The Graduate Student Experience in the Research University (gradSERU) Survey is one of two comprehensive surveys of graduate students administered at McGill. gradSERU is a powerful tool for doctoral students to let McGill know what’s working well – and not so well – in doctoral programs, labs, classrooms, and on campus.
gradSERU is not just any survey
Led by a consortium of top North American research universities and based at the Center for the Study of Higher Education at the University of California, Berkeley, this well-established survey allows us to understand how individual doctoral programs compare to other programs at McGill and in the other research universities that participate.
As of 2026, 16 peer universities participate in gradSERU, including the University of Toronto and the University of Alberta in Canada and many peer institutions in the USA. Visit the SERU Consortium website to learn more.
How does it work?
McGill has partnered with the SERU Consortium and the survey provider Etio to administer this important survey. Between March 9th and May 1st, 2026, you will receive an email to your McGill student email address inviting you to complete the survey. Your email invitation contains an individualized link that will take you to your own personal version of the survey. If you miss the invitation, don't worry. Several reminder emails are planned over the course of the survey period.
The survey is completely voluntary and takes 20-25 minutes to complete and is completely confidential. McGill has taken extra steps to ensure your responses and personal information remain protected. You may skip any question you do not feel comfortable answering. You may also leave the survey and come back to your answers by following your individualized link.
The gradSERU survey is structured around a series of modules that ask you questions about different aspects of the graduate student experience, including financial support, supervision, program climate, health and wellbeing, professional development, career plans, and much more.
Why should I take the 2026 survey?
gradSERU is gaining recognition at McGill and action on the 2024 results is only beginning! The results of the 2026 survey will allow us to understand how the graduate student experience has changed over the last two years and how doctoral students like you are adapting to important changes in graduate education, including the growth of AI tools and shifting political realities. Participate in the survey and have your say on the future of doctoral education at McGill!
To make meaningful changes that will improve your experience as a PhD student at McGill, we need to hear from you. Complete the survey by clicking on the individualized link sent to your McGill student email account!