By Ellis Noble-Lowe, UPP Resident Engagement Manager
As a Resident Engagement Manager at UPP, much of my role involves talking with students during events, in communal spaces, or simply in passing. This year, those conversations have a clear and consistent theme. Students feel increasingly supported, yet they still have a strong need for meaningful community and connection.
This mirrors the picture emerging across the sector for the 2025/26 academic year. The 2025 Unite Students Applicant Index produced with HEPI shows that wellbeing levels among applicants have exceeded pre-pandemic figures for the first time and that confidence about feeling welcome and belonging at university has risen compared with the previous year. Applicants also report stronger financial confidence after a difficult period in 2024.
However, one in four applicants still say they often feel lonely, and the divide between the experiences of UK students and international students has not narrowed. So, while many students tell us they feel better off, the mission of building inclusion and belonging remains just as vital.
After Covid and the cost-of-living crisis, are we seeing recovery, normalisation, or real progress?
Across the higher education landscape, recent surveys reveal a mixed but improving picture.
The Student Academic Experience Survey 2025 produced by Advance HE and HEPI reports a more positive overall student experience, with improvements in assessment, teaching quality and perceived value for money. At the same time, around three quarters of students say their studies continue to be affected by the cost-of-living crisis and working hours among students remain high.
The NUS Cost of Living Survey 2024 found that fourteen percent of students used foodbanks in the previous year, which is double the figure reported in 2021/22. The same survey notes that a large majority of students have cut back on social activities and many report worsening mental health compared with the previous year.
So, what explains the improving confidence and sense of stability reported by many students this year? First, the lingering effects of the pandemic appear to be declining. Students are beginning to regain confidence in their academic ability and social skills. Surveys suggest that core aspects of the student experience are returning to or surpassing pre-covid expectations.
Second, some students may have adapted to ongoing pressures. For many, tight budgeting, part time work, and practical challenges have become familiar realities rather than temporary disruptions. And third, universities and accommodation providers are offering more visible and proactive support. From hardship funds to free events and expanded wellbeing services, students today have access to a more consistent network of practical and emotional support. The Studiosity UK Student Wellbeing Survey highlights that students feel a stronger sense of belonging when they can access personalised support and when they know where to turn for help.
Students may not be free from pressure, but they are better supported and more engaged with available help than in recent years.
What belonging looks like in our residences this year
At UPP residences, especially our sites with bespoke ‘Home at Halls’ social programmes, including at Nottingham Trent University and the University of Reading, student engagement has been higher than at any time in recent memory. Attendance at events continues to rise, and early participation by new residents has become the norm.
This aligns with wider evidence. Advance HE describes belonging as an essential factor in improving wellbeing and retention rather than an optional enhancement. The Student Active Wellbeing Survey 2024/25 also highlights that participation in sports teams and student societies is strongly linked to reduced loneliness and improved wellbeing.
In our residences, three patterns stand out clearly:
Students are engaging earlier and with clear purpose
Many new residents choose to attend early events because they do not want to feel isolated in their rooms and want to start building friendships straight away. This early involvement creates a strong foundation for belonging.
Loneliness is still common, but students are more open about it
Reports on belonging show that many students continue to experience loneliness regularly, especially in their first year. What is different now is that students are more willing to talk about it and seek opportunities to join activities or ask for help.
Co-created events deliver the strongest sense of community
Some of the most successful events we have delivered this year in terms of attendance, quality of feedback and impact have been those co-hosted with student groups and societies. Students tell us they appreciate these events because they feel more authentic, more inclusive, and more reflective of their identities and interests.
This has been especially true during major cultural and awareness celebrations including Eid Black History Month Pride and International Women’s Day. When events are shaped by the students whose cultures or communities, they celebrate the sense of ownership and pride is far stronger.
Research such as Living Black at University shows that representation, cultural understanding and safety in accommodation are essential for belonging and that these are not experienced equally by all students. Co-designed events allow us to respond to this evidence in a meaningful and practical way.
What Is Working Best on the Ground?
From our work this year, several approaches have proven particularly effective, like partnering with students rather than designing events for them which continues to bring larger and more diverse participation.
Keeping events free or very low cost ensures that financial pressure does not prevent students from taking part in community life. With many students cutting back on socialising because of money worries, this remains essential.
Maintaining a visible and approachable staff presence builds trust and confidence. Students are more likely to seek help when they recognise and feel comfortable with the people around them.
Cultural and awareness celebrations feel most meaningful when planned with relevant student groups. These events provide identity affirmation for those represented and opportunities for others to learn, celebrate, and connect respectfully.
Looking ahead: belonging as something students feel every day
Across surveys and conversations, the message for the 2025/26 year is hopeful. Many students feel more stable and more confident than in previous years. Wellbeing and value for money scores are improving and engagement in activities is strong. But there is still more to do. Loneliness, financial difficulty, and unequal experiences of inclusion continue to affect large numbers of students. Our responsibility in student accommodation is to make something students feel every day. That means supporting authentic community building, removing financial barriers, and working side by side with student societies and groups to create spaces where all students can say with confidence.
