What is the meaning of student success in higher education?

In 2023, English universities once again received their guidance on completing their upcoming Access and Participation Plans (APP). As with almost every Office for Students document relating to the APP since its foundation, there was a great focus on student success. Since the first Office for Students publication in 2018 outlined “all students, from all backgrounds, and with the ability and desire to undertake HE… are supported to access, succeed in, and progress from, Higher Education” (Office for Students, 2018, 14), the English University sector is now filled with “Student Success” strategies, initiatives and even staffing roles to support the agenda. This paper looks at the literature regarding what the term “Student Success” means in practice for students, academic programmes or professional services depending on the context.