Each year, over 60,000 people that have recently qualified from a higher education course in a university or college are invited to complete a 5 minute survey on their activities after completion.
The Destinations of Leavers of Higher Education (DLHE) is carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), the central source for the collection of statistics about publicly-funded higher education in the UK.
About the survey
A questionnaire is sent by post to a sample of the graduates by the university or college. The survey is also available to complete online, or by phone.
The DLHE survey only takes a few minutes to complete – most of the questions just require you to tick a box with your answer. If you are completing the survey by post, an envelope is provided to return the survey. The answers you provide will not be traced back to you.
How are the results used?
- Institutions use the information you provide to advise current students about the opportunities that might be available to them.
- Your institution can use the data to gain a clearer understanding of what graduates do, and is often informs league tables
- Students’ unions can use it to find out more about how students feel, for example motivations for study and how they funded their education, and their job prospects after study
Any information provided will help in reviewing and promoting courses and giving current students an insight into early career progression, as well as providing input to government policy .
It is important that students, course reps and students’ unions get actively involved in encouraging students to complete the survey after qualification.
What can the DLHE tell us about students?
Of those who obtained qualifications across the UK in 2006/07, 75% responded to the survey.
- Of these, 66.3% reported that they were working and a further 11% were working and studying. 14% were undertaking further study only;
- 5% of leavers were assumed to be unemployed.