Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Women in Sport 2026
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Spring Summer 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    • Digital Issues
    • Women Who Win
    1. Life
    2. Relationships

    58% of students believe there should be sexual consent tests at UK universities

    Ally Head's avatar
    By Ally Head
    Published 29 April 2021 In Features

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Students at uni
    (Image credit: Getty Images/EyeEm)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    A new survey has indicated that a majority - 58% - of students in the UK believe undertaking a test on sexual consent would be beneficial.

    The findings, published by the Higher Education Policy Institute, found that over half of students agree that testing all university attendees understanding basic sexual consent is a good idea.

    The test would aim to prove whether they 'fully understand' the definition of consent.

    This comes as more allegations are being made about students experiencing sexual harassment and abuse on university campuses across the UK.

    The findings, which surveyed 1,000 students, further indicated that only 25% felt their schooling prior to university had not fully prepared them with a 'comprehensive understanding of sexual consent.'

    You may like
    • Million Women Rise March In London Why Do We Keep Rolling Out the Red Carpet for Men Found Responsible for Sexual Violence?
    • This Girl Can New Research Confirms Women's Biggest Barrier to Exercise Isn't Motivation—It's Safety
    • Football and Domestic Abuse: Women’s Aid: “He’s Coming Home” After England's World Cup Defeat, I Couldn't Stop Thinking About This Domestic Abuse Statistic

    The researchers behind the survey says that the findings indicate a 'less hedonistic than is sometimes supposed.'

    43% of those students surveyed had not had sex prior to attending university, and 25% shared that they'd never been 'intimately kissed' before.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    Interestingly, 66% of male students shared that they hadn't had sex during their student years. This was compared to 53% of the female respondents who said they hadn't either.

    A further 11% indicated in the survey that they 'voluntarily abstain from sex'.

    On the relationships front, roughly a third said they hadn't themselves been in an 'intimate relationship' or 'kissed someone on a night out' during their time at university.

    What to read next
    • Aesthetics Safety "What Did She Expect?"—The Sexism and Classism Behind The UK’s Aesthetics Safety Crisis
    • Three women on the beach: Stretching, looking into the sun. Over 800,000 Women in the UK Have PMDD, Yet 90% Are Misdiagnosed—Here's What's Going Wrong
    • Rear View Cropped Shot Of Unrecognizable Woman Taking Pregnancy Test At Home “When I Saw A Positive Pregnancy Test, I Wanted To Call An Abortion Clinic Immediately”

    The aim of the survey was to try and gather some strong evidence on the current sex lives of university students. The researchers behind the findings said that some claims about student's sex lives were often 'more salacious than illuminating,' and highlight the importance of the sex-driven student 'caricature' must be 'redrawn'.

    Nick Hillman, the institute's director, said: "The findings could help students navigate what is a key transition point in their lives".

    "By telling students about the experiences of their peers, we hope the results will make it easier for them to make informed decisions about their own lives."

    What do you reckon - does more need to be done to educate students about sexual consent, and could more be done to break down the stereotype of a student?

    Ally Head
    Ally Head
    Social Links Navigation
    Senior Health and Sustainability Editor

    Ally is Marie Claire UK's Senior Health and Sustainability Editor, a well-regarded wellness expert, ten-time marathoner, and Boston Qualifying runner.

    Utilising her impressive skillset and exceptional quality of writing, she pens investigative, review and first-person pieces that consistently demonstrate flair and originality.

    Ally manages a team of freelancers, oversees all commissioning and strategy for her pillars, and spearheads the brand's annual Women in Sport covers, interviewing and shooting the likes of Mary Earps, Millie Bright, and Ilona Maher. Shortlisted for three BSMEs and winning one in 2022, Ally lives and breathes her verticals: her eye for a story and connections within the wellness sphere are unrivalled. Follow Ally on Instagram for more.

    Read more
    Million Women Rise March In London
    Life Why Do We Keep Rolling Out the Red Carpet for Men Found Responsible for Sexual Violence?
    This Girl Can
    Fitness New Research Confirms Women's Biggest Barrier to Exercise Isn't Motivation—It's Safety
     
     
    Football and Domestic Abuse: Women’s Aid: “He’s Coming Home”
    Life After England's World Cup Defeat, I Couldn't Stop Thinking About This Domestic Abuse Statistic
    Aesthetics Safety
    Beauty "What Did She Expect?"—The Sexism and Classism Behind The UK’s Aesthetics Safety Crisis
     
     
    Latest in Relationships
    Wedding planning
    Relationships I Love My Fiancé, but I Resent the Emotional Labour of Planning Our Wedding
    Wicker husband: Alexander Skarsgård and Olivia Coleman in the new film Wicker
    Relationships Move Over Regular Men and AI Boyfriends, The “Wicker Husband” Has Arrived
     
     
    Emotionally Unavailable Men: Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie in Wuthering Heights
    Relationships Why Are We Still Glamourising Emotionally Unavailable Men?
    Broken disco ball smashed to pieces on the floor. Black and white for a dramatic touch. Shiny backdrop is defocused.
    Relationships Why Do Men Ruin Your Birthday?
     
     
    Latest in Features
    Autumn Nail Trends 2026
    Nails From Fawn Print to Milky Matcha—These Are Autumn 2026’s Defining Nail Trends
    Fenty Beauty Pro Filtr Fluid Flex Foundation Review
    Make Up Fenty Beauty Just Replaced Its Most Iconic Foundation—3 Editors Put Its “Flexible” Full Coverage to the Test
     
     
    Charlotte Mensah Afro Hair
    Hair Charlotte Mensah Has Spent 40 Years Changing the Conversation Around Afro Hair—Now, Her Legacy Is Going on Display
    Dangers of sharing photos of children online
    Life I Used to Share Photos of My Daughter Online. Horrifying New AI Data Has Made Me Stop
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.