The National Student Survey (NSS) 2026 campaign at Sussex begins on Monday 26 January 2026, in line with the start of most teaching in the Spring term, and will run until the survey closes on Thursday 30 April 2026.
The NSS is one of the most widely used measures of student experience across the UK. It gives final-year undergraduate students an opportunity to reflect on their time at Sussex and share what has worked well and what could be improved.
Academic and Professional Services staff play an important role in supporting student engagement with the survey. Whatever your role, your contribution helps ensure that students are aware of the opportunity to take part and understand why their feedback matters.
Professor Kate O’Riordan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students), said:
“Thank you for supporting the National Student Survey. Student feedback is central to improving what we do at Sussex, and the NSS provides valuable insight into students’ experiences of their courses and the wider University. Your support is vital in helping students engage with the survey and share their views.”
Resources available for staff
The Student Communications and Campaigns team has prepared a range of resources to support staff during the NSS campaign. These are available via the Staff NSS webpages using your usual Sussex login.
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template messages for Canvas and social media
The NSS Good Practice Guide is also available on the webpage and should be reviewed by anyone involved in promoting the survey.
If you have any difficulty accessing the resources, please contact internalcomms@sussex.ac.uk.
If you have a question about how the survey operates, please contact Denise Cooper, Deputy Director (Academic Services) in the Division for the Student Experience.
If you teach a final-year module
If you teach a final-year module, your support is particularly important for the success of the NSS in your Faculty.
Some modules have been allocated time within teaching sessions for students to complete the survey. If you teach on one of these modules, please ensure that the time is given. Thank you for helping with this.
All tutors are also encouraged to promote the NSS more generally by:
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reminding students about the survey in tutorials
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sharing reminders via Canvas (using the template messages)
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adding a link to the NSS to your email signature during the campaign period
Please note that while the University is permitted to encourage participation in the NSS, staff must not influence how students respond. This includes avoiding any suggestions about what answers should be given or how questions should be interpreted.
Why should students take part
Student participation in the NSS helps:
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future applicants decide where and what to study
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the University identify strengths and areas for improvement
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enhance teaching, learning and support services
As part of the 2026 campaign, eligible students who complete the survey online will be entered into a prize draw to win one of 10 graduation packages worth £150. Each prize includes gown hire, two guest tickets and a basic photography package. The prize draw will close when the survey ends on 30 April 2026.
The University will also donate £1 to charity for every Sussex student who completes the survey. Students who complete the NSS can also collect a free T-shirt by showing their confirmation email at designated collection points on campus.
Completing the survey also counts as five points in the Co-Creation and Evaluation category for the Spirit of Sussex Award.
About the survey
The NSS is managed by the Office for Students, the independent regulator for higher education in England, and delivered by Ipsos.
Survey results are published on the Discover Uni website and are used by prospective students and their advisers to compare courses and institutions.
Ipsos will contact eligible students directly with a unique survey link. All responses are confidential and anonymised before being shared with the University.
Campaign timings
Targeted communication to final-year students will begin on Monday 26 January 2026.
Further activity, including on-campus engagement delivered by paid student survey agents, will continue throughout the Spring term until the survey closes on Thursday 30 April 2026.