Student Definitions 1995/96

1. Coverage

Higher education students are those students on programmes of study that are of a standard that is higher than the Advanced Level of the General Certificate of Education, the Higher Grade of the Scottish Certificate of Education, or the BTEC or SCOTVEC National Certificate/Diploma.

The HESA student record contains information about individual enrolments, which, because a student can be enrolled on more than one programme of study, will exceed the number of students. For ease of reading, however, the terms enrolment and student have been used interchangeably throughout this volume.

The HESA Standard HE Population (Tables 0 to 11) has been derived from the HESA July (whole session) individualised student record. It includes all higher education enrolments as at 1 December 1995 except (i) Dormant students (those who have ceased studying but have not formally deregistered) and (ii) Postdoctoral students.

Students who left the institution prior to 1 December 1995 or who commenced a programme of study after this date are not included in the figures.

The HESA Qualifications Obtained Population (Tables 12 to 15) is a count of student enrolments associated with the award of an HE qualification (excluding HE credits) during the period 1 August 1995 to 31 July 1996 inclusive. It does not include dormant students (awards from dormant status are tabulated separately).

Data relating to qualifications obtained cannot therefore be directly compared to the HESA Standard HE Population as it is possible for a student who has obtained his or her qualification prior to 1 December 1995 to be included in Tables 12 to 15 but excluded from Tables 0 to 11 (similarly a student can commence a programme of study and obtain a qualification after 1 December 1995).

This population includes all qualifications obtained during the 1995/96 reporting year, which were returned to HESA by 15 November 1996.

In the tables, "not applicable" is represented by n/a.

2. Mode

Full-time students include all students studying full-time (for more than 18 weeks in the academic year), students on thick or thin Sandwich courses (except where they have been tabulated separately), and those on a study-related year out of their institution.

Part-time students include those studying part-time, on block release, during the evenings only, full-time for less than 18 weeks in the academic year or those employing Other modes of study, that is, students writing up theses or on sabbatical (except where they have been tabulated separately).

3. Level

Postgraduate programmes of study are those leading to higher degrees, diplomas and certificates (including Postgraduate Certificates of Education (PGCE) and professional qualifications) which usually require a first degree as an entry qualification.

Higher degrees include doctorates, masters degrees and higher bachelors degrees.

Other postgraduate includes postgraduate diploma, certificate and professional qualifications, PGCE, institutional postgraduate credit and no formal postgraduate qualification.

In tables where postgraduate level of study is further disaggregated into Postgraduate Research and Postgraduate Taught the following groupings are used: Postgraduate Research includes Doctorate, Masters, and Postgraduate bachelors degrees studied for mainly by research. Postgraduate Taught includes Doctorate, Masters, and Postgraduate bachelors degrees studied for not mainly by research, and postgraduate diplomas and certificates (including PGCE and professional qualifications).

First degrees include first degrees, first degrees with Qualified Teacher Status/registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland, enhanced first degrees, first degrees obtained concurrently with a diploma and intercalated first degrees.

Other undergraduate includes all higher education programmes of study not included above.

4. First year students

First year students are those in their first year of a programme of study. In some cases the student's first year of study may be the second or subsequent year of a programme.

5. Domicile

Domicile data was supplied to HESA in the form of postcodes (UK domiciled students) or country codes. Postcodes were mapped to counties and UK nations following consultation with Geoplan Postcode Marketing. Countries were mapped to geographical regions following consultation with Department for Education and Employment statisticians and the British Council. Where no data was supplied about the student's domicile, fee status was used to determine whether domicile was UK, Other EU, or Other Overseas.

UK domiciled students are those normally resident in the United Kingdom, including those living in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man.

Of those students from Overseas, Other EU students are those normally resident in countries which were European Union members as at 1 December 1995. Other Overseas includes students whose normal place of residence prior to commencing their programme of study was outside the EU.

6. Age

Age is as at 31 August 1995.

7. Subject Areas

Programmes of study have been aggregated to 19 broad subject areas. The relationship of the academic content of the programme to the 19 areas has been compiled according to the following rules:

- a programme with a single subject is allocated to its area.
- if a combination of two subjects lies within one area, the programme is allocated to that area.
- if a combination of two subjects lies within more than one area, with a major/minor split, the programme is allocated to the area relating to the major part of study.
- if a combination of two subjects lies within more than one area, with an equal split, the programme is allocated to the Combined area.

It should be noted that all subject combinations (major or minor) containing Initial Teacher Training (ITT) are included in the Education subject area.

8. Highest Qualification on Entry

It should be noted that a student's highest qualification on entry is not necessarily that required for entry to the institution.

Categories used are:

Postgraduate (excluding PGCE) includes all postgraduate degrees, diplomas and certificates excluding the Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE).

PGCE - as described.

First degree of UK institution - as described.

Other graduate and equivalent qualifications include graduate qualifications obtained outside the UK, NVQ/SVQ level 5 plus any other qualifications at graduate level not listed above.

HE Credits include Open University credits and credits from other UK HE institutions.

Other HE and professional qualifications include certificates and diplomas of education, HNC or HND (including BTEC and SCOTVEC equivalents), diplomas in HE, NVQ/SVQ level 4 and professional qualifications.

GCE A-level, SCE Highers and equivalent - as described plus ONC or OND (including BTEC and SCOTVEC equivalents).

A-level equivalent vocational qualifications include GNVQ/GSVQ level 3 and NVQ/SVQ level 3.

ACCESS courses - as described (both accredited and unaccredited).

GCSE/O-level qualifications only; SCE O grades and Standard grades - as described.

Other qualifications include International Baccalaureate, foundation courses, GNVQ/GSVQ levels 1 and 2, NVQ/SVQ levels 1 and 2, and any other qualifications not listed above.

No qualification required/held - the institution does not require the student to hold a qualification on entry or it is known that the student has no qualification.

Not known - nothing is known about the student's qualifications on entry to their programme of study.

9. Ethnicity

Ethnicity categories are those used in the 1991 Census of Population (Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys). For continuing students, where the information is not already known, institutions have the option of recording the student's ethnic group as not yet sought. As a result, some institutions have not returned ethnicity data for some of their students. In addition, students may choose not to reveal their ethnicity. HESA therefore advises that the figures reported in this volume are derived from a subset which may not be representative of the total student population.

10. Disability

For continuing students, where the information is not already known, institutions have the option of recording the student's disability as not sought. As a result, some institutions have not returned disability data for some of their students. In addition, students are not obliged to report a disability. HESA therefore advises that the figures reported in this volume are derived from a subset which may not be representative of the total student population.

11. Location of Study

The allocation of an institution to a geographical region relates only to the administrative centre of the institution. There may be students registered at institutions who are studying in regions other than that of the administrative centre of the institution.

The Open University is counted as a wholly English institution. The administrative centre is located in England, although The Open University teaches throughout the UK.

12. Fee-paying Status

Home fees include all UK (excluding Channel Islands and Isle of Man) and Other EU domiciled full-time and sandwich students paying home fees plus all UK and Other EU domiciled students paying part-time fees other than cost recovery fees.

13. Classification

Certain qualifications obtained at first degree level are not subject to classification of award, notably medical and general degrees. These, together with ordinary degrees, have been included within the pass/unclassified category in this volume.

14. Full-time Equivalence

Student full-time equivalence (FTE) data represents the institution's assessment of the full-time equivalence of the student during the reporting year 1 August to 31 July.