A survey of final-year undergraduate students across the country finds that nearly one quarter of those who responded have experienced sexual harassment since entering higher education.  

In January 2025, the OfS invited all final-year undergraduate students in England to complete a survey about sexual misconduct in higher education after they had completed the 2025 National Student Survey (NSS). It builds on the OfS’s 2023 sexual misconduct pilot survey, which was sent to students from a small group of institutions. 

The largest prevalence survey of sexual misconduct in higher education in the UK, it follows the introduction of new requirements for universities and colleges registered with the OfS to tackle harassment and sexual misconduct. The results provide a clearer picture of students’ experiences of sexual misconduct and will help institutions to understand where, how and when interventions might be targeted. 

The results show that 24.5 per cent of final-year undergraduates who responded to the survey have experienced sexual harassment since starting their studies. Around one in seven (14.1 per cent) have experienced sexual assault/violence.  

The survey also found that, of those responding: 

• Women were nearly three times more likely to experience sexual harassment than men (33.0 per cent compared to 12.2 per cent). Women were also more than twice as likely as men to experience sexual   assault/violence (19 per cent compared to 7 per cent). 
• Nearly half (46.6 per cent) of lesbian, gay, or bisexual students experienced sexual harassment, compared to 21.7 per cent of heterosexual students. They were also more likely to have experienced sexual assault/violence (29.8 per cent compared to 12 per cent).  
• 13.2 per cent of respondents who experienced sexual harassment in the preceding year made a formal report to their university or college. Of those who did make a report, 46.7 per cent said their experience of reporting was good and 39.3 per cent said it was poor. 
• Over half (59.1 per cent) of students who reported at least one incident of sexual harassment in the last 12 months said that some or all of the incidents took place in a university or college setting.  
• 1.5 per cent of students reported that they had been in an intimate personal relationship with a member of staff at their university or college in the last 12 months. Of those, 68.8 per cent said that the staff member(s) was involved with their education or assessment.  

Commenting, OfS chief executive Susan Lapworth, said: 

“All students should expect their time at university or college to be free from sexual harassment or assault. We know that’s not always the case and we’re grateful to each student who told us about their experiences. 

“Over the last year, universities and colleges have rightly renewed their efforts to tackle these issues – because when incidents do occur, it can have a profound, even devastating, impact on students’ ability to thrive and succeed.  

“The data we’ve published today extends the evidence available on the prevalence of sexual misconduct. It will support institutions as they target their work to make improvements where that’s needed. 

“We encourage students to continue reporting issues and concerns, using the support services offered by their institution or students’ union. Students can also find information on our website about national organisations and charities that can help.”

Sector Reaction

AoC chief executive David Hughes said:

“Today’s report sheds more light on the scale of sexual harassment/sexual violence in our society, by looking at the experience of students in higher education settings. Its findings are very concerning and colleges will be carefully considering what further action they need to take as a result.

“Colleges already take their safeguarding responsibility incredibly seriously and work hard to ensure their students are supported and safe whilst in college through a broad range of policies, actions and activities. These policies apply to college higher education students in the same way they do to all other college students, including large numbers of apprentices and younger learners.

“Colleges also do a lot of work around creating safe, inclusive cultures in colleges, including workshops and webinars around the mental health impact of these crimes, as well as on misogyny and violence against women and girls. There is always more to do and this report highlights the need for us all to do more.”

Jo Grady UCU general secretary said:

“These shocking figures expose just how widespread sexual harassment and assault are in our universities, with one in four students reporting harassment and one in seven experiencing assault. There is also widespread evidence that poor working conditions and power imbalances also leave staff vulnerable to harassment and abuse. 

“No one should have to fear abuse, yet institutions are still failing to protect them. It is a national scandal, and vice-chancellors cannot keep turning a blind eye, this demands urgent, sector-wide reform and accountability. Students and staff deserve safe campuses, not excuses.”