As students begin to return to university this week, new research reveals that 85 per cent of students believe that they should be entitled to fee reimbursements to compensate for disruptions to teaching as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

VoucherCodes.co.uk put together a Student Value Report, which polled students on their satisfaction of their learning during the pandemic.

It revealed by the end of the last academic year in summer 2021, 42 per cent of students were still receiving zero hours of in-person teaching whilst still paying full university fees.

A further 30 per cent of students were receiving just one-ten hours of in-person teaching despite Covid restrictions having eased substantially over the course of the year.

For many students, their worries about this will not be helped in the upcoming academic year, as only four universities will be offering full in-person teaching from September, according to the Times.

What results did the Student Value Report show?

A large majority of students (71 per cent) say that over the past two years Covid has negatively impacted their studies, with just under a third strongly believing so (29 per cent).

More concerningly, of those surveyed, 45 per cent anticipate that Covid will have a negative impact on their final results, with one in five students strongly believing so (15 per cent).

Likewise, students feel similarly when it comes to the non-academic elements of university life.

With socialising heavily restricted and leisure venues such as pubs, bars and clubs closed for large portions of the pandemic three quarters of students believe Covid has negatively impacted their university experience (76 per cent), with 37 per cent strongly believing so.

However, despite Covid casting a negative shadow on university life, when looking to the future students are more optimistic.

Three quarters say that despite disruptions, they believe going to university will help them land their dream job (71 per cent) and 73 per cent also say they think it will lead to them securing a higher paid job down the line.

Anita Naik, Lifestyle Editor at VoucherCodes.co.uk, said: “With students returning for the third academic year since the outbreak of the pandemic, it’s clear from this report’s findings just how much of an impact Covid has had on current students. 

“Whilst there is hope for a less restricted academic year ahead and, with it, a better quality of teaching and university life, with the pandemic still ongoing it's understandable that students may require additional support.

“Resources such as the Student Space platform from the Student Minds mental health charity are a great starting point for students seeking support.

“The platform hosts dedicated support services, information and tools to help students manage the impact of Covid-19, and can also help students find help available through their university.”