Rising student satisfaction scores put York St John in the top third of universities in the UK

Students at York St John have given an overwhelmingly positive response to the biggest national survey on their time at university. The NSS 2026 has delivered a resoundingly positive set of student satisfaction scores for York St John, up on last year in all sections of the survey.  

Student satisfaction continues to rise and build on last year’s positive results. Our overall satisfaction rate has climbed to 85.4% based on the sector’s standard methodology. This means the University is now in 41st position out of 123 higher education providers in England, up from 47th in 2025.    

The NSS, carried out by the Office for Students on behalf of the UK funding and regulatory bodies, is one of the biggest student surveys in the world. This year the results were based on responses from over 360,000 students nationwide. Our response rate this year was 70.4%. 

Students are asked about aspects of their experience at university including teaching, academic support and learning resources. Our excellent scores for teaching put us in the Top 5 in the North East for students’ experience of teaching on their course.   

Of particular note is strong evidence that students feel heard and valued at York St John. The scores for student voice have risen a significant 6 percentage points compared to 2025 and are above the sector average. The University’s score of 90.5% on an additional question about free expression demonstrates students from all cultures and backgrounds feel valued within our community. 

Students also shared that they can see how their opinions matter. Our 9 percentage point increase in acting on feedback highlights that our students can see how their voice makes a meaningful difference to their experience. 

Professor Karen Bryan OBE, Vice Chancellor of York St John University said:

"I am delighted to join colleagues in celebrating the results of the National Student Survey, which show a continued rise is student satisfaction at York St John. I am particularly proud that our students feel able to express their ideas and beliefs freely, and that they can see how their voices and feedback genuinely shape the student experience across our University.

"These results are very much a reflection of the commitment our colleagues show every day to delivering high-quality learning and teaching, and to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels that they belong."

Chief executives of the OfS, Ruth Hannant and Polly Payne said: 

"We’re pleased to see that the proportion of students in England who view their higher education experience positively has increased for another year running. That should give us all confidence in the ability of our universities and colleges to deliver the high-quality teaching, learning, and support that every student is entitled to. 

"Thank you to every student who shared feedback this year. Your views will help prospective students make important decisions about where and what to study and give universities and colleges crucial insights into how experiences vary across their student populations.

"At the OfS, we’ll be using the findings to further develop our understanding of students’ wants and needs as we work to ensure all students get an excellent higher education, are treated fairly, and are supported to succeed in their studies and beyond." 

 The results of the 2026 National Student Survey can be found on the Office for Students website.