11 UNITE STUDENTS | APPLICANT INDEX REPORT | 2023 INTRODUCING THE THEMES Finance Sustainability Social Learning Community Employment Wellbeing Independence Resilience The Finance theme brings together self-rated financial means with confidence in budgeting skills to provide an overall financial health check on the cohort as a whole. A high score indicates that applicants believe they have sufficient means and skills to meet their costs while at university, and a demographic breakdown may reveal disadvantaged subgroups within the cohort. The Sustainability theme combines strength of concern about climate change with behaviours and personal commitments to addressing environmental sustainability and climate change. A high score indicates a cohort who is highly concerned about climate change and is already taking action. The demographic breakdown will pinpoint sub-groups of students with the most and least commitment to sustainability, opening up new approaches to behavioural change. The Social theme measures the strength of existing social networks together with level of confidence about “fitting in” at university. A high score in this theme indicates a cohort with high social confidence and confidence in the university, and accommodation provider where relevant, to provide an inclusive environment. The Learning theme assesses academic confidence and commitment to the chosen course. A high score in this theme indicates a cohort that feels academically prepared and confident about their learning. The Community theme measures the level of motivation among applicants to be part of a community while at university and a desire to belong. A high score in this theme also indicates a cohort that wants to belong to a diverse group of peers and is prepared to contribute to building that community. Changes in the theme indicate a rise or fall in the community-orientation of the cohort. The Employment theme assesses the level of optimism about finding a graduate job together with the level of work-related skills and experience applicants already believe they have. A high score indicates a cohort that is already feeling prepared for the future job market and confident about their prospects. The Wellbeing theme draws on the ONS standard wellbeing questions combined with levels of positive and negative feelings that we have found in previous surveys to be indicative of overall wellbeing. Together, they produce an overall gauge of applicants’ wellbeing and allow for demographic breakdown to help identify vulnerable groups. A high score indicates a cohort with high levels of wellbeing. New for 2023, the Independence theme measures how prepared the cohort is to live independently, take decisions for themselves and access support when needed. The Resilience theme draws on previous academic research on resilience including the concepts of ‘grit’ and ‘learned optimism’. A high score in this theme shows a cohort able to work effectively towards clear goals and who can recover from setbacks.