Institutional Surveys

Each fall, all undergraduate students in Peterborough and Durham are invited to share their perspectives on the Trent student experience through the Student Success Survey, administered by Trent University's Office of Student Affairs. Topics covered in the survey include: academic life and stressors, sense of belonging, and general satisfaction. Input provides valuable insight that directly informs how to make Trent an even better place to learn, live, and belong.

Audience: All undergraduate students

Timeline: October - November

Participation: All undergraduate students in Peterborough and Durham receive the survey through a personal Qualtrics link sent directly to their Trent email address.

• Step 1: Check your @trentu.ca e-mail for an invitation from Trent University (noreply@qemailserver.com), sent on behalf of the Office of Student Affairs.
• Step 2: Click the unique survey link to participate in the survey. It takes less than 10 minutes to complete.
• Step 3: Submit your completed survey before the deadline and you will be entered into a draw to win prizes.

Results: Results from the Student Success Survey are used to inform internal planning and decision-making. Changes made as a result of feedback from past surveys include:

• Expanded food security resources for students
• Improved appointment booking systems with Academic Advising, Student Accessibility Services, and the Student Wellness Centre
• Strengthened Spiritual Affairs programming, including expansion of the multifaith network and addition of an ablution station in the Student Centre
• Increased in-person events and opportunities to connect with peers, faculty, and mentors
• Added support for faculty in enhancing classroom engagement and learning 

Trent University participates in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) every three years. The survey is administered by the Indiana University Centre for Post-secondary Research to undergraduate students in their first-year and graduating year, and measures the degree to which students are engaged in their academics and other educationally purposeful activities.

Audience: First-year and final-year undergraduates

Timeline: March 5 – April 15, 2026  

Participation: First-year and final-year undergraduate students in Peterborough and Durham receive the survey from NSSE (nsse@nssesurvey.org) through a link sent directly to their Trent email address.

• Step 1: Check your @trentu.ca e-mail beginning March 5, 2026 for an invitation from NSSE (nsse@nssesurvey.org).
• Step 2: Click the unique survey link to participate in the survey.  
• Step 3: Submit your completed survey before April 15 and you will be entered into a draw to win one of five Trent Swag Baskets (worth $100) and five prizes of $50 in Trent Cash. 

The Canadian University Survey Consortium (CUSC) is a group of Canadian Universities that works together to survey students in order to gain a better understanding of the Canadian undergraduate student population. The surveys provide comparative information on student characteristics and experiences. Each survey targets a specific undergraduate sub-sample based on a three-year cycle that alternates between: first-year students, middle years (prior to 2013, all undergraduates), and graduating-year students.

Audience: Year-two and year-three students

Timeline: January 12 – April 12, 2026

Participation: All undergraduate students in their second and third year receive the survey through a personal link sent directly to their Trent email address. The questions in the Survey of Middle Years Students focus on persistence (see Suite of surveys – questions summary).

• Step 1: Check your @trentu.ca e-mail beginning January 12, 2026, for an invitation from Prairie Research Associates Inc. (PRA).
• Step 2: Click the unique survey link to participate in the survey.
• Step 3: Submit your completed survey before April 12 and be entered to win one of 10 $50 VISA gift cards. 

The Ontario University Graduate Survey (OUGS) is conducted annually by the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security [formerly known as the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU)], with support from Ontario universities, and through a third-party survey company. Each undergraduate cohort is surveyed two years after graduation from university. The survey’s purpose is to collect data on the employment rates and experiences of alumni from undergraduate programs, both six months and two years after graduation.

Audience: 2023 graduates

Timeline: November 5, 2025 – April 30, 2026

Participation:  

• Step 1: Check your @trentu.ca e-mail beginning November 5, 2025, for an invitation from the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security.
• Step 2: Click the unique survey link to participate in the survey.
• Step 3: Submit your completed survey before April 30. 

The Canadian Graduate and Professional Student Survey (CGPSS) provides universities with data regarding the quality of their graduate programs as assessed by their own graduate students. The survey asks all graduate students to evaluate the overall quality of their student experience, including questions on coursework, the availability of financial support, university resources, student life, support from faculty members, and overall satisfaction with their program.

Audience: All graduate program and postgraduate students

Timeline:  February - March

Participation: All graduate program and postgraduate students receive the survey through a personal link sent directly to their Trent email address.

• Step 1: Check your @trentu.ca e-mail for an invitation from CGPSS.
• Step 2: Click the unique survey link to participate in the survey.
• Step 3: Submit your completed survey before and be entered to win prizes.