OfS student insight report on graduate preparedness, and why it matters for careers support

Updated Sep 07, 2026

The Office for Students published its graduate preparedness student insight report on 25 March 2026. It draws on research about how graduates felt prepared for life after study, rather than an objective test of their readiness or a causal evaluation of careers support. OfS student insight report.

Findings and their limits

IFF Research surveyed 1,671 graduates online in September 2025, following three August focus groups involving 18 people. Participants graduated in the 2022/23–2024/25 academic years. Survey data were weighted, but the report says results should be treated as indicative, with particular caution for small subgroups.

Half of survey respondents felt prepared for life after graduation; 62% felt confident about achieving their goals. These answer different questions. The report also says 88% had received institutional support and 33% had used their institution’s careers service. Receiving support is not the same as reporting that it was effective. IFF report, executive summary and methodology, pages 3–10.

Questions for a local careers review

Our recommendation is to separate awareness, access and usefulness in local feedback. A student may know a service exists but find its opening hours impractical; another may use a resource without recognising it as careers support. Ask about the activity as well as the service name.

Use comments to identify questions for follow-up, not to diagnose a graduate’s prospects. Check whether the concern relates to course content, advice, placements, costs or a wider labour-market constraint. Involve the team responsible for that part of the experience before choosing a response.

A later change in graduate outcomes cannot be attributed to an intervention on the basis of comments alone. Preserve information about respondents and timing, and consider other influences on outcomes. If comparing groups, check sample sizes and avoid publishing details that could identify individuals.

For a practical starting point, use the student comment analysis governance checklist to agree the review’s scope and evidence limits.

Correction and update, 7 September 2026: corrected the interpretation of the 88% figure from effectiveness to receipt of support, added the research limitations, and removed the claim that comment analysis can prevent deterioration in graduate outcomes. The original publication date is preserved.