Student Retention
Student retention is the proportion of students who continue their studies from one period to the next, for example from the first year to the second, until they complete their programme.
Definition
Student retention measures how well an institution keeps students enrolled and progressing. Institutions typically look at retention between the first and second year, but also within a year, from one term to the next. It is the positive counterpart of dropout.
It is calculated as the number of students who continue divided by the number who started in the group, and it is more informative when split by programme, by profile and by entry route. Retention work is not only statistics: it relies on understanding why students stay, which can be learned through regular conversations and surveys with them.
Retention depends on factors both academic and non-academic: quality of teaching, clear orientation, financial support, a sense of belonging, contact with staff and manageable workload. A pitfall is to treat it as a figure to push up, for example by making it harder to leave, rather than as a sign that students are getting what they came for.
Key points
- It is the share of a group of students who continue or complete.
- Calculate it by cohort and compare by programme and profile.
- Retention is the result of academic, financial, social and personal factors.
- Conversations with students explain what the numbers cannot.
- It should reflect students succeeding, not just staying.
Example
A school with 300 first-year students sees 255 enrol in the second year, a retention of 85 percent. Splitting the figures shows that students in one programme who joined late, after the start of the term, left more often. The school creates a welcome session for late arrivals.
Frequently asked questions
How is student retention calculated?
Divide the number of students from an intake who continue to the next period by the number who began, and multiply by 100 if you want a percentage. Be consistent about who is counted.
What improves student retention?
Good orientation before enrolment, early contact in the first weeks, support when problems appear, a sense of community and access to financial and well-being support. Which measure matters most depends on your students.
Is high retention always good?
Not necessarily. Students who stay but are disengaged or poorly served are not a success. Look at retention with progress, satisfaction and results.
Related terms
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