What students really think about their digital experience in higher education

The students and learners in HE report from this year’s digital experience insights survey captures the views of 15,398 higher education students across 30 UK providers (24 universities and six colleges offering HE degrees) between October 2024 and April 2025.

By gathering this feedback at scale, the survey provides higher education institutions with robust evidence to:

Understand how students experience digital learning and teaching
Benchmark performance nationally
Track year-on-year progress
Strengthen strategic planning, from digital infrastructure to student support

Rising satisfaction, but higher expectations

Students increasingly recognise the progress universities have made in improving digital provision. At the same time, they are clear about what they want next: better and more accessible content, more reliable systems, and access to specialist tools that support learning in their discipline.

86% of students rated their digital learning environment above average
84% said the quality of their digital learning experience was positive
77% rated digital support as above average – a 5% increase on last year

When asked about priorities for future investment, students identified:

26% more digital content and resources
25% upgrading platforms and systems
24% specialist course software
12% more computers and devices
7% IT support

Connectivity and cost pressures continue to create barriers

Despite progress, digital equity remains a critical challenge, with international and minority ethnic students disproportionately affected. Reliable access and affordability are key factors in enabling students to succeed.

60% reported wifi connectivity issues on or off campus
37% lacked access to a suitable device at some point (49% among international students)
Costof living pressures meant 39% of students took on paid work that could impact their studies, while 36% avoided campus to save on travel – underlining the importance of accessible, high-quality digital learning.

A mismatch between delivery modes and student preferences

As in-person teaching continues to grow, students remain clear that they want flexibility in how they study. A gap is opening up between delivery patterns and student expectations.

72% of teaching is mainly on campus (up from 67%)
48% of students would prefer blended or online learning
46% prefer to study mainly online when not in class

Students are embracing AI, but need more support

Use of AI tools for learning is growing rapidly, but students are looking to their institutions for help in navigating ethical use, academic integrity, and reliability.

34% of students said they use AI tools for learning (up from 22% last year)
23% have institution-provided AI access
24% received training on appropriate use

Digital skills for employability remain a priority

Students are receiving more support to build their digital capabilities, but there is still work to do to ensure graduates leave with the workplace-ready skills employers demand. Employers consistently highlight digital fluency as a core graduate attribute, and universities need structured ways to embed this across courses.

55% received guidance on course-related digital skills
37% had opportunities to build workplace digital skills
27% gained formal certification for their digital skills

To help address this gap, our building digital capability service offers a framework and tools to develop both staff and student digital skills. Universities can use it to assess current capabilities, design targeted interventions, and ensure graduates leave prepared for the digital workplace.

Benefits of universities running the survey

Running the survey gives institutions more than just feedback – it provides strategic evidence to support planning, investment, and external reporting. By participating, universities can:

Benchmark student digital experiences against robust national data and peer institutions
Identify equity gaps in access and provision, enabling targeted interventions
Inform digital strategies, blended learning models, and student support services
Provide trusted evidence for TEF submissions, access and participation plans, Office for Students (OfS) reporting, and institutional digital transformation initiatives
Strengthen the student partnership model, showing a tangible commitment to listening and acting on the student voice

Get involved with the 2025/26 survey

The survey is a powerful way to listen to students, act on their feedback, and improve digital learning for all.

Put the student voice at the heart of your digital strategy. Find out more about joining the 2025/26 digital experience insights survey by submitting your details through our form or by emailing help@jisc.ac.uk to get started.