Outstanding Teaching
High Quality Teaching
Satisfied Students
Research Power

Home Students

82%

International Students

18%

Total Students

22,070

Home

18,030

International

4,035

Established in 1851, the institution achieved university status in 1992 and joined the cohort known as Post‑92 universities. Created by the Further and Higher Education Act of 1992, these universities are celebrated for their hands‑on teaching style and strong industry partnerships.

In the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework, the university was awarded the highest category, earning an overall Gold rating, plus Gold for Student Experience and Silver for Student Outcomes.

Teaching Excelence Framewok (TEF)

The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is a UK government assessment of how well universities deliver teaching, learning, and student outcomes. 

It helps you compare universities based on the quality of their teaching and student support and is widely used in rankings.

Overall Gold
Teaching Gold
Student Outcomes Silver

Global Rankings

Not all universities appear in every global ranking. Many rankings consider the TEF and the National Student Survey as key indicators of teaching quality and student satisfaction.

# 601–800
THE
2,000+ universities
# 1201-1400
QS
1,503 Universties

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University of Derby Courses

National Student Survey Results 2025

The National Student Survey (NSS) is an annual UK-wide survey that collects final-year undergraduates’ feedback on the quality of their courses, covering teaching, learning resources, academic support, and overall satisfaction. Its large sample size, consistent methodology, and focus on student experience make it a trusted indicator for comparing universities.

University of Derby University Level Scores

University of Derby received positivity scores of 88.5% for teaching and 87.2% for learning. Click the tabs below to see detailed student survey results and an explanation of the scores.

Theme 1 of the UK’s National Student Survey asks final year students to rate the teaching they have experienced on their course. 

It asks students how clearly tutors explain ideas, how they bring the subject to life, and how well they inspire learning. It’s one of the best ways to gauge students’ direct experiences of teaching quality at the university.

NSS Theme 1: Teaching on my Course – University Score
Metric Value Explanation
Positivity measure 88.5% The percentage of students who answered “good” or “very good” to the questions in Theme 1 about the teaching they received.
Difference to Benchmark 1.6ppt The difference in percentage points between this provider’s score and the national benchmark for similar institutions. A positive or negative number here indicates the university’s performance against similar institutions.
Benchmark 87% The expected or average score for similar institutions and subjects, used as a point of comparison.
Response Distribution
Materially above benchmark 5.4% Proportion of responses where the score was significantly above the benchmark (typically 2 standard deviations or more). A large percentage here indicates above-average teaching satisfaction.
Broadly in line 94.6% Proportion of responses that were close to the benchmark and within expected variation.
Materially below benchmark 0% Proportion of responses where the score was below the benchmark.
Response rate 76.3% The percentage of eligible students who responded to the NSS questions in this theme.

Theme 2 of the UK’s National Student Survey asks final year students to reflect on the learning opportunities they have experienced during their course.

It covers how well the course has offered opportunities to explore ideas in depth, bring together information from different topics, and apply learning in new or practical ways. This theme gives prospective students a sense of how effectively a course supports exploring the subject matter intellectual growth. 

NSS Theme 2: Learning Opportunities – University Score
Metric Value Explanation
Positivity measure 87.2% The percentage of students who gave positive responses (e.g. “definitely” or “mostly agree”) to the learning opportunities questions in this theme.
Difference to Benchmark 2.2ppt The difference in percentage points between this provider’s score and the national benchmark for similar institutions.
Benchmark 85% The expected or average score for similar institutions and subjects, used as a point of comparison.
Response Distribution
Materially above benchmark 30.8% Proportion of responses where the score was significantly above the benchmark (typically 2 standard deviations or more).
Broadly in line 69.2% Proportion of responses that were close to the benchmark and within expected variation.
Materially below benchmark 0% Proportion of responses where the score was significantly below the benchmark.
Response rate 76.3% The percentage of eligible students who responded to the NSS questions in this theme.

Location

Derby, East Midlands

Distance to London 129 Miles (208 KM)

Driving To London 2 hours 40 min

Public Transport To London 1 hours 36 min

Nearest Airport Birngham International Airport (BHX)

Miles to Nearest Airport 50.6