Finding a sense of belonging at university
We all know how important it is to have a sense of belonging; in our family, amongst our friends, and of course, when choosing a university.
Why?
Because belonging affects everything at university; how much you enjoy the course, how good your mental health is, how well you do in exams, even whether you pass or fail.
So how do you know whether you’ll feel that sense of belonging when you are choosing a university?
Well, you could just trust your instinct when you visit. And you know… your instinct is probably pretty good.
But belonging isn’t something that just happens by chance.
Belonging amongst students is something that has to be nurtured and supported by the university, and research* shows that there are certain things that universities should be doing if they are serious about nurturing a sense of belonging amongst their students.
So as you visit universities, and as you choose which universities to apply to and which offers to accept, you might want to check whether the departments and universities you are considering are taking this seriously and are actually doing the important work to foster that belonging!
Building connections with classmates
The ability for you to connect with your peers - your fellow students - is firmly amongst the most important factors in building a sense of belonging. It’s not about purely social relationships and friendships, it’s about building connections with classmates that create a learning community.
Put simply, you need people around you who you can share your challenges, struggles and successes with, so you know you are not alone.
Some people find making these connections easy. But most of us don’t; we need a helping hand. So, what are your chosen departments doing to ensure this happens?
Are there physical spaces for you to meet your classmates?
Are there scheduled times for peer interactions?
Is group-work involved in the course?
And are there online communities to connect you with fellow students as you study?
Or… do they expect you to do everything on your own?
Building connections with staff
Feeling fully supported and understood by your departmental staff is also critical to feeling like you belong, and yet, many students have literally no idea who they should go to for advice and support. And many universities are not nearly as pro-active as they should be about making these things clear; not to students, and often not to the staff either.
So, when you are choosing a department, look closely at how this works.
Do you get a specific identified academic adviser or coach?
Is the course tutor separate from your personal tutor, or are they one and the same?
Is it clear how often you will meet with them, what their role is, and what you should be discussing with them?
Are they given training, or are they just ‘muddling through’.
If the university has clear answers to all of this, you are on to a good thing. If not, you should be concerned.
Inclusive courses
While ‘inclusivity’ is a really hard term to pin down (it means so many things to different people) there are some clear actions that universities can take to ensure that the course you are on is felt as inclusive by everyone; regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, cultural background, disability or neurodivergence.
Now the first of these actions is for the university to have a clear policy. I know… policies are dull and hard to find, but research shows that without one, courses will only ever be inclusive by luck or by accident. So, you might want to ask:
What is your university’s policy on making courses inclusive; in terms of what they teach, how they teach, and how they assess?
Are courses reflective of the diversity of the world we live in, or are they narrow and exclusive to one perspective?
Are the courses taught in a way that recognises divergent learning needs, and do the assessments take account of these?
You could even look at whether the staff themselves are as diverse as the students they teach?
Some will call this ‘woke’ and mean it as an insult. I call it ‘woke’ and mean it as a compliment, a requirement even; you and every other student on your course should feel included, not just a select, privileged few.
The support process
The process of supporting you through your university journey should start, at the very latest, when you are admitted. Many students will have been on programmes of pre-university support, such as summer schools, taster courses and even study support. But for most, you won’t have a formal relationship with your university until you accept the offer to study there. So before you do, it's worth checking out that they will start their support right from the get-go.
What should that support look like?
Do they offer pre-arrival online groups where you can connect with your future course-mates?
Do they attempt, through a pre-arrival questionnaire, to match you with flatmates who you have something in common with?
Is it really clear what induction will be offered to you when you start, when it will happen, and who will lead it?
And is there clear signposting for extra support, such as study support, academic skills and careers? Or are you just expected to find these things for yourself?
This all matters if you want to feel like you belong at the university, as opposed to feeling confused or out of your depth.
Student autonomy
It may sound strange, but having autonomy is also a big part of feeling like you belong. Autonomy, you see, means having control over your learning. And that manifests itself in a variety of ways.
Autonomy can mean something as simple as having the ability to shape your degree by choosing from a range of options.
Do the courses you are considering offer this possibility, or does everyone do pretty much the same thing?
Autonomy can also mean being in control of getting better at study. And you can only do this if you get clear and positive feedback from your lecturers and tutors.
How do students get feedback on their work?
Do you just get a mark, or is there a clear process for you to get constructive feedback, showing how you can do better next time?
Autonomy can also mean having input into the development of your course.
What processes are in place for students to provide feedback to improve the course each year?
A department without mechanisms for getting feedback from students can’t possibly deliver exactly what the students need.
Meanwhile if you are in a department that takes student feedback seriously, you’ll feel greater ownership over your learning, and a greater sense of belonging at the university.
Mental Health
Of course there are also barriers to belonging, the largest of which is almost certainly mental health. It will come as no surprise to anyone that students who have poor mental health have the biggest challenges with belonging and with almost every aspect of student life.
Whether or not you have mental health challenges or concerns right now, don’t underestimate the importance of your university having invested seriously in mental health support, both preventative measures and remedial support when things go wrong.
When your mental health suffers, everything suffers.
So as you research universities, and in particular when you visit them at open days or UCAS applicant days, don’t be afraid to ask the challenging questions I’ve suggested.
Everything we have covered here matters, none of it is standardised across different universities, and so it is down to you to find out which universities and departments have put everything in place to help you belong, and which are just taking it for granted.
