Student Mental Health and Wellbeing in Higher Education

Student mental health and wellbeing in higher education have emerged as critical concerns for institutions worldwide. Prevalence of anxiety, depression and self-harm has risen over the past decade, driven by a complex interplay of academic pressures, financial strain, social isolation and the transitional challenges of university life. Diverse student populations—including those from minority ethnic backgrounds, students with disabilities and LGBTQ+ individuals—often face compounded stressors that demand tailored support. Poor mental health can undermine academic performance, increase dropout rates and diminish overall quality of life. Institutions are responding through a combination of individual-level therapies, such as counselling and digital cognitive-behavioural tools, and system-level measures, including inclusive pedagogies, adaptations to the physical environment and proactive outreach. A person-centred model of stepped care has gained traction, integrating primary prevention, early intervention and specialist services in collaboration with community partners. Recent shifts towards blended and online learning have introduced both opportunities for digital support and new forms of isolation, underscoring the need to rethink campus wellness strategies. At the policy level, there is growing emphasis on embedding mental health literacy within curricula and fostering cross-sector partnerships to ensure continuity of care as students progress beyond graduation. Research highlights the global significance of sustainable interventions that balance academic rigour with holistic wellbeing.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Student Mental Health and Wellbeing in Higher Education publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in student mental health and wellbeing in higher education across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Self-harm: Deliberate injury to one’s own body or ingestion of substances taken with intent to harm or distress.

Stepped care: A hierarchical model of mental health support beginning with low-intensity interventions and escalating to specialist services as required.

Incidence rate ratio (IRR): A measure comparing the rate of new cases of a condition between two populations over time.

Structural interventions: System-level or environmental changes designed to create health-promoting settings within institutions.

Scoping review: A systematic approach to mapping the key concepts, evidence types and gaps in a broad research area.

References

1. Trends in incidence of self-harm, neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions among university students compared with the general population: nationwide electronic data linkage study in Wales. The British Journal of Psychiatry (2024).
2. Health‐Promoting Learning Environments in Higher Education: A Scoping Review of Structural Interventions to Protect Student Mental Health. European Journal of Education (2024).
3. Student mental health and dropout from higher education: an analysis of Australian administrative data. Higher Education (2023).