher education in England, the Office for Students (OfS) uses Graduate Outcomes data as part of the evidence that helps us assess how well universities and colleges are preparing students for life after higher education.

Not every graduate follows the same path. Some move directly into employment, others continue studying, launch businesses, take up creative careers, undertake caring responsibilities or pursue opportunities that do not fit traditional definitions of career progression. When a wide range of graduates respond to the survey, future students gain a more accurate understanding of the many different routes available after higher education

If only graduates with certain experiences respond, the picture becomes incomplete. To regulate effectively, we need data that reflects the reality of graduate life, not just one version of success.

Higher education can open many different opportunities, and there is no single definition of a successful outcome after graduation. The Graduate Outcomes survey helps us understand the wide variety of directions graduates take and how they feel their studies have contributed to where they are today.

This matters because regulation should not focus only on what happens while a student is studying. You’ve invested significant time, effort and money in your education, and deserve confidence that your course will support progress towards your goals. Graduate Outcomes data helps us understand whether higher education providers are delivering positive outcomes for their students and whether there are differences between institutions, courses and groups of students.

The data contributes to some of the OfS regulatory metrics and forms part of the evidence we use to identify patterns, trends and potential areas of concern across the sector.

Put simply, your response helps us hold the higher education sector to account and make sure students are getting value from their education.

(If you studied elsewhere in the UK, the data is also used in a similar way by the organisations responsible for overseeing and improving higher education in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.)

Graduate Outcomes data also feeds into information services such as Discover Uni (the official source of information about higher education courses and providers which is overseen by OfS), helping prospective students understand what previous students went on to do after studying a course.

The data is also used by universities and colleges to better understand outcomes for their graduates and identify opportunities for improvement. It helps researchers, policymakers and regulators build a clearer picture of the higher education sector and how it is changing over time.

That means your response doesn't just help the OfS. It helps future students make better-informed decisions about where and what to study.

When you receive your invitation to complete the Graduate Outcomes survey, we encourage you to take part.

It takes around 10 minutes to complete and helps us build the evidence we use to hold universities and colleges accountable for the outcomes they deliver, identify where students may need better support, and ensure future students have reliable information when making life-changing decisions.

Your experience matters. By sharing it, you're helping us make sure higher education delivers for current and future students.