UCSC Graduate Student Survey

                                         

The UCSC Graduate Student Survey is a survey of doctoral and master's students that takes place every two years that provides graduate students with a unique formal opportunity to share experiences and input about graduate programs, mentoring, financial support, climate for diversity and inclusion, satisfaction with campus services, and experiences as a Teaching Assistant, Graduate Student Instructor, or Graduate Student Researcher. 

Students' responses are used in regular formal evaluations of each graduate academic program.  Aggregate survey findings are shared with faculty, staff, and campus decisionmakers.  The survey has been held at UCSC every other year since 2007. 

How Results Are Used to Improve Graduate Students' Experiences

1. Detailed reports of results for academic departments – Survey findings are incorporated into regular formal reviews of academic departments, to improve academic training, curriculum, mentoring, and professional development opportunities.

2. Reports for academic divisions – These reports inform how departments throughout each division are doing overall.

3. Topic-specific reports on matters of campus-wide importance – Recent reports have highlighted students' financial support and situation, needs in teaching preparation, and satisfaction with campus services, and are shared with student services units throughout campus.

4. Spotlighting suggestions from open-ended questions – The 2025 survey inclues many opportunities to provide comments and suggestions on program curriculum and mentoring, support for graduate students in writing, campus services, and other areas. Students can also provide suggestions about how the campus can improve the experiences of students' work as a Graduate Student Researcher, Teaching Assistant, or Graduate Student Instructor.  Deidentified suggestions and comments are incorporated into reports for graduate programs to communicate suggestions to faculty and division leaders.  Suggestions are also used to improve student services.

Results from Recent Graduate Student Surveys

In recent years (2011-2023), between 37% and 59% of graduate students have participated. 

2023 Graduate Student Survey

Conducted from April 11 to July 4, 2023.  Respondents: 41% of graduate students (43% of Doctoral and 36% of Masters) enrolled in winter 2023.  The 2023 survey was part of the University of California Graduate Student Experience Survey (UCGSES).

• Questionnaire for the 2023 Graduate Student Survey
• Results (Interactive Data Tables):  Responses for the 2023 Graduate Student Survey at UC Santa Cruz and other UC campuses

2021 Graduate Student Survey

Conducted from April 15 to July 1, 2021.  Respondents: 37% of graduate students (41% of Doctoral and 27% of Masters) enrolled in winter/spring 2021.  The 2021 survey was part of the University of California Graduate Student Experience Survey (UCGSES).

• Questionnaire for the 2021 Graduate Student Survey
• Results (Interactive Data Tables): Academic Experience, Advising, Climate for Diversity, Finances, Housing, Professional Development, and Student Services (UC Santa Cruz and other UC campuses), 2021
• Results (Interactive Data Tables): COVID-19 and Remote Learning (UC Santa Cruz and other UC campuses), 2021
• Results (Infographic): Doctoral Student Experiences in the Program, from the 2021 Graduate Student Survey
• Results (Infographic): Doctoral Student Academic Preparation from the 2021 Graduate Student Survey
• Results (Infographic): Doctoral Student Financial Situation from the 2021 Graduate Student Survey
• Results (Report PDF): Doctoral Student Financial Situation and Support, 2021 Graduate Student Survey
• Results (Report PDF): Doctoral Student Feedback on Teaching Preparation, 2021 Graduate Student Survey
• Results (Report PDF): Doctoral Student Feedback on Campus Services, 2021 Graduate Student Survey

2021-22 Graduate Studies Planning Form 

A short survey to prepare for the 2021 Fall quarter, conducted from May 6 to May 23, 2021. Respondents: 42% of graduate students (47% of Doctoral and 24% of Masters) enrolled in spring 2021.

• Questionnaire for the 2021-22 Graduate Studies Planning Form
• Results:  Report on Graduate Studies Planning Form for 2021-22

2019 Graduate Student Survey 

Conducted in Spring/early Summer 2019. Respondents: 49% of graduate students (50% of Doctoral and 48% of Masters) enrolled in winter/spring 2019.

• Questionnaire for the 2019 Graduate Student Survey
• Results:  Completing Graduate Degrees on Time: Students Reported Reasons for Slowing Their Progress, 2019 Graduate Student Survey
• Results:  Doctoral Student Feedback on Programs Offered by the Center for Innovations in Teaching and Learning (CITL), 2019 Graduate Student Survey
• Results:  Doctoral Student Feedback on Teaching Preparation, 2019 Graduate Student Survey

2017 Graduate Student Survey

Conducted in Spring/early Summer 2017. Respondents: 59% of graduate students (60% of Doctoral and 53% of Masters) enrolled in winter/spring 2017.

• Questionnaire for the 2017 Graduate Student Survey
• Results: PhD Students' Challenges in Developing Writing Expertise (infographic)
• Results: Humanities PhD Students' Challenges in Developing Writing Expertise (infographic)
• Results: Physical & Biological Sciences PhD Students' Challenges in Developing Writing Expertise
• Results: Social Sciences PhD Students' Challenges in Developing Writing Expertise (infographic)
• Results: Engineering PhD Students' Challenges in Developing Writing Expertise (infographic)

2015 Graduate Student Survey

Conducted in Spring/early Summer 2015. Respondents: 53% of graduate students (55% of Doctoral and 47% of Masters) enrolled in winter/spring 2015.  

• Questionnaire for the 2015 Graduate Student Survey

2013 Graduate Student Survey

Conducted in Spring/early Summer 2013. Respondents: 54% of graduate students enrolled in winter/spring 2013. 

• Questionnaire for the 2013 Graduate Student Survey
• Results:  PhD Student Professional Development: This report summarizes the key findings on students’ self-evaluation of their preparedness to carry out various professional tasks such as conducting independent research, preparing scholarly articles for publication, and making presentations.
• Results:  Graduate Policy Journal (published by the University of CA Student Association): Includes UC Santa Cruz results from the 2013 survey.

2011 Graduate Student Survey

Conducted in Spring/early Summer 2011. Respondents: 51% of graduate students enrolled in winter/spring 2011.  The 2011 survey had an additional "common module on campus climate" and was part of the Diversity and Community Building Study.

• Questionnaire for the 2011 Graduate Student Survey
• Results: Teaching Assistants’ Experiences and Training (July 2012)
• Results: Professional development opportunities and climate for diversity, equity and inclusion (July 2012)
• Results: Student Voice Practices and Departmental Climate (July 2012)
• Results: Recommendations for improving campus climate for graduate students Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture, and Inclusion (September 2012): Based on these results, the Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture, and Inclusion (ACCCCI) made recommendations for improving campus climate for graduate students. 

2007 Graduate Student Survey

Respondents:  UC Santa Cruz graduate students enrolled in winter and/or spring 2007 quarters

• Results:  Overview for Overall Graduate Student Population  -  Focus:  Provides summaries for the overall graduate student respondent population regarding survey response rates, respondent characteristics, decision to attend UC Santa Cruz, financial aid, housing, campus social events, health insurance, graduate student services, and employment plans.      
• Reports for academic departments and programs are available by specific department/program (with campus comparisons), regarding evaluations of program/department, curriculum, resources, faculty, teaching and research experience, career preparation, funding, and overall satisfaction.

Prize Drawings

Participating graduate students will be entered into prize drawings, held during the survey and at the close of the survey.

Privacy

Responses are maintained securely and confidentially.  The Institutional Research, Assessment, and Policy Studies office at UC Santa Cruz does not share individual-level survey data with anyone.  Please see the campus surveys privacy and confidentiality page for additional information.

For More Information

If you have questions, please write to surveys@ucsc.edu.

The 2025 Graduate Student Survey is sponsored by the UC Santa Cruz Division of Graduate Studies and the UC Santa Cruz Institutional Research, Analytics, and Planning Support office.  The survey has been run since 2007 at UC Santa Cruz, and since 2021 has been part of a systemwide survey titled the University of California Graduate Student Experience Survey (UCGSES).

The mission of Graduate Studies is to attract, recruit and retain an outstanding cohort of diverse graduate students, while providing the highest quality educational experience possible as we support them towards their graduation and prepare them for successful careers.

UC Santa Cruz Institutional Research, Analytics, and Planning Support (IRAPS) is the primary office for the administration and analysis of campuswide student surveys.