Students’ experiences of and resources for agency during their Higher Education varies. This study was inspired by the Agency of University Students (AUS) Scale developed by Jaaskela et al (2016). A mixed methods approach was used with a view to obtaining the students’ perceptions (N=39) regarding their experiences. A vignette with a neutral character J was introduced and 9 open-ended questions accessed through an online survey were used. Thematic coding was used to identify the experiences of students in relation to the various aspects of the AUS scale and this resulted in two main findings. Firstly students indicated making friends and being accepted by others as a main worry. Secondly students gave two forms of advice for new starters; emotional and practical. This survey provides understanding in relation to first-year undergraduate students’ needs and well-being in order to support student progression and retention.
