Institutional Research, Analytics, and Planning Support

University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES)

The survey starts on Tuesday, February 10, 2026!

Students can access the survey here starting February 10

CruzID authentication is used to ensure that only enrolled UC Santa Cruz undergraduates can access the survey.

The largest regular campuswide undergraduate survey, with a goal of improving instruction and student services

  • The University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey takes place every two years at all undergraduate University of California campuses. The goal of the survey is to give students an opportunity to give feedback about academic and campus life experiences. Academic departments and campus programs use the results to improve undergraduate instruction and student services.

Faculty, staff, and student leaders can share information about the survey to students

  • Promotional Materials for the 2026 Survey can be used by faculty, staff, and student leaders. Suggested ways to spread word of the survey include announcements in classes or during student organization meetings; newsletters by departments, divisions, centers, and student organizations; messages from faculty; and any available social media for departments, divisions, centers, and student organizations.

Complete the survey early to increase the chances of winning a prize!

  • Many Prizes to be Awarded in the 2026 Survey will be for many local Santa Cruz restaurants and shops, plus other popular merchants. Prize drawings will start from the first week of the survey, and will continue almost every week of the survey!

The survey is voluntary and confidential

  • Confidentiality of responses is an important part of the survey: responses are anayzed only at the group level, and results from the survey will only be reported in a way that is not individually identifiable.

Survey findings are used to improve student life in many ways

  1. The University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey allows students to give feedback that can be seen by faculty in each major and leaders throughout campus.  It is the only campuswide student survey that provides comprehensive student feedback on the quality of academic experiences used in formal evaluation of academic majors.
  2. Survey findings help key decisionmakers throughout campus to understand trends over time in students’ experiences including the curriculum in each major, academic instruction, advising needs, basic needs, experiences with campus events, involvement in research and creative projects, extracurricular activities, and student services.  The survey has been run since 2006.
  3. The survey is designed specifically for University of California students and helps provide cross-campus comparative data for UC Santa Cruz and other campuses.

Results Across All University of California Campuses

2024 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey Results

The 2024 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey at UC Santa Cruz was open from April 2, 2024 to June 9, 2024.  23% of students enrolled in Winter 2024 participated in the survey.

2022 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey Results

The 2022 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey at UC Santa Cruz was open from April 6, 2022 to July 1, 2022.  28% of students enrolled in Winter 2022 participated in the survey.

Results

Interactive Data Tables for UC Santa Cruz and Other UC Campuses, 2022 – Results can be filtered by major name, student level, and student background characteristics.  Available on the systemwide surveys results pages (University of California Information Center).
Interactive Data Tables on Advising for UC Santa Cruz, 2022 – Results from the 2022 UC Santa Cruz-specific Module on Advising show undergraduate students’ experiences with advising provided by faculty and various campus units, as well as their advising needs related to academic progress, financial needs, and post-graduate plans.
Undergraduate Student Suggestions for Improving Advising, 2022 (PDF)
Undergraduate Student Experiences with the Climate for Diversity and Inclusion, 2022 (PDF)
Undergraduate Student Participation in Research and Creative Projects, 2022 (PDF)
Undergraduate Student Satisfaction with Library Resources and Skills Levels in Library Research, 2022 (PDF)
Undergraduate Student Financial Literacy Needs and Impact of Finances on Retention, 2022 (PDF)

2018-2022 Student Experiences in Academic Programs, by Department within Each Division

2020 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey Results

The 2020 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey at UC Santa Cruz was open from May 5, 2020 to August 8, 2020.  29% of students enrolled in Winter 2020 took the survey.

2018 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey Results

The 2018 UC Undergraduate Experience Survey at UC Santa Cruz was open from April through July 2018.  39% of students enrolled in Winter and/or Spring 2018 took the survey.

2016 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey Results
2014 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey Results

Results from previous years 2008-2012 are available upon request.

Last modified: Jan 21, 2026