Graduate Student Experience in the Research University
Graduate Student Experience in the Research University
The gradSERU (Graduate Student Experience in the Research University, or “gradSERU survey”) is a nationwide survey for graduate university students. It’s especially designed for large, public research universities that, like Purdue, serve large and diverse student populations and provide many academic and social opportunities both in and out of the classroom.
Purdue University uses this survey as the primary benchmarking tool to assess student experiences with academics, advising, student life, campus climate, health and wellness, and much more. Faculty and staff from all over campus, at all levels, use the data to help with decision-making and strategic planning. Student organizations can also use the data to advocate for specific student needs. Because the data are so valuable and widely used, a high response rate is imperative for accuracy.
Purdue University administers the gradSERU biannually on odd-numbered years. The next administration is spring 2027!
All students aged 18 years and older who are enrolled in a graduate program in Purdue-West Lafayette or Indianapolis are invited to take the gradSERU. To achieve a statistically reliable sample, we need as many responses as possible. It is important that we get responses from all academic programs and from all demographic groups.
No. The gradSERU is voluntary.
Incentives will be announced closer to the survey launch during the spring 2027 semester.
Yes! The gradSERU is the primary, official survey administered by Purdue University for understanding the graduate student experience.
It is a key or very important survey for dozens of decision-makers across Purdue University. The gradSERU survey provides valuable insights that help Purdue University improve programs, services, and resources for graduate students. By participating, you contribute directly to enhancing the campus experience for yourself and future students. Your feedback is essential in guiding university decisions and priorities.
We do not advise taking the SERU on a mobile device. The questions are formatted for a wide screen, so it is best to take the survey on a laptop or desktop computer.
You will sign in using your unique PUID. This is necessary to ensure that only current Purdue West Lafayette or Indianapolis students, or Purdue Online students, take the survey and that each student completes the survey only once. Yes, the SERU survey is confidential. Your choice to participate or not won’t affect your status as a student. Nothing you say can be linked to you or used against you in any way.
We respect students’ busy schedules, so we’ve avoided pointless questions about things we already know or can find somewhere else. In most cases, if you say you haven’t done something, the survey will skip over any follow-up questions on that topic. Still, the SERU is designed to answer the questions of many different administrators and researchers, so it does cover a lot of topics. Every question in the SERU is important to somebody. And it’s your chance to say what’s important to you!
Response times vary. Students who give long answers to optional questions take longer. You’ll probably finish the SERU in 45 minutes.
Yes. It is best if you power through and finish at one sitting. But if you get interrupted, the link will save your answers and pick up where you left off. If you do stop midway through, don’t forget to come back and finish.
Yes. You can be sure your response will count by submitting the survey. We won’t require 100% completion because some questions may be difficult or uncomfortable for you to answer. But please try and go through to the end and answer all the questions you can.
The aggregated results from the survey will be available online to Purdue administrators, faculty, and staff (e.g., academic advisors) on Management Dashboards. By special request, IDA+A can provide limited datasets of (de-identified) responses at the department or special group (e.g., international students) levels. In all cases, the data are managed so the opinions and responses of individual students are protected. Purdue-affiliated individuals can email seru@purdue.edu to request a custom report.
Yes, Purdue University administers the ugSERU (Undergraduate Student Experience in the Research University) biannually on even-numbered years. The next administration is Spring 2028.
