Coaching for Higher Education Students: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Higher education is undergoing rapid social changes that demand renewed justification of its roles. Coaching has emerged as a potentially effective tool to enhance students’ academic performance and well-being, yet the evidence base remains fragmented across outcomes, designs, and delivery formats. This systematic literature review synthesised empirical educational coaching interventions targeting higher education students. Following PRISMA procedures, 25 studies were included after full-text screening at Web of Science and Scopus. Across 85 assessed outcome variables, 71 showed statistically significant improvements, with the most consistent gains in life skills, educational attainment, and career/employability related indicators. Most interventions used coaches embedded in the same institution, potentially facilitating contextual fit and communication. Overall, coaching in higher education appears promising for supporting students’ intra- and interpersonal competencies, academic performance, and career readiness; however, heterogeneity in study designs and outcome reporting limits causal inference and calls for more rigorous, theory-driven trials and longitudinal evaluations.