Harper Adams University takes the top spot in Times Higher Education's Student Experience Survey results for 2017, in only its second year of being eligible for the survey.

The agricultural institution is the first specialist university to top the poll. Last year’s number one, Loughborough University, has slipped down to second place.

The University of Sheffield, the University of Leeds and the University of Surrey round off the top five universities in the UK, as voted for by students.

The results are based on the responses of more than 15,000 undergraduates rating their university across 21 measures based on a seven-point rating from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree”. The survey was appended to YouthSight’s Student Omnibus Surveys and all respondents were members of YouthSight’s student panel.

Analysis of the 2017 Student Experience Survey

This year, the presentation of the results has changed slightly. Universities are still given points for 21 separate attributes, but there are now seven composite groups made up of up to five of the 21 attributes. The seven composite groups cover: academic experience, university facilities, societal experience, student welfare, accommodation, industry connections, and security.

Student Experience Survey 2017: overall results

Explore the results in the seven composite areas (click the heading for full results in each category)

Students were also asked if they would recommend their university