Student Experience Survey (SES) | Institutional Analysis & Planning

The Student Experience Survey (SES) is administered by the Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit (SCSRU), in collaboration with the University of Waterloo Institutional Analysis and Planning (IAP) department, the Associate Vice President, Academic, and the Associate Provost, Students. Data from the survey informs programs administered by the faculties, UWaterloo Life, SSO, Library, and other academic support units.

The survey is sent to a sample of University of Waterloo undergraduate students to understand students' perceptions of their academic and non-academic learning environment and experience at Waterloo. The first survey was piloted in spring 2022. The SES has since run every fall and winter terms.

Topics covered in the Fall SES may include but are not limited to:

student perceptions of general well-being, feelings of belonging and inclusion on campus, student support systems
student perceptions of campus life, and overall engagement in non-academic activities and recreation
student perceptions of faculty services

Topics covered in the Winter SES may include but are not limited to:

student perceptions of various learning experiences and supports
student perceptions of workload
student perceptions of academic unit initiatives

SES surveys are intended to inform internal planning and decision-making, and are administered every fall and winter term. Key results from previous iterations of the survey are available below. For more information about past surveys or general inquiries about the SES, please email analysis@uwaterloo.ca.

Past Surveys

Spring 2022 SES results

70 %

of students felt their instructors cared about their learning

72 %

of students felt real-world applications were engaging activities to have in a classroom setting

66 %

of students connect with their family every day or every few days

Other data collected from this survey will be used to better inform the University of Waterloo's policies on several topics. These topics include, but are not limited to, student engagement, classroom activities, and perceptions of belonging at the university.

Fall 2022 SES results

68 %

of students participated in athletic or recreational activities

65 %

of students participated in clubs or student-run organizations

74 %

of students agreed that their instructors provided reminders for course deadlines

Other data collected from this survey will be used to better inform the University of Waterloo's policies on several topics. These topics include, but are not limited to, student perceptions of belonging, classroom activities and content, and instructor feedback.

Winter 2023 SES results

80 %

of students felt encouraged by their experience at Waterloo to learn from feedback

77 %

of students felt instructors created an inclusive learning environment

80 %

of students consistently use at least one time management tool

Other data collected from this survey will be used to better inform the University of Waterloo's policies on several topics. These topics include, but are not limited to, the stability of student housing, accessibility of nutritional food, and student workload.

Fall 2023 SES results

50 %

of students took part in personal development opportunities like mental health/wellness training

63 %

of students took part in at least one academic development opportunity

57 %

of students participated in social activities sometime to very often this term

Winter 2024 SES results

32 %

of students took at least one course that covered topics on sustainability

56 %

of students would like more of their instructors to teach them how to use AI tools responsibly

71 %

of students agree or strongly agree that they felt encouraged to learn from feedback

Other data collected from this survey will be used to better inform the University of Waterloo's policies on several topics. These topics include, but are not limited to, the student workload, classroom activities and topics, the use of AI tools, and student wellness.