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Aims  The direct effects of screening on drinking behaviour have not previously been evaluated experimentally. We tested whether screening reduces self‐reported hazardous drinking in comparison with a non‐screened control group.

Design  Two‐arm randomized controlled trial (RCT), with both groups blinded to the true nature of the study.

Setting and participants  A total of 421 university students aged 18–24 years, recruited in five London student unions.

Interventions  Both groups completed a brief pen‐and‐paper general health and socio‐demographic questionnaire, which for the experimental group also included the 10‐item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) screening questionnaire.

Measurements  The primary outcome was the between‐group difference in AUDIT score at 2–3‐month follow‐up. Eight secondary outcomes comprised other aspects of hazardous drinking, including …