Below you will find data from the 2026 Lived Experiences and Needs of Students (LENS) Survey. The LENS Survey was administered in Spring 2026 and is a joint effort between Columbia Health, CUIMC Student Health on Haven, and University Life. Building on the foundation established in 2024, this iteration of the LENS Survey showcases our continued commitment to better understanding the student experience at Columbia University.
About the LENS
Development
The LENS Survey Working Group created the instrument using questions and scales from a range of existing surveys, including validated scales where available.i Throughout the process, we solicited input from campus stakeholders, including Columbia University students, faculty, and staff.
Columbia University Irving Medical Center's Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved the survey and its procedures (AAAU-8610).
Methods
The 2026 LENS Survey was administered online from February 11 to March 13 of 2026. Using a census approach, all eligible Columbia students (N=35,934) received survey invitations by email from University leadership, with subsequent reminder emails sent to non-responders.
Students eligible to participate in the survey were:
- 18 years or older as of February 11, 2026
- Enrolled at one of Columbia's 17 schools or three affiliate institutions (Jewish Theological Seminary, Teachers College, and Union Theological Seminary),ii as of February 11, 2026.
The median survey response time was 20 minutes.
Participation in the survey was voluntary and confidential; no identifying information (including name, UNI, or contact information) from individual respondents can be linked to their survey responses. Students had the option to skip any question in the survey, except for questions about school affiliation, which were required to ensure students were shown questions relevant to their school or program. For demographic questions, respondents could also choose the option "prefer not to say."
After completing the survey, respondents were entered into a drawing for a chance to win daily prizes of $100 throughout survey administration. An additional 50 grand prizes of $125 were awarded to respondents after survey close. General outreach efforts included LENS 2026 branded tote bags and bookmarks, as well as promotional events in collaboration with participating schools and programs.
To preserve the confidentiality of the respondents, we have reported data values only when a sufficient response count was collected (>10 responses) for a given variable.iii
Response Rates
The overall response rate is generally comparable to similar student surveys from universities across the country.iv Among the 17 schools and three affiliates, response rates ranged between 4% and 29%.
Limitations
As you review these findings, consider the following limitations:
- LENS Survey data is self-reported and has not been weighted to account for demographic differences.
- The report primarily represents frequencies and descriptive summary data; therefore, apparent differences between groups should not necessarily be interpreted as statistically significant differences.
- This report shares preliminary descriptive data analysis and does not assert any causal explanation of findings.
As some survey questions have changed or have been asked differently in LENS 2026, direct data comparisons to the results of LENS 2024 or other college health surveys should generally be avoided.
i When scoring validated scales for reporting, respondents who did not answer all scale items were excluded from analysis.
ii Barnard College students were not eligible for the 2026 LENS Survey because they receive many services through their institution, including healthcare.
iii Data were screened prior to analysis using predefined exclusion criteria among eligible participants. Respondents were excluded if (a) they did not progress through at least 40% of survey questions, or (b) they straightlined through more than 3 matrix question sets and more than 80% of all displayed matrix questions. (Straightlining refers to answering to a series of questions in the same place on a rating scale.) Respondents were also screened for speeding, in which survey duration was more than two standard deviations from the median for most survey completers, but no responses met this exclusion condition. Open- ended responses were reviewed for quality, and nonsensical or non-serious responses are not displayed in the final report.
iv American College Health Association. (2026). NCHA Reference Group Data Report, Spring 2026.
Life at Columbia
Student-Faculty Dynamics
Faculty play an important role in the lives of students:
- 56% of respondents felt personally supported by at least one faculty member
- 63% knew at least one faculty member well enough to request a letter of recommendation
Nine percent (9%) of respondents reported experiencing challenges related to faculty dynamics. Of those respondents, 91% reported that these challenges resulted in a negative impact on their academic life, non-academic life, or both.
Experiences & Impact
The survey asked respondents about specific challenges they faced over the past 12 months. Respondents who indicated they had experienced a challenge were then asked about subsequent negative impacts of that experience.
Top 5 Challenges & Their Negative Impact
*% Negative Impact combines impacts related to academics, non-academics, or both.
Opportunities for the Future
As an institution, Columbia may wish to:
- Identify opportunities that support student well-being and academic success by engaging faculty with the data.
Basic Needs
Difficulty Paying for Basic Necessities
When asked how often they have experienced problems paying for basic necessities, 40% of respondents indicated that they experienced difficulties at least sometimes. This includes 15% of respondents who reported difficulty paying for basic necessities often or all of the time.
Students who indicated they had difficulty paying for basic necessities at least sometimes were asked for which necessities they experienced this difficulty:
Food Security
Respondents were asked about their food security in the last 30 days using the USDA Six-Point Food Security Scale.v Within this classification, "high or marginal food security" indicates few or no food-access problems or limitations. "Low food security" is characterized by a lack of variety or quality of food. "Very low food security" indicates skipping meals or not getting enough to eat.vi
- 38% of respondents scored in the range classified as food insecure (low or very low food security)
Opportunities for the Future
- Evaluate how best to support students’ needs through direct resources and strategic referrals in partnership with existing initiatives.
v Blumberg, S. J., Bialostosky, K., Hamilton, W. L., & Briefel, R. R. (1999). The effectiveness of a short form of the Household Food Security Scale. American Journal of Public Health, 89 (8), 1231-1234.
The USDA “Short Form” six-item scale uses a subset of the standard 18 items to measure food insecurity in US households. The LENS Survey used the 30-Day Reference Period and Self- Administration versions of this measure.
vi The short form version of the scale combines “high” and “marginal” categories. It also provides an alternative interpretation of these two categories as “food secure,” with “low” and “very low” food security interpreted as “food insecure.”
Economic Research Service. (2024). U.S. household food security survey module: six-item short form. United States Department of Agriculture. https://www.ers.usda.gov/sites/default/files_laserfiche/DataFiles/50764/short2024.pdf
Health
Physical Health
Respondents were asked to report if they are living with an ongoing or chronic physical health condition, as defined by the respondent.
- 24% of respondents reported living with an ongoing or chronic physical health condition
- 76% of this group indicated a negative impact as a result of their physical health condition
Opportunities for the Future
As an institution, Columbia may wish to:
- Identify additional opportunities for primary and secondary prevention to reduce illness and support student success.
- Engage with University stakeholders to further support students with short- and long-term medical needs that may impact their ability to attend or participate in classes.
Sleep
When asked about a typical month during the academic year, respondents reported getting enough sleep to feel rested only 16 out of 30 days.
- 87% of respondents reported using caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, or soda to stay awake for school-related work during the day or night.
- 4% of respondents reported ever using a stimulant not prescribed to them to stay awake.
Opportunities for the Future
As an institution, Columbia may wish to:
- Explore how campus priorities can be a barrier to sleep hygiene, and assess how environmental, structural, and policy changes could positively impact sleep.
- Engage with students to determine how their individual behaviors and choices impact their sleep and how changes could improve their sleep quality.
- Explore how individual priorities can be barriers to sleep hygiene and adapt existing programs to address these barriers.
Mental Health
Respondents were asked to report if they are living with an ongoing or chronic mental health condition, as defined by the respondent.
- 34% of respondents reported living with an ongoing or chronic mental health condition
- 91% of this group indicated a negative impact as a result of their mental health condition
Regardless of past use of mental health services, 87% of respondents indicated that they would be open to seeking help from mental health professionals if they faced any personal problems in the future.
Opportunities for the Future
As an institution, Columbia may wish to:
- Explore environmental and policy changes that could positively impact mental health.
- Engage students to identify and overcome barriers to accessing mental health support.
- Engage with faculty to determine ways to infuse practices that positively impact student mental health into their coursework.
- Explore different ways to connect students with the appropriate level of support.
- Engage students in skill-building opportunities both in and out of the classroom.
Substance Use
The LENS Survey assessed respondents’ use of alcohol, nicotine, and other substances through self-reported use in the past 12 months. Overall, the majority of respondents reported consuming alcohol (83%).
- 17% reported not drinking alcohol at all in the past 12 months
- 94% of those who reported drinking alcohol reported consuming 1-4 drinks on a typical day of drinkingvii
Cannabis and nicotine products were the only other substances with reported use greater than 6% in the 12 months prior to the survey. The substances with the greatest disparity between perceived use and reported use were e-cigarettes (91% perceived, 18% reported) and other nicotine or tobacco products (88% perceived, 20% reported).
Opportunities for the Future
As an institution, Columbia may wish to:
- Explore environmental and policy changes that may positively impact health and well-being among students that may use substances.
- Consider harm reduction efforts to support the smaller percentage of students who engage in higher-risk drinking.
- Explore ways to correct misperceptions about students’ substance use and misuse
vii This excludes respondents who indicated they had consumed any alcohol in the past 12 months but reported "None, I do not drink alcohol" when asked about their typical consumption.
Well-Being
Connection & Belonging
76% of respondents positively endorsed the statement “I feel I belong at Columbia”:
- 33% somewhat agreed with this statement
- 31% agreed
- 12% strongly agreed
Friendships were the most frequently reported factor that contributed a lot or somewhat to respondents’ sense of belonging (91%). Over half of respondents also cited connections with staff and administrators (57%) as well as orientation experiences (53%) as influential factors.
Opportunities for the Future
As an institution, Columbia may wish to:
- Engage with students to determine the variety of ways in which they would like to connect with the campus community.
- Create opportunities for students to build connections with faculty and staff.
- Identify individual and institutional factors that contribute to impostor phenomenon, burnout, and loneliness.
- Identify environmental, structural, and policy factors that positively contribute to flourishing.
- Support students to develop skills and access resources for navigating stress-related challenges.
Gender-Based Misconduct
Knowledge of Resources
All Columbia students receive mandatory training on gender-based misconduct policies and resources during pre-orientation. In the LENS Survey, more than 80% of respondents reported having ever received gender-based misconduct information from someone at Columbia, including definitions of consent and gender-based misconduct, Columbia’s policy regarding gender-based misconduct, and gender-based misconduct resources offered on campus
Furthermore, respondents expressed confidence in their ability to identify where to find help and understand the procedures for reporting incidents if they or someone they know were to experience gender-based misconduct.
- 79% feel they would know where to seek assistance
- 74% believe they would be able to report such incidents appropriately
Opportunities for the Future
As an institution, Columbia may wish to:
- Expand campus-level programs, services, policies, and initiatives to address all forms of gender-based misconduct, ensuring these interventions address stalking, harassment, and intimate partner violence in addition to sexual assault.
- Explore ways to minimize known barriers to accessing University resources.
- Engage in deeper understanding of how to support students who experience gender-based misconduct.