About the Applicant Index While there are many student surveys, there are few that focus on higher education applicants and none that track the attitudes of each cohort systematically over time. Now in its third year, the Unite The 2024 Applicant Index is based on Students / HEPI Applicant Index a survey of 2,190 higher education combines the responses to 36 applicants planning to start an questions, each measured on a undergraduate degree or degree 7-point scale of agreement, to apprenticeship in the 2024-25 generate nine composite scores in academic year. It was conducted via areas such as finance, learning and the Savanta panel between 8th-29th community. These scores range April 2024 and was weighted to from 0 to 100 and are based on four be representative of the applicant equally weighted questions, except population. This year, the survey for the Wellbeing score which also achieved representative samples incorporates the ONS standard of Chinese and Indian domiciled wellbeing indicators. In each case, applicants, and translation services 0 is the least positive and 100 the were used to support Chinese most positive score. respondents to engage with the By tracking these questions year by survey. An overview of the sample, year we are able to provide an early including weighting applied, can be indication of the needs and attitudes found in the Methodology section of each cohort. The scores are towards the end of this report. All supplemented by additional follow- demographic differences noted in up questions which explore the the report are significant to the 99% themes in more depth and provide confidence level unless otherwise a snapshot of topical issues. stated. Unite Students | Applicant Index Report 8