Student Mental Health Statistics 2026: Insights from 2,000+ UK Students

Student mental health is a growing concern across the UK. To get the most accurate view of what's really going on, we surveyed 2,097 UK students in March 2026, and asked them about:

• Stress

• Sleep

• Concentration

• Exam pressure

• Wellbeing support

We’ve combined our exclusive survey with the latest research from the NHS, the ONS, and the House of Commons Library to give you the most up-to-date picture available.

Key Takeaways: Top Student Mental Health Statistics

1. 62% of students say exams or revision has the biggest impact on their mental health.

2. 69% of students have avoided asking for help due to stress, anxiety, or embarrassment.

3. 71% of students feel most stressed during exam weeks - it's the most anxious point in the school year.

4. 32% of female students say exam pressure significantly harms their mental health - nearly double the rate of male students (17%).

5. A third of students get fewer than 6 hours of sleep during exam periods.

6. Only 8% of students turn to a teacher or school counsellor when they're struggling.

Mental Health Among UK Students (Primary Data)

Let’s take a look at the demographic profiles of the respondents of our student mental health survey.

Who We Surveyed: Student Demographics

We surveyed 3,802 students globally in March 2026. Of those, 2,097 confirmed they were based in the UK and these are the respondents we focused on.

Here's who they are:

Gender breakdown

• Male - 40%

• Female - 58%

• Non-binary - 1%

• Other - 1%

Qualification breakdown

• GCSE students - 928 (44%)

• A Level students - 893 (43%)

• IGCSE students: 231 (11%)

• IB / Other: 45 (2%)

The sample is heavily weighted towards GCSE and A Level students - the two most common qualification pathways in the UK. This makes our survey representative of the secondary and post-16 experience.

Academic Impact of Mental Health

We wanted to find out how student mental health affects the ability to learn.

• 72% of UK students say mental health sometimes, often, or always affects their concentration.

• Fewer than 1 in 5 students report being rarely or never affected by concentration issues.

• 38% of female students experience often or always impaired concentration, compared to just 22% of male students.

Exam Stress & Assessment Pressure

We asked students to pick all the points in the year when they feel most stressed or anxious. Here's what they told us. 

• 71% feel most stressed during exam weeks - this is the most anxious point in the school year.

• 57% also identify the revision period as a major stress trigger.

• 36% say they're most anxious on results day, showing that stress doesn't stop when the exams do.

• 15% of students experience heightened anxiety during coursework periods.

• Just 4% say they don't tend to feel stressed or anxious at any point in the year.

There isn’t a single moment of stress. Stress tends to build through revision, peak in exam week, and still hasn't fully eased by results day. 

Caption: Illustration showing when UK students are most likely to experience stress and anxiety during the academic year. 

Alt-text: Illustration showing when students are most likely to experience stress and anxiety during school year. 

How intense is exam pressure?

There is a clear gender gap emerging:

• 32% of female students report that exam pressure significantly impacts their mental health throughout the year - nearly twice the rate of male students at 17%.

• Only 4% say exam pressure doesn't affect their mental health at all.

To dig into the details of the sorts of test pressures students face, check out our dedicated articles on exam stress statistics and exam anxiety.

What's happening to their sleep?

Sleep deprivation is a consequence of exams:

• A third of students get fewer than 6 hours of sleep a night during exam periods.

• 9% get under 5 hours - a level associated with seriously impaired cognitive function (opens in a new tab).

• Only 9% get the recommended 8+ hours.

• IB students are hardest hit: 49% get under 6 hours during exams.

• IGCSE students fare best, with 23% under 6 hours - roughly half the rate of IB students.

Study Behaviour & Coping Mechanisms

We asked two questions: what's causing the mental health impact, and what do students do to cope?

What's causing the problem?

Students were asked to pick the aspect of studying that has the biggest impact on their mental health.

• 33% say exams and tests had the biggest impact.

• 29% point to revision workload.

• A fifth of students say comparing themselves to other students has the biggest impact.

• 8% cite school or college expectations.

• 4% say coursework deadlines.

• Just 4% say studying doesn't affect their mental health.

Exams and revision combined account for 62% of responses. That means just over 6 out of every 10 students trace their biggest mental health burden back to academic assessment. 

What do students do to cope?

When the pressure is on, here's what students actually reach for:

• 22% find exercise or physical activity most helpful.

• 14% turn to hobbies like gaming, art, or reading.

• 13% spend time with friends or family.

• 12% listen to music or podcasts.

• 11% take breaks.

• 9% go outside for fresh air.

• 7% say social media or scrolling helps them cope.

• 7% prioritise getting enough sleep.

When students are stressed, they're just as likely to scroll through their phone as they are to try to get a good night's rest. 

Caption: Illustration showing how students cope with academic pressure. 

Alt-text: Illustration showing how students cope with stress and anxiety. 

Help-Seeking Behaviour

This section gets to the heart of one of the biggest problems in student mental health: many students avoid asking for help at some point when they need it.

The help-avoidance problem

We asked students whether they had ever avoided asking for help due to stress, anxiety, or embarrassment. Nearly 7 in 10 said yes.

• 69% of all UK students have avoided asking for help.

  • 73% of female students.

  • 62% of male students.

Who do students turn to first?

When students are struggling with academic stress, here's who they contact:

• 34% turn to family first.

• 31% turn to friends.

• 15% turn to online resources.

• 13% turn to someone categorised as 'other'.

• 7% go to teachers or tutors.

• Just 1% contact school counselling services.

Caption: Pie chart showing where students turn to when struggling with academic stress. 

Alt-text: Pie chart showing where stressed students turn to when struggling. 

There's also a clear gender difference here: 

• Female students are more likely to turn to family (40%) than male students (30%). 

• Male students are more likely to reach for online resources (17% vs 12% for females). 

Digital Learning & Mental Health

The data shows digital self-help is an option students choose when managing their mental health.

• 15% of UK students turn to online resources first when struggling with academic stress, making it the third most common first port of call, ahead of teachers.

• 7% say social media or scrolling is their most helpful coping mechanism during stressful periods.

Risk Factors Affecting Student Mental Health in the UK

Academic Pressure

• 69% of university students are dealing with mental health challenges (The Tab).

• The proportion of UK students disclosing mental health conditions to their universities has risen six-fold between 2010 and 2023 (House of Commons Library).

• 60% of people aged between 18 and 24 have felt so stressed by the pressure to succeed that they have felt “unable to cope” (Mental Health Foundation).

Financial Stress

Financial pressure is a major concern for school and university students. 

• 70% of students say financial concerns are negatively affecting their mental health (Oxford CBT).

• 64% of students worry about money daily or weekly (Cibyl).

• Financial stress among UK university students increased by 55% between 2018 and 2022 (MDPI Education Sciences).

Social & Lifestyle Factors

• Nearly three quarters of students report feeling lonely at university; 17% say they have no university friends at all (Oxford CBT).

• LGBTQ+ students are more than twice as likely to have a mental health condition (40%) compared to non-LGBTQ+ students (15%) (House of Commons Library, Research Briefing).

• 24% of 16–24 year olds describe their mental health as bad or the worst it's ever been (Forth, 2024).

How Mental Health Affects Education Outcomes

Academic results, dropout, and consequences

• A one-point increase in mental health difficulty scores (e.g., Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) at ages 11-14 is associated with dropping one grade at GCSE (Understanding Society).

• Students are 25% more likely to state mental health as the main reason for wanting to drop out of university, compared with any other explanation (King’s College London).

• Only 45% of young people diagnosed with depression achieved the expected five A*-C GCSEs in Year 11, compared to 53% of young people not diagnosed with depression (National Institute for Health and Care Research).

• Each 1-point increase in student academic pressure scores, carried out in a 2026 research study, was associated with a 16% increased chance of self-harm (The Lancet).

The State of Student Mental Health in the UK

Trends Over Time

For more than a decade, the state of student mental health has been declining.

• 26% of 16–24 year olds are now affected by a common mental health disorder, up from 19% in 2014 - an increase of more than a third in just over ten years (NHS).

• Between 2020/21 and 2022/23, mental health referrals for children increased by over 50% (The Health Foundation).

• One in five young people aged between 8 and 25 had a probable mental health condition in 2023. This number has been rising since 2017 (Young Minds).

University vs School Students

• During the first two weeks of lockdown during Covid-19, 37% of first-year university students in England showed symptoms of depression or anxiety (ONS).

• Female university students are twice as likely as male students to report mental health difficulties (22% vs. 11%) (TASO).

• Our school-age survey shows the same gender gap is already present before university: 38% of female students vs 22% of male students report often or always disrupted concentration (Save My Exams Survey, 2026).

NHS & Institutional Support

Support provision has grown. But student satisfaction with that support remains very low.

• Only 12% of UK students are satisfied with how their university handled their mental health issue (Oxford CBT).

• Fewer than half of students with mental health challenges report their difficulties to their university (The Tab).

• Over 250,000 children in the UK are currently waiting for mental health referrals as of 2026 (Children’s Commissioner).

Inequality & Access to Support

Socioeconomic Differences

• Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are identified by NICE as among those most likely to experience mental health issues in education (House of Commons Library Research Briefing).

• 66% of students worried about the cost of living in 2022, compared to 53% the previous year (UCAS).

• 39% of young people in the most deprived areas find it difficult to access mental health support (UCL).

Regional Gaps

• More antidepressants and anxiolytics are prescribed in the North East and North Cumbria than anywhere else in England (Forth).

• Scottish students benefit from government-funded tuition, which reduces one major financial stressor (The Scottish Government).

The Future of Student Mental Health Support

Preventative Support in Schools

Our data shows that the mental health burden starts before university.

• It is thought that 1.5 million young people will need mental health support in the next 3 to 5 years (Worth It).

• Three quarters of schools and colleges report they have a Mental Health Lead in 2018 (gov.uk (opens in a new tab)).

• 76% of education settings believe that an in-house Mental Health Specialist Team in their school or college improves young people’s understanding of mental health and well-being (University of Birmingham).

Role of Digital Tools

Digital tools are already filling a gap that formal support isn't meeting. 15% of students in our survey turn to online resources, while just 7% say they'd go to a teacher.

Many universities also publicise their free online resources to support students struggling with their mental health (King’s College London News Centre). 

There’s also a government-backed list of online resources for children, young people, teachers, and parents to access (The Education Hub).

Save My Exams Supports All Students

Behind every percentage figure in this article is a real student sitting at a desk, trying to revise, and dealing with more than just the subject in front of them.

At Save My Exams, our examiner-written revision resources are for every kind of student, including those who might be finding it tough right now. 

Alongside our revision materials, we've put together a free Exam Anxiety Relief Kit specifically for students who are feeling the pressure.

It covers:

• Practical techniques for managing anxiety

• Advice on sleep, revision habits, and avoiding burnout

• Guidance on where to go if you need more support

You don't need to be in crisis to use it. If exams feel overwhelming - even just a little - it's there for you.

Appendix: Full List of Student Mental Health Statistics

Here's every statistic referenced in this article, in one place.

1. 69% of students have avoided asking for help due to stress, anxiety, or embarrassment (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

2. 31% of students say their mental health often or always affects their ability to concentrate (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

3. 71% of students feel most stressed during exam weeks - it's the most anxious point in the school year (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

4. 62% of students say exams or revision is the biggest driver of their mental health struggles (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

5. A third of students get fewer than 6 hours of sleep during exam periods (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

6. Only 8% of students turn to a teacher or school counsellor when they're struggling (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

7. 72% of UK students say mental health sometimes, often, or always affects their concentration (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

8. Fewer than 1 in 5 students report being rarely or never affected by concentration issues (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

9. 38% of female students experience often or always impaired concentration, compared to just 22% of male students (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

10. 57% of students identify the revision period as a major stress trigger (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

11. 36% say they're most anxious on results day, showing that stress doesn't stop when the exams do (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

12. 15% of students experience heightened anxiety during coursework periods (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

13. Just 4% of students say they don't tend to feel stressed or anxious at any point in the year (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

14. 32% of female students report that exam pressure significantly impacts their mental health throughout the year - nearly twice the rate of male students at 17% (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

15. A third of students get fewer than 6 hours of sleep a night during exam periods (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

16. 9% get under 5 hours - a level associated with seriously impaired cognitive function (opens in a new tab) (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

17. Only 9% get the recommended 8+ hours (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

18. IB students are hardest hit: 49% get under 6 hours during exams (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

19. IGCSE students fare best, with 23% under 6 hours - roughly half the rate of IB students (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

20. 33% of students say exams and tests had the biggest impact on their mental health (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

21. 29% of students point to revision workload as having the largest impact on their mental health (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

22. A fifth of students say comparing themselves to other students has the biggest impact on their mental health (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

23. 8% cite school or college expectations (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

24. 4% say the biggest impact to their mental health is caused by coursework deadlines (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

25. Just 4% say studying doesn't affect their mental health (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

26. Only 4% say exam pressure doesn't affect their mental health at all (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

27. 22% of students find exercise or physical activity most helpful to cope with stressful study periods (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

28. 14% turn to hobbies like gaming, art, or reading to benefit their mental health (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

29. 13% of students spend time with friends or family to ease exam pressure (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

30. 12% listen to music or podcasts to counteract the stress of study periods (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

31. 11% of students take breaks to cope with exam stresses (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

32. 9% go outside for fresh air to aid their mental health (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

33. 7% say social media or scrolling helps them cope with stress (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

34. 7% prioritise getting enough sleep to aid their mental health (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

35. 69% of all UK students have avoided asking for help (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

36. 73% of female students have avoided asking for help (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

37. 62% of male students have avoided asking for help (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

38. 34% of students turn to family first when they need support (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

39. 31% turn to friends when they need support (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

40. 13% turn to someone categorised as 'other' when they need support (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

41. 7% go to teachers or tutors when they need support (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

42. Just 1% contact school counselling services when they need support (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

43. Female students are more likely to turn to family (40%) than male students (30%) (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

44. 15% of UK students turn to online resources first when struggling with academic stress, making it the third most common first port of call, ahead of teachers (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

45. 7% say social media or scrolling is their most helpful coping mechanism during stressful periods (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

46. 69% of university students are dealing with mental health challenges (The Tab)

47. The proportion of UK students disclosing mental health conditions to their universities has risen six-fold between 2010 and 2023 (House of Commons Library)

48. 60% of people aged between 18 and 24 have felt so stressed by the pressure to succeed that they have felt “unable to cope” (Mental Health Foundation)

49. 70% of students say financial concerns are negatively affecting their mental health (Oxford CBT)

50. 64% of students worry about money daily or weekly (Cibyl)

51. Financial stress among UK university students increased by 55% between 2018 and 2022 (MDPI Education Sciences)

52. Nearly three quarters of students report feeling lonely at university; 17% say they have no university friends at all (Oxford CBT)

53. 24% of 16–24 year olds describe their mental health as bad or the worst it's ever been (Forth, 2024)

54. A one-point increase in mental health difficulty scores (e.g., Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) at ages 11-14 is associated with dropping one grade at GCSE (Understanding Society)

55. Students are 25% more likely to state mental health as the main reason for wanting to drop out of university, compared with any other explanation (King’s College London)

56. Each 1-point increase in academic pressure scores, carried out in a 2026 research study, was associated with a 16% increased chance of self-harm (The Lancet)

57. Only 45% of young people diagnosed with depression achieved the expected five A*-C GCSEs in Year 11, compared to 53% of young people not diagnosed with depression (National Institute for Health and Care Research)

58. 26% of 16–24 year olds are now affected by a common mental health disorder, up from 19% in 2014 - an increase of more than a third in just over ten years (NHS)

59. The proportion of students disclosing mental health conditions to their universities has risen six-fold over recent years (The Lancet Public Health)

60. Between 2020/21 and 2022/23, mental health referrals for children increased by over 50% (The Health Foundation)

61. One in five young people aged between 8 and 25 had a probable mental health condition in 2023. This number has been rising since 2017 (Young Minds)

62. During the first two weeks of lockdown during Covid-19, 37% of first-year university students in England showed symptoms of depression or anxiety (ONS)

63. Female university students are twice as likely as male students to report mental health difficulties (22% vs. 11%) (TASO)

64. Our school-age survey shows the same gender gap is already present before university: 38% of female students vs 22% of male students report often or always disrupted concentration (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

65. Only 12% of UK students are satisfied with how their university handled their mental health issue (Oxford CBT, 2024)

66. Over 250,000 children in the UK are currently waiting for mental health referrals as of 2026 (Children’s Commissioner)

67. 66% of students worried about the cost of living in 2022, compared to 53% the previous year (UCAS)

68. 39% of young people in the most deprived areas find it difficult to access mental health support (UCL)

69. More antidepressants and anxiolytics are prescribed in the North East and North Cumbria than anywhere else in England (Forth)

70. Scottish students benefit from government-funded tuition, which reduces one major financial stressor (The Scottish Government)

71. It is thought that 1.5 million young people will need mental health support in the next 3 to 5 years (Worth It)

72. Three quarters of schools and colleges report they have a mental health lead in 2018 (gov.uk (opens in a new tab))

73. 76% of education settings believe that an in-house Mental Health Specialist Team in their school or college improves young people’s understanding of mental health and well-being (University of Birmingham)

74. Many universities publicise their free online resources to support students struggling with their mental health (King’s College London News Centre)

References

Primary Research:

• Save My Exams Student Mental Health Survey (2026) - 2,097 UK students

Secondary Research:

• The Tab (opens in a new tab)

• House of Commons Library (opens in a new tab)

• Mental Health Foundation (opens in a new tab)

• Oxford CBT (opens in a new tab)

• Cibyl (opens in a new tab)

• MDPI Education Sciences (opens in a new tab)

• House of Commons Library, Research Briefing (opens in a new tab)

• Forth (opens in a new tab)

• Understanding Society (opens in a new tab)

• King’s College London (opens in a new tab)

• The Lancet (opens in a new tab)

• National Institute for Health and Care Research (opens in a new tab)

• NHS (opens in a new tab)

• The Health Foundation (opens in a new tab)

• Young Minds (opens in a new tab)

• ONS (opens in a new tab)

• TASO (opens in a new tab)

• Children’s Commissioner (opens in a new tab)

• UCAS (opens in a new tab)

• UCL (opens in a new tab)

• The Scottish Government (opens in a new tab)

• Worth It (opens in a new tab)

• gov.uk (opens in a new tab) 

• University of Birmingham (opens in a new tab)

• King’s College London News Centre (opens in a new tab)

• The Education Hub (opens in a new tab)

Harvard Medical School - How much sleep keeps cognitive decline at bay? (opens in a new tab)