Institutions FAQ

What are the project objectives?

The primary objective of the project is to provide universities and other H.E. institutions with the information and analysis needed to support decision making and planning in their accommodation provision to students. The NSHS is the standard tool for all student accommodation providers to benchmark their results against competitors and mission groups as well as local, regional and national results for all types of student accommodation.

Who can participate?

The project is open to any organisation interested or involved in student accommodation including universities and colleges, students' unions, accommodation providers, support organisations and government. The survey receives more than 15,000 responses annually from over 120 different universities and colleges across the UK.

Why participate?

Institutions receive a full national report including detailed analysis, charts, tables and statistics. In addition, each contributing institution receives a confidential supplementary report covering only their students. This means institutions will be able to directly compare statistics for their students against the national report.

"The results of the survey have really helped us to clarify our priorities. Being able to see the analysis in the context of a national survey is indispensable in helping to form policy, direct future project work and encourage improving housing standards…” - Roland Shanks, Senior Housing Advisor at the University of London

The national report is also distributed to local and national government departments, charities, social enterprises and student support organisations such as NUS and Unipol.

What does it cost?

There is no cost for basic participation. Additional analysis and reporting requested by participating institutions, including some customisation of the survey, is available at additional cost if required.

How does it work?

The survey is hosted online using Red Brick's Sirius™ survey system. Universities and colleges are asked to promote the survey to their students, usually by email.

We understand many university accommodation offices are stretched so we provide a set of resources to help, including sample emails, graphics and poster designs (for optional use).

How do we participate?

Registrations of interest for the project open from the beginning of October each year. Institutions interested in participating should follow the instructions on the home page to register their interest and download a comprehensive information pack. Why not put the date in your diary now so you'll be sure not to miss registration this year?

If you have any further questions, please contact us.