New study: Relative performance feedback can shorten the duration of studies

The study is based on two randomised field experiments conducted at a large university of applied sciences in Germany. The study examined two consecutive cohorts of students, comprising a total of 1,609 Bachelor’s students from five degree programmes in the fields of business administration and mechanical engineering. They were tracked for up to 13 semesters, providing largely complete records of their academic progress.

From the second semester onwards, all students received two letters per semester from their faculty: one at the start of the semester and a largely identical reminder approximately one month before the examination period. The letters were sent on an ongoing basis beyond the standard duration of study, up to the eleventh (first cohort) and tenth (second cohort) semesters respectively. The letters to the control group contained only information on the students’ own performance, i.e. their current credit total and average mark. In the treatment group, this information was supplemented by comparative, graphical feedback on academic progress, showing the student’s own credits in comparison to the average and to the top 20 per cent of students in the same year group on the respective degree programme. The information also provided normative cues: one smiley face for progress at least at the average level, and two smiley faces for being among the top 20 per cent. The difference between the treatment and control groups thus lay solely in the comparative framing of the students’ own performance.

To attract more attention, the feedback was deliberately sent by post, as students today often receive many emails but only a few letters from the university. The cost per student of providing the feedback over the entire duration of their degree was around 14 euros. By way of comparison: studies from the USA show that study grants of around 2,000 dollars result in a similar reduction in the duration of studies.

The results showed that those who were regularly informed about their own academic progress in comparison with their fellow students completed their degree earlier, without any deterioration in their grades and without any loss of subjective well-being. Overall, one in seven graduates received their bachelor’s certificate one semester earlier. However, the type of performance feedback is crucial: positive feedback leads to significantly earlier university degrees.

However, the relative feedback does not have an equal impact across the board: students who are unlikely to graduate, or who are very likely to do so, benefit the least. The strongest effects are seen among students who have a moderate probability of obtaining a university degree. They obtain their university degree significantly faster when they are told they are performing above average. By contrast, an indication that their performance is not above average may be associated with lower academic success.

Oliver Himmler, holder of the Professorship for Economics specialising in economic policy and public finance at the University of Erfurt and co-author of the study, summarises: “Relative performance feedback can be an effective tool for improving academic success – at low cost. The feedback is particularly effective for students whose academic success is still uncertain and should be used in a targeted manner. Those who learn they are performing above average complete their studies significantly faster. Re-registration for students performing below average, on the other hand, should be accompanied by counselling and support services.”

Publication: Brade, R., Himmler, O., Jäckle, R. (2026), Relative feedback and university completion, Journal of Economic Behaviour & Organisation, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2025.107383.