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Student identifier (SID)

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Key Value
Name Student identifier
Short name SID
Part of Student (Student)
Description This field records the unique identifier for the Student.
Applicable to England Northern Ireland Scotland Wales
Coverage All Students
Notes

The first time a student is returned by a provider, a new Student.SID is created for the student using the structure below. There is not a requirement to return the same Student.SID as a previous provider if the student has previously been returned to HESA by another provider.


If the student has more than one Engagement at the same provider, they should retain the same Student.SID. For continuing students who were submitted in the Student or Student Alternative returns and will continue to be returned by the same provider in Data Futures, the Student.HUSID returned in the Student or Student Alternative return must be submitted as the Student.SID.


Providers can optionally return their own student identifier in Student.OWNSTU.


Where a SID is returned, it must be returned in line with HESA's defined structure.


The structure of the SID is as follows:



  • First 2 digits: Year of entry into provider (last 2 digits of year)

  • Next 8 digits: Provider's UKPRN

  • Next 6 digits: 6 digit reference number internally allocated by provider

  • Last digit: Check digit


Calculation of Check Digit


The check digit is calculated using the first 16 digits of the SID and provides a means of detecting errors of transcription.


To calculate the check digit, each of the first 16 digits is multiplied by a weight which depends on its position in the number, with the resulting products then added. The check digit is then obtained by subtracting the final digit of the resulting sum from ten.


If the final digit of the sum of the products is 0, the check digit would be the final digit after subtraction i.e. 10 - 0 = 10, check digit is 0.


The weights used are:















































 

Year of Entry

UKPRN

Reference Number

Position

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Weight

1

3

7

9

1

3

7

9

1

3

7

9

1

3

7

9



Example



In October 2012 a student enters the University of Gloucestershire and is allocated an internal number of 123456. The check digit calculation for this student's reference number, 1210007145123456 would be calculated as:






















































































 

Year of Entry

UKPRN

Reference Number

Position

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Weight

1

3

7

9

1

3

7

9

1

3

7

9

1

3

7

9

SID

1

2

1

0

0

0

7

1

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

6

Product

1

6

7

0

0

0

49

9

4

15

7

18

3

12

35

54


The sum of the products is 220, the final digit being 0, therefore the check digit is 10-0, or 0. The full identifier is therefore 12100071451234560.
Quality Rules Quality rules to follow
Optional? No
Reason required To uniquely identify students within providers, to allow linking between entities.
Field Length 17
References
Revision History
Coding Manual Version Element Version Notes
1.2.0 1.0.1 Guidance added regarding retaining the SID within a provider and to confirm the SIDs to not need to be retained across providers.

Contact Liaison by email or on +44 (0)1242 388 531.