NSS 2026 closure: preparing to review the evidence

Updated Sep 07, 2026

The Office for Students recorded the closure of NSS 2026 in its 1 May 2026 update. This article was originally published during the period between fieldwork and results. The results were subsequently published on 8 July 2026 and are now available. OfS NSS guidance and update history.

The questionnaire context

OfS confirms that the 2026 questionnaire was the same as in 2025. The freedom of expression question applied to England; the overall satisfaction question applied to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These differences matter when selecting comparisons.

The student voice questions concern opportunities to give feedback, whether staff value students’ opinions, and the clarity of action on feedback. They ask about different parts of the experience. The questionnaire also includes open questions about positive and negative aspects of the course. NSS 2026 questionnaire.

The normal fieldwork schedule continued in 2026. OfS describes a shorter period from 2028–29 as anticipated, while it considers the earlier pilot; that wording should not be turned into a confirmed new timetable for every future cycle.

Planning a useful review

Our practical suggestion is to agree who will check the data, who can access comments and who owns follow-up. Set out the relevant cohorts, questions, response thresholds and comparison periods before interpreting a difference.

Read comments as accounts of experience, alongside the survey results and suitable local evidence. They can suggest issues to investigate; they do not establish the reason for a score change or the prevalence of an issue among all students.

Distinguish recurring themes from individual concerns that require a separate response. Agree access and sensitive-information handling before sharing extracts, and explain what the review can and cannot conclude.

Use the NSS open-text analysis methodology and governance checklist to plan that work. Document decisions and communicate the response to students, including areas where further investigation is needed.

Review note, 7 September 2026: updated the earlier results expectation to the confirmed publication date, checked questionnaire scope and qualified the anticipated future fieldwork change. The original publication date and URL are retained.