Survey "How are you" | Uni-Social | Université de Fribourg

Survey "How are you?" 2025

The "How are you?" survey was renewed for a 6th consecutive edition last November, between November 6 and 30, 2025. The survey was conducted online among 1985 students representing all newly enrolled students at Unifr in the autumn semester 2025/2026 in Bachelor’s, Master’s, DEEM, and Doctoral programs.

The positive impacts of the previous editions and the observations made have enabled Uni-Social to increase the visibility of internal services, develop relevant measures, and improve the student experience during the transition to higher education.

Download full report

Objectives

This online survey aims first and foremost to establish contact with newly registered students, to inquire about their adaptation to Unifr and to inform them of the support offers and services available on campus. Secondly, the data collected allows Uni-Social to identify the difficulties that new students may face and to get involved in remedying them.

Key figures

As part of this survey, 591 new Unifr students (30%), representing nearly one in three students, expressed their questions, uncertainties and difficulties encountered during these first weeks of study.

34 %

are unsure
of their choice
of studies

89% are satisfied with the start of the semester
15% are looking for an internship
48 % report organizational difficulties

31% feel lacking in effective ways of working
48 % report difficulties with concentration and memorization
55% report difficulties related to stress management

27 %

report
low
morale

20 %

do not feel
well
integrated

44 % have a gainful activity in parallel with their studies
28 % mention a precarious financial situation
48 % are looking for a job

Responding to Identified Challenges and Promoting Student Well-being

The results of the “How are you?” survey reflect the lived experience of newly enrolled students at the University of Fribourg: their expectations, concerns, and the challenges they face during their transition to university life.
Previous editions have shown that a consistent proportion of students experience high levels of stress, report fragile morale, feel insufficiently integrated into their new academic and social environment, or face precarious financial situations.

Supporting Students: Learning, Well-being, and Success

To address these needs, Uni-Social offers several initiatives designed to support students throughout their academic journey, fostering academic success, well-being, and personal development.

Among these initiatives :

“Learning Strategies”, a portal dedicated to learning strategies: accessible since 2022, it provides tools, advice, and practical tips to help students better organize their work, study more effectively, and develop autonomous learning skills. This initiative supports academic success, helps students meet university-related challenges, and adapt to the demands of higher education.
“Happy?”: launched in November 2024, this initiative is dedicated to the well-being and mental health of the entire student community. Its dual objective is to increase the visibility of available support services, both within and outside the University of Fribourg, and to raise students’ awareness of practical tools to better manage stress, anxiety, isolation, and other psychological challenges. This initiative takes the form of an on-campus event held once per semester at the University of Fribourg.

As student success is closely linked to financial stability, Uni-Social also fulfills its core mission by providing non-repayable financial support to students in need, enabling them to pursue their studies with peace of mind and to focus on their learning and well-being.

Through these initiatives, Uni-Social supports students in developing their well-being, resilience, and sense of belonging, while contributing to an inclusive, welcoming university environment conducive to academic success. These projects also aim to reduce the risk of academic failure and to support students’ progress throughout their academic journey, by fostering a fulfilling learning and university life environment.