This field indicates the method by which a student is being taught their course.

All instances

Where a student has changed their mode of study within the reporting period, the record should show the current or latest position.

For providers in England, Wales & Northern Ireland, when returning a student with an Instance.ENDDATE in the previous reporting year, the Instance.MODE should not be updated.

Students with an active MODE and Instance.ENDDATE in the previous reporting year can be returned in the current reporting year through a reduced record - see dormant students reduced record. For C19051, please contact Liaison to request a switch for any errors that may trigger.

Example 1: A student completed their active study on 01/06/2019 but did not have their award confirmed until the next reporting period. In the C19051 Student record the student will be returned with their active MODE, their confirmed award, STULOAD = 0 and ENDDATE = 01/06/2019.

Example 2: A student went dormant on 01/12/2018 with the intention to return. In the C18051 Student return they are recorded as NOTACT = 1. In the next reporting period, the student decides to fully withdraw and is given an exit award. In the C19051 student return, the student will be returned with MODE as dormant and ENDDATE = 01/12/2018.

Full-time

With reference to valid entry 01, the funding councils have agreed that a common definition of full-time is that course years must involve a minimum of 24 weeks study (note that this definition does not apply to full-time final year students in providers in Wales). Each funding council may also have further additional conditions. HESA will apply the 24 week rule to its definition of full-time in publications i.e. full-time will be all those students returned 01 in this field, together with all those students returned 02 and whose expected length of study (fields Instance.SPLENGTH and Instance.UNITLGTH) is 24 weeks or more.

Valid entry 02 should be used when an instance is studied at full time intensity but for less than 24 weeks. For example, a short course or an 18-month course where the second year does not have 24 weeks of study. In the latter case the student’s activity would be recorded as MODE 02 in year 2.

Sandwich

With reference to valid entries 23 and 24, these programmes are covered by the definition of sandwich under the award regulations as set out by the funding council (or in the Student Support Regulations for providers in England). Years of instance must involve a minimum of 24 weeks study/placement. HESA's definition of sandwich students will be all those students returned 23 or 24 in this field, together with all those students returned 25 and whose expected length of study (fields Instance.SPLENGTH and Instance.UNITLGTH) is 24 weeks or more.

Valid entry 23, Thick sandwich students are those for which an industrial (or other) placement causes a continuous absence from full-time study of at least one academic year. A record must be returned for every student enrolled on a sandwich course irrespective of whether they are in attendance at the provider or engaged in industrial (or other) training. Students should be returned as sandwich for every year of the course and not just those in which industrial (or other) experience takes place. The students who are actually out on placement can be identified via Instance.LOCSDY.

Instance.LOCSDY valid entries (students in UK):

• D On industrial (or other) placement for the year as a whole
• E On industrial (or other) placement for a proportion of the year

Instance.LOCSDY valid entries (students abroad):

• T Abroad for the whole year
• U Abroad for a proportion of the year

Valid entry 24, A thin sandwich must involve the student in an average of more than 21 hours study a week for a minimum of 24 weeks study/placement.

Valid entry 25 should be used where students still meet the definition of being on a sandwich course but study less than 21 hours a week for 24 weeks study/placement.

Students who meet the definition of sandwich should be returned as either 23, 24 or 25 irrespective of whether the year is spent abroad or whether it is optional/compulsory. Students who undertake an ERASMUS+ placement as part of their sandwich course, should remain either valid entry 23, 24 or 25 during that placement.

Writing-up

Students who are actively writing-up are not considered to be dormant by HESA. A record is required for such students, with this field returned as 43 or 44 'Writing-up'. 'Writing-up' is generally associated with research students. Students on taught masters courses should not typically have their mode of study changed to 'writing-up', at least within the registration period, for example students on a one year taught masters course should be shown as full-time mode for both the taught and the dissertation phases of the course. Any change to show mode as writing-up would be expected only after the completion of the 12 month registration period.

Part-time

Valid entry 31 Part-time, can only be used by providers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Valid entry 38 and 39 can only be used by providers in Scotland.

Sabbaticals

Valid entry 51 should be used for students on sabbatical years e.g. holding Student Union office.

Dormant

Valid entry 52 'Optional year out - study related' and 53 'Compulsory year out - study related' have been removed for 2013/14. Students who would previously have been returned as 52 or 53 will repeat the previous year's Instance.MODE if they take a study year out (i.e. remain as full-time or part-time etc.)

Years out for any other reason should be returned 63 or 64, Dormant.

Dormant valid entries 63 and 64 can be used only if the student was not actively studying at any time during the reporting period.

Any students with a mode of study 63 or 64 will be excluded from the HESA standard registration population used for analysis purposes. A record is not required for such students other than:

• In the first year of dormancy when a record must be returned in order to maintain the UHN link
• Where awards have been made to students from a dormant status

Dormant instances may either be returned via a full record or through a reduced record for students - see dormant students reduced record.

Valid entries 73 and 74 are available to postgraduate students (i.e. Course.COURSEAIM begins D, E, L or M (excluding M22)) at providers in England only. Postgraduate students who become dormant part way through the reporting year will need a full HESA record reflecting their current status as 73 or 74. Postgraduate Research students who submit their thesis from an active mode and do not go into an additional writing up period should be returned as Instance.MODE 73/74. If the end date is in the next reporting period, the student would then be returned on a dormant mode (Instance.MODE 63/64) to close the instance. Instance.MCDATE will record the date when the postgraduate student formally moves from an active study mode to 'dormant'. Instance.STULOAD should be reduced to reflect the fact that the student was not active for a proportion of the reporting period.

Where a postgraduate student moves from a 'writing-up' or 'sabbatical' mode (valid entries 43, 44 or 51) to dormant, within the reporting period, Instance.MODE should not be updated, nor should Instance.MCDATE be completed. For the purpose of Instance.MCDATE the modes 'writing-up' and 'sabbatical' are classed as non-active.

All other students who become dormant part way through the reporting year (that is, all students at providers in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland and Undergraduate and FE students at providers in England) will need a full HESA record in the data collection reflecting their status whilst active (i.e. the position that applied just before they became dormant). This field should record their mode of study whilst active (and not valid entry 63 or 64 'Dormant' which should only be used for students who are dormant for the whole reporting period). Instance.STULOAD should be reduced to reflect the fact that the student was not active for the whole reporting period. A student who was actively studying at some time during the reporting period but who has now suspended studies will have an active mode of study and will be identified through Instance.NOTACT.

However students involved in re-sits after the completion of the taught or structured part of their course should not have their mode of study up-dated. For example a full-time student who finishes the courses in June but has to take resits in September should not be re-coded.

Further Education

Valid entries 12-14, 33-36 and 65 are for use by providers in Wales only.

The use of the specific FE full-time valid entries 12 to 14 is compulsory for all students at providers in Wales who are following programmes of study at FE level or funded by WG-DfES.

The use of the specific FE part-time valid entries 33 to 36 is for students who are following programmes of study at FE level or funded by WG-DfES. Other part-time FE instances can use either the generic part-time valid entry 31 or one of the specific part-time valid entries 33 to 36.

When using the specific FE part-time valid entries, if there is uncertainty about whether a student is released from employment, valid entry 34, 'Part-time, not-released from employment' should be used.

Valid entry 36 is only applicable for open or distance learning FE students at providers in Wales. All other distance learning students should be returned according to their individual mode/pattern of study, e.g. full-time or part-time.

Part-time FE courses/programmes of study which involve a mixture of day and evening attendance should be recorded under whichever valid entry is most appropriate, e.g. a day release course which also involves evening attendance should be valid entry 33. 'Twilight only' courses should be counted as 'evening only'.

Students that leave early

If a student leaves early, mode should be recorded in accordance with what was planned. For example, if they were due to study full-time for the year, then they should have a Instance.MODE = 01. This includes students that have left within two weeks but had confirmed attendance with the SLC.