Almost 5,500 people took part in the latest European Student Card survey

What we asked

We surveyed students and staff members of higher education institutions (including international relation officers and IT staff) to

• gather information on the ESC’s current deployment
• identify obstacles that might hinder the uptake of the ESC
• understand students' and staff experience using and issuing the ESC in order to drive future improvements

Key findings

Awareness and interest

42% of respondents are aware of the ESC. 83% of those who hadn’t heard of the ESC expressed interest in it - citing easier service access, simplified and secure student status verification, and the promotion of a common European identity.

Usefulness

62% of students that already have an ESC find it “useful” or “very useful,” particularly because it provides increased access to student services and makes it easier to validate their student identity when studying or travelling abroad.

Physical vs digital cards

Among those students that already have an ESC, 6 in 10 have it in a digital format, while only 1 in 10 have an ESC in both physical and digital format.

Deployment

83% of the higher education institutions that issue ESCs do so for all their students, ensuring that both students on mobility and students not on mobility can benefit from it.

Information and training

There is a clear desire for practical examples and best practices, particularly around card issuance processes at smaller higher education institutions.

Keeping updated

The European Student Card Initiative (ESCI) website remains the preferred communication channel for respondents to stay informed on ESC developments.

Who took part

5,491 responses were received from students and staff across 33 European countries.

Romania, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Lithuania were the top five countries with the highest participation rates, which reflects strong engagement across diverse higher education communities at national level.

76% of respondents identified themselves as students, with 15% International Relations Officers (IROs), 3% IT Staff, and 6% others (administrators, coordinators, etc.).

Looking ahead to 2025

Building on the positive feedback from this survey, we are excited for 2025 and look forward to welcoming new higher education institutions and students to the ESC community!

If you would like to know more about how your Institution can join the ESC, check out how to join the European Student Card.

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Contact

For any questions or further details, please visit our help and support pages.

Thank you to everyone who contributed—your input drives the ongoing improvement and success of the ESC initiative.