This field describes previous provider attended by the student.

All entrants where EntryProfile.DOMICILE = XF, XG, XH, XI, XK, XL, GG, JE or IM and Course.COURSEAIM = M22, M26, M28, H00, H11, H12, H16, H18, H22, H23, I00, I11, I12, I16, I73, J10, J16, J20, J26, J30, C20, C30 and Instance.REDUCEDI = 00 or 04 and Instance.INTERCALATE is not 01.

The previous provider attended by a student is recorded using an eight digit 'UKPRN' identifier unique to each provider, or by using a generic code where a UKPRN is not available. Students with a commencement date prior to 2014-08-01 may additionally use a range of historical legacy codes that were available in this field prior to 2014/15, in order to avoid the burden of recoding these students.

For students entering through UCAS this information will be available from UCAS via the *J transaction. It is not expected that the information contained within the *J will be updated by providers, however where updates are made these should be made with reference to the schools listing issued by UCAS to providers.

UCAS will make available a UKPRN code for the provider.

UCAS holds the school/FE/HE or other provider from which the UCAS application was received. HESA recognises that this will give a small percentage statistical error in the data for this field.

Where the student has not entered through UCAS, the identifier for the primary provider of teaching entered in this field may be obtained from the UK Register of Learning Providers (UKRLP).

For non-UCAS entrants providers may use the generic codes and not provide details of individual named providers. The generic codes are:

If the previous provider is not known and none of the other generic codes are suitable, code as 9999.

Submitted UKPRNs will be verified against a valid list obtained from the UKRLP.

UKPRN mapping file

A downloadable file is available here which maps the majority of PREVINST codes used in previous collections to the equivalent UKPRN, or where one is not available, one of the five generic codes described above. UKPRNs may not be available in circumstances where the establishment ceased to exist prior to the first issue of UKPRNs.

Note: This file was replaced in March 2015 with a revised version, following corrections to the mapping methodology by UCAS.

The file comprises mappings for:

• HE providers which are/have been part of the HESA constituency,
• schools provided by UCAS from their schools database,
• other schools added from the Department for Education's Edubase website, which are not included in the above categories.

Please note that the file is not exhaustive, and a number of codes previously valid in earlier Student records are not included as they cannot be definitively mapped to a new valid entry. Where this occurs, please consult the UKRLP or use one of the generic codes as appropriate.

To monitor school, etc, background of students and to assist the tracking of students through their experience of higher education.