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Availability of UCAS data

This is used in the UCAS Data for transaction. The majority of this data is available from us prior to the release of the transaction.

Where is this information available?

We provide various other transactions (known as ivStar transactions) through odbc-link. Find out more about odbc-link.

What is available?

The majority of UCAS Data for HESA fields are available. The exceptions are:

  • Subject Qualification Aim 1-3 (SBJQA 1-3)
  • Subject Percentage 1-3 (SBJPCT 1-3)
  • Highest Qualification on Entry (QUALENT3)

Caveats

  • Not all fields will be in a HESA Student Record compliant format.
  • Some data is not available until the end of cycle / after A level results day.
  • Some data has to be derived.

The data can be split into four groups:

  • data available on refer
  • data derivable on refer
  • data available after A level results day
  • data available on accept/at end of cycle

Data available on refer

The following data are available for applicants after they've submitted their application:

  • UCAS Personal ID: from all ivStar transactions as Personalid
  • Application Scheme Code: from all ivStar transactions as ApplicationSchemeCode
  • Scottish Candidate Number: from ivStarK as SCN
  • Surname: from ivStarN as Surname
  • Forenames: from ivStarN as Forenames
  • Date of birth: from ivStarN as BirthDate
  • Gender: from ivStarN as Sex
  • Area of permanent residence: from ivStarK as APR
  • Nationality: from ivStarK as Nationality
  • Disability: from ivStarK as Disability
  • Postcode: from ivStarA as Postcode
  • Previous institution: from ivStarK as School
  • National identity: from ivStarK as Nationalidentity1
  • Unique Learner Number: from ivStarN as UniqueLearnerNumber
  • Parental education: from ivStarK as ParentinHE
  • Expected QUALENT3: from ivStarK as ExpectedQualent3
  • Attained QUALENT3: from ivStarK as AttainedQualent3

Table representing which data items are available from which ivStar transaction

Fieldname starA starK starN
Data items are available on accept
UCAS Personal ID X X X
Application Scheme Code X X X
Scottish Candidate Number   X  
Surname     X
Forenames     X
Date of birth     X
Gender     X
Area of permanent residence   X  
Nationality   X  
Disability   X  
Postcode X    
Previous institution   X  
National identity   X  
Unique Learner Number     X
Parental education   X  
Expected QUALENT3   X  
Attained QUALENT3   X  

Data derivable on refer

You will need the applicant's Personal ID and Application Scheme Code to find the following information.

The following data can be derived for applicants after they've submitted their application:

  • Year left last institution: from ivEducation as Year To using the Year To field with the value closest to the current date
  • Previous institution: from ivEducation as School using the Year To field with the value closest to the current date
  • Welsh Baccalaureate: from ivFormQuals using the Qual Type and Result field. If the applicant has a Qual Type of 'WB' they have a Welsh Baccalaureate. The Result field will indicate whether or not the qualification is pending
  • Care Leaver: from ivStarK. Set to 4 if Care = 1 and CareDuration is not A, B or F

Table representing which data items are available from which ivStar Transaction

Fieldname starK Education FormQuals
Data items derivable on accept
UCAS Personal ID X X X
Application Scheme Code X X X
Year left last institution   X  
Previous institution   X  
Welsh Baccalaureate     X
Care Leaver       X    

Data available after A level results day

You will need the applicant's Personal ID and Application Scheme Code to find the following information.

The following data are available for applicants after A level results day:

  • Qualification grade 1–30: from ivStarPQR as EBLresult
  • To find the corresponding qualification sitting, qualification subject, qualification type and qualification year your need the SubjectID from ivStarPQR relating to the qualification grade
  • Qualification sitting 1–30: from cvELBSubject as Sitting
  • Qualification subject 1–30: from cvELBSubject as SubjCode
  • Qualification type 1–30: from cvELBSubject as ExamLevel
  • Qualification year 1–30: from cvELBSubject as Year

Table representing which data items are available from which ivStar transaction

Fieldname cvEBLSubject starPQR
Data items are available at end of cycle
UCAS Application Code   X
UCAS Personal ID   X
Application Scheme Code   X
Qualification grade 1-30   X
Qualification sitting 1-30 X  
Qualification subject 1-30 X  
Qualification type 1-30 X  
Qualification year 1-30 X  

Data available on accept/at end of cycle

You will need the applicant's Personal ID and Application Scheme Code to find the following information.

The following data are available for applicants once they become UF or at the end of the cycle:

  • Ethnicity: from ivStarH or ivStarX as Ethnic
  • Year left last institution: from ivStarH as EducationLeaveDate (Year left last institution is also derivable on refer)
  • Socio-economic code: from ivStarX as SocioEconomic
  • Standard occupational classification: from ivStarH or ivStarX as POCC
  • Previous institution: from ivStarH as LastEducation (Previous institution is also available on refer)
  • National identity: from ivStarX as Nationalidentity1 (National identity is also available on refer)

Table representing which data items are available from which ivStar transaction

Fieldname starH starX
Data items available at end of cycle
UCAS Application Code X X
UCAS Personal ID X X
Application Scheme Code X X
Ethnicity X X
Year left last institution X  
Socio-economic code   X
Standard occupational classification X X
Previous institution X  
National identity   X

HESA return

We collect data from our applicants and higher education providers. There's information here about HESA, now part of JISC, and details about the UCAS Data for HESA statutory returns transaction (previously known as STAR (*) J). HESA became a directorate of JISC following their merger in 2022, but this activity will still refer to HESA.