Skip to main content Skip to navigation

The National Student Survey

Sexual Misconduct Survey 2025

As a final year undergraduate student at Warwick, you are likely to be eligible to complete the National Student Survey (NSS) in early 2025. This year, following the completion of the NSS, all final year students nationally will be given the option of completing the Sexual Misconduct Survey (SMS). This survey is entirely optional, and you do not have to take part or answer any questions you don’t want to.

“The Sexual Misconduct Survey is intended to understand more about student experiences in this area. The survey is entirely optional. You may find some of the subject matter and questions in this survey cause you distress and the organisers of the survey, the Office for Students, recognise this. We appreciate that this is a sensitive subject and emphasises that completion of the Sexual Misconduct Survey is not compulsory and it is possible to opt out in advance.

There is lots of support available to you across the University, including through Wellbeing and Student Support and Report + Support. Staff in departments, including Senior Tutors, are aware that the survey is going out to students.”

David Lees
Dean of Students

  • If you want to have the option to complete the survey, you do not need to do anything. Once you have completed the NSS you will see the link to the optional survey (you can then choose to complete it or not complete it).
  • If you want more information or would like to see the questions in advance, in order to make your decision, you can do this by reading the guidance document which includes the questions asked.
  • If you wish to opt out of the Sexual Misconduct Survey (SMS) this can be done in advance by emailing thestudentsurvey@ipsos.com. Ipsos will ask you to confirm your details to ensure that the correct records are removed from the contact list. You can do this at any time between now and the survey end date, 30 April 2025. You will still receive the request to complete the NSS but you will not see the optional Sexual Misconduct Survey when you have completed your NSS survey.

If anything we have communicated with you causes you any concern or distress, we encourage you to talk to Wellbeing and Student Support , Report + Support, SU Advice Centre*, Survivor Sanctuary, your personal tutor or departmental Senior Tutor. Other sources of support are below including at The University of Warwick, locally in the Coventry area and national advice centres.

Below is a pre-notification email issued by us, on behalf of the Office for Students.

    On behalf of the Office for Students

    Dear Student,

    I am writing to tell you about an important survey that will be distributed in February about experiences of sexual harassment and misconduct among final year students across England.

    The Sexual Misconduct Survey seeks to understand whether university students have experienced either sexual harassment and/or sexual violence since they became a student. That is either in their university setting, or at other sites or events unconnected to the university.

    Your survey answers will help to build a national picture of the incidence of sexual misconduct experienced by students in Higher Education and help universities develop tools to tackle this serious issue.

    We recognise that sexual misconduct is a sensitive subject and really appreciate your input.

    Who is running the Sexual Misconduct Survey?

    This confidential survey will be conducted by Ipsos, an independent research agency. It is commissioned on behalf of the Office for Students (OfS), the regulator of higher education in England. The OfS protect the interests of students by working with universities and colleges to ensure a high-quality learning experience where students can thrive and feel safe. See Student guide to harassment and sexual misconduct - Office for Students for more information about their work in this area.

    The OfS also commission Ipsos to conduct the National Student Survey (NSS) on their behalf. We recently wrote to you on 21st November to tell you all about the NSS and why your voice is so important to us. For more information about the NSS please visit this page.

    How to take part

    To make taking part in the Sexual Misconduct Survey simpler, the survey will be offered to you by Ipsos after you have completed the NSS.

    This survey is entirely optional, and you do not have to take part or answer any questions you don’t want to.

    In February, Ipsos will invite you to complete the NSS and provide you with a unique link to the survey. Once you have completed the NSS, you will be invited to opt-in to complete the Sexual Misconduct Survey immediately afterwards. You will not be contacted about the Sexual Misconduct Survey separately.

    Students cannot complete the Sexual Misconduct Survey if they have not completed the NSS. Both surveys will be live for your university from 3rd February until 30th April 2025.

    The Sexual Misconduct Survey is completely confidential and you will not be identified.

    This survey, like the NSS, is a task carried out in the public interest.

    Personal data is held in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. All your responses will remain strictly anonymous and at no point will you be identified. Any personally identifiable data will be securely deleted by Ipsos after the survey closes and will not be shared with any third parties.

    If you would prefer not to be shown the sexual misconduct survey, you can opt-out by following the details in the OfS privacy notice, available under 'student surveys'. This notice also explains more about how and why we use your data.

    The data used for the sexual misconduct survey is drawn from the data collected for the NSS. If you wish to know more about NSS data and processes, please see our privacy policy.

    Why is the Sexual Misconduct Survey important?

    Whether or not you have experienced misconduct, your voice is extremely important to us and your answers will help the OfS to understand the incidence of sexual misconduct in Higher Education and help universities develop tools to tackle this serious issue. We recognise that sexual misconduct is a sensitive subject and really appreciate your input.

    If you have any questions, please let us know or alternatively email thestudentsurvey@ipsos.com.

    Best wishes

    Office for Students

      Sources of support

      University of Warwick help and support include:

      * SU Advice Centre is only available to current students

      Local to the Coventry area organisations that offer help and support include:

      • Police: call 101. This is a national 24/7 helpline.
      • Samaritans: call 116 123. This is a national 24/7 helpline.
      • Student minds
      • SHOUT: Text ‘85258’

      National charities and organisations that offer help and support include: