Careers Service

Source: https://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/graduates/graduateoutcomessurvey/ Parent: https://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/graduates/

Skip to navigation | Skip to main content | Skip to footer

Home

Careers Service

Graduate Outcomes Survey

The Graduate Outcomes survey is the biggest annual social survey in the UK, ran by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). It aims to capture information about the activities and perspectives of graduates 15 months after they finish their studies, asking about what you’re doing now and how your degree has helped you. All graduates who completed a higher education course will be invited to take part.

For nationwide Graduate Outcomes results, please see HESA's HE Graduate Outcomes data.

How can I take part?

You will be invited to fill out the survey around 15 months after you finish your course. The survey can be completed online or by telephone. It only takes a few minutes to complete, and your responses and data will be kept safe in line with the University’s data protection policy. There are three ways to take part:

Email: You will receive an email from Graduate Outcomes from universityofmanchester-uom@graduateoutcomes.ac.uk. This email will provide a link to complete the survey.
Text: You will receive text reminders from ‘GradOutcome’ with a link to complete the survey.
Phone: Phone calls related to the survey will come from ‘IFF Research’, the service that handles survey responses by phone. They will make it clear that they are calling regarding the survey on behalf of The University of Manchester.

It’s important that the University has an up-to-date email address and phone number for you, so you can receive alumni news and updates about the survey. Update your contact details now.

What will I be asked as part of the survey?

The survey takes 10 -15 minutes to complete. You will ask questions about two key areas:

What you are doing 15 months after your degree. This may include further education, self-employment, or even working in a job completely different from your original degree.
Your general well-being and personal situation. While these questions are not mandatory, answering them can help policy makers, researchers and the University better understand the graduate landscape, and can inform support for future students and graduates in similar situations.

All your answers are confidential and secure. Keep in mind that this means you cannot change any answers or go back to questions once they have been submitted.

Why should you complete the survey?

Taking part in the Graduate Outcomes survey enables you to:

have your say about what graduate success means to you,
influence the future of higher education, as survey results are used by the government, journalists, universities and researchers to evaluate and enhance the university experience for students,
help current and future students to make career decisions by sharing your educational, employment, or skills-based successes,
support the University in reviewing, improving and promoting courses and student offers,
build a richer profile of your degree programme and the benefits you've gained from studying it, through sharing your experience of the knowledge and skills you gained from your degree, and how they helped shape your post-university plans.

Who conducts the surveys?

The survey is conducted by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), which is an organisation that collects and publishes data about the higher education sector to support its advancement. You will be contacted by HESA to complete the survey by email, text and/or phone.

When will you be asked to complete the survey?

You will be contacted by HESA 15 months after you completed your course, inviting you to take part in the survey. Currently, graduates who completed their course between February and April 2024, and have until 31 August 2025 to complete the survey.

Will you be contacted by anyone else prior to or after the survey?

The University of Manchester has a scheduled timeline of reminders for completing the survey:

1 month after graduation: You will receive an email welcoming you to the alumni community that will include details about the Graduate Outcomes survey and ongoing graduate careers support.
1 year after graduation: You will receive a ‘One year on...’ email with a reminder that the Graduate Outcomes survey is coming soon.
2 months before contact period: You will receive a penultimate reminder email.
2 weeks before contact period: You will receive a final reminder email.

Do you have to complete the survey?

The survey is not compulsory. As part of HESA’s communications by email, text, or phone, you will also be able to opt out of future communications and do not have to complete the survey if you wish.

If you would like to opt out of communications from HESA entirely, please email info@graduateoutcomes.ac.uk. If you have any questions about the Graduate Outcomes survey, please email careers.info@manchester.ac.uk

Careers Service

Careers Service

Graduate Outcomes Survey

How can I take part?

What will I be asked as part of the survey?

Why should you complete the survey?

Who conducts the surveys?

When will you be asked to complete the survey?

Will you be contacted by anyone else prior to or after the survey?

Do you have to complete the survey?

More videos:

Make sure your contact details are up to date:

Find out more:

Contact us

Find us

Connect with us