Sheffield Uni left out of NSS after student boycott

Other boycotters include Oxford and Cambridge


Sheffield University is one of twelve unis not to be included in this year's National Student Survey (NSS), marking a success for the student-led boycott.

The boycott of the NSS was led by the NUS and adopted by Sheffield Students' Union as the 'Shef Better Than TEF' campaign after it was found that results from the survey may lead to higher tuition fees for students.

Other universities not included in the NSS include Oxford, Cambridge and Manchester.

For the first time this year, NSS results are included in the statistics that make up the TEF. The TEF, once compiled, awards universities with either a bronze, silver or gold rating. It came under fire earlier this year once it was revealed that universities could increase their tuition fees based on their TEF rating – although the movement to create differential fee caps has since been postponed by the government.

The response from Sheffield students marks a huge shift from the 2016 NSS survey, where 78% of final-year students completed the survey compared to just 48% in 2017. Currently, a university needs at least a 50% response rate to be included in the NSS.

Students at Sheffield Hallam didn't follow suit, though, and they ranked at number 62 for overall student satisfaction in the 2017 NSS.