Fall 2024 Student Experience Survey (SES)

What: Participate in the Fall 2024 Student Experience Survey (SES)

Who: 10,000 randomly selected University of Waterloo Fall 2024 undergraduate and all eligible graduate (non-visiting/exchange) students (See FAQs below for details)

When:Oct. 21 - Nov. 8, 2024

Why: Your feedback will help the university understand students' learning environment and experience, challenges, and successes. The University of Waterloo wants to hear about your experiences, challenges, and successes. Your input guides our ongoing work to improve the student experience.

Here's how to share your feedback:

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Step 1: Log into LEARN or check your @uwaterloo.ca e-mail beginning October 21 for an invitation from the Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit(iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca)

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Step 2: Click the survey link in the email or look for the "Participate in the F24 Student Survey" notice in Learn. It only takes approx. 10 minutes.

 If you wish to complete a PDF version of the survey instead, please email iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca

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Submit your completed survey and get: $5 giftcard added to your WatCard. See incentive rules below for more information.


About the Fall 2024 Student Experience Survey (SES)

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

The purpose of the Fall SES is to understand students' perceptions of their academic and non-academic learning environment and experience at Waterloo. 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, and student support systems
  • campus life, and overall engagement in non-academic activities and recreation
  • faculty services
  • academic unit initiatives

Fall 2024 Student Experience Survey (SES) FAQ

Who can participate in the survey?

  • A sample of University of Waterloo undergraduate students (registered in the fall 2024 term) will be invited to participate in the survey. Students must be registered in courses or be on a work term in the fall 2024 term. The selection process is randomized and selects 10,000 students to invite out of all eligible students. If you do not receive an invitation this term, you may receive an invitation for future iterations of the SES.
  • All eligible graduate (non-visiting/exchange) students will be invited to the fall 2024 SES. To be eligible, students must be registered in the fall 2024 term and have an active @uwaterloo.ca email. Students enrolled in the International/Ontario visiting Graduate Student Programs (IVGS/OVGS) are not eligible to participate in the SES.

When does the survey take place?

The survey is available from October 21 - November 8, 2024.

How can students participate?

You can participate via two pathways:

  1. Log into LEARN and look for the survey link in the “Participate in the F24 Student survey and receive $5” notice.
  2. Invitations and reminders containing a unique survey link are emailed to student @uwaterloo email addresses.

Your participation is voluntary and confidential. If you wish to participate via an alternate format, such as PDF or paper copy, please send an email to iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca.

How long does the survey take?

Approximately 10 minutes to complete in one sitting.

What do I get for participating?

All students who submit their survey responses (press the "Submit" button at the end of the survey) will receive $5 added to WatCard. See incentive rules for more information.

I've completed the survey. When do I get my $5?

$5 is added to the student WatCard within four weeks of survey submission.

When will the results be available?

Early spring 2025.

How are the results used?

Survey results will be used to evaluate and improve student learning approaches, supports and experiences.

Where and how will the results be displayed?

Selected summary results will be published on the main Student Experience Survey IAP Webpage. Summarized university and faculty-specific results will be prepared only for the faculties and academic support units on campus. If you are interested in receiving the summary results of the survey, please send an email to iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca.

Is this survey voluntary?

Participation is voluntary. Participants can decline to respond to any question by leaving it blank or decline to participate by selecting the "do not consent" option at the start of the survey. You may withdraw partial or submitted survey responses by sending an email to iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca.

Will my responses be kept confidential?

The survey is being administered and analyzed by the Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit (SCSRU).

This survey is confidential. The survey does not ask for any personally identifying information, nor does the survey use internet protocol (IP) addresses or other information which could link your participation to your computer or electronic device.

Only authorized staff at the Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit (SCSRU) and Institutional Analysis and Planning (IAP) tasked with analyzing and interpreting the results, and who have signed a data sharing and confidentiality agreement meant to ensure secure and appropriate handling of data, will have access to the raw survey data.

This survey may also include initiative-specific questions. Different groups within the University of Waterloo may have specific questions for you about a current initiative, such as your faculty, your satellite campus, or various academic support units. If this is the case, the University of Waterloo group that posed the questions will receive a weighted and summarized report, which will only be used for evaluation and/or research purposes to help improve their programs and services.

Contact information used to administer the incentives will be stored separately from survey responses. Your de-identified survey responses may be linked to demographics data (such as your year of study, citizenship, and status in Canada), academic plan information (such as your program and faculty), and academic record (cumulative average), and will be used for evaluation, and/or research purposes only to help improve our programs and services. Results will be reported in aggregate only, ensuring that no individual student can be identified.

This online survey is operated by Qualtrics. Qualtrics has implemented technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect the information provided via the Services from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, no Internet transmission is ever fully secure or error free. See Waterloo’s guidelines on secure data transmission for more information.

Respondents may provide their name and email for follow-up to iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca. Once you click on the email link, you will be redirected to a separate email form, and your information will not be linked to survey responses.

What support services are available to me if I need them as a result of the survey questions?

The survey includes topics that may evoke an emotional response in some people. If at any time during the survey you feel upset or experience anxiety, please exit immediately by closing the survey. You can choose to re-enter the survey later by clicking on the survey link in your invitation or reminder emails, through LEARN or by reaching out to iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca for more assistance. Your survey responses will not be used if you do not consent to participate in the survey.

In addition, information on support resources and services offered through the university and in the Waterloo region will be provided along with the questions that may evoke an emotional response in some people. Please see the Additional Support Resources below. These resources are also available in the survey's "Help Box".

Incentive Rules

Eligibility: All fall 2024 undergraduate and graduate students who received a survey invitation and who submit their responses (press the "submit" button) to the Fall 2024 Student Experience Survey (SES) by 11:59 pm on November 8, 2024, will receive $5 added to their student WatCards (within four weeks of survey submission).

If you choose not to participate in the survey or do not submit your survey, you will not be eligible for the $5 WatCard reward. Your personalized link is unique to you and will be used to determine if the survey is completed.

Please note: The University is not responsible for incomplete, failed, or delayed transmission of your submission due to technical difficulties, including interruption or delays caused by equipment or software malfunction.

Privacy Policy

University of Waterloo Information, Privacy and Record Retention

The University of Waterloo is committed to respecting the privacy of respondents to this survey.  All personal information is collected under the authority of the University of Waterloo Act (1972) and will be processed in compliance with Ontario’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, as well as the University of Waterloo’s Information and Privacy policies

Questions about the collection, use, and disclosure of information associated with this survey should be directed to iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca. Questions about the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information by the university, should be directed to the Privacy Officer at fippa@uwaterloo.ca.

The collected data and reports will be managed according to the University records classification scheme, WatClass, and will be securely destroyed when no longer needed by the University.

Use of Personal Information: The University has provided names, e-mail addresses, ID, and program information to the Statistical Consulting Survey Research Unit (SCSRU) for the purpose of conducting the survey. Contact information used to administer the incentives will be stored separately from survey responses. Your de-identified survey responses may be linked to demographics metrics (such as your year of study, citizenship, and status in Canada), academic plan information (such as your program and faculty), and academic record (cumulative average), and will be used for evaluation, and/or research purposes only to help improve our programs and services. Results will be reported in aggregate only, ensuring that no individual student can be identified.

Please note that only authorized staff at the Statistical Consulting Survey Research Unit (SCSRU) and Institutional Analysis and Planning (IAP) tasked with analyzing and interpreting the results, and who have signed a data sharing and confidentiality agreement meant to ensure secure and appropriate handling of data, will have access to the survey data. All data collected will be de-identified and will only be reported in aggregate. Results will be stored for a period of 10 years or until superseded or obsolete, in a secure, encrypted, password or key protected location.

Additional Support Resources

The survey includes topics that may evoke an emotional response in some people. The following are services available to you at the University of Waterloo and in the Waterloo region. If you are in a crisis situation, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital immediately.

On-Campus Support

Campus Wellness
To book an appointment, please call 519-888-4096

Health Services
Location: Across Ring Road from the SLC
Phone: 519-888-4096

Counselling Services
Location: Needles Hall Addition 2nd floor
Phone: 519-888-4096

Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO)
Supports anyone on campus who has experienced, or has been impacted by, sexual and gender-based violence. The SVPRO is not a cirsis service. Email svpro@uwaterloo.ca.

If you are in crisis, please view a list of contacts on the Crisis Support Services webpage or call the 24 Hour Support Line - Sexual Assault Support Centre of Kitchener Waterloo at: 519-741-8633.

Special Constable Services (24/7) - Contact by phone: 519-888-4911 or on-campus extension 22222

Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (EDI-R)
Please contact equity@uwaterloo.ca

Office of Indigenous Relations
Please contact indigenousrelations@uwaterloo.ca

After-hours contacts

For additional resources, please visit the Campus Wellness Resource Database page.

Contact us

  • If you have difficulty accessing the survey, wish to no longer receive messages related to this survey, wish to withdraw your submitted survey responses or for general inquiries, please email iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca.
  • If you wish to provide anonymous feedback about your experience at Waterloo, please complete the Anonymous Feedback Form.