A sense of belonging at university: student retention, motivation and enjoyment

Introduction

University students’ sense of belonging is increasingly recognized for its impact on their retention, motivation, and enjoyment. The psychological need for belonging, a concept central to Baumeister and Leary’s theories and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, facilitates social integration in addition to academic engagement and success. This research highlights the critical role of belonging in supporting student persistence across academic, social, and emotional dimensions within university settings.

Megan Louise Parker is a lecturer at the Southern Cross University; her work centers on improving student engagement and inclusion. Royce Willis is also a lecturer at Southern Cross University whose work focuses on environmental and educational psychology. Lastly, Johanna Elizabeth Nieuwoudt is a senior lecturer at Southern Cross University. Her research focuses on increasing student success, particularly for students from diverse backgrounds, in higher education settings; Nieuwoudt specializes in curriculum design and delivery.

Methods and Findings

Deploying a mixed-methods study approach, the research team utilized a questionnaire to explore the relationship between students’ sense of belonging and their academic persistence and satisfaction. 578 Australian university students were included in the study. Using this sample, the study reveals that first-generation university students experience lower levels of belonging compared to their peers. This lower sense of belonging can have a negative effect on their academic engagement and is associated with a lower likelihood of completing their studies. Interestingly, the researchers found similar patterns between first generation students and students who had only one parent attend university. 

The researchers explored a broad set of demographics, including year in school and first-generation in university status.

The survey responses indicate a clear link between a strong sense of belonging and enhanced student motivation and enjoyment, which in turn correlates with higher academic achievement and retention rates. Conversely, students who frequently considered leaving their university reported significantly lower levels of belonging, which underscores the importance of fostering inclusive, supportive learning environments that cater to diverse student backgrounds.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that a sense of belonging plays a critical role in enhancing student retention and academic success, especially for first generation students. It demonstrates that universities should adopt targeted strategies to nurture this sense of belonging, particularly among first-generation students, to promote not only academic success but also psychological well-being and satisfaction. The insights provided by this research are important for informing policies and practices aimed at improving student engagement and reducing dropout rates in higher education.