Institutional Research, Analytics, and Planning Support (IRAPS) conducts regular, special, and periodic campus surveys of UC Santa Cruz students, faculty, and staff. This calendar provides information about upcoming surveys administered by IRAPS, plus other campus surveys of which we are aware. If your unit is planning a campus survey and would like it to appear on this calendar, please write to iraps@ucsc.edu.
2025-2026 Academic Year
| Survey | Population | Start Date | End Date | Primary Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Edge Survey | Summer Edge for undergraduate students | 7/17/2025 | Sep 2025 | UC Santa Cruz Summer Session |
| First Destination Survey | Summer 2025 BA/BS graduates | Sep 2025 | TBD | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| Staff Experience Survey | All non-represented staff | Fall 2025 | TBD | UC Santa Cruz Staff Advisory Board (SAB) |
| Wellbeing Improvement Survey for Higher Education Settings (WISHES) – Fall Pulse | Sample of undergraduate students | Oct 2025 | TBD | UC Santa Cruz Student Health Outreach and Promotion (SHOP) |
| Environmental Sustainability Survey | All enrolled undergraduate students | Fall 2025 | TBD | UC Santa Cruz PoC Sustainability Collective |
| First Destination Survey | Fall 2025 BA/BS graduates | Dec 2025 | TBD | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| WISHES – Winter Pulse | Sample of undergraduate students | Jan 2026 | TBD | UC Santa Cruz Student Health Outreach and Promotion (SHOP) |
| University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES) | All enrolled undergraduate students | 2/10/2026 | 4/19/2026 | UC Santa Cruz |
| First Destination Survey | Winter 2026 BA/BS graduates | Apr 2026 | TBD | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| WISHES – Spring Pulse | Sample of undergraduate students | May 2026 | TBD | UC Santa Cruz Student Health Outreach and Promotion (SHOP) |
| First Destination Survey | Spring 2025 BA/BS graduates | June 2026 | TBD | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
Timing of Regular and Periodic Surveys
We recommend Fall quarter and Winter quarter for smaller surveys to maximize response rates:
The University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey and UC Santa Cruz Graduate Student Survey are held on alternating years, every year in the late winter/early spring.
At the start or middle of each quarter (fall, winter, spring), a pulse of the Wellbeing Improvement Survey for Higher Education Settings (WISHES) is held.
At the end of each quarter, the First Destination Survey for undergraduate degree recipients is conducted.
| Survey | Population and Topic | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES) | A survey for all enrolled undergraduates, about a comprehensive set of topics including academics, student life, and future plans. The survey is for undergraduates throughout the University of California system, with additional questions that are specifically for UC Santa Cruz students. | Every 2 years in Winter/Spring (next in 2026) |
| First Destination Survey | A survey for recent UC Santa Cruz undergraduate degree recipients, about employment, graduate school plans, and career plans. | Every quarter (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) |
| Wellbeing Survey for Higher Education Settings (WISHES) | A survey for a sample of enrolled undergraduates each quarter, about wellbeing, mental health, and basic needs. | Each Fall, Winter, and Spring quarter |
| Graduate Student Survey | A survey for all enrolled graduate students about a comprehensive set of topics including academic training, research, teaching preparation, financial support, basic needs, well-being, and campus services. Part of the University of California Graduate Student Experience Survey (UCGSES). | Every 2 years in Winter/Spring (next in 2027) |
| Doctoral Placement Survey | The UC Santa Cruz Doctoral Placement Survey is for doctoral students during the quarter of program completion. | Ongoing |
| Environmental Sustainability Survey | A series of surveys focusing on undergraduates’ perceptions and attitudes of the environmental sustainability movement on campus, sponsored by the People of Color Sustainability Collective. | Periodic (2016, 2019, 2022; next in 2025) |
| College Choice Survey | A survey of first-year and transfer students admitted to UC Santa Cruz, about students’ college choice and experience with the admissions process. | Periodic (next in 2025) |
2024-2025 Academic Year
| Survey | Population | Start Date | End Date | Primary Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Edge Survey | Summer Edge for undergraduate students | 8/22/2024 | 8/31/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Summer Session |
| First Destination Survey | Summer 2024 BA/BS graduates | 8/30/2024 | 12/30/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| Student Pulse Check | All undergraduate and graduate students | 10/14/2024 | 11/3/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion |
| Commencement Survey | All undergraduate and graduate students | 10/31/2024 | 11/27/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Commencement Planning Team |
| Student Expenses and Resources Survey | Sample of undergraduate students | 11/12/2024 | 12/6/2024 | California Student Aid Commission and UC Office of the President |
| Wellbeing Improvement Survey for Higher Education Settings (WISHES) – Fall Pulse | Sample of undergraduate students | 11/14/2024 | 11/30/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Student Health Outreach and Promotion (SHOP) |
| First Destination Survey | Fall 2024 BA/BS graduates | 12/17/2024 | 6/29/2025 | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| WISHES – Winter Pulse | Sample of undergraduate students | 1/14/2025 | 1/26/2025 | UC Santa Cruz Student Health Outreach and Promotion (SHOP) |
| Graduate Student Survey | All enrolled graduate students | 2/11/2025 | 5/4/2025 | UC Santa Cruz Division of Graduate Studies |
| State Opportunity Index | Seniors with expected graduation in Spring 2025 | 4/2/2025 | 4/23/2025 | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| First Destination Survey | Winter 2025 BA/BS graduates | 4/3/2025 | Sep 2025 | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| Cost of Attendance Survey | Sample of undergraduate students | 4/16/2025 | 6/9/2025 | UC Office of the President |
| TAPS Travel Survey | Students, faculty, and staff | 5/5/2025 | 5/19/2025 | UC Santa Cruz Transportation and Parking Services |
| Transfer Student Experience Survey | Transfer-entry undergraduate students | 5/7/2025 | 5/30/2025 | UC Santa Cruz Services for Transfer, Re-Entry, and Resilient Scholars (STARRS) |
| WISHES – Spring Pulse | Sample of undergraduate students | 5/20/2025 | 5/31/2025 | UC Santa Cruz Student Health Outreach and Promotion (SHOP) |
| Off-Campus Housing Survey | Off-campus undergraduate and graduate students | 5/22/2025 | 6/1/2025 | UC Santa Cruz Colleges, Housing and Educational Services (CHES) |
| UCSC Academic Senate Academic Freedom Survey | Senate faculty | 6/4/2025 | 6/25/2025 | UC Santa Cruz Academic Senate |
| First Destination Survey | Spring 2025 BA/BS graduates | 6/17/2025 | Nov 2025 | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
Previous Academic Years – Since 2017
| Survey | Population | Start Date | End Date | Primary Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Destination | Winter 2017 BA/BS graduates | 3/2017 | 6/2017 | Career Center |
| UCSC Graduate Student Survey | All graduate students | 6/2017 | 8/2017 | Graduate Studies Division |
| Class Availability Student Survey (CLASS) | All enrolled undergraduate students | 4/2017 | 4/2017 | Student Union Assembly |
| First Destination | Spring 2017 BA/BS graduates | 5/2017 | 8/2017 | Career Center |
| First Destination | Summer 2017 BA/BS graduates | 8/2017 | 12/2017 | Career Center |
| Faculty Survey | All faculty | 11/2017 | 12/2017 | Committee on Teaching; Committee on the Library and Scholarly Communication |
| First Destination | Fall 2017 BA/BS graduates | 1/2018 | 3/2018 | Career Center |
| Housing Survey | All enrolled undergraduate and graduate students | 2/2018 | 2/2018 | Campus Housing and Educational Services (CHES) |
| First Destination | Winter 2018 BA/BS graduates | 3/2018 | 6/2018 | Career Center |
| University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES) | All enrolled undergraduate students | 4/2018 | 7/2018 | UC Santa Cruz and UC Office of the President |
| PhD Career Pathways Survey | Graduate students | 4/2018 | 4/2018 | University of California & the Council of Graduate Schools |
| Strategic Academic Planning Student Student Survey | All enrolled undergraduate students | 5/2018 | 6/2018 | Executive Vice Chancellor |
| Faculty Survey | All faculty | 6/2018 | 6/2018 | Committee on Research |
| First Destination | Spring 2018 BA/BS graduates | 5/2018 | 8/2018 | Career Center |
| First Destination | Summer 2018 BA/BS graduates | 8/2018 | 12/2018 | Career Center |
| Student Expenses and Resources Survey | Sample of undergraduates | 11/2018 | 12/2018 | California Student Aid Commission via UC Office of the President |
| Library Subscriptions Survey | Faculty, staff, and students | 10/2018 | 1/2019 | Campus Library Services |
| First Destination | Fall 2018 BA/BS graduates | 1/2019 | 3/2019 | Career Center |
| University Relations Website Redesign | 2,000 of enrolled undergraduates | 2/4/2019 | 2/8/2019 | University Relations |
| National College Health Assessment | 6,000 of enrolled undergraduate students; all enrolled graduate students | 2/12/2019 | 2/28/2019 | American College Health Association and SHOP |
| Staff Human Resources Experience Survey | All staff | 3/6/2019 | 3/31/2019 | Staff Human Resources |
| Sustainability Survey | All enrolled undergraduate students | 3/14/2019 | 5/8/2019 | PoC Sustainability Collective |
| First Destination | Winter 2019 BA/BS graduates | 3/2019 | 6/2019 | Career Center |
| UCSC Graduate Student Survey | All graduate students | 4/2019 | 7/2019 | Graduate Studies Division |
| PhD Career Pathways Survey | All PhD students | 4/2019 | 5/2019 | Graduate Studies Division and UC Office of the President |
| Cost of Attendance Survey | Sample of undergraduates | 4/2019 | 8/2019 | UC Office of the President |
| First Destination | Spring 2019 BA/BS graduates | 5/2019 | 7/2019 | Career Center |
| Student Food Access Security and Basic Needs | Sample of undergraduate and graduate students | 7/2019 | 7/2019 | UC Office of the President |
| College Choice | First year and transfer students admitted | 7/2019 | 8/2019 | Admissions |
| Summer Academy | Summer Academy for undergraduate students | 8/2019 | 8/2019 | Summer Session |
| PBSci Climate and Well-being | PBSci Graduate students | 8/2019 | 9/2019 | PBSci Division, Student Success, Graduate Studies Division |
| First Destination | Summer 2019 BA/BS graduates | 9/2019 | 2/2020 | Career Center |
| Physical Plant Survey | Faculty and Staff | 12/2019 | 1/2020 | Physical Plant Services |
| First Destination | Fall 2019 BA/BS graduates | 1/8/2020 | 3/5/2020 | Career Center |
| Housing Survey | Faculty and staff | 1/29/2020 | 2/19/2020 | Campus Housing and Educational Services (CHES) |
| Stevenson Alumni | Stevenson College alumni | 2/11/2020 | 3/14/2020 | Stevenson College |
| Health and Wellness Services Survey | Sample of undergraduates | 2/25/2020 | 5/29/2020 | Student Health Services and Student Success Division |
| Family Support Survey | Faculty, staff, and students | 2/26/2020 | 4/8/2020 | Child Care & Family Services Advisory Committee |
| Staff Human Resources Experience Survey | All staff | 3/3/2020 | 4/3/2020 | Staff Human Resources |
| PhD Career Pathways Survey | All PhD students | 4/6/2020 | 6/5/2020 | Graduate Studies Division and UC Office of the President |
| COVID-19 Experiences Survey | Faculty and staff | 4/24/2020 | 5/8/2020 | UC Santa Cruz Chancellor’s Office |
| UC Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES) | All enrolled undergraduate students | 5/5/2020 | 8/8/2020 | UC Santa Cruz and UC Office of the President |
| Campus + Community Survey | Faculty and staff | 6/1/2020 | 7/31/2020 | Campus + Community |
| University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES) | All enrolled undergraduate students | 5/5/2020 | 8/8/2020 | UC Santa Cruz and UC Office of the President |
| First Destination | Winter & Spring 2020 BA/BS graduates | 7/7/2020 | 1/10/2021 | Career Center |
| Housing, Health, and Food Needs | All undergraduate and graduate students | 8/14/2020 | 9/4/2020 | Division of Student Affairs and Success |
| Summer Edge | Summer Edge for undergraduate students | 8/22/2020 | 9/9/2020 | Summer Session |
| StayConnected2UCSC Survey #1 | All undergraduate and graduate students | 10/12/2020 | 10/25/2020 | Division of Student Affairs and Success |
| First Destination | Summer 2020 BA/BS graduates | 10/13/2020 | 3/14/2021 | Career Center |
| Post CZU Fire Campus Community Experience Survey | Undergraduate students, graduate students, and all staff and faculty | 10/26/2020 | 11/8/2020 | UC Santa Cruz |
| StayConnected2UCSC Survey #2 | All undergraduate and graduate students | 10/30/2020 | 11/11/2020 | Division of Student Affairs and Success; Center for Innovations in Teaching and Learning |
| StayConnected2UCSC Survey #3 | All undergraduate students | 12/9/2020 | 1/10/2021 | Division of Student Affairs and Success (College Student Life) |
| First Destination | Fall 2020 BA/BS graduates | 1/14/2021 | 5/31/2021 | Career Center |
| PARF Survey | All undergraduate students | 2/17/2021 | 3/11/2021 | PARF |
| National College Health Assessment | All undergraduate and graduate students | 2/22/2021 | 3/12/2021 | Student Health Outreach and Promotions |
| StayConnected2UCSC Survey #4 | All undergraduate students | 2/23/2021 | 3/10/2021 | Division of Undergraduate Education, Council of Provosts, Center for Innovations in Teaching and Learning |
| Staff Human Resources Survey | All nonacademic staff | 3/17/2021 | 4/9/2021 | Staff Human Resources |
| First Destination | Winter 2021 BA/BS graduates | 3/19/2021 | 8/15/2021 | Career Center |
| Transfer Student Experience Survey | Undergraduate transfer students | 3/31/2021 | 4/23/2021 | STARS |
| Campus Safety and Policing Survey | All students, faculty, and staff | 4/1/2021 | 4/30/2021 | UC Santa Cruz Chancellor’s Office |
| Cost of Attendance Survey | Sample of undergraduates | 4/12/2021 | 6/21/2021 | UC Office of the President |
| Graduate Student Survey | All enrolled graduate students | 4/15/2021 | 7/1/2021 | UC Santa Cruz Division of Graduate Studies and UC Office of the President |
| COVID-19 Follow-Up Survey | Faculty and staff | 4/22/2021 | 5/6/2021 | UC Santa Cruz Chancellor’s Office |
| Annual Transportation Survey | All students, faculty, and staff | 5/10/2021 | 5/23/2021 | Transportation and Parking Services |
| UC 2021 Staff Engagement Survey | Sample of staff | 5/10/2021 | 6/4/2021 | Council of UC Staff Assemblies |
| PBSci Faculty Experience and Recognition Survey | PBSci Senate faculty | 5/12/2021 | 7/2/2021 | PBSci Dean |
| BSOE Faculty Experience and Recognition Survey | BSOE Senate faculty | 5/12/2021 | 7/2/2021 | BSOE Dean |
| First Destination | Spring 2021 BA/BS graduates | 6/3/2021 | 1/7/2022 | UCSC Career Success |
| Summer Edge | Summer Edge for undergraduate students | 7/16/2021 | 9/1/2021 | UCSC Summer Session |
| Evacuation Information Form | All students, faculty, and staff | 9/14/2021 | 10/1/2021 | UCSC Office of Emergency Services |
| Financial Literacy Survey | New frosh and transfer undergraduates | 10/5/2021 | 10/26/2021 | UCSC Student Business Services |
| Student Expenses and Resources Survey | Sample of undergraduates | 11/12/2021 | 12/3/2021 | California Student Aid Commission and UC Office of the President |
| First Destination | Summer 2021 BA/BS graduates | 11/16/2021 | 2/12/2022 | UCSC Career Success |
| First Destination | Fall 2021 BA/BS graduates | 11/30/2021 | 2/27/2022 | UCSC Career Success |
| Staff Human Resources Effectiveness Survey | All nonacademic staff | 3/1/2022 | 3/18/2022 | UCSC Staff Human Resources |
| Environmental Sustainability Survey | All enrolled undergraduate students | 3/7/2022 | 3/31/2022 | PoC Sustainability Collective |
| First Destination | Winter 2022 BA/BS graduates | 3/8/2022 | 9/24/2022 | UCSC Career Success |
| University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES) | All enrolled undergraduate students | 4/6/2022 | 7/1/2022 | UC Santa Cruz and UC Office of the President |
| Graduate Cost of Attendance Survey | Sample of graduate students | 4/11/2022 | 6/6/2022 | UC Office of the President |
| Faculty CIT Survey | All Senate faculty | 4/28/2022 | 5/15/2022 | UC Santa Cruz Committee on Information Technology |
| Annual Travel Survey | All students, faculty, and staff | 5/9/2022 | 5/22/2022 | UC Santa Cruz Transportation and Parking Services |
| First Destination | Spring 2022 BA/BS graduates | 6/13/2022 | 1/21/2023 | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| Summer Edge | Summer Edge for undergraduate students | 8/18/2022 | 9/1/2022 | UC Santa Cruz Summer Session |
| First Destination | Summer 2022 BA/BS graduates | 9/2/2022 | 3/18/2023 | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| Evacuation Information Form | All students, faculty, and staff | 9/7/2022 | 10/7/2022 | UC Santa Cruz Office of Emergency Management |
| First Destination | Fall 2022 BA/BS graduates | 12/9/2022 | 3/19/2023 | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| Back-Up Family Care Experience Survey | All faculty and staff | 1/3/2023 | 1/27/2023 | UC Santa Cruz |
| Leading the Change Survey | Students, faculty, and staff | 1/17/2023 | 2/3/2023 | UC Santa Cruz Chancellor’s Office |
| First Destination | Winter 2023 BA/BS graduates | 3/6/2023 | 8/27/2023 | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| Survey About Publishing | Graduate students | 3/28/2023 | 4/21/2023 | UC Santa Cruz University Library |
| Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Annual Mandatory Disclosure Form | All faculty and staff | 4/10/2023 | 9/12/2023 | UC Santa Cruz Office of Research Compliance Administration |
| Graduate Student Survey | All enrolled graduate students | 4/11/2023 | 7/4/2023 | UC Santa Cruz Division of Graduate Studies |
| Cost of Attendance Survey | Sample of undergraduates | 4/11/2023 | 6/6/2023 | UC Office of the President |
| UCSC Information Technology Survey | All students, faculty, and staff | 4/17/2023 | 5/5/2023 | UC Santa Cruz Information Technology Services |
| Annual Travel Survey | All students, faculty, and staff | 5/8/2023 | 5/23/2023 | UC Santa Cruz Transportation and Parking Services |
| First Destination | Spring 2023 BA/BS graduates | 5/31/2023 | 1/14/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| Summer Edge | Summer Edge for undergraduate students | 8/24/2023 | 9/8/2023 | UC Santa Cruz Summer Session |
| First Destination | Summer 2023 BA/BS graduates | 9/27/2023 | 4/30/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| Campus + Community Survey | Faculty, staff, postdocs, and graduate students | 10/24/2023 | 1/8/2024 | Campus + Community |
| Bay Tree Campus Store Survey | Students and faculty | 11/6/2023 | 11/22/2023 | Bay Tree Campus Store |
| Architectural Services Survey | Subset of undergraduate and graduate students | 11/14/2023 | 11/21/2023 | UC Santa Cruz Architectural Services |
| First Destination | Fall 2023 BA/BS graduates | 12/18/2023 | 7/8/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| Wellbeing Improvement Survey for Higher Education Settings (WISHES) – Winter Pulse | Sample of undergraduate students | 3/7/2024 | 3/23/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Student Health Outreach and Promotion (SHOP) |
| Student Housing Demand Survey | Off-campus undergraduate and graduate students | 3/12/2024 | 3/23/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Colleges, Housing and Educational Services (CHES) |
| First Destination | Winter 2024 BA/BS graduates | 3/27/2024 | 10/11/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES) | All enrolled undergraduate students | 4/2/2024 | 6/9/2024 | UC Santa Cruz |
| Wellbeing Improvement Survey for Higher Education Settings (WISHES) – Spring Pulse | Sample of undergraduate students | 4/30/2024 | 5/18/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Student Health Outreach and Promotion (SHOP) |
| Annual Travel Survey | All students, faculty, and staff | 5/6/2024 | 5/20/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Transportation and Parking Services |
| First Destination | Spring 2024 BA/BS graduates | 5/29/2024 | 12/22/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Career Success |
| Employee Housing Demand Survey | All faculty and staff | 6/4/2024 | 6/20/2024 | UC Santa Cruz Finance, Operations, and Administration |