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Subscription model information

HESA is now part of Jisc. Jisc is now the data controller of personal data previously controlled by HESA. Pages on the HESA website are being updated to reflect this change. Please see updated Privacy information.

HESA collect, assure and disseminate information on behalf of higher education providers. 

We have developed the Subscription model to accommodate the requirements placed upon Jisc by the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (HERA). Section 67 of HERA specifies that the Designated Data Body may charge fees and how those fees must be calculated.  

In England, providing data to HESA forms part of your provider’s conditions of registration with the Office for Students, specifically condition F4 of registration on the OfS register. The requirement to pay the HESA Statutory Subscription fees (to fund this activity) is covered under condition G3. Both of these conditions form part of your initial and ongoing conditions of registration.

In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland providing data to HESA is a mandatory requirement for publicly funded higher education providers.

Subscription Agreement information

How do we calculate the Subscription?

Statutory fees do not (and cannot) subsidise non-statutory activity, and fees from each UK nation do not subsidise activity undertaken in or for the other nations.

HESA Subscriptions are now made up of:

  • A Statutory Subscription: mandatory activities for required records, linked to your subscriber category.
  • A Graduate Outcomes subscription: a Statutory activity, and mandatory for most but not all subscriber categories. The capitation charge for Graduate Outcomes is determined by numbers of graduates rather than numbers of students. It is shown separately on your invoice.
  • A Heidi Plus fee: where mandated, in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, included within your main HESA Subscription invoice.
  • For those in England and Northern Ireland only: an optional services subscription (classed as non-statutory activity)
    • We recommend optional services, but they are not necessary for you to meet your regulatory or statutory requirements.

Non-statutory activities are subject to VAT, but Statutory activities are not.

How we calculate your Subscription fee

Statutory Subscription

From August 2023, HESA subscribers will move onto an annual invoicing system. The rates per provider and per student will remain the same this year, although your subscription may change due to movement in student numbers. 

Statutory activities include collection, dissemination and e-learning for required records and a contribution towards the costs of the Data Futures programme. 

Collection and assurance activities for required activity includes:

  • Liaison support.
  • Collection guidance. 
  • e-learning: statutory requirement for all applicable records. 
  • Quality assurance processes.
  • Fixed database. 

Required collections by subscriber category

England Approved (fee cap) HE provider

 

  • Aggregate offshore record (AOR)
  • Finance – no submission required*
  • Graduate Outcomes
  • Higher Education Business and Community Interaction (HE-BCI)
  • Initial Teacher Training (ITT) – if applicable
  • Provider profile
  • Staff
  • Student
  • Student Alternative
  • Unistats

*Please see your regulatory notice regarding the submission of finance data to the Office for Students.

 

England Approved HE provider

  • Aggregate offshore record (AOR)
  • Finance – no submission required*
  • Graduate Outcomes
  • Initial Teacher Training (ITT) – if applicable
  • Provider profile
  • Student or Student Alternative
  • Unistats
Northern Ireland HE provider

  • Aggregate offshore record (AOR)
  • Finance
  • Graduate Outcomes
  • Higher Education Business and Community Interaction (HE-BCI)
  • Provider profile
  • Staff
  • Student
  • Student Alternative
  • Unistats
Scotland and Wales HE provider

  • Aggregate offshore record (AOR)
  • Estates Management (EMR)
  • Finance
  • Graduate Outcomes
  • Higher Education Business and Community Interaction (HE-BCI)
  • Provider profile
  • Staff
  • Student
  • Student Alternative
  • Unistats

e-learning is statutory for all applicable records.

Further education colleges in Wales and Welsh Alternative providers

  • Graduate Outcomes
  • Provider profile
  • Student
  • Unistats

Optional services

Providers in England and Northern Ireland can also subscribe to the staff (non-academic) and Estates management collections, which are classed as optional services.

Optional services 

Recommended activities

HESA recommended activities, such as classroom-based training, are charged outside of a Subscription fee and are not included within any elements of the Subscription. As with the optional services, recommended activities also fall within the scope of VAT.

Heidi Plus

In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Heidi Plus will continue to be a Statutory requirement and it will be included as part of your HESA Subscription invoice. As it is a Statutory requirement it will not attract VAT.

As Heidi Plus is not a Statutory requirement of the OfS it will fall within the scope of VAT in England. It will be invoiced by Jisc directly.

Heidi Plus Subscription

Additional fees and charges

Activities outside of your Statutory Subscription, are classed as additional fees and charges