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pdf12 Month Enrollment
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2017-18
There are no changes, with the exception of the updating of dates, to this
survey component.
IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
date: 7/26/2017
2017-18 Survey Materials > Form
12-month Enrollment for 4-year institutions
Overview
12-month Enrollment Overview
The 12-Month Enrollment component collects unduplicated student enrollment counts and instructional activity data for an entire 12-month period. Using the instructional
activity data reported, a full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment at the undergraduate and graduate level is estimated. Institutions with Doctor's-professional practice
students will also report the FTE enrollment of those students. NCES uses the FTE enrollment to produce indicators such as expenses by function per FTE as reported in
the IPEDS Data Feedback Report.
Data Reporting Reminders:
All institutions must use the July 1 - June 30 reporting period.
Resources:
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials
To access your prior year data submission for this component: Reported Data
If you have questions about completing this survey, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568.
Undergraduate Instructional Activity Type
Undergraduate instructional activity data in Part B may be reported in units of contact hours or credit hours. Which instructional activity units will you use to report
undergraduate instructional activity?
Please note that any graduate level instructional activity must be reported in credit hours.
Contact hours
Credit hours
Both contact and credit hours (some undergraduate programs measured in contact hours and some measured in credit hours)
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.
Part A - Unduplicated Count
12-month Unduplicated Count by Race/Ethnicity and Gender
July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017
Reporting Reminders:
Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate
programs, and students in these programs are undergraduate students.
Graduate Student Reporting Reminder:
Report all postbaccalaureate degree and certificate students as graduate students, including any doctor's-professional practice students (formerly first-professional)
Men
Students enrolled for credit
Undergraduate students
Graduate students
Undergraduate students
Graduate students
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Total men prior year
Women
Students enrolled for credit
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total women prior year
Grand total (2016-17)
Prior year data:
Unduplicated headcount (2015-16)
Total enrollment Fall 2016
NOTE: Grand total (2016-17) calculated above is expected to be greater than Total enrollment Fall 2016.
Part B - Instructional Activity
12-month Instructional Activity
July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017
Instructional Activity Reporting Reminder:
Instructional activity is used to calculate an IPEDS FTE based on the institution’s reported calendar system.
Graduate credit hour activity should not include any doctor’s–professional practice activity, the total of those students’ FTE is entered separately instead.
FTE Reporting Reminder:
Institutions need not report their own calculations of undergraduate or graduate FTE unless IPEDS FTE calculations would be misleading for comparison purposes
among all IPEDS reporting institutions.
2016-17 total
activity
Prior year data
Instructional Activity
Undergraduate level:
Contact hour activity
Credit hour activity
Graduate level:
Credit hour activity
(Do not include doctor's-professional practice instructional activity here; the total FTE of those students should be entered separately
below)
Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) of Students
Doctor's-professional practice level:
Doctor's-professional practice FTE student estimate
Calendar system (as reported on the prior year IC Header survey component):
If the IPEDS calculated FTE estimates below are not reasonable, AND you have reported the correct instructional activity hours above, enter your best FTE estimate in the
"Institution reported FTE" column below and save the page. This option should be used ONLY if the calculated estimate is not reasonable for your institution and IPEDS
comparisons.
Please provide your best estimate of undergraduate and graduate FTE for the 12-month reporting period only if the calculated FTE estimate below is not reasonable for
IPEDS comparison purposes:
Calculated FTE
2016-17
Institution reported
FTE 2016-17
Prior year FTE
2015-16
Undergraduate student FTE
Graduate student FTE
(excluding doctor's-professional practice student FTE)
Doctor's-professional practice student FTE
Total FTE student enrollment
U.S. Department of Education
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
2017-18 Survey Materials > Instructions
date: 7/26/2017
12-Month Enrollment Full Instructions
Purpose of the Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
Context Boxes
Coverage
Who To Include
Who To Exclude
Where to Get Help for Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
AIR Website
IPEDS Website Resources
Where the Reported Data Will Appear
Institution Level
Aggregate Level
Reporting Directions
Screening Question
Reporting Individuals by Racial/Ethnic Categories
Part A: Unduplicated Count by Student Level, Race/Ethnicity, and Gender
Part B: Instructional Activity and Full-Time Equivalent Enrollment
Purpose of Survey
The purpose of the 12-Month Enrollment component of IPEDS is to collect unduplicated enrollment counts of all students enrolled for credit
and instructional activity data in postsecondary institutions for an entire 12-month period. Data are collected by level of student and by
race/ethnicity and gender. Instructional activity is collected as total credit and/or contact hours attempted at the undergraduate, graduate,
and doctor's professional levels. Using the instructional activity data reported, a full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment at the
undergraduate and graduate level is estimated.
Changes in Reporting
There are no changes to the 12-Month Enrollment (E12) component for the 2017-18 collection.
General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
The 12-month reporting period is July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017.
Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note that some context
boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by NCES. NCES will review entries in these
context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the College Navigator Website; institutions should check
grammar and spelling of their entries.
Coverage
Who to Include
Include all students enrolled for credit (enrolled in instructional activity, courses or programs, that can be applied towards the
requirements for a postsecondary degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award), regardless of whether or not they are seeking a
degree or certificate. This includes:
Students enrolled for credit in off-campus centers
High school students taking regular college courses for credit
Students taking remedial courses if the student is degree-seeking for the purpose of student financial aid determination
Students from overseas enrolled for credit at your institution (e.g., online students)
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still enrolled and seeking
their degree
Who to Exclude
Exclude students who are not enrolled for credit. For example, exclude:
Students enrolled exclusively in courses that cannot be applied towards a formal award
Students enrolled only in ESL programs (programs comprised exclusively of ESL courses)
Students enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Students exclusively auditing classes
Residents or interns in doctor's - professional practice programs, since they have already received their doctor's degree
In addition, the following students should be excluded:
Any student studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the 'home' institution serves as an administrative
record
Students enrolled in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: ipedshelp@rti.org
Web Tutorials
You can also consult the IPEDS Website Trainings & Outreach page which contains several tutorials on IPEDS data collection, a self-paced
overview of IPEDS tools, and other valuable resources.
IPEDS Resource Page
The IPEDS Website Reporting Tools page contains frequently asked questions, a link to data tip sheets, tutorials, taxonomies, information
centers (e.g., academic libraries, average net price, human resources, race/ethnicity, etc.), and other valuable information.
Where the Reported Data Will Appear
Data collected through IPEDS will be accessible at the institution- and aggregate-levels.
At the institution-level, data will appear in the:
College Navigator Website
IPEDS Data Center
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
College Affordability and Transparency Center Website
At the aggregate-level, data will appear in:
IPEDS First Looks
IPEDS Table Library
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
The Digest of Education Statistics
The Condition of Education
Reporting Directions
Screening Question
Before entering any data, a screening question will need to be answered.
Instructional Activity Units.
Select which units your institution will use to report undergraduate instructional activity for this component. Institutions are given the
option to report undergraduate instructional activity in contact hours, credit hours, or a combination of the two.
Contact hours are a unit of measure that represent an hour of scheduled instruction given to students, sometimes referred to as a clock
hour. Credit hours are a unit of measure representing the equivalent of approximately one hour of instruction per week over the entire
term. Select the method that best describes the units used to measure instructional activity at your institution.
The option for both contact and credit hours should only be used if some programs are measured in contact hours while others are
measured in credit hours. If your institution measures courses or programs in a unit of measure other than standard credit or contact
hours, select credit hours and convert the instructional activity offered to credit hour equivalents for reporting in Part B of this component.
Reporting Persons by Racial/Ethnic Category (1997 OMB)
This information is being collected in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972 and Sec. 421(a)(1) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. These instructions correspond with the Final Guidance on
Maintaining, Collecting, and Reporting Racial and Ethnic Data to the U.S. Department of Education, published in the Federal Register on
October 19, 2007.
Method of collection - Institutions must collect race and ethnicity information using a 2-question format. The first question is whether the
respondent is Hispanic/Latino. The second question is whether the respondent is from one or more races from the following list: American
Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White. Institutions should allow
students and staff to self-identify their race and ethnicity. For further details on the guidance for collecting these data, please see the full
Federal Register notice.
Method of reporting aggregate data - Institutions must report aggregate data to the U.S. Department of Education using the NINE
categories below. Racial/ethnic designations are requested only for United States citizens, resident aliens, and other eligible non-citizens.
Hispanic or Latino, regardless of race
For Non-Hispanic/Latino individuals:
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
In addition, the following categories may be used:
Nonresident alien
Race and ethnicity unknown
Racial/ethnic descriptions - Racial/ethnic designations as used in this survey do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological
origins. The categories are:
Hispanic or Latino- A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless
of race.
American Indian or Alaska Native- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central
America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.
Asian- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for
example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Black or African American- A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other
Pacific Islands.
White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
Other descriptive categories
Nonresident alien - A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or temporary
basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely. NOTE - Nonresident aliens are to be reported separately, in the boxes
provided, rather than included in any of the seven racial/ethnic categories. Resident aliens and other eligible (for financial aid
purposes) non-citizens who are not citizens or nationals of the United States and who have been admitted as legal immigrants for
the purpose of obtaining permanent resident alien status (and who hold either an alien registration card (Form I-551 or I-151), a
Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688), or an Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94) with a notation that conveys legal immigrant status
such as Section 207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant Parolee or Cuban-Haitian) are to be reported in the appropriate
racial/ethnic categories along with United States citizens.
Race and ethnicity unknown - This category is used only if the person did not select EITHER a racial or ethnic designation.
Part A: Unduplicated Count by Student Level, Gender, and Race/Ethnicity
Report all students enrolled for credit at any time during the July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 reporting period. Students are reported by
gender, race/ethnicity, and their level of standing with the institution.
Number of Students Enrolled for Credit: The number of students enrolled for credit at the close of the official add period for each
program. If there is no official add period, report as of the 15th day of each regular program, and the 5th day of each short program.
To determine the unduplicated 12-month enrollment, count each student only once during the 12-month period. For example: If a student
enrolls in the fall term, drops out in winter, but enrolls again in spring, count that student once.
Student Level Reporting Reminders:
Students who already hold a baccalaureate degree but are enrolled as an undergraduate for additional undergraduate courses
should be reported as undergraduate students
Students admitted with graduate standing should be counted as graduate students, even if they are taking some undergraduate
courses
If a student's level (undergraduate or graduate) changes during the 12-month period, count the student at his/her highest level
enrolled. For example: If a student is an undergraduate in the fall and a graduate student in the spring, count the student as a
graduate student.
Doctor's-professional practice students (formerly called first-professional students) should be counted in the graduate student
enrollment counts for Part A.
To provide context, two prior year enrollment totals are displayed at the bottom of the screen. The first is the total 12-month unduplicated
count reported last year (2015-16). The second is the total fall enrollment from Fall 2016, as reported on the Fall Enrollment survey
component. Since the Fall 2016 enrollment falls within the 12-month period currently being reported (2016-17), the 12-month unduplicated
count must be greater than or equal to the Fall 2016 total enrollment.
Part B: Instructional Activity and Full-Time Equivalent Enrollment
Report the total contact hour and/or credit hour activity attempted during the 12-month period of July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017. The
instructional activity data reported will be used to calculate full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment at the institution.
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To determine the contact hour activity for a course, multiply the contact hour value of the course by the number of students enrolled in
the course for credit. When computing total contact hour activity for the institution, include all courses offered for credit (see the IPEDS
Glossary for the definition of "credit course") that are measured in contact or clock hours, do not convert credit hour activity into
contact hour activity.
Contact Hour Activity of a Course = Course Contact Hour Value * Number of Students Enrolled for Credit
Contact Hour Value of a Course: The contact hour value of a course is the number of hours per week that the course meets multiplied
by the number of weeks the course is given. For example, a 3-week real estate licensure course that meets 15 hours per week has a
value of 45 contact hours.
Number of Students Enrolled for Credit: The number of students enrolled for credit at the close of the official add period for each
program. If there is no official add period, report as of the 15th day of each regular program, and the 5th day of each short program.
Example Calculation: Total contact hour activity for Institution ABC.
Institution ABC offers 3 courses during the July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 reporting period:
Course 1 is a 50-week course with 30 contact hours per week and 10 students.
Course 2 is a 20-week course with 35 contact hours per week and 5 students.
Course 3 is a 15-week course with 20 contact hours per week and 10 students.
Compute the contact hour activity for each course:
Course 1: 50 * 30 * 10 = 15,000 hours
Course 2: 20 * 35 * 5 = 3,500 hours
Course 3: 15 * 20 * 10 = 3,000 hours
Compute the total contact hour activity for the institution by summing the contact hour activity for all courses offered for credit that
are measured in terms of contact or clock hours:
15,000 hours + 3,500 hours + 3,000 hours = 21,500 hours
Note: If a course does not start and end within the same 12-month reporting period, the contact hour activity reported should be only
for the number of weeks which fall within the July 1 - June 30 period. For example, if only 40 weeks of a 64 week course (which meets
15 hours per week and has an enrollment of 30 students) falls within the 12-month period, the contact hour activity for this course
would be computed as follows: 40 weeks x 15 hours per week x 30 students = 18,000 contact hours.
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To determine the credit hour activity for a course, multiply the credit hour value of the course by the number of students enrolled in the
course for credit (see the IPEDS Glossary for the definition of "credit course"). When computing total credit hour activity for the
institution, include only those courses offered for credit that are measured in credit hours, do not convert contact hour activity into
credit hour activity.
Credit Hour Activity of a Course = Course Credit Hour Value * Number of Students Enrolled for Credit
Number of Students Enrolled for Credit: The number of students enrolled for credit at the close of the official add period for each term.
If there is no official add period, report as of the 15th day of each regular term and the 5th day of each summer or short term.
Example Calculation: Total credit hour activity for Institution DEZ.
Institution DEZ offers 3 courses during the July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 reporting period:
Course 1 is a 3 credit hour course with 20 students.
Course 2 is a 5 credit hour course with 10 students.
Course 3 is a 4 credit hour course with 15 students.
Compute the credit hour activity for each course:
Course 1: 3*20 = 60 hours
Course 2: 5*10 = 50 hours
Course 3: 4*15 = 60 hours
Compute the total credit hour activity for the institution by summing the credit hour activity for all courses offered for credit and
measured in credit hours:
60 hours + 50 hours + 60 hours = 170 hours
Report credit hour activity by course level, if applicable to your institution. The level of each course (undergraduate or graduate) should
be the level of the course as designated by the institution. If there are courses that cannot be assigned to a single level (i.e., if some
courses serve both undergraduate and graduate students), partition the enrollment in the course based on the level of the student.
For example, a 3-credit course has 5 graduate students and 10 undergraduate students enrolled. The total credit hour activity for the
course is 45 hours (3x15). The undergraduate credit hour activity for the course is 30 hours (3x10), and the graduate credit hour
activity for the course is 15 hours (3x5).
Note: If a course does not start and end within the same 12-month reporting period, report all credit hour activity for the course in the
12-month period in which the course began. Because course enrollment counts (necessary for calculating total credit hour activity) are
typically taken at the close of the official add/drop period for a course, this date can also be used as the course start date for the
purposes of determining the appropriate 12-month period. If there is no official add/drop period, the 15th day of a regular term and the
5th day of a summer or short term can be used.
Graduate Level Instructional Activity Reporting Reminder: Be sure to exclude doctor's-professional practice activity (formerly firstprofessional) from the graduate level instructional activity.
If your institution has doctor's-professional practice students but does not see the section to report them on their survey screens, you
must contact the IPEDS Help Desk.
Once you have entered the instructional activity information, then click "save" and the FTE student enrollment will be calculated and
appear on the screen.
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Full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment, by level (undergraduate and graduate) will be calculated for the institution using the
instructional activity data reported in Part B. This total FTE student count will be used in computing indicators such as expenses by
function per FTE and revenues per FTE, which are reported on the IPEDS Data Feedback Report (DFR). A FTE student is a unit of
measurement intended to represent one student enrolled full-time for one academic year.
Calculated Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Estimate. After entering the instructional activity, the FTE estimate will be calculated as follows:
For institutions reporting contact or clock hours, the number of contact hours is divided by 900. For example, the FTE for
Institution ABC would be 1150/900, or approximately 1 student.
For institutions operating on a Quarter calendar system (as reported in the prior year IC Header survey component),
undergraduate credit hours are divided by 45, and graduate credit hours are divided by 36. If Institution DEZ from the example
above was an undergraduate program on the quarter system, the FTE would be 170/45, or approximately 4 students.
For institutions operating on a semester, 4-1-4 Plan, or other calendar type (as reported in the prior year IC Header survey
component), undergraduate credit hours are divided by 30, and graduate credit hours are divided by 24. If Institution DEZ was an
undergraduate program on the one of these systems, the FTE would be 170/30, or approximately 6 students.
If these calculated estimates are not reasonable for the institution, please double check the credit and/or contact hours reported to
ensure their accuracy. If the instructional activity data reported are inaccurate, then the calculated FTE estimate will also be inaccurate.
After double checking the instructional activity data reported, if the FTE count estimated for the institution is still not reasonable, the
system will allow you to enter more accurate FTE data for the institution in the "Institution reported FTE" column below. This option
should be used ONLY if the system calculated estimates are not reasonable for the institution and would be misleading for comparison
purposes among all IPEDS reporting institutions.
Glossary
date: 7/26/2017
Term
Definition
12-month enrollment (E12)
These data were collected in the Enrollment component prior to the 2007 IPEDS collection. Data are collected for the entire 12-month
academic year, while enrollment data collected in the Fall Enrollment component are fall data. Institutions report an unduplicated head
count for the total number of students by gender, race/ethnicity, and level (undergraduate, graduate, first-professional) enrolled
throughout the reporting period. Students included are those enrolled in any courses leading to a degree or other formal award, as well
as those enrolled in courses that are part of a terminal vocational or occupational program. Institutions also report the total
instructional activity for the same 12-month period for both undergraduate and graduate programs. Instructional activity data are
reported in units of contact hours (sometimes referred to as clock hours) or credit hours.
12-month period
A 12-month period defined by an institution for reporting a full year of activity (usually either July 1 through June 30 or September 1
through August 31). This time period should be consistent across all IPEDS data collections and from year-to-year.
4-1-4 (calendar system)
The 4-1-4 calendar usually consists of 4 courses taken for 4 months, 1 course taken for 1 month, and 4 courses taken for 4 months.
There may be an additional summer session.
American Indian or Alaska
Native
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) who maintains cultural
identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.
Asian
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for
example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Audit/auditing (a class)
Term used when a student elects to take a course, but does not wish to receive credit for the course toward a degree or other formal
award.
Bachelor's degree
An award (baccalaureate or equivalent degree, as determined by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education) that normally requires at
least 4 but not more than 5 years of full-time equivalent college-level work. This includes all bachelor's degrees conferred in a 5-year
cooperative (work-study) program. A cooperative plan provides for alternate class attendance and employment in business, industry, or
government; thus, it allows students to combine actual work experience with their college studies. Also includes bachelor's degrees in
which the normal 4 years of work are completed in 3 years.
Black or African American
A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
Calculation of FTE students
(using instructional activity)
The number of FTE students is calculated based on the credit and/or contact hours reported by the institution on the IPEDS 12-month
enrollment (E12) component and the institution's calendar system, as reported on the IC Header component. The following table
indicates the level of instructional activity used to convert the credit and/or contact hours reported to an indicator of full-time
equivalents (FTE students):
- Quarter calendar system
- Enrollment level (One FTE over 12-month period)
-Undergraduate 45 credit hours, 900 contact hours
-Graduate 36 credit hours
- Semester/trimester/4-1-4 plan/other calendar system
-Enrollment level (one FTE over 12-month period)
-Undergraduate 30 credit hours 900 contact hours
-Graduate 24 credit hours
For institutions with continuous enrollment programs, FTE is determined by dividing the number of contact hours attempted by 900.
The total 12-month FTE is generated by summing the estimated or reported undergraduate FTE and the estimated or reported
graduate FTE and reported Doctor's Professional Practice FTE.
Calendar system
The method by which an institution structures most of its courses for the academic year.
Clock hour
A unit of measure that represents an hour of scheduled instruction given to students. Also referred to as contact hour.
Contact hour
A unit of measure that represents an hour of scheduled instruction given to students. Also referred to as clock hour.
Contact hour activity
The provision of coursework to students which can be measured in terms of contact or clock hours .
Continuous basis
A calendar system classification that is used by institutions that allow students to enroll/start classes at any time during the year. For
example, a cosmetology school or a word processing school might allow students to enroll and begin studies at various times, with no
requirement that classes begin on a certain date.
Credit
Recognition of attendance or performance in an instructional activity (course or program) that can be applied by a recipient toward the
requirements for a postsecondary degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award, irrespective of the activity's unit of measurement.
Credit course
A course that, if successfully completed, can be applied toward the number of courses required for achieving a postsecondary degree,
diploma, certificate, or other formal award, irrespective of the activity's unit of measurement.
Credit hour
A unit of measure representing the equivalent of an hour (50 minutes) of instruction per week over the entire term. It is applied toward
the total number of credit hours needed for completing the requirements of a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.
Credit hour activity
The provision of coursework to students which can be measured in terms of credit hours.
Differs by program (calendar
system)
A calendar system classification that is used by institutions that have occupational/vocational programs of varying lengths. These
schools may enroll students at specific times depending on the program desired. For example, a school might offer a 2-month
program in January, March, May, September, and November; and a 3-month program in January, April, and October.
Doctor's degree-professional
practice
A doctor's degree that is conferred upon completion of a program providing the knowledge and skills for the recognition, credential, or
license required for professional practice. The degree is awarded after a period of study such that the total time to the degree,
including both pre-professional and professional preparation, equals at least six full-time equivalent academic years. Some of these
degrees were formerly classified as first-professional and may include: Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.); Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.); Law
(J.D.); Medicine (M.D.); Optometry (O.D.); Osteopathic Medicine (D.O); Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); Podiatry (D.P.M., Pod.D., D.P.); or,
Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), and others, as designated by the awarding institution.
Dual credit
A program through which high school students are enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) courses, taught at their high school, that fulfill
high school graduation requirements and may earn the student college credits .
Dual enrollment
A program through which high school students may enroll in college courses while still enrolled in high school. Students are not required
to apply for admission to the college in order to participate.
Graduate student
A student who holds a bachelor's degree or above and is taking courses at the postbaccalaureate level. These students may or may
not be enrolled in graduate programs.
High school diploma or
recognized equivalent
A document certifying the successful completion of a prescribed secondary school program of studies, or any of the following:
- recognized attainment of satisfactory scores on the GED or another state-authorized examination
- recognized completion of homeschooling at the secondary level as defined by state law
- completion of secondary school education in a homeschool setting which qualifies for an exemption from compulsory attendance
requirements under state law, if state law does not require a homeschooled student to receive credential for their education
Hispanic/Latino
A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
Instructional activity
The total number of credit and contact hours all students are engaged in during the specified period.
Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System (IPEDS)
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), conducted by the NCES, began in 1986 and involves annual institutionlevel data collections. All postsecondary institutions that have a Program Participation Agreement with the Office of Postsecondary
Education (OPE), U.S. Department of Education (throughout IPEDS referred to as "Title IV") are required to report data using a webbased data collection system. IPEDS currently consists of the following components: Institutional Characteristics (IC); 12-month
Enrollment (E12);Completions (C); Admissions (ADM); Student Financial Aid (SFA); Human Resources (HR) composed of Employees by
Assigned Position, Fall Staff, and Salaries; Fall Enrollment (EF); Graduation Rates (GR); Outcome Measures (OM); Finance (F); and
Academic Libraries (AL).
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
Noncredit course
A course or activity having no credit applicable toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.
Nonresident alien
A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or temporary basis and does not have
the right to remain indefinitely.
Other academic calendar system
Category used to describe "non-traditional" calendar systems at 4-year and 2-year degree-granting institutions. These can include
schools that offer primarily on-line courses or "one course at a time."
Quarter (calendar system)
A calendar system in which the academic year consists of 3 sessions called quarters of about 12 weeks each. The range may be from
10 to 15 weeks as defined by the institution. There may be an additional quarter in the summer.
Race and ethnicity unknown
The category used to report students or employees whose race and ethnicity are not known.
Race/ethnicity
Categories developed in 1997 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that are used to describe groups to which individuals
belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community. The categories do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological
origins. The designations are used to categorize U.S. citizens, resident aliens, and other eligible non-citizens.
Individuals are asked to first designate ethnicity as:
- Hispanic or Latino or
- Not Hispanic or Latino
Second, individuals are asked to indicate all races that apply among the following:
- American Indian or Alaska Native
- Asian
- Black or African American
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
- White
Remedial courses
Instructional courses designed for students deficient in the general competencies necessary for a regular postsecondary curriculum and
educational setting.
Resident alien (and other
eligible non-citizens)
A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States but who has been admitted as a legal immigrant for the purpose of
obtaining permanent resident alien status (and who holds either an alien registration card (Form I-551 or I-151), a Temporary
Resident Card (Form I-688), or an Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94) with a notation that conveys legal immigrant status such as
Section 207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant Parolee or Cuban-Haitian).
Semester (calendar system)
A calendar system that consists of two sessions called semesters during the academic year with about 15 weeks for each semester of
instruction. There may be an additional summer session.
Study abroad
Arrangement by which a student completes part of the college program studying in another country. Can be at a campus abroad or
through a cooperative agreement with some other U.S. college or an institution of another country.
Summer session
A summer session is shorter than a regular session and is not considered part of the academic year. It is not the third term of an
institution operating on a trimester system or the fourth term of an institution operating on a quarter calendar system. The institution
may have two or more sessions occurring in the summer months. Some schools, such as vocational and beauty schools, have yearround classes with no separate summer session.
Title IV institution
An institution that has a written agreement with the Secretary of Education that allows the institution to participate in any of the Title IV
federal student financial assistance programs (other than the State Student Incentive Grant (SSIG) and the National Early Intervention
Scholarship and Partnership (NEISP) programs).
Trimester (calendar system)
An academic year consisting of 3 terms of about 15 weeks each.
Undergraduate
A student enrolled in a 4- or 5-year bachelor's degree program, an associate's degree program, or a vocational or technical program
below the baccalaureate.
Unduplicated count
The sum of students enrolled for credit with each student counted only once during the reporting period, regardless of when the
student enrolled.
White
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
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date: 7/26/2017
2017-18 Survey Materials > FAQ
12-month Enrollment
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)
Who should I include in my enrollment reporting?
2)
What is the reporting period for 12-month enrollment?
3)
What is the difference between 12-month enrollment and Fall enrollment?
4)
In the past I reported first-professional student enrollment separately in Part A. Why is there no column for
reporting first-professional students?
5)
Should I report students who are studying abroad?
6)
Do I include students enrolled only in ESL programs (programs comprised exclusively of ESL
courses) in enrollment?
Unduplicated Count (Part A)
1)
Why does the total 12-month enrollment need to be larger than the corresponding prior year fall enrollment?
2)
How do I report a student who changes enrollment levels during the 12-month period?
3)
How do I report foreign students living outside the U.S. who are enrolled in my institution?
4)
My institution has students for which gender is unknown. Since there is no place to report “gender unknown” on the
IPEDS data collection screens, how should we report these individuals?
5)
In which race/ethnicity category do I report undocumented students?
Instructional Activity and FTE (Part B)
1)
How do I report instructional activity for courses that start in one 12-month reporting period and end in the next
12-month reporting year?
2)
Instructional activity in doctor's-professional practice programs is measured differently from other graduate
programs. How should I report the activity for these programs?
3)
How is the estimate of full-time equivalent (FTE) students calculated?
4)
The calculated FTE is not a reasonable estimate for my institution. What should I do?
Answers:
General
1)
Who should I include in my enrollment reporting?
All students enrolled for credit should be reported. Credit is defined as "recognition of attendance or
performance in an instructional activity (course or program) that can be applied by a recipient toward the
requirements for a postsecondary degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award, irrespective of the
activity’s unit of measurement."
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2)
What is the reporting period for 12-month enrollment?
The reporting period for the 12-month enrollment component is July 1 - June 30. In the past, institutions had
the option to report using the July 1 - June 30 period or the September 1 - August 31 period. Since the 2011-12
collection year, institutions have been required to use the July 1 - June 30 reporting period.
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3)
What is the difference between 12-month enrollment and Fall enrollment?
12-month enrollment is a cumulative unduplicated headcount of enrollment over the full 12-month period
beginning July 1 and ending June 30. In contrast, Fall enrollment is a count of students enrolled on a particular
date in the Fall. Fall enrollment is often referred to as a "snapshot" of an institution's enrollment at a specific
time.
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4)
In the past I reported first-professional student enrollment separately in Part A. Why is there no
column for reporting first-professional students?
Since the 2010-11 collection year, institutions have been required to use the new postbaccalaureate degree
categories (eliminating the first-professional category and reclassifying those programs). In part A, all
postbaccalaureate students are to be reported as graduate students (including students formerly reported as
first-professional).
In Part B, Doctor's-professional practice activity (formerly first-professional) will be reported separately from
the graduate instructional activity. FTE for these programs should be reported as defined by the institution.
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5)
Should I report students who are studying abroad?
Students who are enrolled in your institution and attend classes in a foreign country should be included in your
institution's enrollment report if your institution provides instructional resources (classroom, instructors), even
though the education occurs abroad. Students who are enrolled in your institution and attend classes in a
foreign country should NOT be included in your enrollment report if:
The students are enrolled ONLY in courses offered by another institution;
The students are enrolled at a branch campus of your institution in a foreign country;
Your institution does not provide the instructional resources (i.e., classrooms, instructors), even
if the student pays tuition to your institution. Their enrollment at your institution serves only as
an administrative record.
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6)
Do I include students enrolled only in ESL programs (programs comprised exclusively of
ESL courses) in enrollment?
ESL has never been considered a postsecondary program by IPEDS. Since it is considered non-postsecondary,
students who are ONLY enrolled in ESL programs, regardless of whether or not they are receiving Title-IV aid,
should NOT be counted in enrollment.
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Unduplicated Count (Part A)
1)
Why does the total 12-month enrollment need to be larger than the corresponding prior year fall
enrollment?
The 12-month unduplicated count must be equal to or greater than the corresponding prior year fall enrollment.
Since Fall 2016 lies within the 12-month period currently being reported on the 12-Month Enrollment survey
component (2016-17), the 12-month unduplicated count must be equal to or greater than the Fall
2016 reported enrollments.
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2)
How do I report a student who changes enrollment levels during the 12-month period?
Students should be reported at their highest level of enrollment. For example, a student enrolled as an
undergraduate in the fall and then as a graduate student in the spring should be reported as a graduate student
on the 12-Month Enrollment Survey component.
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3)
How do I report foreign students living outside the U.S. who are enrolled in my institution?
There has been no change to how these students should be reported with the new race/ethnicity reporting
method. Foreign students living outside the U.S., such as a foreign student living outside the U.S. who is
enrolled in distance education at your institution, should be classified in the Race/Ethnicity Unknown category.
Only U.S. citizens are to be categorized in the specific Race/Ethnicity categories. The non-resident alien
category is reserved specifically for students that are in the U.S. under that specific legal status.
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4)
My institution has students for which gender is unknown. Since there is no place to report “gender
unknown” on the IPEDS data collection screens, how should we report these individuals?
These individuals are still to be reported to IPEDS, even though their gender is unknown. It is up to the
institution to decide how best to handle reporting individuals whose gender is unknown. However, a common
method used is to allocate students with gender unknown based on the known proportion of men to women.
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5)
In which race/ethnicity category do I report undocumented students?
Because the race and ethnicity designations are reported only for U.S. citizens and the "nonresident alien"
category is a legal status for students with specific types of visas, undocumented students would not be
reported under any of these statuses. Instead, they should be reported as "Race/ethnicity unknown." Please
visit the race/ethnicity FAQ for more information: https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/ipeds/visFaq_re.aspx.
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Instructional Activity and FTE (Part B)
1)
How do I report instructional activity for courses that start in one 12-month reporting period and
end in the next 12-month reporting year?
If a course does not start and end within the same 12-month reporting period, report that activity using the
following guidelines:
Contact Hour Reporting:
Report only the activity for the number of weeks that fall within the 12-month period being reported on. For
example, if only 40 weeks of a 64 week course occurred before the June 30 end of the current reporting period,
then report only those 40 weeks worth of activity. Next year, report the 24 weeks worth of activity for that
course that occurred after July 1. For guidance on calculating total contact hour activity, refer to the 12-month
Enrollment survey component instructions.
Credit Hour Reporting:
Report all activity for a course in the 12-month period in which the course began. Because course enrollment
counts (necessary for calculating total credit hour activity) are typically taken at the close of the official
add/drop period for a course, this date can also be used as the course start date for the purposes of
determining the appropriate 12-month period. If there is no official add/drop period, the 15th day of a regular
term and the 5th day of a summer or short term can be used.
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2)
Instructional activity in doctor's-professional practice programs is measured differently from
other graduate programs. How should I report the activity for these programs?
Starting with the 2012-13 data collection, institutions now report the FTE for doctor's-professional practice (DPP)
programs as a separate amount in Part B. This DPP FTE amount will then be summed with the undergraduate
and graduate FTE amounts to create the total FTE enrollment for the institution.
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3)
How is the estimate of full-time equivalent (FTE) students calculated?
The FTE enrollment estimate is calculated based on the total credit and/or contact hours reported in Part B and
the institution's calendar system, as reported on the prior year Institutional Characteristics (IC) component.
The following method is used to convert the credit and/or contact hours reported to an indicator of full-time
equivalent students:
Contact Hour Reporters: Contact hours are divided by 900
Quarter Calendar System: Undergraduate credit hours are divided by 45 and graduate credit hours are
divided by 36
Semester/Trimester/4-1-4 Plan/Other Calendar System: Undergraduate credit hours are divided by 30
and graduate credit hours are divided by 24.
Doctor's-professional practice (DPP) FTE student enrollment is reported by the institution, based on the
institution's definition of a full-time equivalent DPP student. This amount is then added to the undergraduate
and graduate FTE amounts to create a total FTE student enrollment count.
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4)
The calculated FTE is not a reasonable estimate for my institution. What should I do?
First, double check the instructional activity data reported on the Part B screen. If your instructional activity
data is accurate and the FTE calculation is not providing a reasonable FTE estimate for your institution, there is
the option to report a more accurate FTE in Part B. This option should be used ONLY if the system calculation is
not a reasonable estimate for your institution and would be misleading for comparison purposes among all
IPEDS reporting institutions.
If a more accurate FTE is provided and an edit is received on that data entry, make sure to detail the
methodology used to arrive at the reported FTE and explain why this is a better measure for the institution.
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2017-18 Survey Materials > Form
12-month Enrollment for less-than-4-year institutions
Overview
12-month Enrollment Overview
The 12-Month Enrollment component collects unduplicated student enrollment counts and instructional activity data for an entire 12-month period. Using the instructional
activity data reported, a full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment is estimated. NCES uses the FTE enrollment to produce indicators such as expenses by function per
FTE as reported in the IPEDS Data Feedback Report.
Data Reporting Reminders:
All institutions must use the July 1 - June 30 reporting period.
Resources:
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials
To access your prior year data submission for this component: Reported Data
If you have questions about completing the survey, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568.
Undergraduate Instructional Activity Type
Undergraduate instructional activity data in Part B may be reported in units of contact hours or credit hours. Which instructional activity units will you use to report
undergraduate instructional activity?
Please note that any graduate level instructional activity must be reported in credit hours.
Contact hours
Credit hours
Both contact and credit hours (some undergraduate programs measured in contact hours and some measured in credit hours)
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.
Part A - Unduplicated Count
12-month Unduplicated Count by Race/Ethnicity and Gender
July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017
Reporting Reminders:
Report Hispanic/Latino individuals of any race as Hispanic/Latino
Report race for non-Hispanic/Latino individuals only
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate
programs, and students in these programs are undergraduate students.
Men
Students enrolled for credit
Undergraduate students
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total men
Total men prior year
Women
Students enrolled for credit
Nonresident alien
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race and ethnicity unknown
Total women
Total women prior year
Grand total (2016-17)
Prior year data:
Unduplicated headcount (2015-16)
Total enrollment Fall 2016
NOTE: Grand total (2016-17) calculated above is expected to be greater than Total enrollment Fall 2016.
Undergraduate students
Part B - Instructional Activity
12-month Instructional Activity
July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017
Instructional Activity Reporting Reminder:
Instructional activity is used to calculate an IPEDS FTE based on the institution’s reported calendar system.
FTE Reporting Reminder:
Institutions need not report their own calculations of undergraduate FTE unless IPEDS FTE calculations would be misleading for comparison purposes among all IPEDS
reporting institutions.
2016-17 total activity
Prior year data
Instructional Activity
Undergraduate level:
Contact hour activity
Credit hour activity
Calendar system (as reported on the prior year IC Header survey component):
If the IPEDS calculated FTE estimates below are not reasonable, AND you have reported the correct instructional activity hours above, enter your best FTE estimate in the
"Institution reported FTE" column below and save the page. This option should be used ONLY if the calculated estimate is not reasonable for your institution and IPEDS
comparisons.
Please provide your best estimate of undergraduate FTE for the 12-month reporting period only if the calculated FTE estimate below is not reasonable for IPEDS
comparison purposes:
Calculated FTE
2016-17
Institution reported
FTE 2016-17
Prior year FTE
2015-16
Undergraduate student FTE
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2017-18 Survey Materials > Instructions
date: 7/26/2017
12-Month Enrollment Full Instructions
Purpose of the Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
Context Boxes
Coverage
Who To Include
Who To Exclude
Where to Get Help for Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
AIR Website
IPEDS Website Resources
Where the Reported Data Will Appear
Institution Level
Aggregate Level
Reporting Directions
Screening Question
Reporting Individuals by Racial/Ethnic Categories
Part A: Unduplicated Count by Student Level, Race/Ethnicity, and Gender
Part B: Instructional Activity and Full-Time Equivalent Enrollment
Purpose of Survey
The purpose of the 12-Month Enrollment component of IPEDS is to collect unduplicated enrollment counts of all students enrolled for credit
and instructional activity data in postsecondary institutions for an entire 12-month period. Data are collected by level of student and by
race/ethnicity and gender. Instructional activity is collected as total credit and/or contact hours attempted at the undergraduate, graduate,
and doctor's professional levels. Using the instructional activity data reported, a full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment at the
undergraduate and graduate level is estimated.
Changes in Reporting
There are no changes to the 12-Month Enrollment (E12) component for the 2017-18 collection.
General Instructions
Reporting Period Covered
The 12-month reporting period is July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017.
Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note that some context
boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by NCES. NCES will review entries in these
context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the College Navigator Website; institutions should check
grammar and spelling of their entries.
Coverage
Who to Include
Include all students enrolled for credit (enrolled in instructional activity, courses or programs, that can be applied towards the
requirements for a postsecondary degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award), regardless of whether or not they are seeking a
degree or certificate. This includes:
Students enrolled for credit in off-campus centers
High school students taking regular college courses for credit
Students taking remedial courses if the student is degree-seeking for the purpose of student financial aid determination
Students from overseas enrolled for credit at your institution (e.g., online students)
Who to Exclude
Exclude students who are not enrolled for credit. For example, exclude:
Students
Students
Students
Students
enrolled exclusively in courses that cannot be applied towards a formal award
enrolled only in ESL programs (programs comprised exclusively of ESL courses)
enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
exclusively auditing classes
In addition, the following students should be excluded:
Any student studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the 'home' institution is serves as an administrative
record
Students enrolled in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: ipedshelp@rti.org
Web Tutorials
You can also consult the IPEDS Website Trainings & Outreach page which contains several tutorials on IPEDS data collection, a self-paced
overview of IPEDS tools, and other valuable resources.
IPEDS Resource Page
The IPEDS Website Reporting Tools page contains frequently asked questions, a link to data tip sheets, tutorials, taxonomies, information
centers (e.g., academic libraries, average net price, human resources, race/ethnicity, etc.), and other valuable information.
Where the Reported Data Will Appear
Data collected through IPEDS will be accessible at the institution- and aggregate-levels.
At the institution-level, data will appear in the:
College Navigator Website
IPEDS Data Center
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
College Affordability and Transparency Center Website
At the aggregate-level, data will appear in:
IPEDS First Looks
IPEDS Table Library
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
The Digest of Education Statistics
The Condition of Education
Reporting Directions
Screening Question
Before entering any data, a screening question will need to be answered.
Instructional Activity Units.
Select which units your institution will use to report undergraduate instructional activity for this component. Institutions are given the
option to report undergraduate instructional activity in contact hours, credit hours, or a combination of the two.
Contact hours are a unit of measure that represent an hour of scheduled instruction given to students, sometimes referred to as a clock
hour. Credit hours are a unit of measure representing the equivalent of approximately one hour of instruction per week over the entire
term. Select the method that best describes the units used to measure instructional activity at your institution.
The option for both contact and credit hours should only be used if some programs are measured in contact hours while others are
measured in credit hours. If your institution measures courses or programs in a unit of measure other than standard credit or contact
hours, select credit hours and convert the instructional activity offered to credit hour equivalents for reporting in Part B of this component.
Reporting Persons by Racial/Ethnic Category (1997 OMB)
This information is being collected in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972 and Sec. 421(a)(1) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. These instructions correspond with the Final Guidance on
Maintaining, Collecting, and Reporting Racial and Ethnic Data to the U.S. Department of Education, published in the Federal Register on
October 19, 2007.
Method of collection - Institutions must collect race and ethnicity information using a 2-question format. The first question is whether the
respondent is Hispanic/Latino. The second question is whether the respondent is from one or more races from the following list: American
Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White. Institutions should allow
students and staff to self-identify their race and ethnicity. For further details on the guidance for collecting these data, please see the full
Federal Register notice.
Method of reporting aggregate data - Institutions must report aggregate data to the U.S. Department of Education using the NINE
categories below. Racial/ethnic designations are requested only for United States citizens, resident aliens, and other eligible non-citizens.
Hispanic or Latino, regardless of race
For Non-Hispanic/Latino individuals:
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
In addition, the following categories may be used:
Nonresident alien
Race and ethnicity unknown
Racial/ethnic descriptions - Racial/ethnic designations as used in this survey do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological
origins. The categories are:
Hispanic or Latino- A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless
of race.
American Indian or Alaska Native- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central
America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.
Asian- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for
example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Black or African American- A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other
Pacific Islands.
White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
Other descriptive categories
Nonresident alien - A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or temporary
basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely. NOTE - Nonresident aliens are to be reported separately, in the boxes
provided, rather than included in any of the seven racial/ethnic categories. Resident aliens and other eligible (for financial aid
purposes) non-citizens who are not citizens or nationals of the United States and who have been admitted as legal immigrants for
the purpose of obtaining permanent resident alien status (and who hold either an alien registration card (Form I-551 or I-151), a
Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688), or an Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94) with a notation that conveys legal immigrant status
such as Section 207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant Parolee or Cuban-Haitian) are to be reported in the appropriate
racial/ethnic categories along with United States citizens.
Race and ethnicity unknown - This category is used only if the person did not select EITHER a racial or ethnic designation.
Part A: Unduplicated Count by Gender and Race/Ethnicity
Report all students enrolled for credit at any time during the July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 reporting period. Students are reported by
gender and race/ethnicity.
Number of Students Enrolled for Credit: The number of students enrolled for credit at the close of the official add period for each
program. If there is no official add period, report as of the 15th day of each regular program, and the 5th day of each short program.
To determine the unduplicated 12-month enrollment, count each student only once during the 12-month period. For example: If a student
enrolls in the fall term, drops out in winter, but enrolls again in spring, count that student once.
Note: Students who already hold a baccalaureate degree but are enrolled as an undergraduate for additional undergraduate courses
should be reported as undergraduate students.
To provide context, two prior year enrollment totals are displayed at the bottom of the screen. The first is the total 12-month unduplicated
count reported from last year (2015-16). The second is the total fall enrollment from Fall 2016, as reported on the Fall Enrollment survey
component. Since the Fall 2016 enrollment falls within the 12-month period currently being reported (2016-17), the 12-month unduplicated
count must be greater than or equal to the Fall 2016 total enrollment.
Part B: Instructional Activity and Full-Time Equivalent Enrollment
Report the total contact hour and/or credit hour activity attempted during the 12-month period of July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017. The
instructional activity data reported will be used to calculate full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment at the institution.
Reporting Contact Hour Activity
To determine the contact hour activity for a course, multiply the contact hour value of the course by the number of students enrolled in
the course for credit. When computing total contact hour activity for the institution, include all courses offered for credit (see the IPEDS
Glossary for the definition of "credit course") that are measured in contact or clock hours, do not convert credit hour activity into
contact hour activity.
Contact Hour Activity of a Course = Course Contact Hour Value * Number of Students Enrolled for Credit
Contact Hour Value of a Course: The contact hour value of a course is the number of hours per week that the course meets multiplied
by the number of weeks the course is given. For example, a 3-week real estate licensure course that meets 15 hours per week has a
value of 45 contact hours.
Number of Students Enrolled for Credit: The number of students enrolled for credit at the close of the official add period for each
program. If there is no official add period, report as of the 15th day of each regular program, and the 5th day of each short program.
Example Calculation: Total contact hour activity for Institution ABC.
Institution ABC offers 3 courses during the July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 reporting period:
Course 1 is a 50-week course with 30 contact hours per week and 10 students.
Course 2 is a 20-week course with 35 contact hours per week and 5 students.
Course 3 is a 15-week course with 20 contact hours per week and 10 students.
Compute the contact hour activity for each course:
Course 1: 50 * 30 * 10 = 15,000 hours
Course 2: 20 * 35 * 5 = 3,500 hours
Course 3: 15 * 20 * 10 = 3,000 hours
Compute the total contact hour activity for the institution by summing the contact hour activity for all courses offered for credit that
are measured in terms of contact or clock hours:
15,000 hours + 3,500 hours + 3,000 hours = 21,500 hours
Note: If a course does not start and end within the same 12-month reporting period, the contact hour activity reported should be only
for the number of weeks which fall within the July 1 - June 30 period. For example, if only 40 weeks of a 64 week course (which meets
15 hours per week and has an enrollment of 30 students) falls within the 12-month period, the contact hour activity for this course
would be computed as follows: 40 weeks x 15 hours per week x 30 students = 18,000 contact hours.
Reporting Credit Hour Activity
To determine the credit hour activity for a course, multiply the credit hour value of the course by the number of students enrolled in the
course for credit (see the IPEDS Glossary for the definition of "credit course"). When computing total credit hour activity for the
institution, include only those courses offered for credit that are measured in credit hours, do not convert contact hour activity into
credit hour activity.
Credit Hour Activity of a Course = Course Credit Hour Value * Number of Students Enrolled for Credit
Number of Students Enrolled for Credit: The number of students enrolled for credit at the close of the official add period for each term.
If there is no official add period, report as of the 15th day of each regular term and the 5th day of each summer or short term.
Example Calculation: Total credit hour activity for Institution DEZ.
Institution DEZ offers 3 courses during the July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 reporting period:
Course 1 is a 3 credit hour course with 20 students.
Course 2 is a 5 credit hour course with 10 students.
Course 3 is a 4 credit hour course with 15 students.
Compute the credit hour activity for each course:
Course 1: 3*20 = 60 hours
Course 2: 5*10 = 50 hours
Course 3: 4*15 = 60 hours
Compute the total credit hour activity for the institution by summing the credit hour activity for all courses offered for credit and
measured in credit hours:
>60 hours + 50 hours + 60 hours = 170 hours
Note: If a course does not start and end within the same 12-month reporting period, report all credit hour activity for the course in the
12-month period in which the course began. Because course enrollment counts (necessary for calculating total credit hour activity) are
typically taken at the close of the official add/drop period for a course, this date can also be used as the course start date for the
purposes of determining the appropriate 12-month period. If there is no official add/drop period, the 15th day of a regular term and the
5th day of a summer or short term can be used.
Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Calculation
Full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment will be calculated for the institution using the instructional activity data (total contact hour
and credit hour activity) reported in Part B. This FTE student count will be used in computing indicators such as expenses by function
per FTE and revenues per FTE, which are reported on the IPEDS Data Feedback Report (DFR). A FTE student is a unit of measurement
intended to represent one student enrolled full time for one academic year.
Calculated Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Estimate. After entering the instructional activity, the FTE estimate will be calculated as follows:
For institutions reporting contact or clock hours, the number of contact hours is divided by 900. For example, the FTE for
Institution ABC would be 1150/900, or approximately 1 student.
For institutions operating on a Quarter calendar system (as reported in the prior year IC Header survey component),
undergraduate credit hours are divided by 45. If Institution DEZ from the example above was an undergraduate program on the
quarter system, the FTE would be 170/45, or approximately 4 students.
For institutions operating on a semester, 4-1-4 Plan, or other calendar type (as reported in the prior year IC Header survey
component), undergraduate credit hours are divided by 30. If Institution DEZ was an undergraduate program on one of these
systems, the FTE would be 170/30, or approximately 6 students.
If the calculated estimate is not reasonable for the institution, please double check the credit and/or contact hours reported to ensure
their accuracy. If the instructional activity data reported are inaccurate, then the calculated FTE amount will also be inaccurate.
After double checking the instructional activity data reported, if the FTE estimated for the institution is still not reasonable the system
will allow you to enter more accurate FTE data for the institution in the "Institution reported FTE" column. This option should be used
ONLY if the system calculated estimate is not reasonable for the institution and would be misleading for comparison purposes among
all IPEDS reporting institutions.
Glossary
date: 7/26/2017
Term
Definition
12-month enrollment (E12)
These data were collected in the Enrollment component prior to the 2007 IPEDS collection. Data are collected for the entire 12-month
academic year, while enrollment data collected in the Fall Enrollment component are fall data. Institutions report an unduplicated head
count for the total number of students by gender, race/ethnicity, and level (undergraduate, graduate, first-professional) enrolled
throughout the reporting period. Students included are those enrolled in any courses leading to a degree or other formal award, as well
as those enrolled in courses that are part of a terminal vocational or occupational program. Institutions also report the total
instructional activity for the same 12-month period for both undergraduate and graduate programs. Instructional activity data are
reported in units of contact hours (sometimes referred to as clock hours) or credit hours.
12-month period
A 12-month period defined by an institution for reporting a full year of activity (usually either July 1 through June 30 or September 1
through August 31). This time period should be consistent across all IPEDS data collections and from year-to-year.
4-1-4 (calendar system)
The 4-1-4 calendar usually consists of 4 courses taken for 4 months, 1 course taken for 1 month, and 4 courses taken for 4 months.
There may be an additional summer session.
American Indian or Alaska
Native
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) who maintains cultural
identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.
Asian
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for
example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Audit/auditing (a class)
Term used when a student elects to take a course, but does not wish to receive credit for the course toward a degree or other formal
award.
Black or African American
A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
Calculation of FTE students
(using instructional activity)
The number of FTE students is calculated based on the credit and/or contact hours reported by the institution on the IPEDS 12-month
enrollment (E12) component and the institution's calendar system, as reported on the IC Header component. The following table
indicates the level of instructional activity used to convert the credit and/or contact hours reported to an indicator of full-time
equivalents (FTE students):
- Quarter calendar system
- Enrollment level (One FTE over 12-month period)
-Undergraduate 45 credit hours, 900 contact hours
-Graduate 36 credit hours
- Semester/trimester/4-1-4 plan/other calendar system
-Enrollment level (one FTE over 12-month period)
-Undergraduate 30 credit hours 900 contact hours
-Graduate 24 credit hours
For institutions with continuous enrollment programs, FTE is determined by dividing the number of contact hours attempted by 900.
The total 12-month FTE is generated by summing the estimated or reported undergraduate FTE and the estimated or reported
graduate FTE and reported Doctor's Professional Practice FTE.
Calendar system
The method by which an institution structures most of its courses for the academic year.
Clock hour
A unit of measure that represents an hour of scheduled instruction given to students. Also referred to as contact hour.
Contact hour
A unit of measure that represents an hour of scheduled instruction given to students. Also referred to as clock hour.
Contact hour activity
The provision of coursework to students which can be measured in terms of contact or clock hours .
Continuous basis
A calendar system classification that is used by institutions that allow students to enroll/start classes at any time during the year. For
example, a cosmetology school or a word processing school might allow students to enroll and begin studies at various times, with no
requirement that classes begin on a certain date.
Credit
Recognition of attendance or performance in an instructional activity (course or program) that can be applied by a recipient toward the
requirements for a postsecondary degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award, irrespective of the activity's unit of measurement.
Credit course
A course that, if successfully completed, can be applied toward the number of courses required for achieving a postsecondary degree,
diploma, certificate, or other formal award, irrespective of the activity's unit of measurement.
Credit hour
A unit of measure representing the equivalent of an hour (50 minutes) of instruction per week over the entire term. It is applied toward
the total number of credit hours needed for completing the requirements of a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.
Credit hour activity
The provision of coursework to students which can be measured in terms of credit hours.
Differs by program (calendar
system)
A calendar system classification that is used by institutions that have occupational/vocational programs of varying lengths. These
schools may enroll students at specific times depending on the program desired. For example, a school might offer a 2-month
program in January, March, May, September, and November; and a 3-month program in January, April, and October.
Dual credit
A program through which high school students are enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) courses, taught at their high school, that fulfill
high school graduation requirements and may earn the student college credits .
Dual enrollment
A program through which high school students may enroll in college courses while still enrolled in high school. Students are not required
to apply for admission to the college in order to participate.
High school diploma or
recognized equivalent
A document certifying the successful completion of a prescribed secondary school program of studies, or any of the following:
- recognized attainment of satisfactory scores on the GED or another state-authorized examination
- recognized completion of homeschooling at the secondary level as defined by state law
- completion of secondary school education in a homeschool setting which qualifies for an exemption from compulsory attendance
requirements under state law, if state law does not require a homeschooled student to receive credential for their education
Hispanic/Latino
A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
Instructional activity
The total number of credit and contact hours all students are engaged in during the specified period.
Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System (IPEDS)
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), conducted by the NCES, began in 1986 and involves annual institutionlevel data collections. All postsecondary institutions that have a Program Participation Agreement with the Office of Postsecondary
Education (OPE), U.S. Department of Education (throughout IPEDS referred to as "Title IV") are required to report data using a webbased data collection system. IPEDS currently consists of the following components: Institutional Characteristics (IC); 12-month
Enrollment (E12);Completions (C); Admissions (ADM); Student Financial Aid (SFA); Human Resources (HR) composed of Employees by
Assigned Position, Fall Staff, and Salaries; Fall Enrollment (EF); Graduation Rates (GR); Outcome Measures (OM); Finance (F); and
Academic Libraries (AL).
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
Noncredit course
A course or activity having no credit applicable toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.
Nonresident alien
A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or temporary basis and does not have
the right to remain indefinitely.
Other academic calendar system
Category used to describe "non-traditional" calendar systems at 4-year and 2-year degree-granting institutions. These can include
schools that offer primarily on-line courses or "one course at a time."
Quarter (calendar system)
A calendar system in which the academic year consists of 3 sessions called quarters of about 12 weeks each. The range may be from
10 to 15 weeks as defined by the institution. There may be an additional quarter in the summer.
Race and ethnicity unknown
The category used to report students or employees whose race and ethnicity are not known.
Race/ethnicity
Categories developed in 1997 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that are used to describe groups to which individuals
belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community. The categories do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological
origins. The designations are used to categorize U.S. citizens, resident aliens, and other eligible non-citizens.
Individuals are asked to first designate ethnicity as:
- Hispanic or Latino or
- Not Hispanic or Latino
Second, individuals are asked to indicate all races that apply among the following:
- American Indian or Alaska Native
- Asian
- Black or African American
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
- White
Remedial courses
Instructional courses designed for students deficient in the general competencies necessary for a regular postsecondary curriculum and
educational setting.
Resident alien (and other
eligible non-citizens)
A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States but who has been admitted as a legal immigrant for the purpose of
obtaining permanent resident alien status (and who holds either an alien registration card (Form I-551 or I-151), a Temporary
Resident Card (Form I-688), or an Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94) with a notation that conveys legal immigrant status such as
Section 207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant Parolee or Cuban-Haitian).
Semester (calendar system)
A calendar system that consists of two sessions called semesters during the academic year with about 15 weeks for each semester of
instruction. There may be an additional summer session.
Study abroad
Arrangement by which a student completes part of the college program studying in another country. Can be at a campus abroad or
through a cooperative agreement with some other U.S. college or an institution of another country.
Summer session
A summer session is shorter than a regular session and is not considered part of the academic year. It is not the third term of an
institution operating on a trimester system or the fourth term of an institution operating on a quarter calendar system. The institution
may have two or more sessions occurring in the summer months. Some schools, such as vocational and beauty schools, have yearround classes with no separate summer session.
Title IV institution
An institution that has a written agreement with the Secretary of Education that allows the institution to participate in any of the Title IV
federal student financial assistance programs (other than the State Student Incentive Grant (SSIG) and the National Early Intervention
Scholarship and Partnership (NEISP) programs).
Trimester (calendar system)
An academic year consisting of 3 terms of about 15 weeks each.
Undergraduate
A student enrolled in a 4- or 5-year bachelor's degree program, an associate's degree program, or a vocational or technical program
below the baccalaureate.
Unduplicated count
The sum of students enrolled for credit with each student counted only once during the reporting period, regardless of when the
student enrolled.
White
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics
date: 7/26/2017
2017-18 Survey Materials > FAQ
12-month Enrollment
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)
Who should I include in my enrollment reporting?
2)
What is the reporting period for 12-month enrollment?
3)
What is the difference between 12-month enrollment and Fall enrollment?
4)
In the past I reported first-professional student enrollment separately in Part A. Why is there no column for
reporting first-professional students?
5)
Should I report students who are studying abroad?
6)
Do I include students enrolled only in ESL programs (programs comprised exclusively of ESL
courses) in enrollment?
Unduplicated Count (Part A)
1)
Why does the total 12-month enrollment need to be larger than the corresponding prior year fall enrollment?
2)
How do I report a student who changes enrollment levels during the 12-month period?
3)
How do I report foreign students living outside the U.S. who are enrolled in my institution?
4)
My institution has students for which gender is unknown. Since there is no place to report “gender unknown” on the
IPEDS data collection screens, how should we report these individuals?
5)
In which race/ethnicity category do I report undocumented students?
Instructional Activity and FTE (Part B)
1)
How do I report instructional activity for courses that start in one 12-month reporting period and end in the next
12-month reporting year?
2)
Instructional activity in doctor's-professional practice programs is measured differently from other graduate
programs. How should I report the activity for these programs?
3)
How is the estimate of full-time equivalent (FTE) students calculated?
4)
The calculated FTE is not a reasonable estimate for my institution. What should I do?
Answers:
General
1)
Who should I include in my enrollment reporting?
All students enrolled for credit should be reported. Credit is defined as "recognition of attendance or
performance in an instructional activity (course or program) that can be applied by a recipient toward the
requirements for a postsecondary degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award, irrespective of the
activity’s unit of measurement."
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2)
What is the reporting period for 12-month enrollment?
The reporting period for the 12-month enrollment component is July 1 - June 30. In the past, institutions had
the option to report using the July 1 - June 30 period or the September 1 - August 31 period. Since the 2011-12
collection year, institutions have been required to use the July 1 - June 30 reporting period.
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3)
What is the difference between 12-month enrollment and Fall enrollment?
12-month enrollment is a cumulative unduplicated headcount of enrollment over the full 12-month period
beginning July 1 and ending June 30. In contrast, Fall enrollment is a count of students enrolled on a particular
date in the Fall. Fall enrollment is often referred to as a "snapshot" of an institution's enrollment at a specific
time.
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4)
In the past I reported first-professional student enrollment separately in Part A. Why is there no
column for reporting first-professional students?
Since the 2010-11 collection year, institutions have been required to use the new postbaccalaureate degree
categories (eliminating the first-professional category and reclassifying those programs). In part A, all
postbaccalaureate students are to be reported as graduate students (including students formerly reported as
first-professional).
In Part B, Doctor's-professional practice activity (formerly first-professional) will be reported separately from
the graduate instructional activity. FTE for these programs should be reported as defined by the institution.
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5)
Should I report students who are studying abroad?
Students who are enrolled in your institution and attend classes in a foreign country should be included in your
institution's enrollment report if your institution provides instructional resources (classroom, instructors), even
though the education occurs abroad. Students who are enrolled in your institution and attend classes in a
foreign country should NOT be included in your enrollment report if:
The students are enrolled ONLY in courses offered by another institution;
The students are enrolled at a branch campus of your institution in a foreign country;
Your institution does not provide the instructional resources (i.e., classrooms, instructors), even
if the student pays tuition to your institution. Their enrollment at your institution serves only as
an administrative record.
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6)
Do I include students enrolled only in ESL programs (programs comprised exclusively of
ESL courses) in enrollment?
ESL has never been considered a postsecondary program by IPEDS. Since it is considered non-postsecondary,
students who are ONLY enrolled in ESL programs, regardless of whether or not they are receiving Title-IV aid,
should NOT be counted in enrollment.
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Unduplicated Count (Part A)
1)
Why does the total 12-month enrollment need to be larger than the corresponding prior year fall
enrollment?
The 12-month unduplicated count must be equal to or greater than the corresponding prior year fall enrollment.
Since Fall 2016 lies within the 12-month period currently being reported on the 12-Month Enrollment survey
component (2016-17), the 12-month unduplicated count must be equal to or greater than the Fall
2016 reported enrollments.
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2)
How do I report a student who changes enrollment levels during the 12-month period?
Students should be reported at their highest level of enrollment. For example, a student enrolled as an
undergraduate in the fall and then as a graduate student in the spring should be reported as a graduate student
on the 12-Month Enrollment Survey component.
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3)
How do I report foreign students living outside the U.S. who are enrolled in my institution?
There has been no change to how these students should be reported with the new race/ethnicity reporting
method. Foreign students living outside the U.S., such as a foreign student living outside the U.S. who is
enrolled in distance education at your institution, should be classified in the Race/Ethnicity Unknown category.
Only U.S. citizens are to be categorized in the specific Race/Ethnicity categories. The non-resident alien
category is reserved specifically for students that are in the U.S. under that specific legal status.
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4)
My institution has students for which gender is unknown. Since there is no place to report “gender
unknown” on the IPEDS data collection screens, how should we report these individuals?
These individuals are still to be reported to IPEDS, even though their gender is unknown. It is up to the
institution to decide how best to handle reporting individuals whose gender is unknown. However, a common
method used is to allocate students with gender unknown based on the known proportion of men to women.
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5)
In which race/ethnicity category do I report undocumented students?
Because the race and ethnicity designations are reported only for U.S. citizens and the "nonresident alien"
category is a legal status for students with specific types of visas, undocumented students would not be
reported under any of these statuses. Instead, they should be reported as "Race/ethnicity unknown." Please
visit the race/ethnicity FAQ for more information: https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/ipeds/visFaq_re.aspx.
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Instructional Activity and FTE (Part B)
1)
How do I report instructional activity for courses that start in one 12-month reporting period and
end in the next 12-month reporting year?
If a course does not start and end within the same 12-month reporting period, report that activity using the
following guidelines:
Contact Hour Reporting:
Report only the activity for the number of weeks that fall within the 12-month period being reported on. For
example, if only 40 weeks of a 64 week course occurred before the June 30 end of the current reporting period,
then report only those 40 weeks worth of activity. Next year, report the 24 weeks worth of activity for that
course that occurred after July 1. For guidance on calculating total contact hour activity, refer to the 12-month
Enrollment survey component instructions.
Credit Hour Reporting:
Report all activity for a course in the 12-month period in which the course began. Because course enrollment
counts (necessary for calculating total credit hour activity) are typically taken at the close of the official
add/drop period for a course, this date can also be used as the course start date for the purposes of
determining the appropriate 12-month period. If there is no official add/drop period, the 15th day of a regular
term and the 5th day of a summer or short term can be used.
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2)
Instructional activity in doctor's-professional practice programs is measured differently from
other graduate programs. How should I report the activity for these programs?
Starting with the 2012-13 data collection, institutions now report the FTE for doctor's-professional practice (DPP)
programs as a separate amount in Part B. This DPP FTE amount will then be summed with the undergraduate
and graduate FTE amounts to create the total FTE enrollment for the institution.
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3)
How is the estimate of full-time equivalent (FTE) students calculated?
The FTE enrollment estimate is calculated based on the total credit and/or contact hours reported in Part B and
the institution's calendar system, as reported on the prior year Institutional Characteristics (IC) component.
The following method is used to convert the credit and/or contact hours reported to an indicator of full-time
equivalent students:
Contact Hour Reporters: Contact hours are divided by 900
Quarter Calendar System: Undergraduate credit hours are divided by 45 and graduate credit hours are
divided by 36
Semester/Trimester/4-1-4 Plan/Other Calendar System: Undergraduate credit hours are divided by 30
and graduate credit hours are divided by 24.
Doctor's-professional practice (DPP) FTE student enrollment is reported by the institution, based on the
institution's definition of a full-time equivalent DPP student. This amount is then added to the undergraduate
and graduate FTE amounts to create a total FTE student enrollment count.
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4)
The calculated FTE is not a reasonable estimate for my institution. What should I do?
First, double check the instructional activity data reported on the Part B screen. If your instructional activity
data is accurate and the FTE calculation is not providing a reasonable FTE estimate for your institution, there is
the option to report a more accurate FTE in Part B. This option should be used ONLY if the system calculation is
not a reasonable estimate for your institution and would be misleading for comparison purposes among all
IPEDS reporting institutions.
If a more accurate FTE is provided and an edit is received on that data entry, make sure to detail the
methodology used to arrive at the reported FTE and explain why this is a better measure for the institution.
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