StudyPortals Student Satisfaction Awards 2014: Satisfaction of international students in the UK increases
The satisfaction of international students studying in the United Kingdom increased since 2013, placing the UK in second place within Europe among the universities that receive high numbers of international students.
A new study by StudyPortals reveals that UK universities rank 2nd place in international students’ satisfaction amongst the most popular study destinations in Europe. The study is based on 73,000 reviews from international students on StudyPortals’ Student Experience Exchange platform www.STeXX.com, the “TripAdvisor” for study experiences. The research found that international students in Europe are most satisfied with their study experience in Nordic countries.
Compared to previous year the student satisfaction has improved in the UK. Britain’s average has increased from 8.8 last academic year to 9.0 this academic year, meaning that international students in the United Kingdom are more satisfied with their study experience than the previous year.
International students in the UK are pleased mostly with the vibrant social life. Although they do enjoy British cities, they do not comment on t this element as positively as international students in other European countries. British universities receive most complaints about academic aspects, accommodation, and services provided by the university which are the biggest development points.
British students abroad
British students abroad were satisfied with their overall experience and rated it 8.3 out of 10. Popular comments were about the city and culture, closely followed by academic aspects. More than 1 out of 5 positive comments were made about city atmosphere, aesthetics, and size. British students abroad do complain about low levels of teaching, a slow bureaucratic process, and issues in finding accommodation, which comprise more than two thirds of all negative comments.
16 British universities awarded
Five universities in the United Kingdom were awarded a Certificate of Outstanding International Student Satisfaction. Eight universities received a Certificate of Excellent International Students Satisfaction, while three universities received a Certificate of Very Good International Student Satisfaction. The University of Exeter, University of Nottingham and Cardiff University were awarded gold, silver and bronze awards.
UK winners of the International student satisfaction awards
Other awarded institutions in alphabetical order
More information:
Key Influencers of international student satisfaction report
About the awards
The StudyPortals International Student Satisfaction Awards 2014 are based on 16,427 comments made by 6,923 international students in Europe. These reviews provide rare insights into universities’ performance from a student’s’ perspective
The universities included in the award had to have received if more than 20 reviews since the last academic year. Institutions were awarded outstanding student satisfaction award if their average rating was 9.5 or higher out of 10. The Excellent Student Satisfaction Award was received by the universities that had average rating of 9.0 or higher. Universities that received averaged more than 8.0 received very good Student Satisfaction Award.
About StudyPortals
StudyPortals’ main objective is to make study choice transparent globally. In a market of growing options and an increasing need for (digital) information and international comparison, the platform has rapidly established a central position for students that have an interest in studying abroad. Currently, over 1,450 universities participate, from 52 countries, creating transparency across 35,000 study programmes.
Our quality approach has allowed us to build a unique experience on how to find university programmes and present them effectively to prospective students. This empowers students worldwide to easily find and compare their ideal education, while universities benefit from well informed, quality prospective students.
Press contact: Carmen Neghina | Tel: +31 655 875 270 | Email: Carmen@studyportals.com
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