Student Carer Experience Survey
Scotland - 2026

An unpaid carer is someone that provides care for a friend, family member, or neighbour who needs support due to illness, disability, mental health, or problematic substance use. Sometimes this is referred to as 'caregiving' or 'informal care'.

At Carers Trust, we believe every unpaid carer should have access to a fair future. This survey allows us to learn more about what it is like to be a student carer studying at a college or university in Scotland to help make that a reality.

By sharing your experience on a range of topics, you are helping us push for change in the areas that matter most.

Carers Trust Scotland won’t use your responses to identify you. After submitting the survey, you will be taken to a separate form to enter into the prize draw for a chance to win a £50 or £25 Love2Shop voucher.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact scot.research@carers.org.

Thank you for your valuable time and insight!

Data Protection Privacy Notice

Carers Trust is carrying out this survey to better understand the experiences, challenges, and support needs of student carers studying at colleges and universities in Scotland. The information you provide will help inform our research, policy, campaigning, and service improvement work.

We are not asking for your name or contact details as part of the survey. However, some information you provide, particularly in free-text responses, may directly or indirectly identify you. For this reason, the survey is not considered anonymous, and your individual response will be treated as personal data.

Your responses will be stored securely and accessed only by authorised Carers Trust working on this project. We will process your information in line with Carers Trust's GDPR and data protection policies and will not use your responses to identify you.

The findings from this survey may be published in reports, presentations, briefings, and other materials. Any information shared publicly will be anonymised so that individual participants cannot be identified. We may also share anonymised data, statistics, and insights with colleges, universities, student support services, researchers, funders, policy-makers, and other organisations with an interest in improving support for student carers.

Participation in this survey is voluntary. By completing and submitting the survey, you are consenting to Carers Trust using your information for the purposes described above.

Demographic Information

Question Title

1. How would you describe your gender? (Required.)

Man

Woman

Non-binary

Prefer not to say

Not listed? (please specify)

Question Title

2. Do you consider yourself to be transgender? (Required.)

Yes

Prefer not to say

Question Title

3. What age are you? (Required.)

Under 16

16-17

18-19

20-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+

Question Title

4. Do you consider yourself to have any of the following? (tick all that apply) (Required.)

No impairment

Social, behavioural or communication impairment

Visual impairment

Hearing impairment

Long-term illness or health condition

Mental health condition, challenge or disorder

Learning difference

Physical impairment or challenges with mobility

Other condition or impairment

Question Title

5. What is your current tuition fee status? (Required.)

Home (Scotland) fee

Rest of UK (RUK) fee

Overseas / international fee

Question Title

6. Which race or ethnicity best describes you? (please choose only one) (Required.)

White Scottish / Welsh / English / Northern Irish / British

Irish

Gypsy or Irish Traveller

Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups

Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British

Pakistani, Pakistani Scottish or Pakistani British

Indian, Indian Scottish or Indian British

Bangladeshi, Bangladeshi Scottish or Bangladeshi British

Chinese, Chinese Scottish or Chinese British

African, African Scottish or African British

Black, Black Scottish or Black British

Arab, Arab Scottish or Arab British

Prefer not to say

Not listed? (please specify)

Question Title

7. Which college or university do you currently study at? (Required.)

Question Title

8. Which year did you begin your course? (Required.)

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

Question Title

9. Do you study part-time or full-time? (Required.)

Part-time

Full-time

Alternative arrangement - please specify below

Question Title

10. Which of the following best describes your caring role? (Required.)

I live with my cared-for person, and provide care in-person

I live near my cared-for person, and provide care in-person

I mostly care remotely, away from my cared-for person

I care remotely and in-person, depending on the time of year (between semesters, on weekends, during holidays, etc.)

I care remotely and in-person, depending on my cared-for person’s situation

None of the above - please specify below (e.g., you might care for multiple people in different ways)

Question Title

11. Who do you provide care for? (tick all that apply) (Required.)

My parent or guardian

My sibling

My child or grandchild

My neighbour

My friend

My partner/ spouse

Someone else you live with (a flatmate or HMO resident you care for)

None of the above – please specify below

Question Title

12. Was there a gap between your secondary education (high school) and your current education (university or college)? (Required.)

Yes, a 1–3-year gap

Yes, a 4-9-year gap

Yes, a 10+ year gap

Question Title

13. Did you become an unpaid carer before or after starting your current course at college or university? (Required.)

Before starting college or university

During college or university

Question Title

14. Are you in work alongside studying? If yes, what are your main reasons for working alongside studying? (tick all that apply) (Required.)

Yes, for financial reasons

Yes, for work experience

Yes, I have a mandatory placement as part of my course

Student Carer Experience SurveyScotland - 2026

Question Title

* 1. How would you describe your gender? (Required.)

Question Title

* 2. Do you consider yourself to be transgender? (Required.)

Question Title

* 3. What age are you? (Required.)

Question Title

* 4. Do you consider yourself to have any of the following? (tick all that apply) (Required.)

Question Title

* 5. What is your current tuition fee status? (Required.)

Question Title

* 6. Which race or ethnicity best describes you? (please choose only one) (Required.)

Question Title

* 7. Which college or university do you currently study at? (Required.)

Question Title

* 8. Which year did you begin your course? (Required.)

Question Title

* 9. Do you study part-time or full-time? (Required.)

Question Title

* 10. Which of the following best describes your caring role? (Required.)

Question Title

* 11. Who do you provide care for? (tick all that apply) (Required.)

Question Title

* 12. Was there a gap between your secondary education (high school) and your current education (university or college)? (Required.)

Question Title

* 13. Did you become an unpaid carer before or after starting your current course at college or university? (Required.)

Question Title

* 14. Are you in work alongside studying? If yes, what are your main reasons for working alongside studying? (tick all that apply) (Required.)

Student Carer Experience Survey
Scotland - 2026

1. How would you describe your gender? (Required.)

2. Do you consider yourself to be transgender? (Required.)

3. What age are you? (Required.)

4. Do you consider yourself to have any of the following? (tick all that apply) (Required.)

5. What is your current tuition fee status? (Required.)

6. Which race or ethnicity best describes you? (please choose only one) (Required.)

7. Which college or university do you currently study at? (Required.)

8. Which year did you begin your course? (Required.)

9. Do you study part-time or full-time? (Required.)

10. Which of the following best describes your caring role? (Required.)

11. Who do you provide care for? (tick all that apply) (Required.)

12. Was there a gap between your secondary education (high school) and your current education (university or college)? (Required.)

13. Did you become an unpaid carer before or after starting your current course at college or university? (Required.)

14. Are you in work alongside studying? If yes, what are your main reasons for working alongside studying? (tick all that apply) (Required.)