Your Graduate Outcomes Survey Toolkit

About 15 months after finishing your course, you’ll be invited to complete the Graduate Outcomes survey, the UK’s largest social survey for recent graduates, run by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

It’s your chance to reflect on where life has taken you after Herts, whether you’re working, studying, travelling, freelancing, or still figuring things out.

Your voice matters

This is your opportunity to help shape the future of higher education. Your feedback influences university rankings, course improvements, and helps future students make more informed decisions, just like you might have done using platforms like Discover Uni.

Boost the value of your degree

Universities are partly ranked based on Graduate Outcomes data. Strong results add value to your qualification, helping you and your peers stand out.

Update your contact details

Make sure the university has your up-to-date email address (one you check regularly) and your mobile number. This ensures you won’t miss your survey invite when the time comes. Plus, we’ll tell you ways we can help you reach your career goals

You can update your contact details through the alumni portal or the student records system.

If these contact details have changed since you graduated - please update them via the 'my profile' section of your Alumni Portal

If you completed your course in the summer, expect to hear from the Graduate Outcomes team the following September, around 15 months later.

You’ll receive a unique link via:

• email from: universityofhertfordshire@graduateoutcomes.ac.uk
• sms from: GradOutcomes
• a phone call reminder from IFF Research, working on behalf of HESA.

This is a quick, online survey that takes about 10 minutes to complete. It will ask about what you’re doing now, such as:

• are you working? what’s your role and employer?
• are you studying or training?
• are you self-employed, running a business, freelancing, or working on a portfolio?

Helpful tips:

• have your employer’s address and postcode ready if you're employed in the UK
• you will be asked about your current situation on the day you complete your survey, so if you are about to start a new job or you’re back studying during your survey period you might want to wait until that has started
• if you have more than one job, focus on the one that aligns most with your degree and future goals.

Your story matters no matter what path you're on. The survey captures a wide range of positive outcomes, including:

• paid employment
• freelancing or self-employment
• running your own business
• volunteering or unpaid work
• full-time study or training
• developing a portfolio
• travelling or taking time out
• caring responsibilities
• retirement.

You can visit the official Graduate Outcomes website for a full breakdown of what to expect.