Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2017-18 through 2019-20

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2017-18 through 2019-20

IPEDS 2017 SFA Student Financial Aid 8-18-2017

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2017-18 through 2019-20

OMB: 1850-0582

Document [pdf]
Download: pdf | pdf
Student Financial Aid
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2017-18

The changes from the memo are listed on the next page. They have not
yet been incorporated into the survey package below.

Revision to the Voluntary Burden Time Question
For all institutions
Existing question:

Replace Existing question with the following:
Question 1: How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and
reporting process of this survey component?
_______ Number of Staff (including yourself)

Question 2: How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the
steps below when responding to this survey component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes

Staff member
Your office
Other offices

Collecting Data
Needed
______ hours
______ hours

Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
______ hours
______ hours

Entering Data
______ hours
______ hours

Revising and
Locking Data
______ hours
______ hours

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 8/4/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > Form

Student Financial Aid for public institutions reporting on a fall cohort (academic reporters)

Overview
IPEDS Student Financial Aid Component Overview
Public Academic Reporters
Welcome to the Student Financial Aid (SFA) component. The purpose of the SFA component is to collect information about financial aid provided to various groups of
undergraduate students and military/veteran educational benefits for all students at your institution.
Changes to This Year’s SFA Component
There were no changes implemented for the 2017-18 data collection period.

Data Reporting Reminders
Undergraduate Student Groups
You will be asked to report information for different groups of students.
Group 1: All undergraduate students
Group 2: Of Group 1, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Group 3: Of Group 2, students who paid the in-state/in-district tuition rate and were awarded any grant/scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution
Group 4: Of Group 2, students who paid the in-state/in-district tuition rate and were awarded any Title IV federal student aid

COA Revisions
Revisions to Cost of Attendance used to calculate the net price of attendance can be made in this component.
Consult the instructions and screens to make sure you are reporting the correct aid amounts for the correct groups of students.

College Affordability and Transparency Lists
Net price amounts calculated in SFA will be used to populate the Department’s College Affordability and Transparency lists.
Interactive Edits and Error Messages
SFA contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some error messages will require you to confirm or
explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568 for resolution.
Context Boxes
You will find optional text boxes throughout SFA. Context boxes allow you to provide more information about the data you enter. Some of these context boxes may be made
available to the public on College Navigator, so make sure that the information you enter can be understood easily by students, parents, and the general public.
Resources
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials

Section 1: Part A
Part A - Establish Your Groups
Part A establishes the number of students in various groups. Note that the numbers on this screen will be carried forward to other parts of the Student Financial Aid
component.
In the fields below, report the number of students in each of the following groups.
Fall
2016

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
Fall 2015

Group 1
01
All undergraduate students
02

Group 2
Of those in Group 1, those who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
02a

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Federal Work Study, loans to students, or grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, the institution, or other sources known to the institution

02b

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any loans to students or grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution

Group 3
03 Of those in Group 2, those paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the federal government,
state/local government, or the institution
04

Group 4
Of those in Group 2, those paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid

Section 1: Part B
Part B - Enter Information About Group 1
Part B includes information about Group 1. Group 1 students are ALL undergraduate students (including first-time students) enrolled in Fall 2016.
For this part, report:
For These Students

All undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2016

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Awarded in This Period

Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the
institution
Grant or scholarship aid from
other sources known to the
institution
Loans to students from the
federal government

Any time during academic year
2016-17

In the fields below, report the number of Group 1 students and the total amount of aid awarded to these students for each type of aid.
Information from Part A:

Fall 2016

Group 1
All undergraduate students
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 01.)

2016-17
Aid Type

Number of Group 1
students who were
awarded aid

Percentage of Group 1 Total amount of aid
Average amount of
students who were
awarded to Group 1 aid awarded to Group
awarded aid
students
1 students

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
01 government, the institution, and other sources known to the institution (Do
NOT include federal student loans)
 02 Pell grants
03 Federal student loans

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part C, Page 1
Part C, Page 1 - Enter Information about Group 2
Part C includes information about Group 2. Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2016.

In the fields below, report the number of Group 2 students paying in-district, in-state, and out-of-state tuition rates. If your institution does not offer different rates, report
all students as paying in-state tuition rates.
Information from Part A:

Fall 2016

Group 2
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 02)
YOUR PRIOR YEAR DATA
Fall 2016

Group 2 students:
Number of Group 2
students
01 01a paying in-district tuition rates
01b paying in-state tuition rates
01c paying out-of-state tuition rates
Unknown (calculated value)
01d This value is calculated using the following formula: [A02(C01a+C01b+C01c)]

Percentage of Group 2
students

Fall 2015
Percentage of Group 2
students

Section 1: Part C, Page 2
Part C, Page 2 - Enter Information about Group 2
Part C includes financial aid information about Group 2. Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2016.
For this part, report:
For These Students

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2016

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local
government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Loans to students from the federal
government and from other sources, including
private or other loans
Do not include grant or scholarship aid from
private or other sources
Do not include PLUS loans or loans made to
anyone other than the student

Awarded in This Period

Any time during academic year
2016-17
For program reporters, this is the
aid year period from July 1, 2016
through June 30, 2017.

In the fields below, report the number of Group 2 students and the total amount of aid awarded to these students for each type of aid. Enter unduplicated student counts
within a category (e.g., Pell grants). However, a student can appear in more than one aid category.
Information from Part A:

Fall 2016

Group 2
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 02)
Group 2a
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Federal Work Study, loans to students, or
grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, the institution, or
other sources known to the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 02a)
Group 2b
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any loans to students or grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 02b)
Group 3
Of those in Group 2, those who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 03)
YOUR PRIOR YEAR
DATA
Fall 2016

Aid Type
Number of Group 2
students who were
awarded aid

Percentage of Group 2
students who were
awarded aid

Total amount of aid
awarded to Group 2
students

Fall 2015
Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 2
students

Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 2
students

Grants or scholarships from the federal
01 government, state/local government, or the
institution
02 Federal grants
02a Pell grants
02b Other federal grants
State/local government grants or
03 scholarships
(grants/scholarships/waivers)
04

Institutional grants or scholarships
(scholarships/fellowships)

05 Loans to students
05a Federal loans
05b

Other loans (including private
loans)

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Comparison Chart
Comparison Chart
Based on the information reported on the previous screens for Group 1 (all undergraduates) and Group 2 (full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates), this
comparison chart seeks to help institutions check their reported data. Assuming that the information on Groups 1 and 2 are correct, then the calculated fields for ‘All Other
Undergraduates’ should be the balance (Group 1 minus Group 2). If the balance does not check with your institution’s calculations, please correct your reported numbers for
Groups 1 and 2 before moving forward with the completion of the SFA survey component.
Note: Data for the 'All Other Undergraduates' will appear in the IPEDS Data Center for data users, but not in College Navigator.
Number of students
01

Group 1 (all undergraduates)

02

Number of students who were awarded aid

03

Percentage who were awarded aid

04

Total amount of aid awarded

05

Average amount of aid awarded

06

Group 2 (Full-time first-time undergraduates)

07

Number of students who were awarded aid

08

Percentage who were awarded aid

09

Total amount of aid awarded

10
11

Average amount of aid awarded
All other undergraduates
(Line 01 - Line 06)

12

Number of students who were awarded aid
(Line 02 - Line 07)

13

Percentage who were awarded aid
(Line 12 / Line 11)

14

Total amount of aid awarded
(Line 04 - Line 09)

15

Average amount of aid awarded
(Line 14 / Line 12)

Pell grants

Federal Student Loans

Section 1: Cost of Attendance
Cost of attendance for full-time, first-time students:
Please enter the amounts requested below. These data will be made available to the public on College Navigator. If your institution participates in any Title IV programs (Pell,
Stafford, etc.), you must complete all information. Estimates of expenses for books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses are those from the Cost of Attendance
report used by the financial aid office in determining financial need. Please talk to your financial aid office to get these numbers, to ensure that you are reporting correctly.
These numbers are carried forward from Institutional Characteristics and should only be changed if an error was made in the reporting.
Charges for full academic year
Published tuition and required fees:
In-district
Tuition
Required fees
Tuition + fees total
In-state
Tuition
Required fees
Tuition + fees total
Out-of-state
Tuition
Required fees
Tuition + fees total

Books and supplies
On-campus:
Room and board
Other expenses
Room and board and other expenses
Off-campus (not with family):
Room and board
Other expenses
Room and board and other expenses
Off-campus (with family):
Other expenses

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Section 1: Part D
Part D - Enter Information about Group 3
Part D includes financial aid information about Group 3. Group 3 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2016
paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution. The information you report in this part will be used in Part F to calculate average institutional net price.
For this part report:
For These Students

Awarded in This
Period

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled
in Fall 2016 paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal government,
state/local government, or the institution
Do not include students who were awarded only grant or scholarship aid from
private or other sources, or students who were awarded only non-grant aid

Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the
institution
Do not include grant or scholarship aid
from private or other sources

Any time
during
academic
year
2016-17

In the fields below, report the number of Group 3 students with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to these students.

Information from Part A:

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA
20142015

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA
20152016

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

201415

2015-16

20162017

Group 3
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who were awarded grant or
scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 03)

01

Report the number of Group 3 students with the following living arrangements:

01a

On-campus

01b

Off-campus (with family)

01c

Off-campus (not with family)

01d

Unknown (calculated)
This value is calculated using the following
formula: [A03-(D01a+D01b+D01c)]

02

Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution awarded to Group 3 students

03

Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to
Group 3 students (calculated value).
This value is calculated using the following formula: [D02/A03]

201617

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part E
Part E – Enter Information about Group 4
Part E includes financial aid information about Group 4. Group 4 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2016
paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid, including federal grants or federal student loans. The information you report in
this part will be used in Part G to calculate average institutional net price by income level.
For this part, report:
For These Students

The Following Type(s) of Aid
Grant or scholarship aid from:
federal government
state/local government
institution
Do not include:
grant or scholarship aid from private or
other sources
loan amounts
Federal Work Study amounts

Full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in
Fall 2016 paying the in-state or indistrict tuition rate who were
awarded any Title IV federal
student aid

Awarded in This Period

Any time during academic year 2016-17

In the fields below, report the number of Group 4 students with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to these students by income level.
Information from Part A:

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Of those in Column 1, the number
who were awarded any grant or
scholarship aid from the following
sources: the federal government,
state/local government, or the
institution

Of those in Column 1, the total
amount of grant or scholarship
aid awarded from the following
sources: the federal government,
state/local government, or the
institution

Average amount of
federal, state/local,
and institutional grant
or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4
students

Group 4
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who were awarded any Title
IV federal student aid
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 04)

01

Report the number of Group 4 students with the
following living arrangements:
01a

On-campus

01b

Off-campus (with
family)

01c

Off-campus (not with
family)

01d

Unknown (calculated)
This value is calculated
using the formula:
[A04(E01a+E01b+E01c)]
Number of
students
who were
awarded
any Title IV
aid (Group
4)

2014-15
Col. 1
02

Col. 2

Col. 3

Col. 4

Col. 3

Col. 4

Income level
02a

$030,000

02b

$30,00148,000

02c

$48,00175,000

02d

$75,001110,000

02e

$110,001
and
more

02f

Total all
income
levels
2015-16
Col. 1

03

Income level
03a

$030,000

03b

$30,00148,000

03c

$48,00175,000

03d

$75,001110,000

Col. 2

03e

$110,001
and
more

03f

Total all
income
levels
2016-17
Col. 1

04

Col. 2

Col. 3

Col. 4

Income level
04a

$030,000

04b

$30,00148,000

04c

$48,00175,000

04d

$75,001110,000

04e

$110,001
and
more

04f

Total all
income
levels

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part F
Part F – Net Price Calculation for Group 3
The following net price calculation is based on information that your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component and the Student Financial Aid
component. For more information about the data your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component, please contact your institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.
YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

2014-15

2015-16

201617

Components of cost of attendance
01 Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-district or in-state)
02 Books and supplies
03 Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
03a

On-campus

03b

Off-campus (with family)

03c

Off-campus (not with family)

04 Number of Group 3 students by living arrangement
04a

On-campus

04b

Off-campus (with family)

04c

Off-campus (not with family)

04d

Unknown

Weighted average for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement (excluding unknown values)
05
See instructions for the formula for this calculation
06

Total cost of attendance
This value is calculated using the following formula: [F01+F02+F05]

07

Average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students from the following sources: the federal government,
state/local government, and the institution

08

Average institutional net price for Group 3 students
This value is calculated using the following formula: [F06-F07]

As required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, these amounts will be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website and used in the
U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Lists.

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part G
Part G – Net Price Calculation for Group 4
The following net price calculation is based on information that your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component and the Student Financial Aid
component. For more information about the data your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component, please contact your institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.
YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

2014-15

2015-16

201617

Components of cost of attendance
01 Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-district or in-state)
02 Books and supplies
03 Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
03a

On-campus

03b

Off-campus (with family)

03c

Off-campus (not with family)

04 Number of Group 4 students by living arrangement
04a

On-campus

04b

Off-campus (with family)

04c

Off-campus (not with family)

04d

Unknown

Weighted average for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement (excluding unknown values)
05
See instructions for the formula for this calculation
06

Total cost of attendance by income level
This value is calculated using the following formula: [G01+G02+G05]

07

Average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students from the following sources: the federal government,
state/local government, and the institution
07a

$0-30,000

07b

$30,001-48,000

07c

$48,001-75,000

07d

$75,001-110,000

07e

$110,001 and more

Average institutional net price for Group 4 students
08
This value is calculated using the following formula: [G06-G07]
08a

$0-30,000

08b

$30,001-48,000

08c

$48,001-75,000

08d

$75,001-110,000

08e

$110,001 and more

As required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, these amounts will be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website.

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 2: Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits
Section 2: Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits
IMPORTANT NOTE: Report for Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits: July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 and Report for Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program: October 1, 2016 September 30, 2017

Report the total number of student recipients and the total dollar amounts for each program.
Student recipients can also include eligible dependents.
Consult with your campus certifying official, who may not be in the student financial aid office.
For Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits, do not include the matching institutional aid provided through the Yellow Ribbon Program if your school
participated.
Information reported to IPEDS is only what is known to the institution.
Enter zero (0) if your institution did not have beneficiaries for that student level or program. Please do not leave a cell blank.
YOUR PRIOR YEAR DATA
Type of benefit/assistance

Number of students
receiving benefits/assistance

Total dollar amount of
benefits/assistance awarded
through the institution

Average dollar amount of
benefits/assistance awarded
through the institution

Average dollar amount of
benefits/assistance awarded
through the institution

Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
Undergraduate students
Graduate students
Total

Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program
Undergraduate students
Graduate students
Total

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2017-18 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/4/2017

Student Financial Aid, Public Academic Reporters

Table of Contents
SFA Component has expanded from gathering data on only undergraduate survey component to all students (undergraduates and graduate
students) because of the new question on military servicemembers and veterans' educational benefits. The survey instructions that follow are
split into two sections. Section 1 discusses the portion of the SFA component that asks questions about your undergraduate students only.
Section 2 explains the portion of the SFA component that ask questions about your military and veteran students. As you complete both
sections of SFA, please refer where to get help and note where the data will appear.

Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Section 1. SFA - Undergraduate Students
Purpose of Component
Who Must Report
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
What You Will Need
About the Data
Context Boxes
Interactive Edits

Coverage
Reporting Period
Student Cohort
What to Include
What NOT to Include

Detailed Instructions
Part
Part
Part
Part
Part
Part
Part

A - Establish Your Groups
B - Financial Aid About Group 1
C - Enter Financial Aid About Group 2
D - Enter Financial Aid About Group 3
E - Enter Financial Aid About Group 4
F - Net Price Calculation for Group 3
G - Net Price Calculation for Group 4

Section 2. Military Servicemembers and Veteran Students with Benefits
Purpose
Who Must Report
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
What You Will Need
About the Data
Context Boxes
Interactive Edits

Coverage
Reporting Period

Detailed Instructions

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

Section 1. SFA - Undergraduate Students
Purpose of Component
The purpose of the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA) component is to collect information about financial aid provided to various groups of
undergraduate students in order to meet requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended. Item areas include:
Financial aid about all undergraduate students
Financial aid about all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Financial aid and living arrangement information about all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded
grant aid. For public institutions, this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program reporters, this
includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Financial aid and living arrangement information about all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded
any Title IV federal student aid by income. For public institutions, this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition
rate. For program reporters, this includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Net Price Calculation for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded grant aid. For public institutions,
this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program reporters, this includes only students enrolled
in the institution's largest program.
Net Price Calculation for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid by
income. For public institutions, this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program reporters, this
includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest program.

Who Must Report
Institutions that had undergraduate students enrolled during the prior academic year must report.

Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2017-18 data collection period.

General Instructions
What You Will Need
The institution’s financial aid system should be the beginning basis for reporting to this IPEDS component.
Data providers for this component should be familiar with college and university practices associated with student financial aid. In general,
there are two types of financial aid data that will be requested in this component. These types are:
Numbers of students that meet certain conditions
Total aid dollars awarded to these students

To complete this component, data providers will need the following:
1. Financial aid information about the following student groups:
Group 1. All undergraduate students
Group 2. Of the students in Group 1, those who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Group 3. Of the students in Group 2, those who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were awarded grant or scholarship aid
from the following sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
Group 4. Of the students in Group 2, those who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were awarded Title IV federal student
aid

2. Living arrangement information for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who paid the in-state or indistrict tuition rate and were awarded grant or scholarship aid during the reporting period
3. Living arrangement information for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who paid the in-state or indistrict tuition rate and were awarded Title IV federal student aid during the reporting period
4. Income levels for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate
and were awarded Title IV federal student aid during the reporting period

About the Data
Five different types of data appear in this component. There are data:
That institutions provide from their own financial aid records
That are prior year data, shown in red, which can be used as a comparison with the current year's data being reported
That are carried forward from the IPEDS Fall Enrollment (EF) component and the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) component
that your institution completed in the most recent collections of those components.
That are carried forward from one part of the Student Financial Aid component to another part to ensure that the data are internally
consistent
That are calculated from the other data elements
In the latter two cases, the data provider should check that the data that are carried forward and calculated are consistent with the data
in the institution's underlying financial aid records. If the data carried forward or calculated are not consistent with the institution's
records, then an error in data entry may have occurred.

Context Boxes
Optional context boxes throughout the component allow institutions to provide more information regarding reported data. Note that the
information in these context boxes may be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website. NCES will review
entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on College Navigator. However, institutions
should ensure that entries in these context boxes are free from grammatical and spelling errors and are written to be understood by
students and parents.

Interactive Edits
This component contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some
error messages will require you to confirm or explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to
contact the IPEDS Help Desk (1-877-225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org ) for resolution.

Coverage
Reporting Period
The data reported for this component should be for the prior academic year.

Student Cohort
The student cohort covered by this component includes undergraduate students enrolled for the prior year as of October 15 or as of the
institution’s official fall reporting date.

What to Include
The following types of financial aid should be reported in this component:
Federal grants (grants/educational assistance funds): Grants provided by federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of
Education, including Title IV federal student aid grants such as Pell grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
(FSEOG), Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (National SMART) Grants,
and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants. Also include need-based and merit-based
educational assistance funds and training vouchers provided from other federal agencies and/or federally-sponsored educational
benefits programs.
Do not include veterans education benefits, as defined in section 480(c) of the HEA, as they are no longer treated as Estimated
Financial Assistance for Federal Student Aid purposes. For more information, visit
http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/081309GuidFedVeteransEdBenefits.html.
Federal loans to students: Monies from the federal government that must be repaid for which the student is the designated
borrower. This type of aid includes all Title IV federal student loan aid such as Federal Perkins Loans, Subsidized Direct or FFEL
Stafford Loans, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loans. Do not include PLUS loans and other federal loans not made directly
to the student.
State/local government grants (grants/scholarships/waivers): Grants that were awarded by your state such as Leveraging
Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIGs) and Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships. Include merit-based grants or
scholarships that were provided by your state or local government. Also include tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was
reimbursed by a state or local government agency.
Institutional grants or scholarships (scholarships/waivers): Grants, scholarships, and fellowships granted and funded by the
institution and/or individual departments within the institution and are limited to students attending your institution. Also include
scholarships targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of residence, major, or participation in athletic activities) for which
the institution designates the recipient. Also include institutional tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was not reimbursed
by a state or local government agency. This is not intended to include Federal Work Study.
Private grants or scholarships: Grants or scholarships to students that are awarded and paid by an outside organization but are
directed through the institution's financial aid office (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Private loans to students: Monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student is the designated borrower.
Include all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Do not include loans that are not made directly to the student.
NOTE: In this component, "aid awarded" refers to grant or scholarship aid that was awarded to students or to loans awarded to
students. For reporting grant or scholarship aid, institutions should report on aid that was awarded to students. This amount may be
different from the amount that was actually disbursed to students. For example, a student may be awarded grant or scholarship aid at the
beginning of the academic year but then leave the institution before the entire amount is disbursed. In this case, institutions should report
the original amount of grant or scholarship aid that was awarded. For reporting loans to students, institutions should continue to report
on loans that were awarded to and accepted by the student.
Note also that different types of financial aid should be reported for different groups of students. Please review the instructions and the
screens carefully to ensure that you are reporting the correct types of financial aid in the appropriate parts.
Institutions need to report aid in this component such that the net price calculations shown on College Navigator and used for the College
Affordability and Transparency lists are a reflection of what students actually pay.

In cases where a student is awarded aid for multiple academic years within one aid year period, institutions should report only aid
awarded for the student’s first academic year.
For total aid amounts, report to the nearest whole dollar and omit cents. For student counts, an unduplicated count should be given within
a given aid category (e.g., Pell grants). However, a student can appear in more than one aid category.

What NOT to Include
Do not report student counts or aid amounts for the following:
Students who were only graduate students at the institution during the reporting period
Students who were enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a certificate/degree
Students who were enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Students who were exclusively auditing classes
Do not report Federal Work Study amounts into any total aid amounts.
Do not report loans that are made to someone other than the student.
Do not report military/veterans aid in Section 1. Such aid is ONLY reported in Section 2.

Detailed Instructions
This section provides line-by-line instructions for each part of the Student Financial Aid component.

Part A - Establish Your Groups
Part A establishes the number of students in various groups. Note that the data you report on this screen will be carried forward to other
parts of the Student Financial Aid component.
Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of students in each of the following groups:
Item

Description

01.

Group 1
All undergraduate students
Report the number of all undergraduate students who were enrolled for the prior year as of October
15 or your institution’s official fall reporting date. Include all new and continuing undergraduate
students (full-time students, part-time students, degree/certificate-seeking students, nondegree/certificate-seeking students, and all others). This number will be preloaded from your
institution's IPEDS Fall Enrollment component, but it may be modified if necessary. If you have
questions about the value that has been preloaded in this field, please contact your institution’s
IPEDS Keyholder.

02.

Group 2
Of those in Group 1, those who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
Report the number of students who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates. This number will be preloaded from your institution's IPEDS Fall Enrollment
component, but it may be modified if necessary. If you have questions about the value that has been
preloaded in this field, please contact your institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.
02a.

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Federal Work Study; loans to
students; or grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, the institution, or other sources known to the institution
Report the number of students who were awarded any of the following:
Federal Work Study;
Government and/or private loans to students;
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution; or
Grant or scholarship aid from other sources known to the institution, such as aid
from private sources (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Note that the students reported in Line 02a are not defined as a particular group because
no additional financial aid information will be collected about these students.

02b.

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any loans to students or grant or
scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
Report the number of students who were awarded any of the following:
Government and/or private loans to students; or
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution.
Note that the students reported in Line 02b are not defined as a particular group because
no additional financial aid information will be collected about these students.

03.

Group 3
Of those in Group 2, those were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the
federal government, state/local government, or the institution
For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition
rate. Report students who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the
federal government, state/local government, or the institution. Do not include students who were
awarded aid only from other sources.

04.

Group 4
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid
For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition
rate. Report students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid (i.e., report students who
were awarded federal grant aid or who were awarded federal work study or federal student loans).
Title IV federal student aid includes:
Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Academic

Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant
(National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) Grant
Federal Work Study
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL
Stafford Loan

Part B - Financial Aid About Group 1
This part is intended to collect information about the number of Group 1 students and the total amounts of aid they were awarded by
different aid types. Group 1 students are all undergraduate students enrolled in the prior fall.
For this part, report:
For These Students
· All undergraduate students
enrolled in the prior fall

The Following Type(s) of Aid
· Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government
· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
· Grant or scholarship from the
institution
· Grant or scholarship aid from
other sources known to the
institution
· Loans to students from the
federal government

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:
Group 1
All undergraduate students
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
01)

Prior Fall
Carried forward from Part A

Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 1 students and the total amount of aid awarded to these students for each type of aid.
Item
01.

Description
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, the institution,
and other sources known to the institution
Column 1. Report the number of students in Group 1 who were awarded grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local government, the institution, and other sources known to
the institution.
Column 2. The percentage of students in Group 1 who were awarded grant or scholarship aid is
calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government,
state/local government, the institution, and other sources known to the institution awarded to
Group 1 students.

02.

Column 4. The average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 1 students is
calculated for you.
Pell grants
Column 1. Report the number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants. Do not include
any other type of federal grant aid (e.g., Academic Competitiveness Grants).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants is calculated for
you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of Pell grants awarded to Group 1 students. Do not
include any other type of federal grant aid (e.g., Academic Competitiveness Grants).
Column 4. The average amount of Pell grants awarded to Group 1 students is calculated for you.

03.

Federal student loans
Column 1. Report the number of Group 1 students who were awarded federal loans to students.
Do not include any other type of federal loans (e.g., PLUS loans, which are made to the parent of a
student).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 1 students who were awarded federal student loans is
calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of federal student loans awarded to Group 1 students.
Do not include any other type of federal loans (e.g., PLUS loans, which are made to the parent of a
student).
Column 4. The average amount of federal student loans awarded to students in Group 1 is
calculated for you.

Part C, Page 1 - Enter Financial Aid about Group 2
This part is intended to collect information about the number of Group 2 students who may be paying different tuition rates. Group 2
students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in the prior Fall.
Data carried forward from Part A include the following:

Information from Part A:
Group 2
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
02)

Prior Fall

Carried forward from Part A

Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 2 students paying in-district, in-state, and out-of-state tuition rates.
Item
01.

01a.

01b.

01c.

01d.

Description
Group 2 students paying in-district tuition rates
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students paying the in-district tuition rate.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students paying the in-district tuition rate is
calculated for you.
Group 2 students paying in-state tuition rates
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students paying the in-state tuition rate.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students paying the in-state tuition rate is
calculated for you.
Group 2 students paying out-of-state tuition rates
Column 1. Report the number of students in Group 2 paying the out-of-state tuition rate.
Column 2. The percentage of students in Group 2 paying the out-of-state tuition rate is
calculated for you.
Unknown (calculated value)
Column 1. The number of students in Group 2 whose tuition rate is unknown is
generated for you. This value is calculated using the following formula: [A02 – (C01a +
C01b + C01c)].
Column 2. The percentage of students in Group 2 whose tuition rate is unknown is
calculated for you.

Part C, Page 2 - Enter Financial Aid about Group 2
This part is intended to collect information about the number of Group 2 students and the total amounts of aid they were awarded by
different aid types. For academic reporters, Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
enrolled in the prior Fall. For program reporters, Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students enrolled any time during the prior academic year.
For this part, report:

·

For These Students
Full-time, first-time,
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students
enrolled in the prior Fall
(academic reporters) or any
time during the prior
academic year (program
reporters)

The Following Type(s) of Aid
· Grant or scholarship aid from
the federal government
· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
· Grant or scholarship from the
institution
· Loans to students from the
federal government and from
other sources, including
private loans
· Do not include grant or
scholarship aid from private
or other sources
· Do not include PLUS loans or
loans made to anyone other
than the student

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year
· For program reporters, this is
the aid year period from July
1 through June 30.

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:
Group 2a
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded
any Federal Work Study, loans to students, or
grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, the
institution, or other sources known to the
institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
02a)
Group 2b
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded
any loans to students or grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
02b)
Group 03
Of those in Group 2, those (enrolled in the
largest program for program reporters) who paid
the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were
awarded grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the
institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
03)

Prior Academic Year

Carried forward from Part A

Carried forward from Part A

Carried forward from Part A

Note: aid categories in this section are further disaggregated into subcategories. Because students may be awarded more than one type
of aid, the sum of the values you enter in the subcategories will not necessarily equal the value you enter in the aid category. However,
the total number of students reported for the aid category cannot exceed the sum of subcategories. (For example, the number of students
who were awarded federal grants cannot exceed the sum of the number of students who were awarded Pell grants and the number who
were awarded other federal grants). In addition, the total number of students reported for an aid category must be at least as large as
the largest of those reported in a subcategory.

Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 2 students and the total amount of aid they were awarded for each type of aid.
Item
01.

Description
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, and the institution
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants or
scholarships from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution. If a student
appears in more than one type of aid category in Lines 02 through 04, that student should only be
counted once for Line 01. Do not include students who were awarded only grants or scholarships from
private sources (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants or
scholarships from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 3. The total dollar amount for Line 01 will be calculated for you. This value is calculated using
the following formula: [(Line 02, Column 3) + (Line 03, Column 3) + (Line 04, Column 3)].
Column 4. The average amount of grants or scholarships from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 2 students will be calculated for you.

02.

Federal grants
This aid category is disaggregated into the following two subcategories: Pell grants and other federal
grants.

Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants from the
federal government. This includes Pell grants and other federal grants. If a student appears in more
than one type of aid category in Lines 02a or 02b, that student should only be counted once for Line
02. Note that this number should be at least as large as the largest number reported in Line 02a,
Column 1 or Line 02b, Column 1. In addition, this number cannot exceed the sum of [(Line 02a,
Column 1) + (Line 02b, Column 1)].
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants from the
federal government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. The total dollar amount for Line 02 will be calculated for you. This value is calculated using
the following formula: [(Line 02a, Column 3) + (Line 02b, Column 3)].
Column 4. The average amount of grants from the federal government awarded to Group 2 students
will be calculated for you.
02a.

Pell grants
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded a Pell grant.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded a Pell grant will be
calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all Pell grants awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of Pell grants awarded to Group 2 students will be
calculated for you.

02b.

Other federal grants
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded other federal grants.
Other federal grants include Title IV grant aid other than a Pell grant.
Column 2. The percentage of students Group 2 students who were awarded other federal
grants will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all other federal grants awarded to Group 2
students.
Column 4. The average amount of other federal grants awarded to Group 2 students will be
calculated for you.

03.

State/local government grants or scholarships (grants/scholarships/waivers)
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from a
state/local government. This includes grants, scholarships, or waivers funded by a state or local
government. Do not include any other types of grants.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded grants or scholarships from a
state/local government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all grants or scholarships from a state/local government
awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of grants or scholarships from a state/local government awarded to
Group 2 students will be calculated for you.

04.

Institutional grants or scholarships (scholarships/fellowships)
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from
the institution. This includes grants, scholarships, or fellowships funded by the institution. Do not
include any other types of grants.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded grants or scholarships from the
institution will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all grants or scholarships from the institution awarded to
Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of grants or scholarships from the awarded to Group 2 students will
be calculated for you.

05.

Loans to students
This aid category is disaggregated into the following two subcategories: federal loans and other loans.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to students.
This includes loans from the federal government and from other sources (including private lenders). If
a student appears in more than one type of loan category in Lines 05a or 05b, that student should
only be counted once for Line 05. Note that this number should be at least as large as the largest
number reported in Line 05a, Column 1 or Line 05b, Column 1. In addition, this number cannot
exceed the sum of [(Line 05a, Column 1) + (Line 05b, Column 1)].
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to students will
be calculated for you.
Column 3. The total dollar amount for Line 05 will be calculated for you. This value is calculated using
the following formula: [(Line 05a, Column 3) + (Line 05b, Column 3)].
Column 4. The average amount of loans to students awarded to Group 2 students will be calculated
for you.
05a.

Federal loans
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to
students from the federal government. Do not include loans to others (e.g., PLUS loans to
parents) and do not include any other type of grant or loan aid.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to
students from the federal government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all loans to students from the federal
government awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of loans to students from the federal government awarded
to Group 2 students will be calculated for you.

05b.

Other loans
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to
students from sources other than the federal government. This includes private loans to
students. Do not include loans to others (e.g., loans to parents).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to
students from sources other than the federal government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all loans to students from sources other than
the federal government awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of loans to students from sources other than the federal
government awarded to Group 2 students will be calculated for you.

Cost of Attendance Revision
If you made errors in the prior year reporting of cost of attendance, you can make changes in the SFA component, there are no prior year
revisions. Please refer to the instructions on reporting cost of attendance in the IC component.

Part D - Enter Financial Aid about Group 3
This part is intended to collect information used to estimate the average net price for Group 3 students in Part F.
Group 3 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in the prior fall who paid the instate or in-district tuition rate and were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: federal government, state/local
government, or the institution. Students who were awarded only grant or scholarship aid from private or other sources, or students who
were awarded only non-grant aid should not be included in this group.
For this part, report:
For These Students
· Full-time, first-time,
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students
enrolled in the prior fall who
paid the in-state or in-district
tuition rate and were
awarded grant or scholarship
aid from the following
sources: the federal
government, state/local
government, or the
institution
· Do not include students who
were awarded only grant or
scholarship aid from private
or other sources, or students
who were awarded only nongrant aid.

Information from Part A:

Group 3

The Following Type(s) of Aid
· Grant or scholarship aid from
the federal government
· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
· Grant or scholarship from the
institution
· Do not include grant or
scholarship aid from private
or other sources.

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2014-15

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2015-16

2016-17

Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students who paid the in-state or
in-district tuition rate and were awarded grant or
scholarship aid from the federal government,
state/local government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
03)

Pre-loaded

Pre-loaded

Carried forward
from Part A

In this part, you will be asked to report living arrangement information for Group 3 students. The living arrangement categories used in
this component are the same categories used to describe living arrangements for Federal Student Aid purposes. Students indicate their
intended living arrangement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Institutions should use the most recently available information regarding student living arrangement. For example, a student may have
indicated on her or his FAFSA or an institutional financial aid application that she or he planned to live at home with family. But when the
student enrolled, she or he decided to live on campus. Although the student may not have modified the FAFSA to reflect the updated living
arrangement, the institution may have more recent information in its financial aid system indicating that the student lived on campus
according to the most recent aid package for that student during the financial aid year. In this case, the institution should classify this
student as an on-campus student.
A student should be counted in only one category—the one that the institution used most recently to develop or modify that student’s
financial aid package. If a student in this group did not complete the FAFSA, that student may appear as having an unknown living
arrangement in Line 01d. However, if the institution knows the living arrangement for the student, then the student should be reported in
the appropriate category.
Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 3 students with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant or
scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to these students.
Item
01.

02.

03.

Description
Report the number of Group 3 students with the following living arrangements.
01a.
On-campus. Report the number of Group 3 students who lived on-campus.
01b.
Off-campus (with family). Report the number of Group 3 students who lived off-campus
with their parents or guardians.
01c.
Off-campus (not with family). Report the number of Group 3 students who lived off-campus
not with their parents or guardians.
01d.
Unknown (calculated). This value is calculated using the following formula: [A03 – (D01a +
D01b + D01c)], where A03 is the number of Group 3 students that you entered in Part A,
Line 03. Note that this number should be a small percentage of the total number of students
in a given year because institutions should have this information available for all students
that completed the FAFSA as well as other information they have in their financial aid data
systems.
Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students
Report the total dollar amount of grants and scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students. Exclude grant or scholarship aid from
private sources (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship) and exclude all loan aid.
Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution awarded to Group 3 students
The average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution awarded to Group 3 students will be calculated for you. This value is calculated using the
following formula: [D02/A03]. This amount will be used in Part F to calculate net price.

Part E - Enter Financial Aid about Group 4
This part is intended to collect information used to estimate the average net price for Group 4 students in Part G.
Group 4 students are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates enrolled in the prior fall who paid the in-state or indistrict tuition rate and were awarded any Title IV federal student aid (i.e., students who were awarded federal grant aid or who were
awarded federal work study or federal student loans).
Title IV federal student aid includes the following:
Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National
Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher
Education (TEACH) Grant
Federal Work Study
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan
For this part, report:
For These Students
· Full-time, first-time,
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students
enrolled in the prior fall who
paid the in-state or in-district
tuition rate and were awarded
any Title IV federal student aid

The Following Type(s) of Aid
· Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government
· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
· Grant or scholarship from the
institution
· Do not include grant or
scholarship aid from private or
other sources.
· Do not include loan amounts.
· Do not include Federal Work
Study amounts.

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:

Group 4
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students who paid the instate or in-district tuition rate and were
awarded any Title IV federal student aid
(This number is carried forward from Part A,
Line 04)

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2014-15

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2015-16

Pre-loaded

Pre-loaded

2016-17

Carried
forward from
Part A

Notes: In this part, you will be asked to report living arrangement information for Group 4 students. The living arrangement categories
used in this component are the same categories used to describe living arrangements for Federal Student Aid purposes. Students indicate
their intended living arrangement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Institutions should use the most recently available information regarding student living arrangement. For example, a student may have
indicated on her or his FAFSA or an institutional financial aid application that she or he planned to live at home with family. But when the
student enrolled she or he decided to live on campus. Although the student may not have modified the FAFSA to reflect the updated living
arrangement, the institution may have more recent information in its financial aid system indicating that the student lived on campus
according to the most recent aid package for that student during the financial aid year. In this case, the institution should classify this
student as an on-campus student.
A student should be counted in only one category—the one that the institution used most recently to develop or modify that student’s
financial aid package. If a student in this group did not complete the FAFSA, that student may appear as having an unknown living
arrangement in Line 01d. However, if the institution knows the living arrangement for the student, then the student should be reported in
the appropriate category.
In this part, you will also be asked to report the number of students in Group 4 and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid they were
awarded by income level. To determine the income level of the student, use the income that was used by the institution’s financial aid
office to determine the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC). For dependent students this will include the parents’ adjusted gross
income and the student’s adjusted gross income. For independent students this will include the student’s adjusted gross income.
Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 4 students with each type of living arrangement.
Item
01.

Description
Report the number of Group 4 students with the following living arrangements.
01a.
On-campus. Report the number of Group 4 students who lived on-campus.
01b.
Off-campus (with family). Report the number of Group 4 students who lived off-campus
with their parents or guardians.
01c.
Off-campus (not with family). Report the number of Group 4 students who lived off-campus
not with their parents or guardians.
01d.
Unknown (calculated). This value is calculated using the following formula: [A04 – (E01a +
E01b + E01c)], where A04 is the number of Group 4 students that you entered in Part A, Line
04. Note that this number should be a small percentage of the total number of students in a
given year because institutions should have this information available for all students that
completed the FAFSA as well as other information they have in their financial aid data
systems.

In the fields provided, report the number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1); the number of Group 4
students who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution (column
2); and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to
these students by income level (column 3).
Item
02.

02a.

$0–30,000

02b.

$30,001–
48,000

02c.

$48,001–
75,000

02d.

$75,001–
110,000

02e.

$110,001 and
more

02f.

Total all income

Description
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. The total number of Group 4 students who were awarded any

levels

Title IV aid will be calculated for you.
Column 2. The total number of Group 4 students who were awarded any
grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution will be calculated for you.
Column 3. The total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to
Group 4 students from the federal government, state/local government,
or the institution will be calculated for you.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution will be calculated for you.

Part F - Net Price Calculation for Group 3
This part is intended to summarize the information used to estimate the average net price for Group 3 students.
Group 3 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in the prior fall who were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the institution. For public
institutions, Group 3 includes only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate.
As required by the HEOA, the average net price for Group 3 students will be posted on College Navigator. In addition, the average net
price calculated for this group will be used in the U.S. Department of Education's College Affordability and Transparency lists.
The components used to estimate the average net price include the average total cost of attendance and the average grant or
scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students. The total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and required fees (Line 01),
books and supplies (Line 02) and the weighted average by living arrangement for room and board and other expenses (Line 05).
Information about cost of attendance is carried forward from data that your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics
component of IPEDS. If you did not enter this information and have questions about the values entered here, contact your institution’s
IPEDS Keyholder.
The source or calculation for each line is described here.
Item

Description

01.

Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public institutions)
The published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public institutions) are
carried forward from data that your institution reported on the IPEDS Institutional
Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

02.

Books and supplies
The cost for books and supplies are carried forward from data that your institution reported
on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of
Attendance.

03.

Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
The cost for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement are carried forward from
data that your institution reported on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics component, Part D Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

04.

Number of Group 3 students by living arrangement
These numbers are carried forward from Part D, Lines 01a through 01d.

05.

Weighted average by living arrangement (excluding unknown values) for room and board
and other expenses
This value is generated by determining the average room and board and other expenses (Lines
03a through 03c) weighted by student living arrangement (excluding students in the unknown
category). This value is calculated using the following formula:
Line 05 = [(Line 03a*(Line 04a/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))] + [Line 03b*(Line 04b/(Line
04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))] + [Line 03c*(Line 04c/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))]

06.

Total cost of attendance
This value is calculated using the following formula: Line 01 + Line 02 + Line 05.

07.

Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or
the institution awarded to Group 3 students
This value is carried forward from Part D, Line 04.

08.

Average institutional net price for Group 3 students
The average institutional net price for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in the prior fall who were awarded grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution is calculated for you. This
value is calculated using the following formula: Line 06 – Line 07. The average net price for
Group 3 students will be posted on College Navigator and used in the U.S. Department of
Education's College Affordability and Transparency lists.

Part G - Net Price Calculation for Group 4
This part is intended to summarize the information used to estimate the average net price for Group 4 students.
Group 4 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in the prior fall who were awarded
Title IV federal student aid. For public institutions, Group 4 includes only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate.
As required by the HEOA, the average net price for Group 4 students will be posted on College Navigator.

The components used to estimate the average net price include the average total cost of attendance and the average grant or
scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students. The total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and required fees (Line 01),
books and supplies (Line 02) and the weighted average by living arrangement for room and board and other expenses (Line 05).
Information about cost of attendance is carried forward from data that your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics
component of IPEDS. If you did not enter this information and have questions about the values entered here, contact your institution’s
IPEDS Keyholder.
The source or calculation for each line is described here.
Item

Description

01.

Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public institutions)
The published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public institutions) are
carried forward from data that your institution reported on the IPEDS Institutional
Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

02.

Books and supplies
The cost for books and supplies are carried forward from data that your institution reported
on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of
Attendance.

03.

Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
The cost for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement are carried forward from
data that your institution reported on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics component, Part D Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

04.

Number of Group 4 students by living arrangement
These numbers are carried forward from Part E, Lines 01a through 01d.

05.

Weighted average by living arrangement (excluding unknown values) for room and board
and other expenses
This value is generated by determining the average room and board and other expenses (Lines
03a through 03c) weighted by student living arrangement (excluding students in the unknown
category). This value is calculated using the following formula: Line 05 = [Line 03a*(Line
04a/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))]+[Line 03b*(Line 04b/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))]+[Line
03c*(Line 04c/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))]

06.

Total cost of attendance
This value is calculated using the following formula: Line 01 + Line 02 + Line 05.

07.

Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or
the institution awarded to Group 4 students
These values are carried forward from Part E, Line 04, Column 4 for each income level.

08.

Average institutional net price for Group 4 students
The average institutional net price for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in the prior fall who were awarded Title IV federal student aid
is calculated for you. These values are calculated for each income level using the following
formula: Line 06 – Line 07. The average net price for Group 4 students by income level will be
posted on College Navigator.

Section 2. Military Servicemembers and Veteran Students with Benefits
Purpose of Component
The purpose of the Student Financial Aid (SFA) is collect information about the financial aid provided to various groups of undergraduates in
order to meet requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. Starting in 2014-15 data collection year, SFA has expanded to
collect information on the federal dollars supporting military servicemember and veteran undergraduate and graduate students.
As presented in the Technical Review Panel Report #36 (March 2012), the increase in beneficiaries and federal dollars has led for an increase
demand for information to help prospective students look where to use their educational benefits, researchers study the impact of the
programs on college outcomes, and policymakers assess the effectiveness of benefits programs and return on investment.

Who Must Report
All registered IPEDS institutions that educate military servicemembers, veterans, or eligible dependents receiving any Tuition Assistance
Program or Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Report only those that RECEIVED the benefit(s).

Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2017-18 data collection period.

General Instructions
What You Will Need
If unfamiliar with these educational benefits, below is a general synopsis of each programs:

1. Post-9/11 GI Bill
Effective August 1, 2009, benefit provides payment of tuition and fees, monthly housing allowance, and books and supplies stipend.
Tuition and fees are paid directly to the institution on behalf the students; thus, institutions should know which students have Post9/11 GI Bill benefits and the amount of benefits received at the institution.
Educational benefits can be transferred to a dependent.
Program expanded in 2011 to cover non-degree-granting programs, apprenticeships/on-the-job training programs, flight training
programs, and training correspondence.
The Yellow Ribbon program through the Post-9/11 GI Bill is an institutional aid matching program only for tuition and fees for students
attending participating institutions.
For more information, visit the Department of Veteran Affairs, Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits website
http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp
2. Department of Defense Tuition Assistance
For active duty servicemembers, reservists called to active duty, and their spouses.
Educational payments cover only tuition and fees and are made directly to the institution.
GI Bill benefits can be used to supplement costs not covered by this program.
For more information, visit the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program website http://www.dodmou.com/
Consult and verify the data with your institutional representative who certifies these benefits. This individual or office may not be in the
student financial aid office.

About the Data
The Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance programs may only highlight two of many educational benefits provided to military
servicemembers and veterans. However, from a national perspective, Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance programs are more likely to
be found across over 7,500 IPEDS institutions.
For Yellow Ribbon participating institutions, the institutional aid provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon matching program
should NOT be included in the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution.

Context Boxes
Optional context boxes throughout the component allow institutions to provide more information regarding reported data. Note that the
information in these context boxes may be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website. NCES will review
entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on College Navigator. However, institutions
should ensure that entries in these context boxes are free from grammatical and spelling errors and are written to be understood by
students and parents.

Interactive Edits
This component contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some
error messages will require you to confirm or explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to
contact the IPEDS Help Desk (1-877-225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org) for resolution.

Coverage
Reporting Period
The data reported for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic year, from July 1 to June 30. For example, for
the 2017-18 data collection year, the data reported will be July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017.
The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program questions should be for the prior academic year,
from October 1 to September 30. For example, for the 2017-18 data collection year, the data reported will be October 1, 2016-September
30, 2017.

Detailed Instruction
This section provides line-by-line instructions for the Military Servicemember and Veteran Benefits Question.
For the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit, please provide in the first column the number of students receiving the benefit during the July 1-June 30
reporting period (see coverage above). In the second column, provide the total dollar amount for each benefit during the same reporting
period.
For the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program benefit, please provide in the first column the number of students receiving the
benefit during the October 1-September 30 reporting period (see coverage above). In the second column, provide the total dollar amount for
each benefit during the same reporting period.
If your institution did not have any student beneficiaries for one of the benefit programs, enter a zero (0) in the cell. In other words, do NOT
leave the cell blank for a program that did not have any beneficiaries.
For Yellow Ribbon participating institutions, the institutional aid provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon matching program should
NOT be included in the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution.

Glossary

date: 8/4/2017

Term

Definition

Federal grants
(grants/educational assistance
funds)

Grants provided by federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Education, including Title IV Pell Grants and Supplemental
Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG). Also includes need-based and merit-based educational assistance funds and training vouchers
provided from other federal agencies and/or federally-sponsored educational benefits programs. (Used for reporting on the Student
Financial Aid component)

Financial aid

Federal Work Study, grants, loans to students (government and/or private), assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, tuition waivers,
tuition discounts, employer aid (tuition reimbursement) and other monies (other than from relatives/friends) provided to students to
meet expenses. This excludes loans to parents.

First-time student
(undergraduate)

A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending any institution for the first time at the
undergraduate level. This includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs. It also includes students enrolled in the
fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term, and students who entered with advanced standing (college
credits or postsecondary formal award earned before graduation from high school).

Full-time student

Undergraduate: A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, or 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more contact hours a week
each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for 9 or more semester credits, or 9 or more quarter credits, or a student involved in thesis or
dissertation preparation that is considered full-time by the institution. Doctor's degree - Professional practice - as defined by the
institution.

Institutional grants

Scholarships and fellowships granted and funded by the institution and/or individual departments within the institution, (i.e.,
instruction, research, public service) that may contribute indirectly to the enhancement of these programs . Includes scholarships
targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of residence, major field of study, athletic team participation) for which the
institution designates the recipient.

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).

Loans to students

Any monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student is the designated borrower. Includes all Title IV
subsidized and unsubsidized loans and all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Does not include PLUS and other loans made
directly to parents.

Military Tuition Assistance
Program (TAP)

A program that funds up to 100% of an eligible servicemember's college tuition and course-specific fees. Available only to eligible
servicemembers who are currently in active service as long as criteria limits are not exceeded and students are enrolled off-duty in an
U.S. Department of Education accredited post-secondary institution. This military benefit is paid directly to the postsecondary institution
by the individual's Armed service.

Net price

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 defines institutional net price as "the average yearly price actually charged to first-time,
full-time undergraduate students receiving student aid at an institution of higher education after deducting such aid." In IPEDS,
average institutional net price is generated by subtracting the average amount of federal, state/local government, or institutional grant
and scholarship aid from the total cost of attendance. Total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and required fees (lower
of in-district or in-state for public institutions), books and supplies, and the weighted average for room and board and other expenses.
Cost of attendance data are collected in the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component of IPEDS, and financial aid data are collected
in the Student Financial Aid (SFA) component of IPEDS.

Off-campus (not with family)

A living arrangement in which a student does not live with the student's parents or legal guardians in any housing facility that is not
owned or controlled by the educational institution.

Off-campus (with family)

A living arrangement in which a student lives with the student's parents or legal guardians in any housing facility that is not owned or
controlled by the educational institution.

On-campus housing

Any residence hall or housing facility owned or controlled by an institution within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area and
used by the institution in direct support of or in a manner related to, the institution's educational purposes.

Post 9/11 GI Bill

A federal education benefit program for veterans, who served on active duty after September 10, 2001. This Department of Veteran
Affairs benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits at an approved institution for the following college costs: tuition and
fees, books and supplies and housing. The tuition and fees payment, which is the cost for an in-state student attending a public
institution, is made directly to the postsecondary institution whereas payments for books and supplies and housing are sent directly to
the student.

Scholarships

Grants-in-aid, trainee stipends, tuition and required fee waivers, prizes or other monetary awards given to undergraduate students.

State and local grants

Grant monies provided by the state such as Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIG's); merit
scholarships provided by the state; and tuition and f e e waivers for which the institution was reimbursed by a state agency. Local
government grants include scholarships or gift-aid awarded directly to the student. (Used for reporting Finance data for private forprofit institutions )

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).

Transfer of Entitlement Option

A program through which any unused Post 9/11 GI Bill may be transferred to a spouse or dependent(s) as long as servicemembers or
veterans meet the additional Department of Veterans Affairs’ criteria. Only Department of Defense (DoD) can approve transfer of
benefits requests.

Yellow Ribbon Program

A voluntary program through which participating public and private institutions can provide veterans and eligible beneficiaries additional
institutional aid to cover the costs of tuition and fees at their institutions. The Yellow Ribbon Program is a supplementary program to
the Post 9/11 GI Bill coverage of in-state tuition and fees. The Department of Veterans Affairs matches the institutional aid provided
beyond the in-state tuition and fees, but to certain limit each year.

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 8/4/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > FAQ

Student Financial Aid
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)

Which institutions are required to complete the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA)
component?

2)

What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?

3)

What changes occurred for SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?

4)

Can I revise my institutions cost of attendance (COA) data in SFA?

Student Counts
1)

For which students should I report financial aid
information?

2)

What students are included in Group 1?

3)

What students are included in Group 2?

4)

What students are included in Group 2a?

5)

What students are included in Group 2b?

6)

What students are included in Group 3?

7)

What students are included in Group 4?

Financial Aid
1)

Should veterans education benefits be reported?

2)

How should I report post-9/11 "Yellow Ribbon" benefits?

3)

The SFA survey indicates that the maximum amount of DOD TAP awarded per fiscal year per student is $4500.
What do I do if my DOD TAP average is greater than $4500 per student?

4)

What types of financial aid should be reported?

5)

What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?

6)

Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?

7)

Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?

8)

Should PLUS loans be reported?

9)

What does "aid awarded" mean?

10)

If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?

11)

Where can I get living arrangement information for students?

12)

How do I get information about students' income categories?

Answers:
General
1)

Which institutions are required to complete the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA) component?
All postsecondary institutions that either 1.) participate in federal student financial aid programs that enrolled
undergraduate students or 2.) enroll students who received an educational benefit (e.g., Department of Defense
Tuition Assistance or Department of Veteran Affairs Post-9/11GI Bill) any time during academic year 2016-17
must complete SFA.
Back to top

2)

What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?
For the 2017-18 data collection, institutions should report data for academic year 2016-17.
For Title IV participating institutions that enroll undergraduate students:

For academic reporters, the academic year is defined as the period of time generally
extending from September to June; usually equated to 2 semesters or trimesters, 3 quarters,
or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar system.
To determine the financial aid amounts to report for a given group of students, first identify the
students in that group (e.g., for Group 2, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled in Fall 2016). Second, determine the financial aid that was awarded
to these students any time during the 2016-17 academic year.
For program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as the
institutionally-defined academic year falls within the full aid year period of July 1-June 30.
To determine the financial aid amounts to report for a given group of students, first identify the
students in that group (e.g., for Group 2, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled any time during the academic year). Second, determine the financial
aid that was awarded to these students any time during the academic year.
For institutions that enroll undergraduate and graduate students who received military or veteran benefits:

The data reported for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic
year, from July 1 to June 30.
The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program questions
should be for the prior academic year, from October 1 to September 30.
Back to top
3)

What changes occurred for SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?
For the 2017-18 collection year, there were no changes.
Back to top

4)

Can I revise my institutions cost of attendance (COA) data in SFA?

Yes, the 3 most recent COA years can be changed in SFA's "Cost Revision" screen, which carried forward
the COA data from Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. Changes should only be made if errors were
made in the IC reporting. Changes cannot be made in the prior year revision system.
Back to top
Student Counts
1)

For which students should I report financial aid information?
SFA collects information on undergraduate students only.
Academic reporters should report on students who were enrolled as of October 15, or the institution’s official
Fall reporting date.
Program reporters should report on students who were enrolled any time during the academic year. For
program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as it falls between July 1 and June
30.
For the purposes of reporting to SFA, students are divided into the following groups:

Group 1: All undergraduate students
Group 2: Of Group 1, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Group 3: Of Group 2, students who were awarded any grant/scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution. For public institutions, include only
those paying in-state/in-district tuition rates. For program reporters, include only those
enrolled in the institution’s largest program.
Group 4: Of Group 2, students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid. For public
institutions, include only those paying in-state/in-district tuition rates. For program reporters,
include only those enrolled in the institution’s largest program.
Back to top
2)

What students are included in Group 1?
Group 1 includes all undergraduate students. You should report the total number of all new and continuing fulltime students, part-time students, degree/certificate-seeking students, and non-degree/certificate-seeking
students.
Back to top

3)

What students are included in Group 2?
Group 2 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates.
For academic reporters, include students attending your institution for the first time at the undergraduate
level. Also include students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer
term, and students who entered with advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high
school). This number should match the data that you reported on the Fall Enrollment component of IPEDS.
For program reporters, include students attending your institution for the first time at the undergraduate
level anytime during the academic year, as defined at your institution. Also include students who entered with
advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school). This number should closely
match the data you reported on the 12-month Enrollment component of IPEDS.
Back to top

4)

What students are included in Group 2a?
In Group 2a, you should report the number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who were awarded any of the following:

Federal Work Study
Federal or private loans to students
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Grant or scholarship aid from other sources known to the institution
Back to top
5)

What students are included in Group 2b?
In Group 2b, you should report the number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who were awarded any of the following:

Federal or private loans to students
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Group 2b is Group 2a minus those students who were awarded only Federal Work Study or grant or scholarship
aid from other sources known to the institution.
Back to top
6)

What students are included in Group 3?
Group 3 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates who were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the following sources:

Federal government
State/local government
Institution
For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program
reporters, include only those students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Do not include students who were awarded only grant or scholarship aid from private or other sources, or
students who were awarded only non-grant aid, such as loans.
Back to top
7)

What students are included in Group 4?
Group 4 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates who were awarded
any Title IV aid.
Title IV aid includes the following:

Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Academic
Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant
(National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) Grant
Federal Work Study
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL
Stafford Loan

For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program
reporters, include only those students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Back to top
Financial Aid
1)

Should veterans education benefits be reported?
For the portion of SFA (Parts A through E) that requires Title IV institutions to report on undergraduate students
receiving financial aid:

Veterans education benefits should not be reported as financial aid in SFA.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) removed veterans education benefits
from “estimated financial assistance,” effective July 1, 2010. A later technical corrections bill
(H.R. 1777) updated the list of programs that meet the definition of "veterans' education
benefits" in section 480(c) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) and moved the effective date of
the exclusion to July 1, 2009 (beginning with the 2009-10 award year).
However, the institutional aid from Yellow Ribbon program should be reported under
institutional aid. See how to report the Yellow Ribbon aid in FAQ.
For more information about the Department's Guidance on Federal Veterans’ Education
Benefits for Purposes of the Title IV Student Assistance Programs, please visit
http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/081309GuidFedVeteransEdBenefits.html.
For the portion of SFA (Section 2) that requires institutions to report on students who received military or
veteran benefits:

Educational benefits from the Department of Defense's Military Tuition Assistance or
Department of Veteran Affairs' Post-9/11 GI Bill should be reported in SFA.
Back to top
2)

How should I report post-9/11 "Yellow Ribbon" benefits?
The Post-9/11 GI Bill program includes a 'Yellow Ribbon' program, which is comprised of matching funds
provided by the government and the institution. The institutional part of this aid should be reported in the SFA
component (Section 1) as aid to the undergraduate student. Yellow Ribbon benefits provided from the VA should
NOT be included when reporting to the portion of SFA (Section 1) on Title IV institutions that enroll full-time,
first-time degree/certificate seeking undergraduate students.
However, both Post-9/11 GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon beneficiaries and federal dollar amounts should be
reported to the military/veteran question of SFA (Section 2). This portion of SFA requires all institutions that
enroll students with Post-9/11 GI Bill and/or Tuition Assistance educational benefits to provide the number of
beneficiaries and total dollar amounts.
Back to top

3)

The SFA survey indicates that the maximum amount of DOD TAP awarded per fiscal year per
student is $4500. What do I do if my DOD TAP average is greater than $4500 per student?
According to the 2014 final regulations set for the DOD Voluntary Education Programs - which include TAP each branch of military service can pay no more than $250/semester-unit (or equivalent) for tuition. Each
service member is eligible for up to $4500 in aggregate for each fiscal year. If your institution’s DOD TAP
average is greater than $4500 per student per award year, then you should:
--Ask your financial aid office or VA certifying official to sort out the military aid and remove any non-DOD TAP
aid (e.g., ROTC scholarships, tuition reimbursements for advanced civil schooling, education-related incentive
or bonus);
--Remove any non-Title 10 aid since TAP is a Title 10 program; and
--Make sure that you are including one disbursement period for that award year. Even though DOD TAP aid are
reported for the Oct 1 – Sep 30 timeframe, which technically covers two fall periods; only include one fall
disbursement period per award year.
Back to top

4)

What types of financial aid should be reported?
The following types of financial aid should be reported in this component:

Federal grants (grants/educational assistance funds): Grants provided by federal agencies
such as the U.S. Department of Education, including Title IV federal student aid grants such as
Pell grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs), Academic
Competitiveness Grants (ACGs), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent
(National SMART) Grants, and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) Grants. Also include need-based and merit-based educational assistance funds and
training vouchers provided from other federal agencies and/or federally-sponsored educational
benefits programs.
State/local government grants (grants/scholarships/waivers): Grants that were provided
by your state such as Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIGs)
and Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships. Also include merit scholarships that were provided by
your state and tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was reimbursed by a state
agency. Local grants include any local government grants, scholarships or gift-aid awarded
directly to the student.
Institutional grants: Scholarships and fellowships granted and funded by the institution
and/or individual departments within the institution (and are limited to students attending your
institution). Also include scholarships targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of
residence or major) for which the institution designates the recipient; athletic scholarships;
and the like. This is not intended to include Federal Work Study.
Private grants or scholarships: These may include scholarships or grants to students that are
paid by an outside organization but are directed through the institution's financial aid office
(e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Loans to students: Monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student
is the designated borrower. Include all Title IV federal student loan aid such as Federal Perkins
Loans, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loans, and Unsubsidized Director or FFEL Stafford
Loans. Also include all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Please do not include
PLUS and other loans made directly to parents.
Note that different parts of the SFA component ask for different types of financial aid to be reported. Please
review the instructions and the survey screens carefully to ensure that you are reporting the correct types of
financial aid in the appropriate parts.
Back to top
5)

What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?
Institutions should report aid that was awarded any time during the academic year.
For academic reporters, the academic year is the period of time generally extending from September to June,
usually equated to two semesters or trimesters, three quarters, or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar

system.
For program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as it falls between July 1 and
June 30.
Note that for the purposes of calculating net price, the cost of attendance (COA) for an academic year reported
in the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component should align with the aid amounts reported in the Student
Financial Aid (SFA) component.
Back to top
6)

Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?
Yes, tuition and fee waivers should be reported.
Tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was reimbursed by a state agency should be reported under
state/local government grants.
Tuition and fee waivers granted by your institution (for which your institution is not reimbursed from another
source) should be reported as institutional grants.
Back to top

7)

Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?
In general, institutions should report financial aid from tribal offices awarded to full-time, first-time students in
the state/local government field (Line 03) in Part C.
Back to top

8)

Should PLUS loans be reported?
No. PLUS loans are made to the parents of students. Any type of loan that is not made to the student should not
be reported.
Back to top

9)

What does "aid awarded" mean?
Institutions should report on grant or scholarship aid that has been awarded to students. This may be different
from aid that was actually disbursed to students. For example, a student may be awarded grant or scholarship
aid at the beginning of the academic year but then leave the institution before the entire amount is disbursed.
In this case, you would report the original amount of grant or scholarship aid that was awarded, even though
the entire amount was not actually disbursed to the student.
For reporting loans to students, institutions should continue to report on loans that were awarded to and
accepted by the student.
Back to top

10)

If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?
Yes, students should be included in each category of aid that they are awarded. If a student is awarded both
federal and institutional aid, he/she should be counted under both types of aid.
However, in Part C, count students only once in the major aid category. For example, if a student is awarded
both a Pell Grant (Line 02a) and another type of federal grant (Line 02b), then count that student once for the
major category of Federal grants (Line 02).
Back to top

11)

Where can I get living arrangement information for students?
Students indicate their intended living arrangement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or
an institutional financial aid application. If a student did not complete the FAFSA or an institutional financial aid
application with living arrangement information, that student may appear as having an unknown living
arrangement.
Institutions should use the most recently available information regarding student living arrangement.
Back to top

12)

How do I get information about students' income categories?
To assign the income category of the student, use the income that was used by your financial aid office to
determine the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC). For dependent students this will include the
parents’ adjusted gross income and the student’s adjusted gross income. For independent students this will
include the student’s adjusted gross income.
If your institution takes part in campus-based aid programs like SEOG, FWS, and Perkins Loans, then it might
be easiest to tell your financial aid office that students should be put in income categories as they are done on
FISAP. Institutions with campus-based based aid programs must report annually to the Department of Education
using the FISAP (Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate). Part of the FISAP includes incomerelated information. Even if your institution does not file FISAP, the instructions from it may be helpful (fields
26-39):

Use the FISAP Total Income (FTI), one of the intermediate computed values on the Student Aid Record (SAR) or
ISIR (Institutional Student Information Record), to determine the proper cell for each student. For dependent
students, FTI is the sum of Total Income (TI) and Student’s Total Income (STI). For independent students, the
FTI will equal the TI. Remember, extract this information only from the SARs/ISIRs of students who
actually enrolled in your school.
You might need to correct or adjust a student’s income information and recalculate the EFC. If so, you must use
that corrected or adjusted information when determining the proper income cell for a student. In such a case,
to determine the income cell for a dependent student, you must use the student’s and parents’ base year
incomes, as reported on the SAR/ISIR.

Back to top

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 8/4/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > Form

Student Financial Aid for private institutions reporting on a fall cohort (academic reporters)

Overview
IPEDS Student Financial Aid Component Overview
Private Academic Reporters
Welcome to the Student Financial Aid (SFA) component. The purpose of the SFA component is to collect information about financial aid provided to various groups of
undergraduate students and military/veteran educational benefits for all students at your institution.
Changes to This Year’s SFA Component
There were no changes implemented for the 2017-18 data collection period.

Data Reporting Reminders
Undergraduate Student Groups
You will be asked to report information for different groups of students.
Group 1: All undergraduate students
Group 2: Of Group 1, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Group 3: Of Group 2, students who were awarded any grant/scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution
Group 4: Of Group 2, students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid

COA Revisions
Revisions to Cost of Attendance used to calculate the net price of attendance can be made in this component.
Consult the instructions and screens to make sure you are reporting the correct aid amounts for the correct groups of students.

College Affordability and Transparency Center's lists
Net price amounts calculated in SFA will be used to populate the Department’s College Affordability and Transparency lists.
Interactive Edits and Error Messages
SFA contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some error messages will require you to confirm or
explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568 for resolution.
Context Boxes
You will find optional text boxes throughout SFA. Context boxes allow you to provide more information about the data you enter. Some of these context boxes may be made
available to the public on College Navigator, so make sure that the entered information can be understood easily by students, parents, and the general public.
Resources
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials

Section 1: Part A
Part A - Establish Your Groups
Part A establishes the number of students in various groups. Note that the numbers on this screen will be carried forward to other parts of the Student Financial Aid
component.
In the fields below, report the number of students in each of the following groups.
Fall
2016

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
Fall 2015

Group 1
01
All undergraduate students
02

Group 2
Of those in Group 1, those who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
02a

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Federal Work Study, loans to students, or grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, the institution, or other sources known to the institution

02b

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any loans to students or grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution

03

Group 3
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution

04

Group 4
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid

Section 1: Part B
Part B - Enter Information About Group 1
Part B includes information about Group 1. Group 1 students are ALL undergraduate students (including first-time students) enrolled in Fall 2016.
For this part, report:
For These Students

All undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2016

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Awarded in This Period

Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the
institution
Grant or scholarship aid from
other sources known to the
institution
Loans to students from the
federal government

Any time during academic year
2016-17

In the fields below, report the number of Group 1 students and the total amount of aid awarded to these students for each type of aid.
Information from Part A:

Fall 2016

Group 1
All undergraduate students
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 01.)

2016-17
Aid Type

Number of Group 1
students who were
awarded aid

Percentage of Group 1 Total amount of aid
Average amount of
students who were
awarded to Group 1 aid awarded to Group
awarded aid
students
1 students

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
01 government, the institution, and other sources known to the institution (Do
NOT include federal student loans)
 02 Pell grants
03 Federal student loans

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part C, Page 2
Part C - Enter Information about Group 2
Part C includes financial aid information about Group 2. Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2016.
For this part, report:
For These Students

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2016

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local
government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Loans to students from the federal
government and from other sources, including
private or other loans
Do not include grant or scholarship aid from
private or other sources
Do not include PLUS loans or loans made to
anyone other than the student

Awarded in This Period

Any time during academic year
2016-17
For program reporters, this is the
aid year period from July 1, 2016
through June 30, 2017.

In the fields below, report the number of Group 2 students and the total amount of aid awarded to these students for each type of aid. Enter unduplicated student counts
within a category (e.g., Pell grants). However, a student can appear in more than one aid category.
Information from Part A:

Fall 2016

Group 2
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 02)
Group 2a
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Federal Work Study, loans to students, or
grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, the institution, or
other sources known to the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 02a)
Group 2b
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any loans to students or grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 02b)
Group 3
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 03)
YOUR PRIOR YEAR
DATA
Fall 2016

Aid Type
Number of Group 2
students who were
awarded aid

Percentage of Group 2
students who were
awarded aid

Total amount of aid
awarded to Group 2
students

Fall 2015
Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 2
students

Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 2
students

Grants or scholarships from the federal
01 government, state/local government, or the
institution
02 Federal grants
02a Pell grants
02b Other federal grants
State/local government grants or
03 scholarships
(grants/scholarships/waivers)
04

Institutional grants or scholarships
(scholarships/fellowships)

05 Loans to students
05a Federal loans
05b

Other loans (including private
loans)

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Comparison Chart
Comparison Chart
Based on the information reported on the previous screens for Group 1 (all undergraduates) and Group 2 (full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates), this
comparison chart seeks to help institutions check their reported data. Assuming that the information on Groups 1 and 2 are correct, then the calculated fields for ‘All Other
Undergraduates’ should be the balance (Group 1 minus Group 2). If the balance does not check with your institution’s calculations, please correct your reported numbers for
Groups 1 and 2 before moving forward with the completion of the SFA survey component.
Note: Data for the 'All Other Undergraduates' will appear in the IPEDS Data Center for data users, but not in College Navigator.
Number of students
01

Group 1 (all undergraduates)

02

Number of students who were awarded aid

03

Percentage who were awarded aid

04

Total amount of aid awarded

05

Average amount of aid awarded

06

Group 2 (Full-time first-time undergraduates)

07

Number of students who were awarded aid

08

Percentage who were awarded aid

09

Total amount of aid awarded

10
11

Average amount of aid awarded
All other undergraduates
(Line 01 - Line 06)

12

Number of students who were awarded aid
(Line 02 - Line 07)

13

Percentage who were awarded aid
(Line 12 / Line 11)

14

Total amount of aid awarded
(Line 04 - Line 09)

15

Average amount of aid awarded
(Line 14 / Line 12)

Pell grants

Federal Student Loans

Section 1: Cost of Attendance
Cost of attendance for full-time, first-time students:
Please enter the amounts requested below. These data will be made available to the public on College Navigator. If your institution participates in any Title IV programs (Pell,
Stafford, etc.), you must complete all information. Estimates of expenses for books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses are those from the Cost of Attendance
report used by the financial aid office in determining financial need. Please talk to your financial aid office to get these numbers, to ensure that you are reporting correctly.
These numbers are carried forward from Institutional Characteristics and should only be changed if an error was made in the reporting.
Charges for full academic year
Published tuition and required fees:
In-district
Tuition
Required fees
Tuition + fees total
In-state
Tuition
Required fees
Tuition + fees total
Out-of-state
Tuition
Required fees
Tuition + fees total

Books and supplies
On-campus:
Room and board
Other expenses
Room and board and other expenses
Off-campus (not with family):
Room and board
Other expenses
Room and board and other expenses
Off-campus (with family):
Other expenses

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Section 1: Part D
Part D - Enter Information about Group 3
Part D includes financial aid information about Group 3. Group 3 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2016
who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the institution. The information you report in this part
will be used in Part F to calculate average institutional net price.
For this part, report:
For These Students

Awarded in This
Period

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
enrolled in Fall 2016 who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from
the following sources: the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution
Do not include students who were awarded only grant or scholarship
aid from private or other sources, or students who were awarded only
non-grant aid

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local
government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Do not include grant or scholarship aid from
private or other sources

Any time
during
academic
year
2016-17

In the fields below, report the number of Group 3 students with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to these students.

Information from Part A:

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA
20142015

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA
20152016

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

201415

2015-16

20162017

Group 3
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the
federal government, state/local government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 03)

01

Report the number of Group 3 students with the following living arrangements:

01a

On-campus

01b

Off-campus (with family)

01c

Off-campus (not with family)

01d

Unknown (calculated)
This value is calculated using the following formula:
[A03-(D01a+D01b+D01c)]

02

Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students from the following sources: the
federal government, state/local government, or the institution

03

Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to Group
3 students (calculated value).
This value is calculated using the following formula: [D02/A03]

201617

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part E
Part E – Enter Information about Group 4
Part E includes financial aid information about Group 4. Group 4 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2016
who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid, including federal grants or federal student loans. The information you report in this part will be used in Part G to calculate
average institutional net price by income level.
For this part, report:
For These Students

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Awarded in This Period

Grant or scholarship aid from:
federal government
state/local government
institution
Do not include:
grant or scholarship aid from private or
other sources
loan amounts
Federal Work Study amounts

Full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students
enrolled in Fall 2016 who
were awarded any Title IV
federal student aid

Any time during academic year 2016-17

In the fields below, report the number of Group 4 students with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to these students by income level.
Information from Part A:

2014-15

2015-16

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Group 4
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 04)

01

Report the number of Group 4 students with
the following living arrangements:
01a

On-campus

01b

Off-campus (with family)

01c

Off-campus (not with
family)

01d

Unknown (calculated)
This value is calculated
using the formula: [A04(E01a+E01b+E01c)]
Number of Of those in Column 1, the number who
Of those in Column 1, the total
students
were awarded any grant or
amount of grant or scholarship aid
who were
scholarship aid from the following
awarded from the following sources:
awarded any
sources: the federal government,
the federal government, state/local
Title IV aid
state/local government, or the
government, or the institution
(Group 4)
institution

2016-17

Average amount of
federal, state/local, and
institutional grant or
scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4
students

2014-15
Col. 1
02

Col. 2

Col. 3

Col. 4

Col. 3

Col. 4

Income level
02a

$030,000

02b

$30,00148,000

02c

$48,00175,000

02d

$75,001110,000

02e

$110,001
and
more

02f

Total all
income
levels
2015-16
Col. 1

03

Income level
03a

$030,000

03b

$30,00148,000

03c

$48,00175,000

03d

$75,001110,000

03e

$110,001
and
more

Col. 2

03f

Total all
income
levels
2016-17
Col. 1

04

Col. 2

Col. 3

Col. 4

Income level
04a

$030,000

04b

$30,00148,000

04c

$48,00175,000

04d

$75,001110,000

04e

$110,001
and
more

04f

Total all
income
levels

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part F
Part F – Net Price Calculation for Group 3
The following net price calculation is based on information that your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component and the Student Financial Aid
component. For more information about the data your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component, please contact your institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.
YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

2014-15

2015-16

201617

Components of cost of attendance
01 Published tuition and required fees
02 Books and supplies
03 Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
03a

On-campus

03b

Off-campus (with family)

03c

Off-campus (not with family)

04 Number of Group 3 students by living arrangement
04a

On-campus

04b

Off-campus (with family)

04c

Off-campus (not with family)

04d

Unknown

Weighted average for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement (excluding unknown values)
05
See instructions for the formula for this calculation
06

Total cost of attendance
This value is calculated using the following formula: [F01+F02+F05]

07

Average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students from the following sources: the federal government,
state/local government, and the institution

08

Average institutional net price for Group 3 students
This value is calculated using the following formula: [F06-F07]

As required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, these amounts will be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website and used in the
U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Lists.

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part G
Part G – Net Price Calculation for Group 4
The following net price calculation is based on information that your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component and the Student Financial Aid
component. For more information about the data your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component, please contact your institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.
YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

2014-15

2015-16

201617

Components of cost of attendance
01 Published tuition and required fees
02 Books and supplies
03 Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
03a

On-campus

03b

Off-campus (with family)

03c

Off-campus (not with family)

04 Number of Group 4 students by living arrangement
04a

On-campus

04b

Off-campus (with family)

04c

Off-campus (not with family)

04d

Unknown

Weighted average for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement (excluding unknown values)
05
See instructions for the formula for this calculation
06

Total cost of attendance by income level
This value is calculated using the following formula: [G01+G02+G05]

07

Average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students from the following sources: the federal government,
state/local government, and the institution
07a

$0-30,000

07b

$30,001-48,000

07c

$48,001-75,000

07d

$75,001-110,000

07e

$110,001 and more

Average institutional net price for Group 4 students
08
This value is calculated using the following formula: [G06-G07]
08a

$0-30,000

08b

$30,001-48,000

08c

$48,001-75,000

08d

$75,001-110,000

08e

$110,001 and more

As required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, these amounts will be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website.

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 2: Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits
Section 2: Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits
IMPORTANT NOTE: Report for Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits: July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 and Report for Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program: October 1, 2016 September 30, 2017

Report the total number of student recipients and the total dollar amounts for each program.
Student recipients can also include eligible dependents.
Consult with your campus certifying official, who may not be in the student financial aid office.
For Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits, do not include the matching institutional aid provided through the Yellow Ribbon Program if your school
participated.
Information reported to IPEDS is only what is known to the institution.
Enter zero (0) if your institution did not have beneficiaries for that student level or program. Please do not leave a cell blank.
YOUR PRIOR YEAR DATA
Type of benefit/assistance

Number of students
receiving benefits/assistance

Total dollar amount of
benefits/assistance awarded
through the institution

Average dollar amount of
benefits/assistance awarded
through the institution

Average dollar amount of
benefits/assistance awarded
through the institution

Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
Undergraduate students
Graduate students
Total

Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program
Undergraduate students
Graduate students
Total

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2017-18 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/4/2017

Student Financial Aid, Private Academic Reporters

Table of Contents
SFA Component has expanded from gathering data on only undergraduate survey component to all students (undergraduates and graduate
students) because of the new question on military servicemembers and veterans' educational benefits. The survey instructions that follow are
split into two sections. Section 1 discusses the portion of the SFA component that asks questions about your undergraduate students only.
Section 2 explains the portion of the SFA component that ask questions about your military and veteran students. As you complete both
sections of SFA, please refer where to get help and note where the data will appear.

Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Section 1. SFA - Undergraduate Students
Purpose of Component
Who Must Report
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
What You Will Need
About the Data
Context Boxes
Interactive Edits

Coverage
Reporting Period
Student Cohort
What to Include
What NOT to Include

Detailed Instructions
Part
Part
Part
Part
Part
Part
Part

A - Establish Your Groups
B - Financial Aid About Group 1
C - Enter Financial Aid About Group 2
D - Enter Financial Aid About Group 3
E - Enter Financial Aid About Group 4
F - Net Price Calculation for Group 3
G - Net Price Calculation for Group 4

Section 2. Military Servicemembers and Veteran Students with Benefits
Purpose
Who Must Report
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
What You Will Need
About the Data
Context Boxes
Interactive Edits

Coverage
Reporting Period

Detailed Instructions

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

Section 1. SFA - Undergraduate Students
Purpose of Component
The purpose of the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA) component is to collect information about financial aid provided to various groups of
undergraduate students in order to meet requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended. Item areas include:
Financial aid about all undergraduate students
Financial aid about all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Financial aid and living arrangement information about all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded
grant aid. For public institutions, this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program reporters, this
includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Financial aid and living arrangement information about all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded
any Title IV federal student aid by income. For public institutions, this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition
rate. For program reporters, this includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Net Price Calculation for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded grant aid. For public institutions,
this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program reporters, this includes only students enrolled
in the institution's largest program.
Net Price Calculation for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid by
income. For public institutions, this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program reporters, this
includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest program.

Who Must Report
Institutions that had undergraduate students enrolled during the prior academic year must report.

Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2017-18 data collection period.

General Instructions
What You Will Need
The institution’s financial aid system should be the beginning basis for reporting to this IPEDS component.
Data providers for this component should be familiar with college and university practices associated with student financial aid. In general,
there are two types of financial aid data that will be requested in this component. These types are:
Numbers of students that meet certain conditions
Total aid dollars awarded to these students

To complete this component, data providers will need the following:
1. Financial aid information about the following student groups:
Group 1. All undergraduate students
Group 2. Of the students in Group 1, those who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Group 3. Of the students in Group 2, those who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution
Group 4. Of the students in Group 2, those who were awarded Title IV federal student aid

2. Living arrangement information for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who were awarded grant or
scholarship aid during the reporting period
3. Living arrangement information for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who were awarded Title IV
federal student aid during the reporting period
4. Income levels for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who were awarded Title IV federal student aid
during the reporting period

About the Data
ive different types of data appear in this component. There are data:
That institutions provide from their own financial aid records
That are prior year data, shown in red, which can be used as a comparison with the current year's data being reported
That are carried forward from the IPEDS Fall Enrollment (EF) component and the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) component
that your institution completed in the most recent collections of those components.
That are carried forward from one part of the Student Financial Aid component to another part to ensure that the data are internally
consistent
That are calculated from the other data elements
In the latter two cases, the data provider should check that the data that are carried forward and calculated are consistent with the data
in the institution's underlying financial aid records. If the data carried forward or calculated are not consistent with the institution's
records, then an error in data entry may have occurred.

Context Boxes
Optional context boxes throughout the component allow institutions to provide more information regarding reported data. Note that the
information in these context boxes may be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website. NCES will review
entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on College Navigator. However, institutions
should ensure that entries in these context boxes are free from grammatical and spelling errors and are written to be understood by
students and parents.

Interactive Edits
This component contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some
error messages will require you to confirm or explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to
contact the IPEDS Help Desk (1-877-225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org) for resolution.

Coverage
Reporting Period
The data reported for this component should be for the prior academic year.

Student Cohort
The student cohort covered by this component includes undergraduate students enrolled in the prior academic year as of October 15 or as
of the institution’s official fall reporting date.

What to Include
The following types of financial aid should be reported in this component:
Federal grants (grants/educational assistance funds): Grants provided by federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of
Education, including Title IV federal student aid grants such as Pell grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
(FSEOG), Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (National SMART) Grants,
and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants. Also include need-based and merit-based
educational assistance funds and training vouchers provided from other federal agencies and/or federally-sponsored educational
benefits programs.
Do not include veterans education benefits, as defined in section 480(c) of the HEA, as they are no longer treated as Estimated
Financial Assistance for Federal Student Aid purposes. For more information, visit
http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/081309GuidFedVeteransEdBenefits.html.
Federal loans to students: Monies from the federal government that must be repaid for which the student is the designated
borrower. This type of aid includes all Title IV federal student loan aid such as Federal Perkins Loans, Subsidized Direct or FFEL
Stafford Loans, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loans. Do not include PLUS loans and other federal loans not made directly
to the student.
State/local government grants (grants/scholarships/waivers): Grants that were awarded by your state such as Leveraging
Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIGs) and Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships. Include merit-based grants or
scholarships that were provided by your state or local government. Also include tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was
reimbursed by a state or local government agency.
Institutional grants or scholarships (scholarships/waivers): Grants, scholarships, and fellowships granted and funded by the
institution and/or individual departments within the institution and are limited to students attending your institution. Also include
scholarships targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of residence, major, or participation in athletic activities) for which
the institution designates the recipient. Also include institutional tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was not reimbursed
by a state or local government agency. This is not intended to include Federal Work Study.
Private grants or scholarships: Grants or scholarships to students that are awarded and paid by an outside organization but are
directed through the institution's financial aid office (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Private loans to students: Monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student is the designated borrower.
Include all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Do not include loans that are not made directly to the student.
NOTE: In this component, "aid awarded" refers to grant or scholarship aid that was awarded to students or to loans awarded to and
accepted by students. For reporting grant or scholarship aid, institutions should report on aid that was awarded to students. This amount
may be different from the amount that was actually disbursed to students. For example, a student may be awarded grant or scholarship
aid at the beginning of the academic year but then leave the institution before the entire amount is disbursed. In this case, institutions
should report the original amount of grant or scholarship aid that was awarded. For reporting loans to students, institutions should
continue to report on loans that were awarded to and accepted by the student.
Note also that different types of financial aid should be reported for different groups of students. Please review the instructions and the
screens carefully to ensure that you are reporting the correct types of financial aid in the appropriate parts.
Institutions need to report aid in this component such that the net price calculations shown on College Navigator and used for the College
Affordability and Transparency lists are a reflection of what students actually pay.
In cases where a student is awarded aid for multiple academic years within one aid year period, institutions should report only aid

awarded for the student’s first academic year.
For total aid amounts, report to the nearest whole dollar and omit cents. For student counts, an unduplicated count should be given within
a given aid category (e.g., Pell grants). However, a student can appear in more than one aid category.

What NOT to Include
Do not report student counts or aid amounts for the following:
Students who were only graduate students at the institution during the reporting period
Students who were enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a certificate/degree
Students who were enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Students who were exclusively auditing classes
Do not report Federal Work Study amounts into any total aid amounts.
Do not report loans that are made to someone other than the student.
Do not report military/veterans aid in Section 1. Such aid is ONLY reported in Section 2.

Detailed Instructions
This section provides line-by-line instructions for each part of the Student Financial Aid component.

Part A - Establish Your Groups
Part A establishes the number of students in various groups. Note that the data you report on this screen will be carried forward to other
parts of the Student Financial Aid component.
Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of students in each of the following groups:
Item

Description

01.

Group 1
All undergraduate students
Report the number of all undergraduate students who were enrolled for the prior year as of October
15 or your institution’s official fall reporting date. Include all new and continuing undergraduate
students (full-time students, part-time students, degree/certificate-seeking students, nondegree/certificate-seeking students, and all others). This number will be preloaded from your
institution's IPEDS Fall Enrollment component, but it may be modified if necessary. If you have
questions about the value that has been preloaded in this field, please contact your institution’s
IPEDS Keyholder.

02.

Group 2
Of those in Group 1, those who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
Report the number of students who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates. This number will be preloaded from your institution's IPEDS Fall Enrollment
component, but it may be modified if necessary. If you have questions about the value that has been
preloaded in this field, please contact your institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.
02a.

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Federal Work Study; loans to
students; or grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, the institution, or other sources known to the institution
Report the number of students who were awarded any of the following:
Federal Work Study;
Government and/or private loans to students;
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution; or
Grant or scholarship aid from other sources known to the institution, such as aid
from private sources (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Note that the students reported in Line 02a are not defined as a particular group because
no additional financial aid information will be collected about these students.

02b.

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any loans to students or grant or
scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
Report the number of students who were awarded any of the following:
Government and/or private loans to students; or
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution.
Note that the students reported in Line 02b are not defined as a particular group because
no additional financial aid information will be collected about these students.

03.

Group 3
Of those in Group 2, those were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the
federal government, state/local government, or the institution
For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition
rate. Report students who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the
federal government, state/local government, or the institution. Do not include students who were
awarded aid only from other sources.

04.

Group 4
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid
For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition
rate. Report students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid (i.e., report students who
were awarded federal grant aid or who were awarded federal work study or federal student loans).
Title IV federal student aid includes:
Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Academic
Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant

(National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) Grant
Federal Work Study
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL
Stafford Loan

Part B - Financial Aid About Group 1
This part is intended to collect information about the number of Group 1 students and the total amounts of aid they were awarded by
different aid types. Group 1 students are all undergraduate students enrolled in the prior fall.
For this part, report:
For These Students
· All undergraduate students
enrolled in the prior fall

The Following Type(s) of Aid
· Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government
· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
· Grant or scholarship from the
institution
· Grant or scholarship aid from
other sources known to the
institution
· Loans to students from the
federal government

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:
Group 1
All undergraduate students
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
01)

Prior Fall
Carried forward from Part A

Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 1 students and the total amount of aid awarded to these students for each type of aid.
Item
01.

Description
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, the institution,
and other sources known to the institution
Column 1. Report the number of students in Group 1 who were awarded grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local government, the institution, and other sources known to
the institution.
Column 2. The percentage of students in Group 1 who were awarded grant or scholarship aid is
calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government,
state/local government, the institution, and other sources known to the institution awarded to
Group 1 students.

02.

Column 4. The average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 1 students is
calculated for you.
Pell grants
Column 1. Report the number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants. Do not include
any other type of federal grant aid (e.g., Academic Competitiveness Grants).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants is calculated for
you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of Pell grants awarded to Group 1 students. Do not
include any other type of federal grant aid (e.g., Academic Competitiveness Grants).
Column 4. The average amount of Pell grants awarded to Group 1 students is calculated for you.

03.

Federal student loans
Column 1. Report the number of Group 1 students who were awarded federal loans to students.
Do not include any other type of federal loans (e.g., PLUS loans, which are made to the parent of a
student).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 1 students who were awarded federal student loans is
calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of federal student loans awarded to Group 1 students.
Do not include any other type of federal loans (e.g., PLUS loans, which are made to the parent of a
student).
Column 4. The average amount of federal student loans awarded to students in Group 1 is
calculated for you.

Part C - Enter Financial Aid about Group 2
This part is intended to collect information about the number of Group 2 students and the total amounts of aid they were awarded by
different aid types. For academic reporters, Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
enrolled in the prior fall. For program reporters, Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students enrolled any time during the prior academic year.

For this part, report:
For These Students

· Full-time, first-time,
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students
enrolled in the prior fall
(academic reporters) or any
time during the prior
academic year (program
reporters)

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year.
· For program reporters, this is
aid year period from July 1
through June 30.

· Grant or scholarship aid from
the federal government

· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government

· Grant or scholarship from the
institution

· Loans to students from the
federal government and from
other sources, including
private loans
· Do not include grant or
scholarship aid from private
or other sources
· Do not include PLUS loans or
loans made to anyone other
than the student

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:
Group 2a
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded
any Federal Work Study, loans to students, or
grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, the
institution, or other sources known to the
institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
02a)
Group 2b
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded
any loans to students or grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
02b)
Group 03
Of those in Group 2, those (in the largest
program for program reporters) who were
awarded grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the
institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
03)

Prior Academic Year

Carried forward from Part A

Carried forward from Part A

Carried forward from Part A

Note: Two aid categories in this section are further disaggregated into subcategories. Because students may be awarded more than one
type of aid, the sum of the values you enter in the subcategories will not necessarily equal the value you enter in the aid category.
However, the total number of students reported for the aid category cannot exceed the sum of subcategories. (For example, the number
of students who were awarded federal grants cannot exceed the sum of the number of students who were awarded Pell grants and the
number who were awarded other federal grants). In addition, the total number of students reported for an aid category must be at least
as large as the largest of those reported in a subcategory.
Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 2 students and the total amount of aid they were awarded for each type of aid.

Item

Description

01.

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, and the
institution
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants or
scholarships from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution. If a student
appears in more than one type of aid category in Lines 02 through 04, that student should only
be counted once for Line 01. Do not include students who were awarded only grants or
scholarships from private sources (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants or
scholarships from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution will be
calculated for you.
Column 3. The total dollar amount for Line 01 will be calculated for you. This value is calculated
using the following formula: [(Line 02, Column 3) + (Line 03, Column 3) + (Line 04, Column 3)].
Column 4. The average amount of grants or scholarships from the federal government,
state/local government, or the institution awarded to Group 2 students will be calculated for you.

02.

Federal grants
This aid category is disaggregated into the following two subcategories: Pell grants and other
federal grants.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants from
the federal government. This includes Pell grants and other federal grants. If a student appears
in more than one type of aid category in Lines 02a or 02b, that student should only be counted
once for Line 02. Note that this number should be at least as large as the largest number
reported in Line 02a, Column 1 or Line 02b, Column 1. In addition, this number cannot
exceed the sum of [(Line 02a, Column 1) + (Line 02b, Column 1)].
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants from the
federal government will be calculated for you.

Column 3. The total dollar amount for Line 02 will be calculated for you. This value is calculated
using the following formula: [(Line 02a, Column 3) + (Line 02b, Column 3)].
Column 4. The average amount of grants from the federal government awarded to Group 2
students will be calculated for you.
02a.

Pell grants
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded a Pell grant.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded a Pell grant will be
calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all Pell grants awarded to Group 2
students.
Column 4. The average amount of Pell grants awarded to Group 2 students will be
calculated for you.

02b.

Other federal grants
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded other federal
grants. Other federal grants include Title IV grant aid other than a Pell grant.
Column 2. The percentage of students Group 2 students who were awarded other
federal grants will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all other federal grants awarded to Group 2
students.
Column 4. The average amount of other federal grants awarded to Group 2 students
will be calculated for you.

03.

State/local government grants or scholarships (grants/scholarships/waivers)
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded grant or scholarship aid
from a state/local government. This includes grants, scholarships, or waivers funded by a state
or local government. Do not include any other types of grants.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded grants or scholarships from a
state/local government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all grants or scholarships from a state/local
government awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of grants or scholarships from a state/local government awarded
to Group 2 students will be calculated for you.

04.

Institutional grants or scholarships (scholarships/fellowships)
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded grant or scholarship aid
from the institution. This includes grants, scholarships, or fellowships funded by the institution.
Do not include any other types of grants.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded grants or scholarships from
the institution will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all grants or scholarships from the institution
awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of grants or scholarships from the awarded to Group 2 students
will be calculated for you.

05.

Loans to students
This aid category is disaggregated into the following two subcategories: federal loans and other
loans.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to
students. This includes loans from the federal government and from other sources (including
private lenders). If a student appears in more than one type of loan category in Lines 05a or
05b, that student should only be counted once for Line 05. Note that this number should be
at least as large as the largest number reported in Line 05a, Column 1 or Line 05b,
Column 1. In addition, this number cannot exceed the sum of [(Line 05a, Column 1) +
(Line 05b, Column 1)].
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to
students will be calculated for you.
Column 3. The total dollar amount for Line 05 will be calculated for you. This value is calculated
using the following formula: [(Line 05a, Column 3) + (Line 05b, Column 3)].
Column 4. The average amount of loans to students awarded to Group 2 students will be
calculated for you.
05a.

Federal loans
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more
loans to students from the federal government. Do not include loans to others (e.g.,
PLUS loans to parents) and do not include any other type of grant or loan aid.

Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans
to students from the federal government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all loans to students from the federal
government awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of loans to students from the federal government
awarded to Group 2 students will be calculated for you.
05b.

Other loans
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more
loans to students from sources other than the federal government. This includes
private loans to students. Do not include loans to others (e.g., loans to parents).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans
to students from sources other than the federal government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all loans to students from sources other
than the federal government awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of loans to students from sources other than the
federal government awarded to Group 2 students will be calculated for you.

Cost of Attendance Revision
If you made errors in the prior year reporting of cost of attendance, you can make changes in the SFA component, there are no prior year
revisions. Please refer to the instructions on reporting cost of attendance in the IC component.

Part D - Enter Financial Aid about Group 3
This part is intended to collect information used to estimate the average net price for Group 3 students in Part F.
Group 3 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in the prior fall who were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: federal government, state/local government, or the institution. Students who were
awarded only grant or scholarship aid from private or other sources, or students who were awarded only non-grant aid should not be
included in this group.
For this part, report:
For These Students
· Full-time, first-time,
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students
enrolled in the prior fall who
were awarded grant or
scholarship aid from the
following sources: the federal
government, state/local
government, or the
institution
· Do not include students who
were awarded only grant or
scholarship aid from private
or other sources, or students
who were awarded only nongrant aid.

The Following Type(s) of Aid
· Grant or scholarship aid from
the federal government
· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
· Grant or scholarship from the
institution
· Do not include grant or
scholarship aid from private
or other sources.

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year.

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:

Group 3
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students who were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the
institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
03)

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2014-15

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2015-16

Pre-loaded

Pre-loaded

2016-17

Carried forward
from Part A

Note: In this part, you will be asked to report living arrangement information for Group 3 students. The living arrangement categories used
in this component are the same categories used to describe living arrangements for Federal Student Aid purposes. Students indicate their
intended living arrangement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Institutions should use the most recently available information regarding student living arrangement. For example, a student may have
indicated on her or his FAFSA or an institutional financial aid application that she or he planned to live at home with family. But when the
student enrolled, she or he decided to live on campus. Although the student may not have modified the FAFSA to reflect the updated living
arrangement, the institution may have more recent information in its financial aid system indicating that the student lived on campus
according to the most recent aid package for that student during the financial aid year. In this case, the institution should classify this
student as an on-campus student.
A student should be counted in only one category—the one that the institution used most recently to develop or modify that student’s
financial aid package. If a student in this group did not complete the FAFSA, that student may appear as having an unknown living
arrangement in Line 01d. However, if the institution knows the living arrangement for the student, then the student should be reported in
the appropriate category.
Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 3 students with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant or
scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to these students.

Item
01.

02.

03.

Description
Report the number of Group 3 students with the following living arrangements.
01a.
On-campus. Report the number of Group 3 students who lived on-campus.
01b.
Off-campus (with family). Report the number of Group 3 students who lived off-campus
with their parents or guardians.
01c.
Off-campus (not with family). Report the number of Group 3 students who lived off-campus
not with their parents or guardians.
01d.
Unknown (calculated). This value is calculated using the following formula: [A03 – (D01a +
D01b + D01c)], where A03 is the number of Group 3 students that you entered in Part A,
Line 03. Note that this number should be a small percentage of the total number of students
in a given year because institutions should have this information available for all students
that completed the FAFSA as well as other information they have in their financial aid data
systems.
Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students
Report the total dollar amount of grants and scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students. Exclude grant or scholarship aid from
private sources (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship) and exclude all loan aid.
Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution awarded to Group 3 students
The average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution awarded to Group 3 students will be calculated for you. This value is calculated using the
following formula: [D02/A03]. This amount will be used in Part F to calculate net price.

Part E - Enter Financial Aid about Group 4
This part is intended to collect information used to estimate the average net price for Group 4 students in Part G.
Group 4 students are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates enrolled in the prior fall who were awarded any Title
IV federal student aid (i.e., students who were awarded federal grant aid or who were awarded federal work study or federal student
loans)
Title IV federal student aid includes the following:
Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National
Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher
Education (TEACH) Grant
Federal Work Study
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan
For this part, report:
For These Students
· Full-time, first-time,
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students
enrolled in the prior fall who
were awarded any Title IV
federal student aid

The Following Type(s) of Aid
· Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government
· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
· Grant or scholarship from the
institution
· Do not include grant or
scholarship aid from private or
other sources.
· Do not include loan amounts.
· Do not include Federal Work
Study amounts.

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:

Group 4
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students who were awarded
any Title IV federal student aid
(This number is carried forward from Part A,
Line 04)

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2014-15

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2015-16

Pre-loaded

Pre-loaded

2016-17
Carried
forward from
Part A

Notes: In this part, you will be asked to report living arrangement information for Group 4 students. The living arrangement categories
used in this component are the same categories used to describe living arrangements for Federal Student Aid purposes. Students indicate
their intended living arrangement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Institutions should use the most recently available information regarding student living arrangement. For example, a student may have
indicated on her or his FAFSA or an institutional financial aid application that she or he planned to live at home with family. But when the
student enrolled she or he decided to live on campus. Although the student may not have modified the FAFSA to reflect the updated living
arrangement, the institution may have more recent information in its financial aid system indicating that the student lived on campus
according to the most recent aid package for that student during the financial aid year. In this case, the institution should classify this
student as an on-campus student.
A student should be counted in only one category—the one that the institution used most recently to develop or modify that student’s
financial aid package. If a student in this group did not complete the FAFSA, that student may appear as having an unknown living
arrangement in Line 01d. However, if the institution knows the living arrangement for the student, then the student should be reported in
the appropriate category.
In this part, you will also be asked to report the number of students in Group 4 and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid they were
awarded by income level. To determine the income level of the student, use the income that was used by the institution’s financial aid
office to determine the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC). For dependent students this will include the parents’ adjusted gross
income and the student’s adjusted gross income. For independent students this will include the student’s adjusted gross income.
Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 4 students with each type of living arrangement.
Item
01.

Description
Report the number of Group 4 students with the following living arrangements.
01a.
On-campus. Report the number of Group 4 students who lived on-campus.
01b.
Off-campus (with family). Report the number of Group 4 students who lived off-campus
with their parents or guardians.
01c.
Off-campus (not with family). Report the number of Group 4 students who lived off-campus
not with their parents or guardians.
01d.
Unknown (calculated). This value is calculated using the following formula: [A04 – (E01a +
E01b + E01c)], where A04 is the number of Group 4 students that you entered in Part A, Line

04. Note that this number should be a small percentage of the total number of students in a
given year because institutions should have this information available for all students that
completed the FAFSA as well as other information they have in their financial aid data
systems.
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1); the number of Group 4
students who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution (column
2); and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to
these students by income level (column 3).
Item
02.

02a.

$0–30,000

02b.

$30,001–
48,000

02c.

$48,001–
75,000

02d.

$75,001–
110,000

02e.

$110,001 and
more

02f.

Total all income
levels

Description
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from
the federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. The total number of Group 4 students who were awarded any
Title IV aid will be calculated for you.
Column 2. The total number of Group 4 students who were awarded any
grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution will be calculated for you.
Column 3. The total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to
Group 4 students from the federal government, state/local government,
or the institution will be calculated for you.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution will be calculated for you.

Part F - Net Price Calculation for Group 3
This part is intended to summarize the information used to estimate the average net price for Group 3 students.
Group 3 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in the prior fall who were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the institution. For public
institutions, Group 3 includes only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate.
As required by the HEOA, the average net price for Group 3 students will be posted on College Navigator. In addition, the average net
price calculated for this group will be used in the U.S. Department of Education's College Affordability and Transparency lists.
The components used to estimate the average net price include the average total cost of attendance and the average grant or
scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students. The total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and required fees (Line 01),
books and supplies (Line 02) and the weighted average by living arrangement for room and board and other expenses (Line 05).

Information about cost of attendance is carried forward from data that your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics
component of IPEDS. If you did not enter this information and have questions about the values entered here, contact your institution’s
IPEDS Keyholder.
The source or calculation for each line is described here.
Item

Description

01.

Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public institutions)
The published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public institutions) are
carried forward from data that your institution reported on the IPEDS Institutional
Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

02.

Books and supplies
The cost for books and supplies are carried forward from data that your institution reported
on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of
Attendance.

03.

Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
The cost for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement are carried forward from
data that your institution reported on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics component, Part D Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

04.

Number of Group 3 students by living arrangement
These numbers are carried forward from Part D, Lines 01a through 01d.

05.

Weighted average by living arrangement (excluding unknown values) for room and board
and other expenses
This value is generated by determining the average room and board and other expenses (Lines
03a through 03c) weighted by student living arrangement (excluding students in the unknown
category). This value is calculated using the following formula:
Line 05 = [(Line 03a*(Line 04a/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))] + [Line 03b*(Line 04b/(Line
04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))] + [Line 03c*(Line 04c/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))]

06.

Total cost of attendance
This value is calculated using the following formula: Line 01 + Line 02 + Line 05.

07.

Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or
the institution awarded to Group 3 students
This value is carried forward from Part D, Line 04.

08.

Average institutional net price for Group 3 students
The average institutional net price for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in the prior fall who were awarded grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution is calculated for you. This
value is calculated using the following formula: Line 06 – Line 07. The average net price for
Group 3 students will be posted on College Navigator and used in the U.S. Department of
Education's College Affordability and Transparency lists.

Part G - Net Price Calculation for Group 4
This part is intended to summarize the information used to estimate the average net price for Group 4 students.
Group 4 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in the prior fall who were awarded
Title IV federal student aid. For public institutions, Group 4 includes only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate.
As required by the HEOA, the average net price for Group 4 students will be posted on College Navigator.
The components used to estimate the average net price include the average total cost of attendance and the average grant or
scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students. The total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and required fees (Line 01),
books and supplies (Line 02) and the weighted average by living arrangement for room and board and other expenses (Line 05).
Information about cost of attendance is carried forward from data that your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics
component of IPEDS. If you did not enter this information and have questions about the values entered here, contact your institution’s
IPEDS Keyholder.
The source or calculation for each line is described here.
Item

Description

01.

Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public institutions)
The published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public institutions) are
carried forward from data that your institution reported on the IPEDS Institutional
Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

02.

Books and supplies
The cost for books and supplies are carried forward from data that your institution reported
on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of
Attendance.

03.

Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
The cost for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement are carried forward from
data that your institution reported on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics component, Part D -

Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.
04.

Number of Group 4 students by living arrangement
These numbers are carried forward from Part E, Lines 01a through 01d.

05.

Weighted average by living arrangement (excluding unknown values) for room and board
and other expenses
This value is generated by determining the average room and board and other expenses (Lines
03a through 03c) weighted by student living arrangement (excluding students in the unknown
category). This value is calculated using the following formula: Line 05 = [Line 03a*(Line
04a/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))]+[Line 03b*(Line 04b/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))]+[Line
03c*(Line 04c/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))]

06.

Total cost of attendance
This value is calculated using the following formula: Line 01 + Line 02 + Line 05.

07.

Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or
the institution awarded to Group 4 students
These values are carried forward from Part E, Line 04, Column 4 for each income level.

08.

Average institutional net price for Group 4 students
The average institutional net price for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in the prior fall who were awarded Title IV federal student aid
is calculated for you. These values are calculated for each income level using the following
formula: Line 06 – Line 07. The average net price for Group 4 students by income level will be
posted on College Navigator.

Section 2. Military Servicemembers and Veteran Students with Benefits
Purpose of Component
The purpose of the Student Financial Aid (SFA) is collect information about the financial aid provided to various groups of undergraduates in
order to meet requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. Starting in 2014-15 data collection year, SFA has expanded to
collect information on the federal dollars supporting military servicemember and veteran undergraduate and graduate students.
As presented in the Technical Review Panel Report #36 (March 2012), the increase in beneficiaries and federal dollars has led for an increase
demand for information to help prospective students look where to use their educational benefits, researchers study the impact of the
programs on college outcomes, and policymakers assess the effectiveness of benefits programs and return on investment.

Who Must Report
All registered IPEDS institutions that educate military servicemembers, veterans, or eligible dependents receiving any Tuition Assistance
Program or Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Report only those that RECEIVED the benefit(s).

Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2017-18 data collection period.

General Instructions
What You Will Need
If unfamiliar with these educational benefits, below is a general synopsis of each programs:
1. Post-9/11 GI Bill
Effective August 1, 2009, benefit provides payment of tuition and fees, monthly housing allowance, and books and supplies stipend.
Tuition and fees are paid directly to the institution on behalf the students; thus, institutions should know which students have Post9/11 GI Bill benefits and the amount of benefits received at the institution.
Educational benefits can be transferred to a dependent.
Program expanded in 2011 to cover non-degree-granting programs, apprenticeships/on-the-job training programs, flight training
programs, and training correspondence.
The Yellow Ribbon program through the Post-9/11 GI Bill is an institutional aid matching program only for tuition and fees for students
attending participating institutions.
For more information, visit the Department of Veteran Affairs, Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits website
http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp
2. Department of Defense Tuition Assistance
For active duty servicemembers, reservists called to active duty, and their spouses.
Educational payments cover only tuition and fees and are made directly to the institution.
GI Bill benefits can be used to supplement costs not covered by this program.
For more information, visit the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program website http://www.dodmou.com/
Consult and verify the data with your institutional representative who certifies these benefits. This individual or office may not be in the
student financial aid office.

About the Data
The Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance programs may only highlight two of many educational benefits provided to military
servicemembers and veterans. However, from a national perspective, Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance programs are more likely to
be found across over 7,500 IPEDS institutions.

For Yellow Ribbon participating institutions, the institutional aid provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon matching program
should NOT be included in the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution.

Context Boxes
Optional context boxes throughout the component allow institutions to provide more information regarding reported data. Note that the
information in these context boxes may be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website. NCES will review
entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on College Navigator. However, institutions
should ensure that entries in these context boxes are free from grammatical and spelling errors and are written to be understood by
students and parents.

Interactive Edits
This component contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some
error messages will require you to confirm or explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to
contact the IPEDS Help Desk (1-877-225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org) for resolution.

Coverage
Reporting Period
The data reported for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic year, from July 1 to June 30. For example, for
the 2017-18 data collection year, the data reported will be July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017.
The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program questions should be for the prior academic year,
from October 1 to September 30. For example, for the 2017-18 data collection year, the data reported will be October 1, 2016-September
30, 2017.

Detailed Instruction
This section provides line-by-line instructions for the Military Servicemember and Veteran Benefits Question.
For the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit, please provide in the first column the number of students receiving the benefit during the July 1-June 30
reporting period (see coverage above). In the second column, provide the total dollar amount for each benefit during the same reporting
period.
For the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program benefit, please provide in the first column the number of students receiving the
benefit during the October 1-September 30 reporting period (see coverage above). In the second column, provide the total dollar amount for
each benefit during the same reporting period.
If your institution did not have any student beneficiaries for one of the benefit programs, enter a zero (0) in the cell. In other words, do NOT
leave the cell blank for a program that did not have any beneficiaries.
For Yellow Ribbon participating institutions, the institutional aid provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon matching program should
NOT be included in the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution.

Glossary

date: 8/4/2017

Term

Definition

Federal grants
(grants/educational assistance
funds)

Grants provided by federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Education, including Title IV Pell Grants and Supplemental
Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG). Also includes need-based and merit-based educational assistance funds and training vouchers
provided from other federal agencies and/or federally-sponsored educational benefits programs. (Used for reporting on the Student
Financial Aid component)

Financial aid

Federal Work Study, grants, loans to students (government and/or private), assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, tuition waivers,
tuition discounts, employer aid (tuition reimbursement) and other monies (other than from relatives/friends) provided to students to
meet expenses. This excludes loans to parents.

First-time student
(undergraduate)

A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending any institution for the first time at the
undergraduate level. This includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs. It also includes students enrolled in the
fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term, and students who entered with advanced standing (college
credits or postsecondary formal award earned before graduation from high school).

Full-time student

Undergraduate: A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, or 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more contact hours a week
each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for 9 or more semester credits, or 9 or more quarter credits, or a student involved in thesis or
dissertation preparation that is considered full-time by the institution. Doctor's degree - Professional practice - as defined by the
institution.

Institutional grants

Scholarships and fellowships granted and funded by the institution and/or individual departments within the institution, (i.e.,
instruction, research, public service) that may contribute indirectly to the enhancement of these programs . Includes scholarships
targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of residence, major field of study, athletic team participation) for which the
institution designates the recipient.

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).

Loans to students

Any monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student is the designated borrower. Includes all Title IV
subsidized and unsubsidized loans and all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Does not include PLUS and other loans made
directly to parents.

Military Tuition Assistance
Program (TAP)

A program that funds up to 100% of an eligible servicemember's college tuition and course-specific fees. Available only to eligible
servicemembers who are currently in active service as long as criteria limits are not exceeded and students are enrolled off-duty in an
U.S. Department of Education accredited post-secondary institution. This military benefit is paid directly to the postsecondary institution
by the individual's Armed service.

Net price

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 defines institutional net price as "the average yearly price actually charged to first-time,
full-time undergraduate students receiving student aid at an institution of higher education after deducting such aid." In IPEDS,
average institutional net price is generated by subtracting the average amount of federal, state/local government, or institutional grant
and scholarship aid from the total cost of attendance. Total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and required fees (lower
of in-district or in-state for public institutions), books and supplies, and the weighted average for room and board and other expenses.
Cost of attendance data are collected in the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component of IPEDS, and financial aid data are collected
in the Student Financial Aid (SFA) component of IPEDS.

Off-campus (not with family)

A living arrangement in which a student does not live with the student's parents or legal guardians in any housing facility that is not
owned or controlled by the educational institution.

Off-campus (with family)

A living arrangement in which a student lives with the student's parents or legal guardians in any housing facility that is not owned or
controlled by the educational institution.

On-campus housing

Any residence hall or housing facility owned or controlled by an institution within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area and
used by the institution in direct support of or in a manner related to, the institution's educational purposes.

Post 9/11 GI Bill

A federal education benefit program for veterans, who served on active duty after September 10, 2001. This Department of Veteran
Affairs benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits at an approved institution for the following college costs: tuition and
fees, books and supplies and housing. The tuition and fees payment, which is the cost for an in-state student attending a public
institution, is made directly to the postsecondary institution whereas payments for books and supplies and housing are sent directly to
the student.

Scholarships

Grants-in-aid, trainee stipends, tuition and required fee waivers, prizes or other monetary awards given to undergraduate students.

State and local grants

Grant monies provided by the state such as Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIG's); merit
scholarships provided by the state; and tuition and f e e waivers for which the institution was reimbursed by a state agency. Local
government grants include scholarships or gift-aid awarded directly to the student. (Used for reporting Finance data for private forprofit institutions )

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).

Transfer of Entitlement Option

A program through which any unused Post 9/11 GI Bill may be transferred to a spouse or dependent(s) as long as servicemembers or
veterans meet the additional Department of Veterans Affairs’ criteria. Only Department of Defense (DoD) can approve transfer of
benefits requests.

Yellow Ribbon Program

A voluntary program through which participating public and private institutions can provide veterans and eligible beneficiaries additional
institutional aid to cover the costs of tuition and fees at their institutions. The Yellow Ribbon Program is a supplementary program to
the Post 9/11 GI Bill coverage of in-state tuition and fees. The Department of Veterans Affairs matches the institutional aid provided
beyond the in-state tuition and fees, but to certain limit each year.

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 8/4/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > FAQ

Student Financial Aid
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)

Which institutions are required to complete the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA)
component?

2)

What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?

3)

What changes occurred for SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?

4)

Can I revise my institutions cost of attendance (COA) data in SFA?

Student Counts
1)

For which students should I report financial aid
information?

2)

What students are included in Group 1?

3)

What students are included in Group 2?

4)

What students are included in Group 2a?

5)

What students are included in Group 2b?

6)

What students are included in Group 3?

7)

What students are included in Group 4?

Financial Aid
1)

Should veterans education benefits be reported?

2)

How should I report post-9/11 "Yellow Ribbon" benefits?

3)

The SFA survey indicates that the maximum amount of DOD TAP awarded per fiscal year per student is $4500.
What do I do if my DOD TAP average is greater than $4500 per student?

4)

What types of financial aid should be reported?

5)

What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?

6)

Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?

7)

Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?

8)

Should PLUS loans be reported?

9)

What does "aid awarded" mean?

10)

If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?

11)

Where can I get living arrangement information for students?

12)

How do I get information about students' income categories?

Answers:
General
1)

Which institutions are required to complete the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA) component?
All postsecondary institutions that either 1.) participate in federal student financial aid programs that enrolled
undergraduate students or 2.) enroll students who received an educational benefit (e.g., Department of Defense
Tuition Assistance or Department of Veteran Affairs Post-9/11GI Bill) any time during academic year 2016-17
must complete SFA.
Back to top

2)

What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?
For the 2017-18 data collection, institutions should report data for academic year 2016-17.
For Title IV participating institutions that enroll undergraduate students:

For academic reporters, the academic year is defined as the period of time generally
extending from September to June; usually equated to 2 semesters or trimesters, 3 quarters,
or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar system.
To determine the financial aid amounts to report for a given group of students, first identify the
students in that group (e.g., for Group 2, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled in Fall 2016). Second, determine the financial aid that was awarded
to these students any time during the 2016-17 academic year.
For program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as the
institutionally-defined academic year falls within the full aid year period of July 1-June 30.
To determine the financial aid amounts to report for a given group of students, first identify the
students in that group (e.g., for Group 2, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled any time during the academic year). Second, determine the financial
aid that was awarded to these students any time during the academic year.
For institutions that enroll undergraduate and graduate students who received military or veteran benefits:

The data reported for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic
year, from July 1 to June 30.
The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program questions
should be for the prior academic year, from October 1 to September 30.
Back to top
3)

What changes occurred for SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?
For the 2017-18 collection year, there were no changes.
Back to top

4)

Can I revise my institutions cost of attendance (COA) data in SFA?

Yes, the 3 most recent COA years can be changed in SFA's "Cost Revision" screen, which carried forward
the COA data from Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. Changes should only be made if errors were
made in the IC reporting. Changes cannot be made in the prior year revision system.
Back to top
Student Counts
1)

For which students should I report financial aid information?
SFA collects information on undergraduate students only.
Academic reporters should report on students who were enrolled as of October 15, or the institution’s official
Fall reporting date.
Program reporters should report on students who were enrolled any time during the academic year. For
program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as it falls between July 1 and June
30.
For the purposes of reporting to SFA, students are divided into the following groups:

Group 1: All undergraduate students
Group 2: Of Group 1, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Group 3: Of Group 2, students who were awarded any grant/scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution. For public institutions, include only
those paying in-state/in-district tuition rates. For program reporters, include only those
enrolled in the institution’s largest program.
Group 4: Of Group 2, students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid. For public
institutions, include only those paying in-state/in-district tuition rates. For program reporters,
include only those enrolled in the institution’s largest program.
Back to top
2)

What students are included in Group 1?
Group 1 includes all undergraduate students. You should report the total number of all new and continuing fulltime students, part-time students, degree/certificate-seeking students, and non-degree/certificate-seeking
students.
Back to top

3)

What students are included in Group 2?
Group 2 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates.
For academic reporters, include students attending your institution for the first time at the undergraduate
level. Also include students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer
term, and students who entered with advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high
school). This number should match the data that you reported on the Fall Enrollment component of IPEDS.
For program reporters, include students attending your institution for the first time at the undergraduate
level anytime during the academic year, as defined at your institution. Also include students who entered with
advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school). This number should closely
match the data you reported on the 12-month Enrollment component of IPEDS.
Back to top

4)

What students are included in Group 2a?
In Group 2a, you should report the number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who were awarded any of the following:

Federal Work Study
Federal or private loans to students
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Grant or scholarship aid from other sources known to the institution
Back to top
5)

What students are included in Group 2b?
In Group 2b, you should report the number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who were awarded any of the following:

Federal or private loans to students
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Group 2b is Group 2a minus those students who were awarded only Federal Work Study or grant or scholarship
aid from other sources known to the institution.
Back to top
6)

What students are included in Group 3?
Group 3 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates who were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the following sources:

Federal government
State/local government
Institution
For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program
reporters, include only those students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Do not include students who were awarded only grant or scholarship aid from private or other sources, or
students who were awarded only non-grant aid, such as loans.
Back to top
7)

What students are included in Group 4?
Group 4 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates who were awarded
any Title IV aid.
Title IV aid includes the following:

Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Academic
Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant
(National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) Grant
Federal Work Study
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL
Stafford Loan

For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program
reporters, include only those students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Back to top
Financial Aid
1)

Should veterans education benefits be reported?
For the portion of SFA (Parts A through E) that requires Title IV institutions to report on undergraduate students
receiving financial aid:

Veterans education benefits should not be reported as financial aid in SFA.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) removed veterans education benefits
from “estimated financial assistance,” effective July 1, 2010. A later technical corrections bill
(H.R. 1777) updated the list of programs that meet the definition of "veterans' education
benefits" in section 480(c) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) and moved the effective date of
the exclusion to July 1, 2009 (beginning with the 2009-10 award year).
However, the institutional aid from Yellow Ribbon program should be reported under
institutional aid. See how to report the Yellow Ribbon aid in FAQ.
For more information about the Department's Guidance on Federal Veterans’ Education
Benefits for Purposes of the Title IV Student Assistance Programs, please visit
http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/081309GuidFedVeteransEdBenefits.html.
For the portion of SFA (Section 2) that requires institutions to report on students who received military or
veteran benefits:

Educational benefits from the Department of Defense's Military Tuition Assistance or
Department of Veteran Affairs' Post-9/11 GI Bill should be reported in SFA.
Back to top
2)

How should I report post-9/11 "Yellow Ribbon" benefits?
The Post-9/11 GI Bill program includes a 'Yellow Ribbon' program, which is comprised of matching funds
provided by the government and the institution. The institutional part of this aid should be reported in the SFA
component (Section 1) as aid to the undergraduate student. Yellow Ribbon benefits provided from the VA should
NOT be included when reporting to the portion of SFA (Section 1) on Title IV institutions that enroll full-time,
first-time degree/certificate seeking undergraduate students.
However, both Post-9/11 GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon beneficiaries and federal dollar amounts should be
reported to the military/veteran question of SFA (Section 2). This portion of SFA requires all institutions that
enroll students with Post-9/11 GI Bill and/or Tuition Assistance educational benefits to provide the number of
beneficiaries and total dollar amounts.
Back to top

3)

The SFA survey indicates that the maximum amount of DOD TAP awarded per fiscal year per
student is $4500. What do I do if my DOD TAP average is greater than $4500 per student?
According to the 2014 final regulations set for the DOD Voluntary Education Programs - which include TAP each branch of military service can pay no more than $250/semester-unit (or equivalent) for tuition. Each
service member is eligible for up to $4500 in aggregate for each fiscal year. If your institution’s DOD TAP
average is greater than $4500 per student per award year, then you should:
--Ask your financial aid office or VA certifying official to sort out the military aid and remove any non-DOD TAP
aid (e.g., ROTC scholarships, tuition reimbursements for advanced civil schooling, education-related incentive
or bonus);
--Remove any non-Title 10 aid since TAP is a Title 10 program; and
--Make sure that you are including one disbursement period for that award year. Even though DOD TAP aid are
reported for the Oct 1 – Sep 30 timeframe, which technically covers two fall periods; only include one fall
disbursement period per award year.
Back to top

4)

What types of financial aid should be reported?
The following types of financial aid should be reported in this component:

Federal grants (grants/educational assistance funds): Grants provided by federal agencies
such as the U.S. Department of Education, including Title IV federal student aid grants such as
Pell grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs), Academic
Competitiveness Grants (ACGs), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent
(National SMART) Grants, and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) Grants. Also include need-based and merit-based educational assistance funds and
training vouchers provided from other federal agencies and/or federally-sponsored educational
benefits programs.
State/local government grants (grants/scholarships/waivers): Grants that were provided
by your state such as Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIGs)
and Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships. Also include merit scholarships that were provided by
your state and tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was reimbursed by a state
agency. Local grants include any local government grants, scholarships or gift-aid awarded
directly to the student.
Institutional grants: Scholarships and fellowships granted and funded by the institution
and/or individual departments within the institution (and are limited to students attending your
institution). Also include scholarships targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of
residence or major) for which the institution designates the recipient; athletic scholarships;
and the like. This is not intended to include Federal Work Study.
Private grants or scholarships: These may include scholarships or grants to students that are
paid by an outside organization but are directed through the institution's financial aid office
(e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Loans to students: Monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student
is the designated borrower. Include all Title IV federal student loan aid such as Federal Perkins
Loans, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loans, and Unsubsidized Director or FFEL Stafford
Loans. Also include all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Please do not include
PLUS and other loans made directly to parents.
Note that different parts of the SFA component ask for different types of financial aid to be reported. Please
review the instructions and the survey screens carefully to ensure that you are reporting the correct types of
financial aid in the appropriate parts.
Back to top
5)

What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?
Institutions should report aid that was awarded any time during the academic year.
For academic reporters, the academic year is the period of time generally extending from September to June,
usually equated to two semesters or trimesters, three quarters, or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar

system.
For program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as it falls between July 1 and
June 30.
Note that for the purposes of calculating net price, the cost of attendance (COA) for an academic year reported
in the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component should align with the aid amounts reported in the Student
Financial Aid (SFA) component.
Back to top
6)

Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?
Yes, tuition and fee waivers should be reported.
Tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was reimbursed by a state agency should be reported under
state/local government grants.
Tuition and fee waivers granted by your institution (for which your institution is not reimbursed from another
source) should be reported as institutional grants.
Back to top

7)

Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?
In general, institutions should report financial aid from tribal offices awarded to full-time, first-time students in
the state/local government field (Line 03) in Part C.
Back to top

8)

Should PLUS loans be reported?
No. PLUS loans are made to the parents of students. Any type of loan that is not made to the student should not
be reported.
Back to top

9)

What does "aid awarded" mean?
Institutions should report on grant or scholarship aid that has been awarded to students. This may be different
from aid that was actually disbursed to students. For example, a student may be awarded grant or scholarship
aid at the beginning of the academic year but then leave the institution before the entire amount is disbursed.
In this case, you would report the original amount of grant or scholarship aid that was awarded, even though
the entire amount was not actually disbursed to the student.
For reporting loans to students, institutions should continue to report on loans that were awarded to and
accepted by the student.
Back to top

10)

If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?
Yes, students should be included in each category of aid that they are awarded. If a student is awarded both
federal and institutional aid, he/she should be counted under both types of aid.
However, in Part C, count students only once in the major aid category. For example, if a student is awarded
both a Pell Grant (Line 02a) and another type of federal grant (Line 02b), then count that student once for the
major category of Federal grants (Line 02).
Back to top

11)

Where can I get living arrangement information for students?
Students indicate their intended living arrangement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or
an institutional financial aid application. If a student did not complete the FAFSA or an institutional financial aid
application with living arrangement information, that student may appear as having an unknown living
arrangement.
Institutions should use the most recently available information regarding student living arrangement.
Back to top

12)

How do I get information about students' income categories?
To assign the income category of the student, use the income that was used by your financial aid office to
determine the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC). For dependent students this will include the
parents’ adjusted gross income and the student’s adjusted gross income. For independent students this will
include the student’s adjusted gross income.
If your institution takes part in campus-based aid programs like SEOG, FWS, and Perkins Loans, then it might
be easiest to tell your financial aid office that students should be put in income categories as they are done on
FISAP. Institutions with campus-based based aid programs must report annually to the Department of Education
using the FISAP (Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate). Part of the FISAP includes incomerelated information. Even if your institution does not file FISAP, the instructions from it may be helpful (fields
26-39):

Use the FISAP Total Income (FTI), one of the intermediate computed values on the Student Aid Record (SAR) or
ISIR (Institutional Student Information Record), to determine the proper cell for each student. For dependent
students, FTI is the sum of Total Income (TI) and Student’s Total Income (STI). For independent students, the
FTI will equal the TI. Remember, extract this information only from the SARs/ISIRs of students who
actually enrolled in your school.
You might need to correct or adjust a student’s income information and recalculate the EFC. If so, you must use
that corrected or adjusted information when determining the proper income cell for a student. In such a case,
to determine the income cell for a dependent student, you must use the student’s and parents’ base year
incomes, as reported on the SAR/ISIR.

Back to top

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 8/4/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > Form

Student Financial Aid for institutions reporting on a full-year cohort (public program reporters)

Overview
IPEDS Student Financial Aid Component Overview
Program Reporters
Welcome to the Student Financial Aid (SFA) component. The purpose of the SFA component is to collect information about financial aid provided to various groups of
undergraduate students and military/veteran educational benefits for all students at your institution.
Changes to This Year’s SFA Component
There were no changes implemented for the 2017-18 data collection period.

Data Reporting Reminders
Undergraduate Student Groups
You will be asked to report information for different groups of students.
Group 1: All undergraduate students
Group 2: Of Group 1, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Group 3: Of Group 2, students enrolled in the institution’s largest program and were awarded any grant/scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution. For public institutions, include only those who paid the in-state or in-district tuition
rate.
Group 4: Of Group 2, students enrolled in the institution’s largest program and were awarded any Title IV federal student aid. For public
institutions, include only those who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate.

COA Revisions
Revisions to Cost of Attendance used to calculate the net price of attendance can be made in this component.
Consult the instructions and screens to make sure you are reporting the correct aid amounts for the correct groups of students.

College Affordability and Transparency Lists
Net price amounts calculated in SFA will be used to populate the Department’s College Affordability and Transparency lists.
Interactive Edits and Error Messages
SFA contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some error messages will require you to confirm or
explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568 for resolution.
Context Boxes
You will find optional text boxes throughout SFA. Context boxes allow you to provide more information about the data you enter. Some of these context boxes may be made
available to the public on College Navigator, so make sure that the information you enter can be understood easily by students, parents, and the general public.
Resources
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials

Section 1: Part A
Part A - Establish Your Groups
Part A establishes the number of students in various groups. Note that the numbers on this screen will be carried forward to other parts of the Student Financial Aid
component.
In the fields below, report the number of students in each of the following groups.
July 1, 2016June 30, 2017

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2015-16

Group 1
01
All undergraduate students
02

Group 2
Of those in Group 1, those who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
02a

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Federal Work Study, loans to students, or grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, the institution, or other sources known to the institution

02b

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any loans to students or grant or scholarship aid from the federal government,
state/local government, or the institution

Group 3
03 Of those in Group 2, those enrolled in your institution’s largest program paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
Group 4
04 Of those in Group 2, those enrolled in your institution’s largest program paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who were awarded any
Title IV federal student aid

Section 1: Part B
Part B – Enter Information about Group 1
Part B includes information about Group 1. Group 1 students are ALL undergraduate students (including first-time students) enrolled any time during the academic year 201617.
For this part, report:
For These Students

All undergraduate students

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Awarded in This Period

Grant or scholarship aid from
the federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from
the institution
Grant or scholarship aid from
other sources known to the
institution
Loans to students from the
federal government

Any time during academic year 201617 (the aid year period from July 1,
2016 through June 30, 2017)

In the fields below, report the number of Group 1 students and the total amount of aid awarded to these students for each type of aid.
Information from Part A:

2016-17

Group 1
All undergraduate students
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 01)

2016-17
Aid Type

Number of Group 1
students who were
awarded aid

Percentage of Group
1 students who were
awarded aid

Total amount of aid
awarded to Group 1
students

Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 1
students

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
01 government, the institution, and other sources known to the institution
(Do NOT include federal student loans)
02 Pell grants
03 Federal student loans

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part C, Page 2
Part C, Page 2 - Enter Information about Group 2
Part C includes financial aid information about Group 2. Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled any time
during academic year 2016-17.
For this part, report:
For These Students

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled any time during
academic year 2016-17

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local
government
Grant or scholarship aid from the
institution
Loans to students from the federal
government and from other sources,
including private or other loans
Do not include grant or scholarship aid
from private or other sources
Do not include PLUS loans or loans made
to anyone other than the student

Awarded in This Period

Any time during academic year
2016-17
For program reporters, this is the
aid year period from July 1, 2016
through June 30, 2017.

In the fields below, report the number of Group 2 students and the total amount of aid awarded to these students for each type of aid. Enter unduplicated student counts
within a category (e.g., Pell grants). However, a student can appear in more than one aid category.
Information from Part A:

2016-17

Group 2
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 02)
Group 2a
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Federal Work Study, loans to students, or
grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, the institution, or
other sources known to the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 02a)
Group 2b
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any loans to students or grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 02b)
Group 3
Of those in Group 2, those who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 03)
YOUR PRIOR YEAR
DATA
2016-17

Aid Type
Number of Group 2
students who were
awarded aid

Percentage of Group 2
students who were
awarded aid

Total amount of aid
awarded to Group 2
students

2015-16
Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 2
students

Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 2
students

Grants or scholarships from the federal
01 government, state/local government, or the
institution
02 Federal grants
02a Pell grants
02b Other federal grants
State/local government grants or
03 scholarships
(grants/scholarships/waivers)
04

Institutional grants or scholarships
(scholarships/fellowships)

05 Loans to students
05a Federal loans
05b

Other loans (including private
loans)

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Comparison Chart
Comparison Chart
Based on the information reported on the previous screens for Group 1 (all undergraduates) and Group 2 (full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates), this
comparison chart seeks to help institutions check their reported data. Assuming that the information on Groups 1 and 2 are correct, then the calculated fields for ‘All Other
Undergraduates’ should be the balance (Group 1 minus Group 2). If the balance does not check with your institution’s calculations, please correct your reported numbers for
Groups 1 and 2 before moving forward with the completion of the SFA survey component.
Note: Data for the 'All Other Undergraduates' will appear in the IPEDS Data Center for data users, but not in College Navigator.
Number of students
01

Group 1 (all undergraduates)

02

Number of students who were awarded aid

03

Percentage who were awarded aid

04

Total amount of aid awarded

05

Average amount of aid awarded

06

Group 2 (Full-time first-time undergraduates)

07

Number of students who were awarded aid

08

Percentage who were awarded aid

09

Total amount of aid awarded

10
11

Average amount of aid awarded
All other undergraduates
(Line 01 - Line 06)

12

Number of students who were awarded aid
(Line 02 - Line 07)

13

Percentage who were awarded aid
(Line 12 / Line 11)

14

Total amount of aid awarded
(Line 04 - Line 09)

15

Average amount of aid awarded
(Line 14 / Line 12)

Pell grants

Federal Student Loans

Section 1: Cost of Attendance
Cost of attendance
These numbers are carried forward from Institutional Characteristics and should only be changed if an error was made in the reporting.
CIP CODE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
TITLE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
Total length of PROGRAM in WEEKS, as completed by a student attending full-time
Total length of ACADEMIC YEAR (as used to calculate your Pell budget) in WEEKS
Published student charges for the entire program

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Tuition and required fees for the entire program
(public program reporters report the lowest of in-district or in-state, if applicable)
Books and supplies for the entire program
The following numbers need to be reported for 4 weeks (1 month).
The correct numbers should be available from your financial aid office. Off-campus numbers should be based on costs for your area, not on national averages.
On-campus:
Room and board for 4 weeks (1 month)
Other expenses for 4 weeks (1 month)
Room and board and other expenses for 4 weeks (1 month)
Off-campus (not with family):
Room and board for 4 weeks (1 month)
Other expenses for 4 weeks (1 month)
Room and board and other expenses for 4 weeks (1 month)
Off-campus (with family):
Other expenses for 4 weeks (1 month)

Section 1: Cost of Attendance (calculated)
Cost of attendance
These numbers are carried forward from Institutional Characteristics and should only be changed if an error was made in the reporting.
CIP CODE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
TITLE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
Published student charges for the entire program
Tuition and required fees
Books and supplies
On-campus:
Room and board
Other expenses
Room and board and other expenses
Off-campus (not with family):
Room and board
Other expenses
Room and board and other expenses
Off-campus (with family):
Other expenses

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Section 1: Part D
Part D - Enter Information about Group 3
Part D includes financial aid information about Group 3. Group 3 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in your
institution’s largest program any time during academic year 2016-17 paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the
following sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the institution. The information you report in this part will be used in Part F to calculate average
institutional net price.
Note:
In this part, you must report information for your institution’s largest program. Your largest program is the program with the most number of undergraduate students enrolled.
You must provide three years’ worth of data for your largest program.
For this part, report:
For These Students

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Awarded in This Period

Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the
institution
Do not include grant or
scholarship aid from private or
other sources

Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
enrolled in your institution’s largest program paying the in-state or indistrict tuition rate who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the
following sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution
Do not include students who were awarded only grant or scholarship aid
from private or other sources, or students who were awarded only nongrant aid

Any time during
academic year
2016-17 (the aid
year period from
July 1, 2016
through June 30,
2017)

In the fields below, report the number of Group 3 students with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to these students.
Largest Program Information from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics component

2016-17
CIP Code
Title

Information from Part A:

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA
201415

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2015-16

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA

201415

2015-16

2016-17

Group 3
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in your institution’s largest program paying the in-state
or in-district tuition rate who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 03)

01

Report the number of Group 3 students with the following living arrangements:

01a

On-campus

01b

Off-campus (with family)

01c

Off-campus (not with family)

01d

Unknown (calculated)
This value is calculated using the
following formula: [A03(D01a+D01b+D01c)]

02

Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students

03

Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
awarded to Group 3 students (calculated value).
This value is calculated using the following formula: [D02/A03]

2016-17

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part E
Part E – Enter Information about Group 4
Part E includes financial aid information about Group 4. Group 4 students are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in your
institution’s largest program any time during academic year 2016-17 paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid. The
information you report in this part will be used in Part G to calculate average institutional net price by income level.
Note:
In this part, you must report information for your institution’s largest program. Your largest program is the program with the most number of undergraduate students enrolled.
You must provide three years’ worth of data for your largest program.
For this part report:
For These Students

The Following Type(s) of Aid
Grant or scholarship aid from:
federal government
state/local government
institution
Do not include:
grant or scholarship aid from private or
other sources
loan amounts
Federal Work Study amounts

Full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking undergraduate students
enrolled in your institution’s largest
program paying the in-state or indistrict tuition rate who were
awarded any Title IV federal student
aid

Awarded in This Period

Any time during academic year 2016-17
(the aid year period from July 1, 2016
through June 30, 2017)

In the fields below, report the number of Group 4 students with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to these students by income level.
Largest program:
CIP Code
Title
YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2014-15

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2015-16

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Number of
students
who were
awarded
any Title IV
aid (Group
4)

Of those in Column 1, the number
who were awarded any grant or
scholarship aid from the following
sources: the federal government,
state/local government, or the
institution

Of those in Column 1, the total
amount of grant or scholarship
aid awarded from the following
sources: the federal
government, state/local
government, or the institution

Average amount
of federal, state/local,
and institutional
grant or scholarship
aid awarded to Group
4 students

Col. 1

Col. 2

Col. 1

Col. 2

Information from Part A:

2016-17

Group 4
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
enrolled in your institution’s largest program paying the in-state or in-district
tuition rate who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 04)

01

Report the number of Group 4 students with the
following living arrangements:
01a

On-campus

01b

Off-campus (with
family)

01c

Off-campus (not with
family)

01d

Unknown (calculated)
This value is
calculated using the
formula: [A04(E01a+E01b+E01c)]

2014-15

02

Col. 3

Col. 4

Col. 3

Col. 4

Income level
02a

$030,000

02b

$30,00148,000

02c

$48,00175,000

02d

$75,001110,000

02e

$110,001
and
more

02f

Total all
income
levels
2015-16

03

Income level

03a

$030,000

03b

$30,00148,000

03c

$48,00175,000

03d

$75,001110,000

03e

$110,001
and
more

03f

Total all
income
levels
2016-17
Col. 1

04

Col. 2

Col. 3

Col. 4

Income level
04a

$030,000

04b

$30,00148,000

04c

$48,00175,000

04d

$75,001110,000

04e

$110,001
and
more

04f

Total all
income
levels

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part F
Part F - Net Price Calculation for Group 3
The following net price calculation is based on information that your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component and the Student Financial Aid
component. For more information about data your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component, please contact your institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.
YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

2014-15

2015-16

201617

Components of cost of attendance
Please note: Net price calculations use ACADEMIC YEAR costs, not full program costs
Largest program:
CIP Code
Title
01 Published tuition and required fees
02 Books and supplies
03 Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
03a

On-campus

03b

Off-campus (with family)

03c

Off-campus (not with family)

04 Number of Group 3 students by living arrangement
04a

On-campus

04b

Off-campus (with family)

04c

Off-campus (not with family)

04d

Unknown

Weighted average for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement (excluding unknown values)
05
See instructions for the formula for this calculation
06

Total cost of attendance
This value is calculated using the following formula: [F01+F02+F05]

07

Average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students from the following sources: the federal government,
state/local government, and the institution

08

Average institutional net price for Group 3 students
This value is calculated using the following formula: [F06-F07]

As required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, these amounts will be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website and used in the
U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Lists.

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part G
Part G - Net Price Calculation for Group 4
The following net price calculation is based on information that your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component and the Student Financial Aid
component. For more information about data your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component, please contact your institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.
YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

2014-15

2015-16

201617

Components of cost of attendance
Please note: Net price calculations use ACADEMIC YEAR costs, not full program costs
Largest program:
CIP Code
Title
01 Published tuition and required fees
02 Books and supplies
03 Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
03a

On-campus

03b

Off-campus (with family)

03c

Off-campus (not with family)

04 Number of Group 4 students by living arrangement
04a

On-campus

04b

Off-campus (with family)

04c

Off-campus (not with family)

04d

Unknown

Weighted average for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement (excluding unknown values)
05
See instructions for the formula for this calculation
06

Total cost of attendance
This value is calculated using the following formula: [G01+G02+G05]

07

Average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students from the following sources: the federal government,
state/local government, and the institution.
07a

$0-30,000

07b

$30,001-48,000

07c

$48,001-75,000

07d

$75,001-110,000

07e

$110,001 and more

Average institutional net price for Group 4 students
08
This value is calculated using the following formula: [G06-G07]
08a

$0-30,000

08b

$30,001-48,000

08c

$48,001-75,000

08d

$75,001-110,000

08e

$110,001 and more

As required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, these amounts will be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website.

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 2: Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits
Section 2: Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits
IMPORTANT NOTE: Report for Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits: July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 and Report for Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program: October 1, 2016 September 30, 2017
Program reporters should be reporting the information on this screen for ALL programs (not just the largest program).
Report the total number of student recipients and the total dollar amounts for each program.
Student recipients can also include eligible dependents.
Consult with your campus certifying official, who may not be in the student financial aid office.
For Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits, do not include the matching institutional aid provided through the Yellow Ribbon Program if your school
participated.
Information reported to IPEDS is only what is known to the institution.
Enter zero (0) if your institution did not have beneficiaries for that student level or program. Please do not leave a cell blank.
YOUR PRIOR YEAR DATA
Type of benefit/assistance

Number of students
receiving benefits/assistance

Total dollar amount of
benefits/assistance awarded
through the institution

Average dollar amount of
benefits/assistance awarded
through the institution

Average dollar amount of
benefits/assistance awarded
through the institution

Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
Undergraduate students
Graduate students
Total

Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program
Undergraduate students
Graduate students
Total

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2017-18 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/4/2017

Student Financial Aid, Public Program Reporters

Table of Contents
SFA Component has expanded from gathering data on only undergraduate survey component to all students (undergraduates and graduate
students) because of the new question on military servicemembers and veterans' educational benefits. The survey instructions that follow are
split into two sections. Section I discusses the portion of the SFA component that asks questions about your undergraduate students only.
Section II explains the portion of the SFA component that ask questions about your military and veteran students. As you complete both
sections of SFA, please refer where to get help and note where the data will appear.

Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Section 1. SFA - Undergraduate Students
Purpose of Component
Who Must Report
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
What You Will Need
About the Data
Context Boxes
Interactive Edits

Coverage
Reporting Period
Student Cohort
What to Include
What NOT to Include

Detailed Instructions
Part
Part
Part
Part
Part
Part
Part

A - Establish Your Groups
B - Financial Aid About Group 1
C - Enter Financial Aid About Group 2
D - Enter Financial Aid About Group 3
E - Enter Financial Aid About Group 4
F - Net Price Calculation for Group 3
G - Net Price Calculation for Group 4

Section 2. Military Servicemembers and Veteran Students with Benefits
Purpose
Who Must Report
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
What You Will Need
About the Data
Context Boxes
Interactive Edits

Coverage
Reporting Period

Detailed Instructions

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

Section 1. SFA - Undergraduate Students
Purpose of Component
The purpose of the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA) component is to collect information about financial aid provided to various groups of
undergraduate students in order to meet requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended. Item areas include:
Financial aid about all undergraduate students
Financial aid about all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Financial aid and living arrangement information about all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded
grant aid. For public institutions, this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program reporters, this
includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Financial aid and living arrangement information about all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded
any Title IV federal student aid by income. For public institutions, this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition
rate. For program reporters, this includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Net Price Calculation for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded grant aid. For public institutions,
this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program reporters, this includes only students enrolled
in the institution's largest program.
Net Price Calculation for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid by
income. For public institutions, this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program reporters, this
includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest program.

Who Must Report
Institutions that had undergraduate students enrolled during the prior academic year must report.

Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2017-18 data collection period.

General Instructions
What You Will Need
The institution’s financial aid system should be the beginning basis for reporting to this IPEDS component.
Data providers for this component should be familiar with college and university practices associated with student financial aid. In general,
there are two types of financial aid data that will be requested in this component. These types are:
Numbers of students that meet certain conditions
Total aid dollars awarded to these students

To complete this component, data providers will need the following:
1. Financial aid information about the following student groups:
Group 1. All undergraduate students
Group 2. Of the students in Group 1, those who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Group 3. Of the students in Group 2, those enrolled in the institution's largest program who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate
and were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution.
Group 4. Of the students in Group 2, those enrolled in the institution's largest program who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate
and were awarded Title IV federal student aid.

2. Living arrangement information for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in the institution's
largest program who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were awarded grant or scholarship aid during the reporting period.
3. Living arrangement information for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in the institution's
largest program who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were awarded Title IV federal student aid during the reporting period.
4. Income levels for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in the institution's largest program who
paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were awarded Title IV federal student aid during the reporting period.

About the Data
Five different types of data appear in this component. There are data:
That institutions provide from their own financial aid records
That are prior year data, shown in red, which can be used as a comparison with the current year's data being reported
That are carried forward from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) component and the IPEDS 12-month Enrollment (E12)
component that your institution completed in the most recent collections of those components.
That are carried forward from one part of the Student Financial Aid component to another part to ensure that the data are internally
consistent
That are calculated from the other data elements
In the latter two cases, the data provider should check that the data that are carried forward and calculated are consistent with the data
in the institution's underlying financial aid records. If the data carried forward or calculated are not consistent with the institution's
records, then an error in data entry may have occurred.

Context Boxes
Optional context boxes throughout the component allow institutions to provide more information regarding reported data. Note that the
information in these context boxes may be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website. NCES will review
entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on College Navigator. However, institutions
should ensure that entries in these context boxes are free from grammatical and spelling errors and are written to be understood by
students and parents.

Interactive Edits
This component contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some
error messages will require you to confirm or explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to
contact the IPEDS Help Desk (1-877-225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org) for resolution.

Coverage
Reporting Period
The data reported for this component should be for the prior academic year. For the purposes of reporting to SFA, the aid year period runs
from July 1 through June 30.
Program reporters will report students' aid data for an institutionally-defined academic year. This is the academic year length, in weeks,
used by your institution to calculate your Pell budget. It must begin within the aid year period specified above and will vary from student to
student depending on when he or she enrolled.

Student Cohort
The student cohort covered by this component includes undergraduate students enrolled any time during the prior academic year (the aid
year period from July 1 through June 30).

What to Include
The following types of financial aid should be reported in this component:
Federal grants (grants/educational assistance funds): Grants provided by federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of
Education, including Title IV federal student aid grants such as Pell grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
(FSEOG), Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (National SMART) Grants,
and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants. Also include need-based and merit-based
educational assistance funds and training vouchers provided from other federal agencies and/or federally-sponsored educational
benefits programs.
Do not include veterans education benefits, as defined in section 480(c) of the HEA, as they are no longer treated as Estimated
Financial Assistance for Federal Student Aid purposes. For more information, visit
http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/081309GuidFedVeteransEdBenefits.html.
Federal loans to students: Monies from the federal government that must be repaid for which the student is the designated
borrower. This type of aid includes all Title IV federal student loan aid such as Federal Perkins Loans, Subsidized Direct or FFEL
Stafford Loans, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loans. Do not include PLUS loans and other federal loans not made directly
to the student.
State/local government grants (grants/scholarships/waivers): Grants that were awarded by your state such as Leveraging
Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIGs) and Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships. Include merit-based grants or
scholarships that were provided by your state or local government. Also include tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was
reimbursed by a state or local government agency.
Institutional grants or scholarships (scholarships/waivers): Grants, scholarships, and fellowships granted and funded by the
institution and/or individual departments within the institution and are limited to students attending your institution. Also include
scholarships targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of residence, major, or participation in athletic activities) for which
the institution designates the recipient. Also include institutional tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was not reimbursed
by a state or local government agency. This is not intended to include Federal Work Study.
Private grants or scholarships: Grants or scholarships to students that are awarded and paid by an outside organization but are
directed through the institution's financial aid office (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Private loans to students: Monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student is the designated borrower.
Include all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Do not include loans that are not made directly to the student.
NOTE: In this component, "aid awarded" refers to grant or scholarship aid that was awarded to students or to loans awarded to and
accepted by students. For reporting grant or scholarship aid, institutions should report on aid that was awarded to students. This amount
may be different from the amount that was actually disbursed to students. For example, a student may be awarded grant or scholarship
aid at the beginning of the academic year but then leave the institution before the entire amount is disbursed. In this case, institutions
should report the original amount of grant or scholarship aid that was awarded. For reporting loans to students, institutions should
continue to report on loans that were awarded to and accepted by the student.

Note also that different types of financial aid should be reported for different groups of students. Please review the instructions and the
screens carefully to ensure that you are reporting the correct types of financial aid in the appropriate parts.
Institutions need to report aid in this component such that the net price calculations shown on College Navigator and used for the College
Affordability and Transparency lists are a reflection of what students actually pay.
In cases where a student is awarded aid for multiple institutionally-defined academic years within one aid year period, institutions should
report only aid awarded for the student's first institutionally-defined academic year.
For total aid amounts, report to the nearest whole dollar and omit cents. For student counts, an unduplicated count should be given within
a given aid category (e.g., Pell grants). However, a student can appear in more than one aid category.

What NOT to Include
Do not report student counts or aid amounts for the following:
Students who were only graduate students at the institution during the reporting period
Students who were enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a certificate/degree
Students who were enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Students who were exclusively auditing classes
Do not report Federal Work Study amounts into any total aid amounts.
Do not report loans that are made to someone other than the student.
Do not report military/veterans aid in Section 1. Such aid is ONLY reported in Section 2.

Detailed Instructions
This section provides line-by-line instructions for each part of the Student Financial Aid component.

Part A - Establish Your Groups
Part A establishes the number of students in various groups. Note that the data you report on this screen will be carried forward to
other parts of the Student Financial Aid component.
Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of students in each of the following groups:

Item

Description

01.

Group 1
All undergraduate students
Report the number of all undergraduate students who were enrolled any time during the prior
academic year. Include all new and continuing undergraduate students (full-time students, parttime students, degree/certificate-seeking students, non-degree/certificate-seeking students,
and all others). This number will be preloaded from your institution's IPEDS 12-month Enrollment
component, but it may be modified if necessary. If you have questions about the value that has
been preloaded in this field, please contact your institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.

02.

Group 2
Of those in Group 1, those who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
Report the number of students who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates.
02a.

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Federal Work Study; loans to
students; or grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, the institution, or other sources known to the institution
Report the number of students who were awarded any of the following:
Federal Work Study;
Government and/or private loans to students;
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government,
or the institution; or
Grant or scholarship aid from other sources known to the institution, such as aid
from private sources (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Note that the students reported in Line 02a are not defined as a particular group
because no additional financial aid information will be collected about these students.

02b.

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any loans to students or grant or
scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution
Report the number of students who were awarded any of the following:
Government and/or private loans to students; or
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government,
or the institution.
Note that the students reported in Line 02b are not defined as a particular group
because no additional financial aid information will be collected about these students.

03.

Group 3
Of those in Group 2, those enrolled in your institution's largest program who were
awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal government,
state/local government, or the institution
For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district
tuition rate. Report students who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following
sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the institution. Do not include
students who were awarded aid only from other sources.

04.

Group 4
Of those in Group 2, those enrolled in your institution's largest program who were
awarded any Title IV federal student aid
For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district
tuition rate. Report students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid (i.e., report
students who were awarded federal grant aid or who were awarded federal work study or
federal student loans).
Title IV federal student aid includes:
Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG),
Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to
Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and
Higher Education (TEACH) Grant
Federal Work Study
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or
FFEL Stafford Loan

Part B - Financial Aid About Group 1
This part is intended to collect information about the number of Group 1 students and the total amounts of aid they were awarded by
different aid types. Group 1 students are all undergraduate students enrolled any time during the prior academic year.
For this part, report:

For These Students
· All undergraduate students

The Following Type(s) of Aid
· Grant or scholarship aid from
the federal government
· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
· Grant or scholarship from the
institution
· Grant or scholarship aid from
other sources known to the
institution
· Loans to students from the
federal government

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year (the aid year
period from July 1 through
June 30)

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:

Information from Part A:
Group 1
All undergraduate students
(This number is carried forward from Part A,
Line 01)

Prior Academic Year
Carried forward from Part A

Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 1 students and the total amount of aid awarded to these students for each type of aid.

Item

Description

01.

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, the institution,
and other sources known to the institution
Column 1. Report the number of students in Group 1 who were awarded grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local government, the institution, and other sources known to
the institution.
Column 2. The percentage of students in Group 1 who were awarded grant or scholarship aid is
calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government,
state/local government, the institution, and other sources known to the institution awarded to
Group 1 students.

02.

Column 4. The average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 1 students is
calculated for you.
Pell grants
Column 1. Report the number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants. Do not include
any other type of federal grant aid (e.g., Academic Competitiveness Grants).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants is calculated for
you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of Pell grants awarded to Group 1 students. Do not
include any other type of federal grant aid (e.g., Academic Competitiveness Grants).
Column 4. The average amount of Pell grants awarded to Group 1 students is calculated for you.

03.

Federal student loans
Column 1. Report the number of Group 1 students who were awarded federal loans to students.
Do not include any other type of federal loans (e.g., PLUS loans, which are made to the parent of a
student).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 1 students who were awarded federal student loans is
calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of federal student loans awarded to Group 1 students.
Do not include any other type of federal loans (e.g., PLUS loans, which are made to the parent of a

student).
Column 4. The average amount of federal student loans awarded to students in Group 1 is
calculated for you.

Part C, Page 2 - Enter Financial Aid about Group 2
This part is intended to collect information about the number of Group 2 students and the total amounts of aid they were awarded by
different aid types. For academic reporters, Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
enrolled in the prior Fall. For program reporters, Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students enrolled any time during the prior academic year.
For this part, report:

·

For These Students
Full-time, first-time,
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students
enrolled in the prior Fall
(academic reporters) or any
time during the prior
academic year (program
reporters)

The Following Type(s) of Aid
· Grant or scholarship aid from
the federal government
· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
· Grant or scholarship from the
institution
· Loans to students from the
federal government and from
other sources, including
private loans
· Do not include grant or
scholarship aid from private
or other sources
· Do not include PLUS loans or
loans made to anyone other
than the student

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year
· For program reporters, this is
the aid year period from July
1 through June 30.

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:
Group 2a
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded
any Federal Work Study, loans to students, or
grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, the
institution, or other sources known to the
institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
02a)
Group 2b
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded
any loans to students or grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
02b)
Group 03
Of those in Group 2, those (enrolled in the
largest program for program reporters) who paid
the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were
awarded grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the
institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
03)

Prior Academic Year

Carried forward from Part A

Carried forward from Part A

Carried forward from Part A

Note: aid categories in this section are further disaggregated into subcategories. Because students may be awarded more than one type
of aid, the sum of the values you enter in the subcategories will not necessarily equal the value you enter in the aid category. However,
the total number of students reported for the aid category cannot exceed the sum of subcategories. (For example, the number of students
who were awarded federal grants cannot exceed the sum of the number of students who were awarded Pell grants and the number who
were awarded other federal grants). In addition, the total number of students reported for an aid category must be at least as large as
the largest of those reported in a subcategory.
Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 2 students and the total amount of aid they were awarded for each type of aid.
Item
01.

Description
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, and the institution
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants or
scholarships from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution. If a student
appears in more than one type of aid category in Lines 02 through 04, that student should only be
counted once for Line 01. Do not include students who were awarded only grants or scholarships from
private sources (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants or
scholarships from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 3. The total dollar amount for Line 01 will be calculated for you. This value is calculated using
the following formula: [(Line 02, Column 3) + (Line 03, Column 3) + (Line 04, Column 3)].
Column 4. The average amount of grants or scholarships from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 2 students will be calculated for you.

02.

Federal grants
This aid category is disaggregated into the following two subcategories: Pell grants and other federal
grants.

Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants from the
federal government. This includes Pell grants and other federal grants. If a student appears in more
than one type of aid category in Lines 02a or 02b, that student should only be counted once for Line
02. Note that this number should be at least as large as the largest number reported in Line 02a,
Column 1 or Line 02b, Column 1. In addition, this number cannot exceed the sum of [(Line 02a,
Column 1) + (Line 02b, Column 1)].
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants from the
federal government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. The total dollar amount for Line 02 will be calculated for you. This value is calculated using
the following formula: [(Line 02a, Column 3) + (Line 02b, Column 3)].
Column 4. The average amount of grants from the federal government awarded to Group 2 students
will be calculated for you.
02a.

Pell grants
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded a Pell grant.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded a Pell grant will be
calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all Pell grants awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of Pell grants awarded to Group 2 students will be
calculated for you.

02b.

Other federal grants
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded other federal grants.
Other federal grants include Title IV grant aid other than a Pell grant.
Column 2. The percentage of students Group 2 students who were awarded other federal
grants will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all other federal grants awarded to Group 2
students.
Column 4. The average amount of other federal grants awarded to Group 2 students will be
calculated for you.

03.

State/local government grants or scholarships (grants/scholarships/waivers)
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from a
state/local government. This includes grants, scholarships, or waivers funded by a state or local
government. Do not include any other types of grants.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded grants or scholarships from a
state/local government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all grants or scholarships from a state/local government
awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of grants or scholarships from a state/local government awarded to
Group 2 students will be calculated for you.

04.

Institutional grants or scholarships (scholarships/fellowships)
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from
the institution. This includes grants, scholarships, or fellowships funded by the institution. Do not
include any other types of grants.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded grants or scholarships from the
institution will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all grants or scholarships from the institution awarded to
Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of grants or scholarships from the awarded to Group 2 students will
be calculated for you.

05.

Loans to students
This aid category is disaggregated into the following two subcategories: federal loans and other loans.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to students.
This includes loans from the federal government and from other sources (including private lenders). If
a student appears in more than one type of loan category in Lines 05a or 05b, that student should
only be counted once for Line 05. Note that this number should be at least as large as the largest
number reported in Line 05a, Column 1 or Line 05b, Column 1. In addition, this number cannot
exceed the sum of [(Line 05a, Column 1) + (Line 05b, Column 1)].
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to students will
be calculated for you.
Column 3. The total dollar amount for Line 05 will be calculated for you. This value is calculated using
the following formula: [(Line 05a, Column 3) + (Line 05b, Column 3)].
Column 4. The average amount of loans to students awarded to Group 2 students will be calculated
for you.
05a.

Federal loans

Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to
students from the federal government. Do not include loans to others (e.g., PLUS loans to
parents) and do not include any other type of grant or loan aid.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to
students from the federal government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all loans to students from the federal
government awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of loans to students from the federal government awarded
to Group 2 students will be calculated for you.
05b.

Other loans
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to
students from sources other than the federal government. This includes private loans to
students. Do not include loans to others (e.g., loans to parents).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to
students from sources other than the federal government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all loans to students from sources other than
the federal government awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of loans to students from sources other than the federal
government awarded to Group 2 students will be calculated for you.

Cost of Attendance Revision
If you made errors in the prior year reporting of cost of attendance, you can make changes in the SFA component, there are no prior year
revisions. Please refer to the instructions on reporting cost of attendance in the IC component.

Part D - Enter Financial Aid about Group 3
This part is intended to collect information used to estimate the average net price for Group 3 students in Part F.
Group 3 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in your institution's largest
program any time during the prior academic year paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who were awarded grant or scholarship aid
from the following sources: federal government, state/local government, or the institution. Students who were awarded only grant or
scholarship aid from private or other sources, or students who were awarded only non-grant aid should not be included in this group.
For this part, report:
For These Students
· Full-time, first-time,
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students
enrolled in your institution's
largest program paying the
in-state or in-district tuition
rate who were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from
the following sources: the
federal government,
state/local government, or
the institution
· Do not include students who
were awarded only grant or
scholarship aid from private
or other sources, or students
who were awarded only nongrant aid.

The Following Type(s) of Aid
· Grant or scholarship aid from
the federal government
· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
· Grant or scholarship from the
institution
· Do not include grant or
scholarship aid from private
or other sources.

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year (the aid year
period from July 1 through
June 30)

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:

Group 3
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in your
institution's largest program paying the in-state
or in-district tuition rate who were awarded grant
or scholarship aid from the federal government,
state/local government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
03)

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2014-15

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2015-16

Pre-loaded

Pre-loaded

2016-17

Carried forward
from Part A

In this part, you will be asked to report living arrangement information for Group 3 students. The living arrangement categories used in
this component are the same categories used to describe living arrangements for Federal Student Aid purposes. Students indicate their
intended living arrangement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Institutions should use the most recently available information regarding student living arrangement. For example, a student may have
indicated on her or his FAFSA or an institutional financial aid application that she or he planned to live at home with family. But when the
student enrolled, she or he decided to live on campus. Although the student may not have modified the FAFSA to reflect the updated living
arrangement, the institution may have more recent information in its financial aid system indicating that the student lived on campus
according to the most recent aid package for that student during the financial aid year. In this case, the institution should classify this
student as an on-campus student.
A student should be counted in only one category—the one that the institution used most recently to develop or modify that student’s
financial aid package. If a student in this group did not complete the FAFSA, that student may appear as having an unknown living
arrangement in Line 01d. However, if the institution knows the living arrangement for the student, then the student should be reported in
the appropriate category.

Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 3 students with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant or
scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to these students.
Item
01.

02.

03.

Description
Report the number of Group 3 students with the following living arrangements.
01a.
On-campus. Report the number of Group 3 students who lived on-campus.
01b.
Off-campus (with family). Report the number of Group 3 students who lived off-campus
with their parents or guardians.
01c.
Off-campus (not with family). Report the number of Group 3 students who lived off-campus
not with their parents or guardians.
01d.
Unknown (calculated). This value is calculated using the following formula: [A03 – (D01a +
D01b + D01c)], where A03 is the number of Group 3 students that you entered in Part A,
Line 03. Note that this number should be a small percentage of the total number of students
in a given year because institutions should have this information available for all students
that completed the FAFSA as well as other information they have in their financial aid data
systems.
Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students
Report the total dollar amount of grants and scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students. Exclude grant or scholarship aid from
private sources (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship) and exclude all loan aid.
Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution awarded to Group 3 students
The average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution awarded to Group 3 students will be calculated for you. This value is calculated using the
following formula: [D02/A03]. This amount will be used in Part F to calculate net price.

Part E - Enter Financial Aid about Group 4
This part is intended to collect information used to estimate the average net price for Group 4 students in Part G.
Group 4 students are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates enrolled in your institution's largest program any time
during the prior academic year who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid (i.e., students who were awarded federal grant aid or
who were awarded federal work study or federal student loans). For public institutions, Group 4 includes only those students who paid
the in-state or in-district tuition rate.
Title IV federal student aid includes the following:
Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National
Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher
Education (TEACH) Grant
Federal Work Study
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan
For this part, report:
For These Students
· Full-time, first-time,
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students
enrolled in your institution's
largest program who were
awarded any Title IV federal
student aid
· For public institutions, include
only those students who paid
the in-state or in-district
tuition rate.

The Following Type(s) of Aid
· Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government
· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
· Grant or scholarship from the
institution
· Do not include grant or
scholarship aid from private or
other sources.
· Do not include loan amounts.
· Do not include Federal Work
Study amounts.

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year (the aid year
period from July 1 through
June 30)

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:

Group 4
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in your
institution's largest program who were
awarded any Title IV federal student aid. For
public institutions, include only students
paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate.
(This number is carried forward from Part A,
Line 04)

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2014-15

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2015-16

Pre-loaded

Pre-loaded

2016-17

Carried
forward from
Part A

Notes: In this part, you will be asked to report living arrangement information for Group 4 students. The living arrangement categories
used in this component are the same categories used to describe living arrangements for Federal Student Aid purposes. Students indicate
their intended living arrangement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Institutions should use the most recently available information regarding student living arrangement. For example, a student may have
indicated on her or his FAFSA or an institutional financial aid application that she or he planned to live at home with family. But when the
student enrolled she or he decided to live on campus. Although the student may not have modified the FAFSA to reflect the updated living
arrangement, the institution may have more recent information in its financial aid system indicating that the student lived on campus
according to the most recent aid package for that student during the financial aid year. In this case, the institution should classify this
student as an on-campus student.
A student should be counted in only one category—the one that the institution used most recently to develop or modify that student’s
financial aid package. If a student in this group did not complete the FAFSA, that student may appear as having an unknown living
arrangement in Line 01d. However, if the institution knows the living arrangement for the student, then the student should be reported in
the appropriate category.
In this part, you will also be asked to report the number of students in Group 4 and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid they were
awarded by income level. To determine the income level of the student, use the income that was used by the institution’s financial aid
office to determine the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC). For dependent students this will include the parents’ adjusted gross
income and the student’s adjusted gross income. For independent students this will include the student’s adjusted gross income.
Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 4 students with each type of living arrangement.

Item

Description

01.

Report the number of Group 4 students with the following living arrangements.
01a.
On-campus. Report the number of Group 4 students who lived on-campus.
01b.
Off-campus (with family). Report the number of Group 4 students who lived off-campus
with their parents or guardians.
01c.
Off-campus (not with family). Report the number of Group 4 students who lived off-campus
not with their parents or guardians.
01d.
Unknown (calculated). This value is calculated using the following formula: [A04 – (E01a +
E01b + E01c)], where A04 is the number of Group 4 students that you entered in Part A, Line
04. Note that this number should be a small percentage of the total number of students in a
given year because institutions should have this information available for all students that
completed the FAFSA as well as other information they have in their financial aid data
systems.

In the fields provided, report the number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1); the number of Group 4
students who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution (column
2); and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to
these students by income level (column 3).
Item
02.

Description
02a.

$0–30,000

02b.

$30,001–
48,000

02c.

$48,001–
75,000

02d.

$75,001–
110,000

02e.

$110,001 and
more

02f.

Total all income
levels

Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. The total number of Group 4 students who were awarded any
Title IV aid will be calculated for you.
Column 2. The total number of Group 4 students who were awarded any
grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution will be calculated for you.
Column 3. The total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to
Group 4 students from the federal government, state/local government,
or the institution will be calculated for you.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution will be calculated for you.

Part F - Net Price Calculation for Group 3

This part is intended to summarize the information used to estimate the average net price for Group 3 students.
Group 3 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in your institution's largest
program any time during the prior academic year who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution. For public institutions, Group 3 includes only those students who paid the in-state
or in-district tuition rate.
As required by the HEOA, the average net price for Group 3 students will be posted on College Navigator. In addition, the average net
price calculated for this group will be used in the U.S. Department of Education's College Affordability and Transparency lists.
The components used to estimate the average net price include the average total cost of attendance for the institution's largest program
and the average grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students. The total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and
required fees (Line 01), books and supplies (Line 02) and the weighted average by living arrangement for room and board and other
expenses (Line 05). Information about cost of attendance is carried forward from data that your institution reported in the Institutional
Characteristics component of IPEDS. If you did not enter this information and have questions about the values entered here, contact your
institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.
The source or calculation for each line is described here.

Item

Description

01.

Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public
institutions)
The published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public
institutions) are carried forward from data that your institution reported on the IPEDS
Institutional Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

02.

Books and supplies
The cost for books and supplies are carried forward from data that your institution reported
on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of
Attendance.

03.

Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
The cost for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement are carried forward
from data that your institution reported on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics
component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

04.

Number of Group 3 students by living arrangement
These numbers are carried forward from Part D, Lines 01a through 01d.

05.

Weighted average by living arrangement (excluding unknown values) for room and
board and other expenses
This value is generated by determining the average room and board and other expenses
(Lines 03a through 03c) weighted by student living arrangement (excluding students in the
unknown category). This value is calculated using the following formula:
Line 05 = [(Line 03a*(Line 04a/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))] + [Line 03b*(Line 04b/(Line
04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))] + [Line 03c*(Line 04c/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))]

06.

Total cost of attendance
This value is calculated using the following formula: Line 01 + Line 02 + Line 05.

07.

Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students
This value is carried forward from Part D, Line 04.

08.

Average institutional net price for Group 3 students
The average institutional net price for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in your institution's largest program any time during the
prior academic year who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution is calculated for you. This value is
calculated using the following formula: Line 06 – Line 07. The average net price for Group 3
students will be posted on College Navigator and used in the U.S. Department of
Education's College Affordability and Transparency lists.

Part G - Net Price Calculation for Group 4
This part is intended to summarize the information used to estimate the average net price for Group 4 students.
Group 4 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in your institution's largest
program any time during the prior academic year who were awarded Title IV federal student aid. For public institutions, Group 4 includes
only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate.
As required by the HEOA, the average net price for Group 4 students will be posted on College Navigator.
The components used to estimate the average net price include the average total cost of attendance for the institution's largest program
and the average grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students. The total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and
required fees (Line 01), books and supplies (Line 02) and the weighted average by living arrangement for room and board and other
expenses (Line 05). Information about cost of attendance is carried forward from data that your institution reported in the Institutional

Characteristics component of IPEDS. If you did not enter this information and have questions about the values entered here, contact your
institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.
The source or calculation for each line is described here.

Item

Description

01.

Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public
institutions)
The published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public
institutions) are carried forward from data that your institution reported on the IPEDS
Institutional Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

02.

Books and supplies
The cost for books and supplies are carried forward from data that your institution reported
on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of
Attendance.

03.

Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
The cost for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement are carried forward
from data that your institution reported on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics
component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

04.

Number of Group 4 students by living arrangement
These numbers are carried forward from Part E, Lines 01a through 01d.

05.

Weighted average by living arrangement (excluding unknown values) for room and
board and other expenses
This value is generated by determining the average room and board and other expenses
(Lines 03a through 03c) weighted by student living arrangement (excluding students in the
unknown category). This value is calculated using the following formula: Line 05 = [Line
03a*(Line 04a/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))]+[Line 03b*(Line 04b/(Line 04a+Line
04b+Line 04c))]+[Line 03c*(Line 04c/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))]

06.

Total cost of attendance
This value is calculated using the following formula: Line 01 + Line 02 + Line 05.

07.

Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 4 students
These values are carried forward from Part E, Line 04, Column 4 for each income level.

08.

Average institutional net price for Group 4 students
The average institutional net price for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in your institution's largest program any time during the
prior academic year who were awarded Title IV federal student aid is calculated for
you. These values are calculated for each income level using the following formula: Line 06
– Line 07. The average net price for Group 4 students by income level will be posted
on College Navigator.

Section 2. Military Servicemembers and Veteran Students with Benefits
Purpose of Component
The purpose of the Student Financial Aid (SFA) is collect information about the financial aid provided to various groups of undergraduates in
order to meet requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. Starting in 2014-15 data collection year, SFA has expanded to
collect information on the federal dollars supporting military servicemember and veteran undergraduate and graduate students.
As presented in the Technical Review Panel Report #36 (March 2012), the increase in beneficiaries and federal dollars has led for an increase
demand for information to help prospective students look where to use their educational benefits, researchers study the impact of the
programs on college outcomes, and policymakers assess the effectiveness of benefits programs and return on investment.

Who Must Report
All registered IPEDS institutions that educate military servicemembers, veterans, or eligible dependents receiving any Tuition Assistance
Program or Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Report only those that RECEIVED the benefit(s).

Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2017-18 data collection period.

General Instructions
What You Will Need
If unfamiliar with these educational benefits, below is a general synopsis of each programs:
1. Post-9/11 GI Bill
Effective August 1, 2009, benefit provides payment of tuition and fees, monthly housing allowance, and books and supplies stipend.
Tuition and fees are paid directly to the institution on behalf the students; thus, institutions should know which students have Post9/11 GI Bill benefits and the amount of benefits received at the institution.
Educational benefits can be transferred to a dependent.
Program expanded in 2011 to cover non-degree-granting programs, apprenticeships/on-the-job training programs, flight training
programs, and training correspondence.
The Yellow Ribbon program through the Post-9/11 GI Bill is an institutional aid matching program only for tuition and fees for students
attending participating institutions.
For more information, visit the Department of Veteran Affairs, Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits website
http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp
2. Department of Defense Tuition Assistance
For active duty servicemembers, reservists called to active duty, and their spouses.
Educational payments cover only tuition and fees and are made directly to the institution.
GI Bill benefits can be used to supplement costs not covered by this program.
For more information, visit the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program website http://www.dodmou.com/
Consult and verify the data with your institutional representative who certifies these benefits. This individual or office may not be in the
student financial aid office.

About the Data
The Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance programs may only highlight two of many educational benefits provided to military
servicemembers and veterans. However, from a national perspective, Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance programs are more likely to
be found across over 7,500 IPEDS institutions.
For Yellow Ribbon participating institutions, the institutional aid provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon matching program
should NOT be included in the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution.

Context Boxes
Optional context boxes throughout the component allow institutions to provide more information regarding reported data. Note that the
information in these context boxes may be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website. NCES will review
entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on College Navigator. However, institutions
should ensure that entries in these context boxes are free from grammatical and spelling errors and are written to be understood by
students and parents.

Interactive Edits
This component contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some
error messages will require you to confirm or explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to
contact the IPEDS Help Desk (1-877-225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org) for resolution.

Coverage
Reporting Period
The data reported for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic year, from July 1 to June 30. For example, for
the 2017-18 data collection year, the data reported will be July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017.
The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program questions should be for the prior academic year,
from October 1 to September 30. For example, for the 2017-18 data collection year, the data reported will be October 1, 2016-September
30, 2017.

Detailed Instruction
This section provides line-by-line instructions for the Military Servicemember and Veteran Benefits Question.
For the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit, please provide in the first column the number of students receiving the benefit during the July 1-June 30
reporting period (see coverage above). In the second column, provide the total dollar amount for each benefit during the same reporting
period.
For the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program benefit, please provide in the first column the number of students receiving the
benefit during the October 1-September 30 reporting period (see coverage above). In the second column, provide the total dollar amount for
each benefit during the same reporting period.
If your institution did not have any student beneficiaries for one of the benefit programs, enter a zero (0) in the cell. In other words, do NOT
leave the cell blank for a program that did not have any beneficiaries.
For Yellow Ribbon participating institutions, the institutional aid provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon matching program should
NOT be included in the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution.

Glossary

date: 8/4/2017

Term

Definition

Federal grants
(grants/educational assistance
funds)

Grants provided by federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Education, including Title IV Pell Grants and Supplemental
Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG). Also includes need-based and merit-based educational assistance funds and training vouchers
provided from other federal agencies and/or federally-sponsored educational benefits programs. (Used for reporting on the Student
Financial Aid component)

Financial aid

Federal Work Study, grants, loans to students (government and/or private), assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, tuition waivers,
tuition discounts, employer aid (tuition reimbursement) and other monies (other than from relatives/friends) provided to students to
meet expenses. This excludes loans to parents.

First-time student
(undergraduate)

A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending any institution for the first time at the
undergraduate level. This includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs. It also includes students enrolled in the
fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term, and students who entered with advanced standing (college
credits or postsecondary formal award earned before graduation from high school).

Full-time student

Undergraduate: A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, or 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more contact hours a week
each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for 9 or more semester credits, or 9 or more quarter credits, or a student involved in thesis or
dissertation preparation that is considered full-time by the institution. Doctor's degree - Professional practice - as defined by the
institution.

Institutional grants

Scholarships and fellowships granted and funded by the institution and/or individual departments within the institution, (i.e.,
instruction, research, public service) that may contribute indirectly to the enhancement of these programs . Includes scholarships
targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of residence, major field of study, athletic team participation) for which the
institution designates the recipient.

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).

Loans to students

Any monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student is the designated borrower. Includes all Title IV
subsidized and unsubsidized loans and all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Does not include PLUS and other loans made
directly to parents.

Military Tuition Assistance
Program (TAP)

A program that funds up to 100% of an eligible servicemember's college tuition and course-specific fees. Available only to eligible
servicemembers who are currently in active service as long as criteria limits are not exceeded and students are enrolled off-duty in an
U.S. Department of Education accredited post-secondary institution. This military benefit is paid directly to the postsecondary institution
by the individual's Armed service.

Net price

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 defines institutional net price as "the average yearly price actually charged to first-time,
full-time undergraduate students receiving student aid at an institution of higher education after deducting such aid." In IPEDS,
average institutional net price is generated by subtracting the average amount of federal, state/local government, or institutional grant
and scholarship aid from the total cost of attendance. Total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and required fees (lower
of in-district or in-state for public institutions), books and supplies, and the weighted average for room and board and other expenses.
Cost of attendance data are collected in the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component of IPEDS, and financial aid data are collected
in the Student Financial Aid (SFA) component of IPEDS.

Off-campus (not with family)

A living arrangement in which a student does not live with the student's parents or legal guardians in any housing facility that is not
owned or controlled by the educational institution.

Off-campus (with family)

A living arrangement in which a student lives with the student's parents or legal guardians in any housing facility that is not owned or
controlled by the educational institution.

On-campus housing

Any residence hall or housing facility owned or controlled by an institution within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area and
used by the institution in direct support of or in a manner related to, the institution's educational purposes.

Post 9/11 GI Bill

A federal education benefit program for veterans, who served on active duty after September 10, 2001. This Department of Veteran
Affairs benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits at an approved institution for the following college costs: tuition and
fees, books and supplies and housing. The tuition and fees payment, which is the cost for an in-state student attending a public
institution, is made directly to the postsecondary institution whereas payments for books and supplies and housing are sent directly to
the student.

Scholarships

Grants-in-aid, trainee stipends, tuition and required fee waivers, prizes or other monetary awards given to undergraduate students.

State and local grants

Grant monies provided by the state such as Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIG's); merit
scholarships provided by the state; and tuition and f e e waivers for which the institution was reimbursed by a state agency. Local
government grants include scholarships or gift-aid awarded directly to the student. (Used for reporting Finance data for private forprofit institutions )

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).

Transfer of Entitlement Option

A program through which any unused Post 9/11 GI Bill may be transferred to a spouse or dependent(s) as long as servicemembers or
veterans meet the additional Department of Veterans Affairs’ criteria. Only Department of Defense (DoD) can approve transfer of
benefits requests.

Yellow Ribbon Program

A voluntary program through which participating public and private institutions can provide veterans and eligible beneficiaries additional
institutional aid to cover the costs of tuition and fees at their institutions. The Yellow Ribbon Program is a supplementary program to
the Post 9/11 GI Bill coverage of in-state tuition and fees. The Department of Veterans Affairs matches the institutional aid provided
beyond the in-state tuition and fees, but to certain limit each year.

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 8/4/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > FAQ

Student Financial Aid
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)

Which institutions are required to complete the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA)
component?

2)

What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?

3)

What changes occurred for SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?

4)

Can I revise my institutions cost of attendance (COA) data in SFA?

Student Counts
1)

For which students should I report financial aid
information?

2)

What students are included in Group 1?

3)

What students are included in Group 2?

4)

What students are included in Group 2a?

5)

What students are included in Group 2b?

6)

What students are included in Group 3?

7)

What students are included in Group 4?

Financial Aid
1)

Should veterans education benefits be reported?

2)

How should I report post-9/11 "Yellow Ribbon" benefits?

3)

The SFA survey indicates that the maximum amount of DOD TAP awarded per fiscal year per student is $4500.
What do I do if my DOD TAP average is greater than $4500 per student?

4)

What types of financial aid should be reported?

5)

What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?

6)

Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?

7)

Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?

8)

Should PLUS loans be reported?

9)

What does "aid awarded" mean?

10)

If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?

11)

Where can I get living arrangement information for students?

12)

How do I get information about students' income categories?

Answers:
General
1)

Which institutions are required to complete the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA) component?
All postsecondary institutions that either 1.) participate in federal student financial aid programs that enrolled
undergraduate students or 2.) enroll students who received an educational benefit (e.g., Department of Defense
Tuition Assistance or Department of Veteran Affairs Post-9/11GI Bill) any time during academic year 2016-17
must complete SFA.
Back to top

2)

What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?
For the 2017-18 data collection, institutions should report data for academic year 2016-17.
For Title IV participating institutions that enroll undergraduate students:

For academic reporters, the academic year is defined as the period of time generally
extending from September to June; usually equated to 2 semesters or trimesters, 3 quarters,
or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar system.
To determine the financial aid amounts to report for a given group of students, first identify the
students in that group (e.g., for Group 2, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled in Fall 2016). Second, determine the financial aid that was awarded
to these students any time during the 2016-17 academic year.
For program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as the
institutionally-defined academic year falls within the full aid year period of July 1-June 30.
To determine the financial aid amounts to report for a given group of students, first identify the
students in that group (e.g., for Group 2, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled any time during the academic year). Second, determine the financial
aid that was awarded to these students any time during the academic year.
For institutions that enroll undergraduate and graduate students who received military or veteran benefits:

The data reported for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic
year, from July 1 to June 30.
The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program questions
should be for the prior academic year, from October 1 to September 30.
Back to top
3)

What changes occurred for SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?
For the 2017-18 collection year, there were no changes.
Back to top

4)

Can I revise my institutions cost of attendance (COA) data in SFA?

Yes, the 3 most recent COA years can be changed in SFA's "Cost Revision" screen, which carried forward
the COA data from Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. Changes should only be made if errors were
made in the IC reporting. Changes cannot be made in the prior year revision system.
Back to top
Student Counts
1)

For which students should I report financial aid information?
SFA collects information on undergraduate students only.
Academic reporters should report on students who were enrolled as of October 15, or the institution’s official
Fall reporting date.
Program reporters should report on students who were enrolled any time during the academic year. For
program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as it falls between July 1 and June
30.
For the purposes of reporting to SFA, students are divided into the following groups:

Group 1: All undergraduate students
Group 2: Of Group 1, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Group 3: Of Group 2, students who were awarded any grant/scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution. For public institutions, include only
those paying in-state/in-district tuition rates. For program reporters, include only those
enrolled in the institution’s largest program.
Group 4: Of Group 2, students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid. For public
institutions, include only those paying in-state/in-district tuition rates. For program reporters,
include only those enrolled in the institution’s largest program.
Back to top
2)

What students are included in Group 1?
Group 1 includes all undergraduate students. You should report the total number of all new and continuing fulltime students, part-time students, degree/certificate-seeking students, and non-degree/certificate-seeking
students.
Back to top

3)

What students are included in Group 2?
Group 2 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates.
For academic reporters, include students attending your institution for the first time at the undergraduate
level. Also include students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer
term, and students who entered with advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high
school). This number should match the data that you reported on the Fall Enrollment component of IPEDS.
For program reporters, include students attending your institution for the first time at the undergraduate
level anytime during the academic year, as defined at your institution. Also include students who entered with
advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school). This number should closely
match the data you reported on the 12-month Enrollment component of IPEDS.
Back to top

4)

What students are included in Group 2a?
In Group 2a, you should report the number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who were awarded any of the following:

Federal Work Study
Federal or private loans to students
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Grant or scholarship aid from other sources known to the institution
Back to top
5)

What students are included in Group 2b?
In Group 2b, you should report the number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who were awarded any of the following:

Federal or private loans to students
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Group 2b is Group 2a minus those students who were awarded only Federal Work Study or grant or scholarship
aid from other sources known to the institution.
Back to top
6)

What students are included in Group 3?
Group 3 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates who were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the following sources:

Federal government
State/local government
Institution
For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program
reporters, include only those students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Do not include students who were awarded only grant or scholarship aid from private or other sources, or
students who were awarded only non-grant aid, such as loans.
Back to top
7)

What students are included in Group 4?
Group 4 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates who were awarded
any Title IV aid.
Title IV aid includes the following:

Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Academic
Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant
(National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) Grant
Federal Work Study
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL
Stafford Loan

For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program
reporters, include only those students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Back to top
Financial Aid
1)

Should veterans education benefits be reported?
For the portion of SFA (Parts A through E) that requires Title IV institutions to report on undergraduate students
receiving financial aid:

Veterans education benefits should not be reported as financial aid in SFA.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) removed veterans education benefits
from “estimated financial assistance,” effective July 1, 2010. A later technical corrections bill
(H.R. 1777) updated the list of programs that meet the definition of "veterans' education
benefits" in section 480(c) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) and moved the effective date of
the exclusion to July 1, 2009 (beginning with the 2009-10 award year).
However, the institutional aid from Yellow Ribbon program should be reported under
institutional aid. See how to report the Yellow Ribbon aid in FAQ.
For more information about the Department's Guidance on Federal Veterans’ Education
Benefits for Purposes of the Title IV Student Assistance Programs, please visit
http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/081309GuidFedVeteransEdBenefits.html.
For the portion of SFA (Section 2) that requires institutions to report on students who received military or
veteran benefits:

Educational benefits from the Department of Defense's Military Tuition Assistance or
Department of Veteran Affairs' Post-9/11 GI Bill should be reported in SFA.
Back to top
2)

How should I report post-9/11 "Yellow Ribbon" benefits?
The Post-9/11 GI Bill program includes a 'Yellow Ribbon' program, which is comprised of matching funds
provided by the government and the institution. The institutional part of this aid should be reported in the SFA
component (Section 1) as aid to the undergraduate student. Yellow Ribbon benefits provided from the VA should
NOT be included when reporting to the portion of SFA (Section 1) on Title IV institutions that enroll full-time,
first-time degree/certificate seeking undergraduate students.
However, both Post-9/11 GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon beneficiaries and federal dollar amounts should be
reported to the military/veteran question of SFA (Section 2). This portion of SFA requires all institutions that
enroll students with Post-9/11 GI Bill and/or Tuition Assistance educational benefits to provide the number of
beneficiaries and total dollar amounts.
Back to top

3)

The SFA survey indicates that the maximum amount of DOD TAP awarded per fiscal year per
student is $4500. What do I do if my DOD TAP average is greater than $4500 per student?
According to the 2014 final regulations set for the DOD Voluntary Education Programs - which include TAP each branch of military service can pay no more than $250/semester-unit (or equivalent) for tuition. Each
service member is eligible for up to $4500 in aggregate for each fiscal year. If your institution’s DOD TAP
average is greater than $4500 per student per award year, then you should:
--Ask your financial aid office or VA certifying official to sort out the military aid and remove any non-DOD TAP
aid (e.g., ROTC scholarships, tuition reimbursements for advanced civil schooling, education-related incentive
or bonus);
--Remove any non-Title 10 aid since TAP is a Title 10 program; and
--Make sure that you are including one disbursement period for that award year. Even though DOD TAP aid are
reported for the Oct 1 – Sep 30 timeframe, which technically covers two fall periods; only include one fall
disbursement period per award year.
Back to top

4)

What types of financial aid should be reported?
The following types of financial aid should be reported in this component:

Federal grants (grants/educational assistance funds): Grants provided by federal agencies
such as the U.S. Department of Education, including Title IV federal student aid grants such as
Pell grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs), Academic
Competitiveness Grants (ACGs), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent
(National SMART) Grants, and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) Grants. Also include need-based and merit-based educational assistance funds and
training vouchers provided from other federal agencies and/or federally-sponsored educational
benefits programs.
State/local government grants (grants/scholarships/waivers): Grants that were provided
by your state such as Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIGs)
and Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships. Also include merit scholarships that were provided by
your state and tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was reimbursed by a state
agency. Local grants include any local government grants, scholarships or gift-aid awarded
directly to the student.
Institutional grants: Scholarships and fellowships granted and funded by the institution
and/or individual departments within the institution (and are limited to students attending your
institution). Also include scholarships targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of
residence or major) for which the institution designates the recipient; athletic scholarships;
and the like. This is not intended to include Federal Work Study.
Private grants or scholarships: These may include scholarships or grants to students that are
paid by an outside organization but are directed through the institution's financial aid office
(e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Loans to students: Monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student
is the designated borrower. Include all Title IV federal student loan aid such as Federal Perkins
Loans, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loans, and Unsubsidized Director or FFEL Stafford
Loans. Also include all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Please do not include
PLUS and other loans made directly to parents.
Note that different parts of the SFA component ask for different types of financial aid to be reported. Please
review the instructions and the survey screens carefully to ensure that you are reporting the correct types of
financial aid in the appropriate parts.
Back to top
5)

What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?
Institutions should report aid that was awarded any time during the academic year.
For academic reporters, the academic year is the period of time generally extending from September to June,
usually equated to two semesters or trimesters, three quarters, or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar

system.
For program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as it falls between July 1 and
June 30.
Note that for the purposes of calculating net price, the cost of attendance (COA) for an academic year reported
in the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component should align with the aid amounts reported in the Student
Financial Aid (SFA) component.
Back to top
6)

Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?
Yes, tuition and fee waivers should be reported.
Tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was reimbursed by a state agency should be reported under
state/local government grants.
Tuition and fee waivers granted by your institution (for which your institution is not reimbursed from another
source) should be reported as institutional grants.
Back to top

7)

Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?
In general, institutions should report financial aid from tribal offices awarded to full-time, first-time students in
the state/local government field (Line 03) in Part C.
Back to top

8)

Should PLUS loans be reported?
No. PLUS loans are made to the parents of students. Any type of loan that is not made to the student should not
be reported.
Back to top

9)

What does "aid awarded" mean?
Institutions should report on grant or scholarship aid that has been awarded to students. This may be different
from aid that was actually disbursed to students. For example, a student may be awarded grant or scholarship
aid at the beginning of the academic year but then leave the institution before the entire amount is disbursed.
In this case, you would report the original amount of grant or scholarship aid that was awarded, even though
the entire amount was not actually disbursed to the student.
For reporting loans to students, institutions should continue to report on loans that were awarded to and
accepted by the student.
Back to top

10)

If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?
Yes, students should be included in each category of aid that they are awarded. If a student is awarded both
federal and institutional aid, he/she should be counted under both types of aid.
However, in Part C, count students only once in the major aid category. For example, if a student is awarded
both a Pell Grant (Line 02a) and another type of federal grant (Line 02b), then count that student once for the
major category of Federal grants (Line 02).
Back to top

11)

Where can I get living arrangement information for students?
Students indicate their intended living arrangement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or
an institutional financial aid application. If a student did not complete the FAFSA or an institutional financial aid
application with living arrangement information, that student may appear as having an unknown living
arrangement.
Institutions should use the most recently available information regarding student living arrangement.
Back to top

12)

How do I get information about students' income categories?
To assign the income category of the student, use the income that was used by your financial aid office to
determine the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC). For dependent students this will include the
parents’ adjusted gross income and the student’s adjusted gross income. For independent students this will
include the student’s adjusted gross income.
If your institution takes part in campus-based aid programs like SEOG, FWS, and Perkins Loans, then it might
be easiest to tell your financial aid office that students should be put in income categories as they are done on
FISAP. Institutions with campus-based based aid programs must report annually to the Department of Education
using the FISAP (Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate). Part of the FISAP includes incomerelated information. Even if your institution does not file FISAP, the instructions from it may be helpful (fields
26-39):

Use the FISAP Total Income (FTI), one of the intermediate computed values on the Student Aid Record (SAR) or
ISIR (Institutional Student Information Record), to determine the proper cell for each student. For dependent
students, FTI is the sum of Total Income (TI) and Student’s Total Income (STI). For independent students, the
FTI will equal the TI. Remember, extract this information only from the SARs/ISIRs of students who
actually enrolled in your school.
You might need to correct or adjust a student’s income information and recalculate the EFC. If so, you must use
that corrected or adjusted information when determining the proper income cell for a student. In such a case,
to determine the income cell for a dependent student, you must use the student’s and parents’ base year
incomes, as reported on the SAR/ISIR.

Back to top

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 8/4/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > Form

Student Financial Aid for institutions reporting on a full-year cohort (private program reporters)

Overview
IPEDS Student Financial Aid Component Overview
Program Reporters
Welcome to the Student Financial Aid (SFA) component. The purpose of the SFA component is to collect information about financial aid provided to various groups of
undergraduate students and military/veteran educational benefits for all students at your institution.
Changes to This Year’s SFA Component
There were no changes implemented for the 2017-18 data collection period.

Data Reporting Reminders
Undergraduate Student Groups
You will be asked to report information for different groups of students.
Group 1: All undergraduate students
Group 2: Of Group 1, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Group 3: Of Group 2, students enrolled in the institution’s largest program and were awarded any grant/scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution. For public institutions, include only those who paid the in-state or in-district tuition
rate.
Group 4: Of Group 2, students enrolled in the institution’s largest program and were awarded any Title IV federal student aid. For public
institutions, include only those who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate.

COA Revisions
Revisions to Cost of Attendance used to calculate the net price of attendance can be made in this component.
Consult the instructions and screens to make sure you are reporting the correct aid amounts for the correct groups of students.

College Affordability and Transparency Lists
Net price amounts calculated in SFA will be used to populate the Department’s College Affordability and Transparency lists.
Interactive Edits and Error Messages
SFA contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some error messages will require you to confirm or
explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568 for resolution.
Context Boxes
You will find optional text boxes throughout SFA. Context boxes allow you to provide more information about the data you enter. Some of these context boxes may be made
available to the public on College Navigator, so make sure that the information you enter can be understood easily by students, parents, and the general public.
Resources
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials

Section 1: Part A
Part A - Establish Your Groups
Part A establishes the number of students in various groups. Note that the numbers on this screen will be carried forward to other parts of the Student Financial Aid
component.
In the fields below, report the number of students in each of the following groups.
July 1, 2016June 30, 2017

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2015-16

Group 1
01
All undergraduate students
02

Group 2
Of those in Group 1, those who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
02a

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Federal Work Study, loans to students, or grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government, state/local government, the institution, or other sources known to the institution

02b

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any loans to students or grant or scholarship aid from the federal government,
state/local government, or the institution

Group 3
03 Of those in Group 2, those enrolled in your institution’s largest program who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following
sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
04

Group 4
Of those in Group 2, those enrolled in your institution’s largest program who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid

Section 1: Part B
Part B – Enter Information about Group 1
Part B includes information about Group 1. Group 1 students are ALL undergraduate students (including first-time students) enrolled any time during the academic year 201617.
For this part, report:
For These Students

All undergraduate students

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Awarded in This Period

Grant or scholarship aid from
the federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from
the institution
Grant or scholarship aid from
other sources known to the
institution
Loans to students from the
federal government

Any time during academic year 201617 (the aid year period from July 1,
2016 through June 30, 2017)

In the fields below, report the number of Group 1 students and the total amount of aid awarded to these students for each type of aid.
Information from Part A:

2016-17

Group 1
All undergraduate students
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 01)

2016-17
Aid Type

Number of Group 1
students who were
awarded aid

Percentage of Group
1 students who were
awarded aid

Total amount of aid
awarded to Group 1
students

Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 1
students

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
01 government, the institution, and other sources known to the institution
(Do NOT include federal student loans)
02 Pell grants
03 Federal student loans

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part C, Page 2
Part C - Enter Information about Group 2
Part C includes financial aid information about Group 2. Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled any time
during academic year 2016-17.
For this part, report:
For These Students

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled any time during
academic year 2016-17

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local
government
Grant or scholarship aid from the
institution
Loans to students from the federal
government and from other sources,
including private or other loans
Do not include grant or scholarship aid
from private or other sources
Do not include PLUS loans or loans made
to anyone other than the student

Awarded in This Period

Any time during academic year
2016-17
For program reporters, this is the
aid year period from July 1, 2016
through June 30, 2017.

In the fields below, report the number of Group 2 students and the total amount of aid awarded to these students for each type of aid. Enter unduplicated student counts
within a category (e.g., Pell grants). However, a student can appear in more than one aid category.
Information from Part A:

2016-17

Group 2
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 02)
Group 2a
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Federal Work Study, loans to students, or
grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, the institution, or
other sources known to the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 02a)
Group 2b
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any loans to students or grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 02b)
Group 3
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 03)
YOUR PRIOR YEAR
DATA
2016-17

Aid Type
Number of Group 2
students who were
awarded aid

Percentage of Group 2
students who were
awarded aid

Total amount of aid
awarded to Group 2
students

2015-16
Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 2
students

Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 2
students

Grants or scholarships from the federal
01 government, state/local government, or the
institution
02 Federal grants
02a Pell grants
02b Other federal grants
State/local government grants or
03 scholarships
(grants/scholarships/waivers)
04

Institutional grants or scholarships
(scholarships/fellowships)

05 Loans to students
05a Federal loans
05b

Other loans (including private
loans)

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Comparison Chart
Comparison Chart
Based on the information reported on the previous screens for Group 1 (all undergraduates) and Group 2 (full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates), this
comparison chart seeks to help institutions check their reported data. Assuming that the information on Groups 1 and 2 are correct, then the calculated fields for ‘All Other
Undergraduates’ should be the balance (Group 1 minus Group 2). If the balance does not check with your institution’s calculations, please correct your reported numbers for
Groups 1 and 2 before moving forward with the completion of the SFA survey component.
Note: Data for the 'All Other Undergraduates' will appear in the IPEDS Data Center for data users, but not in College Navigator.
Number of students
01

Group 1 (all undergraduates)

02

Number of students who were awarded aid

03

Percentage who were awarded aid

04

Total amount of aid awarded

05

Average amount of aid awarded

06

Group 2 (Full-time first-time undergraduates)

07

Number of students who were awarded aid

08

Percentage who were awarded aid

09

Total amount of aid awarded

10
11

Average amount of aid awarded
All other undergraduates
(Line 01 - Line 06)

12

Number of students who were awarded aid
(Line 02 - Line 07)

13

Percentage who were awarded aid
(Line 12 / Line 11)

14

Total amount of aid awarded
(Line 04 - Line 09)

15

Average amount of aid awarded
(Line 14 / Line 12)

Pell grants

Federal Student Loans

Section 1: Cost of Attendance
Cost of attendance
These numbers are carried forward from Institutional Characteristics and should only be changed if an error was made in the reporting.
CIP CODE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
TITLE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
Total length of PROGRAM in WEEKS, as completed by a student attending full-time
Total length of ACADEMIC YEAR (as used to calculate your Pell budget) in WEEKS
Published student charges for the entire program

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Tuition and required fees for the entire program
(public program reporters report the lowest of in-district or in-state, if applicable)
Books and supplies for the entire program
The following numbers need to be reported for 4 weeks (1 month).
The correct numbers should be available from your financial aid office. Off-campus numbers should be based on costs for your area, not on national averages.
On-campus:
Room and board for 4 weeks (1 month)
Other expenses for 4 weeks (1 month)
Room and board and other expenses for 4 weeks (1 month)
Off-campus (not with family):
Room and board for 4 weeks (1 month)
Other expenses for 4 weeks (1 month)
Room and board and other expenses for 4 weeks (1 month)
Off-campus (with family):
Other expenses for 4 weeks (1 month)

Section 1: Cost of Attendance (calculated)
Cost of attendance
These numbers are carried forward from Institutional Characteristics and should only be changed if an error was made in the reporting.
CIP CODE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
TITLE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
Published student charges for the entire program
Tuition and required fees
Books and supplies
On-campus:
Room and board
Other expenses
Room and board and other expenses
Off-campus (not with family):
Room and board
Other expenses
Room and board and other expenses
Off-campus (with family):
Other expenses

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Section 1: Part D
Part D - Enter Information about Group 3
Part D includes financial aid information about Group 3. Group 3 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in your
institution’s largest program any time during academic year 2016-17 who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal government,
state/local government, or the institution. The information you report in this part will be used in Part F to calculate average institutional net price.
Note:
In this part, you must report information for your institution’s largest program. Your largest program is the program with the most number of undergraduate students enrolled.
You must provide three years’ worth of data for your largest program.
For this part, report:
For These Students

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Awarded in This Period

Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the
institution
Do not include grant or scholarship
aid from private or other sources

Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students enrolled in your institution’s largest program who were
awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the
federal government, state/local government, or the institution
Do not include students who were awarded only grant or scholarship
aid from private or other sources, or students who were awarded
only non-grant aid

Any time during
academic year 201617 (the aid year
period from July 1,
2016 through June
30, 2017)

In the fields below, report the number of Group 3 students with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to these students.
Largest Program Information from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics component

2016-17
CIP Code
Title

Information from Part A:

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA
201415

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2015-16

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA

201415

2015-16

2016-17

Group 3
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in your institution’s largest program who were
awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 03)

01

Report the number of Group 3 students with the following living arrangements:

01a

On-campus

01b

Off-campus (with family)

01c

Off-campus (not with family)

01d

Unknown (calculated)
This value is calculated using the
following formula: [A03(D01a+D01b+D01c)]

02

Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students

03

Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
awarded to Group 3 students (calculated value).
This value is calculated using the following formula: [D02/A03]

2016-17

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part E
Part E – Enter Information about Group 4
Part E includes financial aid information about Group 4. Group 4 students are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in your
institution’s largest program any time during academic year 2016-17 who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid. The information you report in this part will be used in
Part G to calculate average institutional net price by income level.
Note:
In this part, you must report information for your institution’s largest program. Your largest program is the program with the most number of undergraduate students enrolled.
You must provide three years’ worth of data for your largest program.
For this part report:
For These Students

The Following Type(s) of Aid
Grant or scholarship aid from:
federal government
state/local government
institution
Do not include:
grant or scholarship aid from private or
other sources
loan amounts
Federal Work Study amounts

Full-time, first-time
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students
enrolled in your institution’s
largest program who were
awarded any Title IV federal
student aid

Awarded in This Period

Any time during academic year 2016-17 (the
aid year period from July 1, 2016 through June
30, 2017)

In the fields below, report the number of Group 4 students with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to these students by income level.
Largest program:
CIP Code
Title
Information from Part A:

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2014-15

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2015-16

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Group 4
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
enrolled in your institution’s largest program who were awarded any
Title IV federal student aid
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 04)

01

Report the number of Group 4 students with the
following living arrangements:
01a

On-campus

01b

Off-campus (with family)

01c

Off-campus (not with
family)

01d

Unknown (calculated)
This value is calculated
using the formula: [A04(E01a+E01b+E01c)]
Number of
students
who were
awarded
any Title IV
aid (Group 4)

Of those in Column 1, the number
who were awarded any grant or
scholarship aid from the following
sources: the federal government,
state/local government, or the
institution

Col. 1

Col. 2

Col. 1

Col. 2

2016-17

Of those in Column 1, the total
Average amount of
amount of grant or scholarship aid federal, state/local, and
awarded from the following
institutional grant or
sources: the federal government,
scholarship aid
state/local government, or the
awarded to Group 4
institution
students
2014-15

02

Col. 3

Col. 4

Col. 3

Col. 4

Income level
02a

$030,000

02b

$30,00148,000

02c

$48,00175,000

02d

$75,001110,000

02e

$110,001
and
more

02f

Total all
income
levels
2015-16

03

Income level
03a

$030,000

03b

$30,00148,000

03c

$48,00175,000

03d

$75,001110,000

03e

$110,001
and
more

03f

Total all
income
levels
2016-17
Col. 1

04

Col. 2

Col. 3

Col. 4

Income level
04a

$030,000

04b

$30,00148,000

04c

$48,00175,000

04d

$75,001110,000

04e

$110,001
and
more

04f

Total all
income
levels

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part F
Part F - Net Price Calculation for Group 3
The following net price calculation is based on information that your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component and the Student Financial Aid
component. For more information about data your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component, please contact your institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.
YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

2014-15

2015-16

201617

Components of cost of attendance
Please note: Net price calculations use ACADEMIC YEAR costs, not full program costs
Largest program:
CIP Code
Title
01 Published tuition and required fees
02 Books and supplies
03 Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
03a

On-campus

03b

Off-campus (with family)

03c

Off-campus (not with family)

04 Number of Group 3 students by living arrangement
04a

On-campus

04b

Off-campus (with family)

04c

Off-campus (not with family)

04d

Unknown

Weighted average for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement (excluding unknown values)
05
See instructions for the formula for this calculation
06

Total cost of attendance
This value is calculated using the following formula: [F01+F02+F05]

07

Average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students from the following sources: the federal government,
state/local government, and the institution

08

Average institutional net price for Group 3 students
This value is calculated using the following formula: [F06-F07]

As required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, these amounts will be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website and used in the
U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Lists.

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 1: Part G
Part G - Net Price Calculation for Group 4
The following net price calculation is based on information that your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component and the Student Financial Aid
component. For more information about data your institution reported in the Institutional Characteristics component, please contact your institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.
YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR
DATA

2014-15

2015-16

201617

Components of cost of attendance
Please note: Net price calculations use ACADEMIC YEAR costs, not full program costs
Largest program:
CIP Code
Title
01 Published tuition and required fees
02 Books and supplies
03 Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
03a

On-campus

03b

Off-campus (with family)

03c

Off-campus (not with family)

04 Number of Group 4 students by living arrangement
04a

On-campus

04b

Off-campus (with family)

04c

Off-campus (not with family)

04d

Unknown

Weighted average for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement (excluding unknown values)
05
See instructions for the formula for this calculation
06

Total cost of attendance
This value is calculated using the following formula: [G01+G02+G05]

07

Average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students from the following sources: the federal government,
state/local government, and the institution.
07a

$0-30,000

07b

$30,001-48,000

07c

$48,001-75,000

07d

$75,001-110,000

07e

$110,001 and more

Average institutional net price for Group 4 students
08
This value is calculated using the following formula: [G06-G07]
08a

$0-30,000

08b

$30,001-48,000

08c

$48,001-75,000

08d

$75,001-110,000

08e

$110,001 and more

As required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, these amounts will be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website.

The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 2: Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits
Section 2: Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits
IMPORTANT NOTE: Report for Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits: July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 and Report for Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program: October 1, 2016 September 30, 2017
Program reporters should be reporting the information on this screen for ALL programs (not just the largest program).
Report the total number of student recipients and the total dollar amounts for each program.
Student recipients can also include eligible dependents.
Consult with your campus certifying official, who may not be in the student financial aid office.
For Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits, do not include the matching institutional aid provided through the Yellow Ribbon Program if your school
participated.
Information reported to IPEDS is only what is known to the institution.
Enter zero (0) if your institution did not have beneficiaries for that student level or program. Please do not leave a cell blank.
YOUR PRIOR YEAR DATA
Type of benefit/assistance

Number of students
receiving benefits/assistance

Total dollar amount of
benefits/assistance awarded
through the institution

Average dollar amount of
benefits/assistance awarded
through the institution

Average dollar amount of
benefits/assistance awarded
through the institution

Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
Undergraduate students
Graduate students
Total

Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program
Undergraduate students
Graduate students
Total

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2017-18 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/4/2017

Student Financial Aid, Private Program Reporters

Table of Contents
SFA Component has expanded from gathering data on only undergraduate survey component to all students (undergraduates and graduate
students) because of the new question on military servicemembers and veterans' educational benefits. The survey instructions that follow are
split into two sections. Section I discusses the portion of the SFA component that asks questions about your undergraduate students only.
Section II explains the portion of the SFA component that ask questions about your military and veteran students. As you complete both
sections of SFA, please refer where to get help and note where the data will appear.

Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Section 1. SFA - Undergraduate Students
Purpose of Component
Who Must Report
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
What You Will Need
About the Data
Context Boxes
Interactive Edits

Coverage
Reporting Period
Student Cohort
What to Include
What NOT to Include

Detailed Instructions
Part
Part
Part
Part
Part
Part
Part

A - Establish Your Groups
B - Financial Aid About Group 1
C - Enter Financial Aid About Group 2
D - Enter Financial Aid About Group 3
E - Enter Financial Aid About Group 4
F - Net Price Calculation for Group 3
G - Net Price Calculation for Group 4

Section 2. Military Servicemembers and Veteran Students with Benefits
Purpose
Who Must Report
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
What You Will Need
About the Data
Context Boxes
Interactive Edits

Coverage
Reporting Period

Detailed Instructions

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

Section 1. SFA - Undergraduate Students
Purpose of Component
The purpose of the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA) component is to collect information about financial aid provided to various groups of
undergraduate students in order to meet requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended. Item areas include:
Financial aid about all undergraduate students
Financial aid about all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Financial aid and living arrangement information about all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded
grant aid. For public institutions, this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program reporters, this
includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Financial aid and living arrangement information about all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded
any Title IV federal student aid by income. For public institutions, this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition
rate. For program reporters, this includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Net Price Calculation for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded grant aid. For public institutions,
this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program reporters, this includes only students enrolled
in the institution's largest program.
Net Price Calculation for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid by
income. For public institutions, this includes only students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program reporters, this
includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest program.

Who Must Report
Institutions that had undergraduate students enrolled during the prior academic year must report.

Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2017-18 data collection period.

General Instructions
What You Will Need
The institution’s financial aid system should be the beginning basis for reporting to this IPEDS component.
Data providers for this component should be familiar with college and university practices associated with student financial aid. In general,
there are two types of financial aid data that will be requested in this component. These types are:
Numbers of students that meet certain conditions
Total aid dollars awarded to these students

To complete this component, data providers will need the following:
1. Financial aid information about the following student groups:
Group 1. All undergraduate students
Group 2. Of the students in Group 1, those who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Group 3. Of the students in Group 2, those enrolled in the institution's largest program who were awarded grant or scholarship aid
from the following sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Group 4. Of the students in Group 2, those enrolled in the institution's largest program who were awarded Title IV federal student
aid.

2. Living arrangement information for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in the institution's
largest program who were awarded grant or scholarship aid during the reporting period.
3. Living arrangement information for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in the institution's
largest program who were awarded Title IV federal student aid during the reporting period.
4. Income levels for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in the institution's largest program who
were awarded Title IV federal student aid during the reporting period.

About the Data
Five different types of data appear in this component. There are data:
That institutions provide from their own financial aid records
That are prior year data, shown in red, which can be used as a comparison with the current year's data being reported
That are carried forward from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) component and the IPEDS 12-month Enrollment (E12)
component that your institution completed in the most recent collections of those components.
That are carried forward from one part of the Student Financial Aid component to another part to ensure that the data are internally
consistent
That are calculated from the other data elements
In the latter two cases, the data provider should check that the data that are carried forward and calculated are consistent with the data
in the institution's underlying financial aid records. If the data carried forward or calculated are not consistent with the institution's
records, then an error in data entry may have occurred.

Context Boxes
Optional context boxes throughout the component allow institutions to provide more information regarding reported data. Note that the
information in these context boxes may be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website. NCES will review
entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on College Navigator. However, institutions
should ensure that entries in these context boxes are free from grammatical and spelling errors and are written to be understood by
students and parents.

Interactive Edits
This component contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some
error messages will require you to confirm or explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to
contact the IPEDS Help Desk (1-877-225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org) for resolution.

Coverage
Reporting Period
The data reported for this component should be for the prior academic year. For the purposes of reporting to SFA, the aid year period runs
from July 1 through June 30.
Program reporters will report students' aid data for an institutionally-defined academic year. This is the academic year length, in weeks,
used by your institution to calculate your Pell budget. It must begin within the aid year period specified above and will vary from student to
student depending on when he or she enrolled.

Student Cohort
The student cohort covered by this component includes undergraduate students enrolled any time during the prior academic year (the aid
year period from July 1 through June 30).

What to Include
The following types of financial aid should be reported in this component:
Federal grants (grants/educational assistance funds): Grants provided by federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of
Education, including Title IV federal student aid grants such as Pell grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
(FSEOG), Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (National SMART) Grants,
and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants. Also include need-based and merit-based
educational assistance funds and training vouchers provided from other federal agencies and/or federally-sponsored educational
benefits programs.
Do not include veterans education benefits, as defined in section 480(c) of the HEA, as they are no longer treated as Estimated
Financial Assistance for Federal Student Aid purposes. For more information, visit
http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/081309GuidFedVeteransEdBenefits.html.
Federal loans to students: Monies from the federal government that must be repaid for which the student is the designated
borrower. This type of aid includes all Title IV federal student loan aid such as Federal Perkins Loans, Subsidized Direct or FFEL
Stafford Loans, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loans. Do not include PLUS loans and other federal loans not made directly
to the student.
State/local government grants (grants/scholarships/waivers): Grants that were awarded by your state such as Leveraging
Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIGs) and Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships. Include merit-based grants or
scholarships that were provided by your state or local government. Also include tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was
reimbursed by a state or local government agency.
Institutional grants or scholarships (scholarships/waivers): Grants, scholarships, and fellowships granted and funded by the
institution and/or individual departments within the institution and are limited to students attending your institution. Also include
scholarships targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of residence, major, or participation in athletic activities) for which
the institution designates the recipient. Also include institutional tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was not reimbursed
by a state or local government agency. This is not intended to include Federal Work Study.
Private grants or scholarships: Grants or scholarships to students that are awarded and paid by an outside organization but are
directed through the institution's financial aid office (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Private loans to students: Monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student is the designated borrower.
Include all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Do not include loans that are not made directly to the student.
NOTE: In this component, "aid awarded" refers to grant or scholarship aid that was awarded to students or to loans awarded to and
accepted by students. For reporting grant or scholarship aid, institutions should report on aid that was awarded to students. This amount
may be different from the amount that was actually disbursed to students. For example, a student may be awarded grant or scholarship
aid at the beginning of the academic year but then leave the institution before the entire amount is disbursed. In this case, institutions
should report the original amount of grant or scholarship aid that was awarded. For reporting loans to students, institutions should
continue to report on loans that were awarded to and accepted by the student.
Note also that different types of financial aid should be reported for different groups of students. Please review the instructions and the

screens carefully to ensure that you are reporting the correct types of financial aid in the appropriate parts.
Institutions need to report aid in this component such that the net price calculations shown on College Navigator and used for the College
Affordability and Transparency lists are a reflection of what students actually pay.
In cases where a student is awarded aid for multiple institutionally-defined academic years within one aid year period, institutions should
report only aid awarded for the student's first institutionally-defined academic year.
For total aid amounts, report to the nearest whole dollar and omit cents. For student counts, an unduplicated count should be given within
a given aid category (e.g., Pell grants). However, a student can appear in more than one aid category.

What NOT to Include
Do not report student counts or aid amounts for the following:
Students who were only graduate students at the institution during the reporting period
Students who were enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a certificate/degree
Students who were enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Students who were exclusively auditing classes
Do not report Federal Work Study amounts into any total aid amounts.
Do not report loans that are made to someone other than the student.
Do not report military/veterans aid in Section 1. Such aid is ONLY reported in Section 2.

Detailed Instructions
This section provides line-by-line instructions for each part of the Student Financial Aid component.

Part A - Establish Your Groups
Part A establishes the number of students in various groups. Note that the data you report on this screen will be carried forward to
other parts of the Student Financial Aid component.
Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of students in each of the following groups:

Item

Description

01.

Group 1
All undergraduate students
Report the number of all undergraduate students who were enrolled any time during the prior
academic year. Include all new and continuing undergraduate students (full-time students, parttime students, degree/certificate-seeking students, non-degree/certificate-seeking students,
and all others). This number will be preloaded from your institution's IPEDS 12-month Enrollment
component, but it may be modified if necessary. If you have questions about the value that has
been preloaded in this field, please contact your institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.

02.

Group 2
Of those in Group 1, those who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
Report the number of students who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates.
02a.

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any Federal Work Study; loans to
students; or grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, the institution, or other sources known to the institution
Report the number of students who were awarded any of the following:
Federal Work Study;
Government and/or private loans to students;
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government,
or the institution; or
Grant or scholarship aid from other sources known to the institution, such as aid
from private sources (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Note that the students reported in Line 02a are not defined as a particular group
because no additional financial aid information will be collected about these students.

02b.

Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded any loans to students or grant or
scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution
Report the number of students who were awarded any of the following:
Government and/or private loans to students; or
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government,
or the institution.
Note that the students reported in Line 02b are not defined as a particular group
because no additional financial aid information will be collected about these students.

03.

Group 3
Of those in Group 2, those enrolled in your institution's largest program who were
awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal government,
state/local government, or the institution
For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district
tuition rate. Report students who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following
sources: the federal government, state/local government, or the institution. Do not include
students who were awarded aid only from other sources.

04.

Group 4
Of those in Group 2, those enrolled in your institution's largest program who were
awarded any Title IV federal student aid
For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district
tuition rate. Report students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid (i.e., report
students who were awarded federal grant aid or who were awarded federal work study or
federal student loans).
Title IV federal student aid includes:
Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG),
Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to
Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and
Higher Education (TEACH) Grant
Federal Work Study
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or
FFEL Stafford Loan

Part B - Financial Aid About Group 1
This part is intended to collect information about the number of Group 1 students and the total amounts of aid they were awarded by
different aid types. Group 1 students are all undergraduate students enrolled any time during the prior academic year.
For this part, report:

For These Students
· All undergraduate students

The Following Type(s) of Aid
· Grant or scholarship aid from
the federal government
· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
· Grant or scholarship from the
institution
· Grant or scholarship aid from
other sources known to the
institution
· Loans to students from the
federal government

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year (the aid year
period from July 1 through
June 30)

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:

Information from Part A:
Group 1
All undergraduate students
(This number is carried forward from Part A,
Line 01)

Prior Academic Year
Carried forward from Part A

Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 1 students and the total amount of aid awarded to these students for each type of aid.

Item

Description

01.

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, the institution,
and other sources known to the institution
Column 1. Report the number of students in Group 1 who were awarded grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local government, the institution, and other sources known to
the institution.
Column 2. The percentage of students in Group 1 who were awarded grant or scholarship aid is
calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government,
state/local government, the institution, and other sources known to the institution awarded to
Group 1 students.

02.

Column 4. The average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 1 students is
calculated for you.
Pell grants
Column 1. Report the number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants. Do not include
any other type of federal grant aid (e.g., Academic Competitiveness Grants).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants is calculated for
you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of Pell grants awarded to Group 1 students. Do not
include any other type of federal grant aid (e.g., Academic Competitiveness Grants).
Column 4. The average amount of Pell grants awarded to Group 1 students is calculated for you.

03.

Federal student loans
Column 1. Report the number of Group 1 students who were awarded federal loans to students.
Do not include any other type of federal loans (e.g., PLUS loans, which are made to the parent of a
student).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 1 students who were awarded federal student loans is
calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of federal student loans awarded to Group 1 students.
Do not include any other type of federal loans (e.g., PLUS loans, which are made to the parent of a
student).

Column 4. The average amount of federal student loans awarded to students in Group 1 is
calculated for you.

Part C - Enter Financial Aid about Group 2
This part is intended to collect information about the number of Group 2 students and the total amounts of aid they were awarded by
different aid types. For academic reporters, Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
enrolled in the prior fall. For program reporters, Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students enrolled any time during the prior academic year.
For this part, report:
For These Students

· Full-time, first-time,
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students
enrolled in the prior fall
(academic reporters) or any
time during the prior
academic year (program
reporters)

The Following Type(s) of Aid

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year.
· For program reporters, this is
aid year period from July 1
through June 30.

· Grant or scholarship aid from
the federal government

· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government

· Grant or scholarship from the
institution

· Loans to students from the
federal government and from
other sources, including
private loans
· Do not include grant or
scholarship aid from private
or other sources
· Do not include PLUS loans or
loans made to anyone other
than the student

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:
Group 2a
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded
any Federal Work Study, loans to students, or
grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, the
institution, or other sources known to the
institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
02a)
Group 2b
Of those in Group 2, those who were awarded
any loans to students or grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
02b)
Group 03
Of those in Group 2, those (in the largest
program for program reporters) who were
awarded grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the
institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
03)

Prior Academic Year

Carried forward from Part A

Carried forward from Part A

Carried forward from Part A

Note: Two aid categories in this section are further disaggregated into subcategories. Because students may be awarded more than one
type of aid, the sum of the values you enter in the subcategories will not necessarily equal the value you enter in the aid category.
However, the total number of students reported for the aid category cannot exceed the sum of subcategories. (For example, the number
of students who were awarded federal grants cannot exceed the sum of the number of students who were awarded Pell grants and the
number who were awarded other federal grants). In addition, the total number of students reported for an aid category must be at least
as large as the largest of those reported in a subcategory.
Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 2 students and the total amount of aid they were awarded for each type of aid.

Item

Description

01.

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, and the
institution
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants or
scholarships from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution. If a student
appears in more than one type of aid category in Lines 02 through 04, that student should only
be counted once for Line 01. Do not include students who were awarded only grants or
scholarships from private sources (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants or
scholarships from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution will be
calculated for you.
Column 3. The total dollar amount for Line 01 will be calculated for you. This value is calculated
using the following formula: [(Line 02, Column 3) + (Line 03, Column 3) + (Line 04, Column 3)].
Column 4. The average amount of grants or scholarships from the federal government,
state/local government, or the institution awarded to Group 2 students will be calculated for you.

02.

Federal grants
This aid category is disaggregated into the following two subcategories: Pell grants and other
federal grants.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants from
the federal government. This includes Pell grants and other federal grants. If a student appears
in more than one type of aid category in Lines 02a or 02b, that student should only be counted
once for Line 02. Note that this number should be at least as large as the largest number
reported in Line 02a, Column 1 or Line 02b, Column 1. In addition, this number cannot
exceed the sum of [(Line 02a, Column 1) + (Line 02b, Column 1)].
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more grants from the
federal government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. The total dollar amount for Line 02 will be calculated for you. This value is calculated
using the following formula: [(Line 02a, Column 3) + (Line 02b, Column 3)].
Column 4. The average amount of grants from the federal government awarded to Group 2
students will be calculated for you.
02a.

Pell grants
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded a Pell grant.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded a Pell grant will be
calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all Pell grants awarded to Group 2
students.
Column 4. The average amount of Pell grants awarded to Group 2 students will be
calculated for you.

02b.

Other federal grants
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded other federal
grants. Other federal grants include Title IV grant aid other than a Pell grant.
Column 2. The percentage of students Group 2 students who were awarded other
federal grants will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all other federal grants awarded to Group 2
students.
Column 4. The average amount of other federal grants awarded to Group 2 students
will be calculated for you.

03.

State/local government grants or scholarships (grants/scholarships/waivers)
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded grant or scholarship aid
from a state/local government. This includes grants, scholarships, or waivers funded by a state
or local government. Do not include any other types of grants.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded grants or scholarships from a
state/local government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all grants or scholarships from a state/local
government awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of grants or scholarships from a state/local government awarded
to Group 2 students will be calculated for you.

04.

Institutional grants or scholarships (scholarships/fellowships)
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded grant or scholarship aid
from the institution. This includes grants, scholarships, or fellowships funded by the institution.
Do not include any other types of grants.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded grants or scholarships from
the institution will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all grants or scholarships from the institution
awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of grants or scholarships from the awarded to Group 2 students
will be calculated for you.

05.

Loans to students
This aid category is disaggregated into the following two subcategories: federal loans and other
loans.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to
students. This includes loans from the federal government and from other sources (including
private lenders). If a student appears in more than one type of loan category in Lines 05a or
05b, that student should only be counted once for Line 05. Note that this number should be
at least as large as the largest number reported in Line 05a, Column 1 or Line 05b,
Column 1. In addition, this number cannot exceed the sum of [(Line 05a, Column 1) +
(Line 05b, Column 1)].

Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans to
students will be calculated for you.
Column 3. The total dollar amount for Line 05 will be calculated for you. This value is calculated
using the following formula: [(Line 05a, Column 3) + (Line 05b, Column 3)].
Column 4. The average amount of loans to students awarded to Group 2 students will be
calculated for you.
05a.

Federal loans
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more
loans to students from the federal government. Do not include loans to others (e.g.,
PLUS loans to parents) and do not include any other type of grant or loan aid.
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans
to students from the federal government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all loans to students from the federal
government awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of loans to students from the federal government
awarded to Group 2 students will be calculated for you.

05b.

Other loans
Column 1. Report the number of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more
loans to students from sources other than the federal government. This includes
private loans to students. Do not include loans to others (e.g., loans to parents).
Column 2. The percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded one or more loans
to students from sources other than the federal government will be calculated for you.
Column 3. Report the total dollar amount of all loans to students from sources other
than the federal government awarded to Group 2 students.
Column 4. The average amount of loans to students from sources other than the
federal government awarded to Group 2 students will be calculated for you.

Cost of Attendance Revision
If you made errors in the prior year reporting of cost of attendance, you can make changes in the SFA component, there are no prior year
revisions. Please refer to the instructions on reporting cost of attendance in the IC component.

Part D - Enter Financial Aid about Group 3
This part is intended to collect information used to estimate the average net price for Group 3 students in Part F.
Group 3 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in your institution's largest
program any time during the prior academic year who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: federal
government, state/local government, or the institution. Students who were awarded only grant or scholarship aid from private or other
sources, or students who were awarded only non-grant aid should not be included in this group.
For this part, report:

·

·

For These Students
Full-time, first-time,
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students
enrolled in your institution's
largest program who were
awarded grant or
scholarship aid from the
following sources: the
federal government,
state/local government, or
the institution
Do not include students
who were awarded only
grant or scholarship aid
from private or other
sources, or students who
were awarded only nongrant aid.

The Following Type(s) of Aid
· Grant or scholarship aid
from the federal
government
· Grant or scholarship aid
from state/local government
· Grant or scholarship from
the institution
· Do not include grant or
scholarship aid from private
or other sources.

·

Awarded in This Period
Any time during the prior
academic year (the aid year
period from July 1 through
June 30)

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:

Information from Part A:

Group 3
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in your
institution's largest program who were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the following
sources: the federal government, state/local

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Pre-loaded

Pre-loaded

Carried forward
from Part A

government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A,
Line 03)
Note: In this part, you will be asked to report living arrangement information for Group 3 students. The living arrangement categories used
in this component are the same categories used to describe living arrangements for Federal Student Aid purposes. Students indicate their
intended living arrangement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Institutions should use the most recently available information regarding student living arrangement. For example, a student may have
indicated on her or his FAFSA or an institutional financial aid application that she or he planned to live at home with family. But when the
student enrolled, she or he decided to live on campus. Although the student may not have modified the FAFSA to reflect the updated living
arrangement, the institution may have more recent information in its financial aid system indicating that the student lived on campus
according to the most recent aid package for that student during the financial aid year. In this case, the institution should classify this
student as an on-campus student.
A student should be counted in only one category—the one that the institution used most recently to develop or modify that student’s
financial aid package. If a student in this group did not complete the FAFSA, that student may appear as having an unknown living
arrangement in Line 01d. However, if the institution knows the living arrangement for the student, then the student should be reported in
the appropriate category.
Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 3 students with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant or
scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to these students.

Item
01.

02.

03.

Description
Report the number of Group 3 students with the following living arrangements.
01a.
On-campus. Report the number of Group 3 students who lived on-campus.
01b.
Off-campus (with family). Report the number of Group 3 students who lived offcampus with their parents or guardians.
01c.
Off-campus (not with family). Report the number of Group 3 students who lived offcampus not with their parents or guardians.
01d.
Unknown (calculated). This value is calculated using the following formula: [A03 –
(D01a + D01b + D01c)], where A03 is the number of Group 3 students that you entered
in Part A, Line 03. Note that this number should be a small percentage of the total
number of students in a given year because institutions should have this information
available for all students that completed the FAFSA as well as other information they
have in their financial aid data systems.
Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government,
state/local government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students
Report the total dollar amount of grants and scholarship aid from the federal government,
state/local government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students. Exclude grant or
scholarship aid from private sources (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship) and exclude all loan aid.
Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government,
or the institution awarded to Group 3 students
The average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or
the institution awarded to Group 3 students will be calculated for you. This value is calculated
using the following formula: [D02/A03]. This amount will be used in Part F to calculate net price.

Part E - Enter Financial Aid about Group 4
This part is intended to collect information used to estimate the average net price for Group 4 students in Part G.
Group 4 students are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates enrolled in your institution's largest program any time
during the prior academic year who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid (i.e., students who were awarded federal grant aid or
who were awarded federal work study or federal student loans). For public institutions, Group 4 includes only those students who paid
the in-state or in-district tuition rate.
Title IV federal student aid includes the following:
Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National
Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher
Education (TEACH) Grant
Federal Work Study
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan
For this part, report:
For These Students
· Full-time, first-time,
degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students
enrolled in your institution's
largest program who were
awarded any Title IV federal
student aid
· For public institutions, include
only those students who paid
the in-state or in-district
tuition rate.

The Following Type(s) of Aid
· Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government
· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government
· Grant or scholarship from the
institution
· Do not include grant or
scholarship aid from private or
other sources.
· Do not include loan amounts.
· Do not include Federal Work
Study amounts.

Awarded in This Period
· Any time during the prior
academic year (the aid year
period from July 1 through
June 30)

Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:

Group 4
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in your
institution's largest program who were
awarded any Title IV federal student aid. For
public institutions, include only students
paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate.
(This number is carried forward from Part A,
Line 04)

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2014-15

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2015-16

Pre-loaded

Pre-loaded

2016-17

Carried
forward from
Part A

Notes: In this part, you will be asked to report living arrangement information for Group 4 students. The living arrangement categories
used in this component are the same categories used to describe living arrangements for Federal Student Aid purposes. Students indicate
their intended living arrangement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Institutions should use the most recently available information regarding student living arrangement. For example, a student may have
indicated on her or his FAFSA or an institutional financial aid application that she or he planned to live at home with family. But when the
student enrolled she or he decided to live on campus. Although the student may not have modified the FAFSA to reflect the updated living
arrangement, the institution may have more recent information in its financial aid system indicating that the student lived on campus
according to the most recent aid package for that student during the financial aid year. In this case, the institution should classify this
student as an on-campus student.
A student should be counted in only one category—the one that the institution used most recently to develop or modify that student’s
financial aid package. If a student in this group did not complete the FAFSA, that student may appear as having an unknown living
arrangement in Line 01d. However, if the institution knows the living arrangement for the student, then the student should be reported in
the appropriate category.
In this part, you will also be asked to report the number of students in Group 4 and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid they were
awarded by income level. To determine the income level of the student, use the income that was used by the institution’s financial aid
office to determine the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC). For dependent students this will include the parents’ adjusted gross
income and the student’s adjusted gross income. For independent students this will include the student’s adjusted gross income.
Instructions:
In the fields provided, report the number of Group 4 students with each type of living arrangement.
Item

Description

01.

Report the number of Group 4 students with the following living arrangements.
01a.
On-campus. Report the number of Group 4 students who lived on-campus.
01b.
Off-campus (with family). Report the number of Group 4 students who lived off-campus
with their parents or guardians.
01c.
Off-campus (not with family). Report the number of Group 4 students who lived off-campus
not with their parents or guardians.
01d.
Unknown (calculated). This value is calculated using the following formula: [A04 – (E01a +
E01b + E01c)], where A04 is the number of Group 4 students that you entered in Part A, Line
04. Note that this number should be a small percentage of the total number of students in a
given year because institutions should have this information available for all students that
completed the FAFSA as well as other information they have in their financial aid data
systems.

In the fields provided, report the number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1); the number of Group 4
students who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution (column
2); and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution awarded to
these students by income level (column 3).
Item
02.

Description
02a.

$0–30,000

02b.

$30,001–
48,000

02c.

$48,001–
75,000

02d.

$75,001–
110,000

02e.

$110,001 and
more

Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any Title IV aid.
Column 2. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level
who were awarded any grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 3. Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded
to Group 4 students in this income level from the following sources:

02f.

Total all income
levels

federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students in this income level from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution will be calculated
for you.
Column 1. The total number of Group 4 students who were awarded any
Title IV aid will be calculated for you.
Column 2. The total number of Group 4 students who were awarded any
grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution will be calculated for you.
Column 3. The total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to
Group 4 students from the federal government, state/local government,
or the institution will be calculated for you.
Column 4. The average dollar amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 4 students from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution will be calculated for you.

Part F - Net Price Calculation for Group 3
This part is intended to summarize the information used to estimate the average net price for Group 3 students.
Group 3 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in your institution's largest
program any time during the prior academic year who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources: the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution. For public institutions, Group 3 includes only those students who paid the in-state
or in-district tuition rate.
As required by the HEOA, the average net price for Group 3 students will be posted on College Navigator. In addition, the average net
price calculated for this group will be used in the U.S. Department of Education's College Affordability and Transparency lists.
The components used to estimate the average net price include the average total cost of attendance for the institution's largest program
and the average grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students. The total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and
required fees (Line 01), books and supplies (Line 02) and the weighted average by living arrangement for room and board and other
expenses (Line 05). Information about cost of attendance is carried forward from data that your institution reported in the Institutional
Characteristics component of IPEDS. If you did not enter this information and have questions about the values entered here, contact your
institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.
The source or calculation for each line is described here.

Item

Description

01.

Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public
institutions)
The published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public
institutions) are carried forward from data that your institution reported on the IPEDS
Institutional Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

02.

Books and supplies
The cost for books and supplies are carried forward from data that your institution reported
on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of
Attendance.

03.

Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
The cost for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement are carried forward
from data that your institution reported on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics
component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

04.

Number of Group 3 students by living arrangement
These numbers are carried forward from Part D, Lines 01a through 01d.

05.

Weighted average by living arrangement (excluding unknown values) for room and
board and other expenses
This value is generated by determining the average room and board and other expenses
(Lines 03a through 03c) weighted by student living arrangement (excluding students in the
unknown category). This value is calculated using the following formula:
Line 05 = [(Line 03a*(Line 04a/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))] + [Line 03b*(Line 04b/(Line
04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))] + [Line 03c*(Line 04c/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))]

06.

Total cost of attendance
This value is calculated using the following formula: Line 01 + Line 02 + Line 05.

07.

Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students
This value is carried forward from Part D, Line 04.

08.

Average institutional net price for Group 3 students
The average institutional net price for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in your institution's largest program any time during the
prior academic year who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution is calculated for you. This value is
calculated using the following formula: Line 06 – Line 07. The average net price for Group 3
students will be posted on College Navigator and used in the U.S. Department of

Education's College Affordability and Transparency lists.

Part G - Net Price Calculation for Group 4
This part is intended to summarize the information used to estimate the average net price for Group 4 students.
Group 4 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in your institution's largest
program any time during the prior academic year who were awarded Title IV federal student aid. For public institutions, Group 4 includes
only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate.
As required by the HEOA, the average net price for Group 4 students will be posted on College Navigator.
The components used to estimate the average net price include the average total cost of attendance for the institution's largest program
and the average grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students. The total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and
required fees (Line 01), books and supplies (Line 02) and the weighted average by living arrangement for room and board and other
expenses (Line 05). Information about cost of attendance is carried forward from data that your institution reported in the Institutional
Characteristics component of IPEDS. If you did not enter this information and have questions about the values entered here, contact your
institution’s IPEDS Keyholder.
The source or calculation for each line is described here.

Item

Description

01.

Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public
institutions)
The published tuition and required fees (lower of in-state or in-district at public
institutions) are carried forward from data that your institution reported on the IPEDS
Institutional Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

02.

Books and supplies
The cost for books and supplies are carried forward from data that your institution reported
on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of
Attendance.

03.

Room and board and other expenses by living arrangement
The cost for room and board and other expenses by living arrangement are carried forward
from data that your institution reported on the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics
component, Part D - Student Charges, Cost of Attendance.

04.

Number of Group 4 students by living arrangement
These numbers are carried forward from Part E, Lines 01a through 01d.

05.

Weighted average by living arrangement (excluding unknown values) for room and
board and other expenses
This value is generated by determining the average room and board and other expenses
(Lines 03a through 03c) weighted by student living arrangement (excluding students in the
unknown category). This value is calculated using the following formula: Line 05 = [Line
03a*(Line 04a/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))]+[Line 03b*(Line 04b/(Line 04a+Line
04b+Line 04c))]+[Line 03c*(Line 04c/(Line 04a+Line 04b+Line 04c))]

06.

Total cost of attendance
This value is calculated using the following formula: Line 01 + Line 02 + Line 05.

07.

Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 4 students
These values are carried forward from Part E, Line 04, Column 4 for each income level.

08.

Average institutional net price for Group 4 students
The average institutional net price for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in your institution's largest program any time during the
prior academic year who were awarded Title IV federal student aid is calculated for
you. These values are calculated for each income level using the following formula: Line 06
– Line 07. The average net price for Group 4 students by income level will be posted
on College Navigator.

Section 2. Military Servicemembers and Veteran Students with Benefits
Purpose of Component
The purpose of the Student Financial Aid (SFA) is collect information about the financial aid provided to various groups of undergraduates in
order to meet requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. Starting in 2014-15 data collection year, SFA has expanded to

collect information on the federal dollars supporting military servicemember and veteran undergraduate and graduate students.
As presented in the Technical Review Panel Report #36 (March 2012), the increase in beneficiaries and federal dollars has led for an increase
demand for information to help prospective students look where to use their educational benefits, researchers study the impact of the
programs on college outcomes, and policymakers assess the effectiveness of benefits programs and return on investment.

Who Must Report
All registered IPEDS institutions that educate military servicemembers, veterans, or eligible dependents receiving any Tuition Assistance
Program or Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Report only those that RECEIVED the benefit(s).

Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2017-18 data collection period.

General Instructions
What You Will Need
If unfamiliar with these educational benefits, below is a general synopsis of each programs:
1. Post-9/11 GI Bill
Effective August 1, 2009, benefit provides payment of tuition and fees, monthly housing allowance, and books and supplies stipend.
Tuition and fees are paid directly to the institution on behalf the students; thus, institutions should know which students have Post9/11 GI Bill benefits and the amount of benefits received at the institution.
Educational benefits can be transferred to a dependent.
Program expanded in 2011 to cover non-degree-granting programs, apprenticeships/on-the-job training programs, flight training
programs, and training correspondence.
The Yellow Ribbon program through the Post-9/11 GI Bill is an institutional aid matching program only for tuition and fees for students
attending participating institutions.
For more information, visit the Department of Veteran Affairs, Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits website
http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp
2. Department of Defense Tuition Assistance
For active duty servicemembers, reservists called to active duty, and their spouses.
Educational payments cover only tuition and fees and are made directly to the institution.
GI Bill benefits can be used to supplement costs not covered by this program.
For more information, visit the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program website http://www.dodmou.com/
Consult and verify the data with your institutional representative who certifies these benefits. This individual or office may not be in the
student financial aid office.

About the Data
The Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance programs may only highlight two of many educational benefits provided to military
servicemembers and veterans. However, from a national perspective, Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance programs are more likely to
be found across over 7,500 IPEDS institutions.
For Yellow Ribbon participating institutions, the institutional aid provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon matching program
should NOT be included in the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution.

Context Boxes
Optional context boxes throughout the component allow institutions to provide more information regarding reported data. Note that the
information in these context boxes may be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website. NCES will review
entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on College Navigator. However, institutions
should ensure that entries in these context boxes are free from grammatical and spelling errors and are written to be understood by
students and parents.

Interactive Edits
This component contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some
error messages will require you to confirm or explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to
contact the IPEDS Help Desk (1-877-225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org) for resolution.

Coverage
Reporting Period
The data reported for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic year, from July 1 to June 30. For example, for
the 2017-18 data collection year, the data reported will be July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017.
The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program questions should be for the prior academic year,
from October 1 to September 30. For example, for the 2017-18 data collection year, the data reported will be October 1, 2016-September
30, 2017.

Detailed Instruction
This section provides line-by-line instructions for the Military Servicemember and Veteran Benefits Question.
For the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit, please provide in the first column the number of students receiving the benefit during the July 1-June 30
reporting period (see coverage above). In the second column, provide the total dollar amount for each benefit during the same reporting
period.
For the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program benefit, please provide in the first column the number of students receiving the
benefit during the October 1-September 30 reporting period (see coverage above). In the second column, provide the total dollar amount for
each benefit during the same reporting period.
If your institution did not have any student beneficiaries for one of the benefit programs, enter a zero (0) in the cell. In other words, do NOT
leave the cell blank for a program that did not have any beneficiaries.
For Yellow Ribbon participating institutions, the institutional aid provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon matching program should

NOT be included in the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution.

Glossary

date: 8/4/2017

Term

Definition

Federal grants
(grants/educational assistance
funds)

Grants provided by federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Education, including Title IV Pell Grants and Supplemental
Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG). Also includes need-based and merit-based educational assistance funds and training vouchers
provided from other federal agencies and/or federally-sponsored educational benefits programs. (Used for reporting on the Student
Financial Aid component)

Financial aid

Federal Work Study, grants, loans to students (government and/or private), assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, tuition waivers,
tuition discounts, employer aid (tuition reimbursement) and other monies (other than from relatives/friends) provided to students to
meet expenses. This excludes loans to parents.

First-time student
(undergraduate)

A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending any institution for the first time at the
undergraduate level. This includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs. It also includes students enrolled in the
fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term, and students who entered with advanced standing (college
credits or postsecondary formal award earned before graduation from high school).

Full-time student

Undergraduate: A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, or 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more contact hours a week
each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for 9 or more semester credits, or 9 or more quarter credits, or a student involved in thesis or
dissertation preparation that is considered full-time by the institution. Doctor's degree - Professional practice - as defined by the
institution.

Institutional grants

Scholarships and fellowships granted and funded by the institution and/or individual departments within the institution, (i.e.,
instruction, research, public service) that may contribute indirectly to the enhancement of these programs . Includes scholarships
targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of residence, major field of study, athletic team participation) for which the
institution designates the recipient.

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).

Loans to students

Any monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student is the designated borrower. Includes all Title IV
subsidized and unsubsidized loans and all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Does not include PLUS and other loans made
directly to parents.

Military Tuition Assistance
Program (TAP)

A program that funds up to 100% of an eligible servicemember's college tuition and course-specific fees. Available only to eligible
servicemembers who are currently in active service as long as criteria limits are not exceeded and students are enrolled off-duty in an
U.S. Department of Education accredited post-secondary institution. This military benefit is paid directly to the postsecondary institution
by the individual's Armed service.

Net price

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 defines institutional net price as "the average yearly price actually charged to first-time,
full-time undergraduate students receiving student aid at an institution of higher education after deducting such aid." In IPEDS,
average institutional net price is generated by subtracting the average amount of federal, state/local government, or institutional grant
and scholarship aid from the total cost of attendance. Total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and required fees (lower
of in-district or in-state for public institutions), books and supplies, and the weighted average for room and board and other expenses.
Cost of attendance data are collected in the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component of IPEDS, and financial aid data are collected
in the Student Financial Aid (SFA) component of IPEDS.

Off-campus (not with family)

A living arrangement in which a student does not live with the student's parents or legal guardians in any housing facility that is not
owned or controlled by the educational institution.

Off-campus (with family)

A living arrangement in which a student lives with the student's parents or legal guardians in any housing facility that is not owned or
controlled by the educational institution.

On-campus housing

Any residence hall or housing facility owned or controlled by an institution within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area and
used by the institution in direct support of or in a manner related to, the institution's educational purposes.

Post 9/11 GI Bill

A federal education benefit program for veterans, who served on active duty after September 10, 2001. This Department of Veteran
Affairs benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits at an approved institution for the following college costs: tuition and
fees, books and supplies and housing. The tuition and fees payment, which is the cost for an in-state student attending a public
institution, is made directly to the postsecondary institution whereas payments for books and supplies and housing are sent directly to
the student.

Scholarships

Grants-in-aid, trainee stipends, tuition and required fee waivers, prizes or other monetary awards given to undergraduate students.

State and local grants

Grant monies provided by the state such as Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIG's); merit
scholarships provided by the state; and tuition and f e e waivers for which the institution was reimbursed by a state agency. Local
government grants include scholarships or gift-aid awarded directly to the student. (Used for reporting Finance data for private forprofit institutions )

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).

Transfer of Entitlement Option

A program through which any unused Post 9/11 GI Bill may be transferred to a spouse or dependent(s) as long as servicemembers or
veterans meet the additional Department of Veterans Affairs’ criteria. Only Department of Defense (DoD) can approve transfer of
benefits requests.

Yellow Ribbon Program

A voluntary program through which participating public and private institutions can provide veterans and eligible beneficiaries additional
institutional aid to cover the costs of tuition and fees at their institutions. The Yellow Ribbon Program is a supplementary program to
the Post 9/11 GI Bill coverage of in-state tuition and fees. The Department of Veterans Affairs matches the institutional aid provided
beyond the in-state tuition and fees, but to certain limit each year.

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 8/4/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > FAQ

Student Financial Aid
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)

Which institutions are required to complete the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA)
component?

2)

What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?

3)

What changes occurred for SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?

4)

Can I revise my institutions cost of attendance (COA) data in SFA?

Student Counts
1)

For which students should I report financial aid
information?

2)

What students are included in Group 1?

3)

What students are included in Group 2?

4)

What students are included in Group 2a?

5)

What students are included in Group 2b?

6)

What students are included in Group 3?

7)

What students are included in Group 4?

Financial Aid
1)

Should veterans education benefits be reported?

2)

How should I report post-9/11 "Yellow Ribbon" benefits?

3)

The SFA survey indicates that the maximum amount of DOD TAP awarded per fiscal year per student is $4500.
What do I do if my DOD TAP average is greater than $4500 per student?

4)

What types of financial aid should be reported?

5)

What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?

6)

Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?

7)

Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?

8)

Should PLUS loans be reported?

9)

What does "aid awarded" mean?

10)

If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?

11)

Where can I get living arrangement information for students?

12)

How do I get information about students' income categories?

Answers:
General
1)

Which institutions are required to complete the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA) component?
All postsecondary institutions that either 1.) participate in federal student financial aid programs that enrolled
undergraduate students or 2.) enroll students who received an educational benefit (e.g., Department of Defense
Tuition Assistance or Department of Veteran Affairs Post-9/11GI Bill) any time during academic year 2016-17
must complete SFA.
Back to top

2)

What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?
For the 2017-18 data collection, institutions should report data for academic year 2016-17.
For Title IV participating institutions that enroll undergraduate students:

For academic reporters, the academic year is defined as the period of time generally
extending from September to June; usually equated to 2 semesters or trimesters, 3 quarters,
or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar system.
To determine the financial aid amounts to report for a given group of students, first identify the
students in that group (e.g., for Group 2, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled in Fall 2016). Second, determine the financial aid that was awarded
to these students any time during the 2016-17 academic year.
For program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as the
institutionally-defined academic year falls within the full aid year period of July 1-June 30.
To determine the financial aid amounts to report for a given group of students, first identify the
students in that group (e.g., for Group 2, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled any time during the academic year). Second, determine the financial
aid that was awarded to these students any time during the academic year.
For institutions that enroll undergraduate and graduate students who received military or veteran benefits:

The data reported for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic
year, from July 1 to June 30.
The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program questions
should be for the prior academic year, from October 1 to September 30.
Back to top
3)

What changes occurred for SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?
For the 2017-18 collection year, there were no changes.
Back to top

4)

Can I revise my institutions cost of attendance (COA) data in SFA?

Yes, the 3 most recent COA years can be changed in SFA's "Cost Revision" screen, which carried forward
the COA data from Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. Changes should only be made if errors were
made in the IC reporting. Changes cannot be made in the prior year revision system.
Back to top
Student Counts
1)

For which students should I report financial aid information?
SFA collects information on undergraduate students only.
Academic reporters should report on students who were enrolled as of October 15, or the institution’s official
Fall reporting date.
Program reporters should report on students who were enrolled any time during the academic year. For
program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as it falls between July 1 and June
30.
For the purposes of reporting to SFA, students are divided into the following groups:

Group 1: All undergraduate students
Group 2: Of Group 1, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Group 3: Of Group 2, students who were awarded any grant/scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution. For public institutions, include only
those paying in-state/in-district tuition rates. For program reporters, include only those
enrolled in the institution’s largest program.
Group 4: Of Group 2, students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid. For public
institutions, include only those paying in-state/in-district tuition rates. For program reporters,
include only those enrolled in the institution’s largest program.
Back to top
2)

What students are included in Group 1?
Group 1 includes all undergraduate students. You should report the total number of all new and continuing fulltime students, part-time students, degree/certificate-seeking students, and non-degree/certificate-seeking
students.
Back to top

3)

What students are included in Group 2?
Group 2 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates.
For academic reporters, include students attending your institution for the first time at the undergraduate
level. Also include students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer
term, and students who entered with advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high
school). This number should match the data that you reported on the Fall Enrollment component of IPEDS.
For program reporters, include students attending your institution for the first time at the undergraduate
level anytime during the academic year, as defined at your institution. Also include students who entered with
advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school). This number should closely
match the data you reported on the 12-month Enrollment component of IPEDS.
Back to top

4)

What students are included in Group 2a?
In Group 2a, you should report the number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who were awarded any of the following:

Federal Work Study
Federal or private loans to students
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Grant or scholarship aid from other sources known to the institution
Back to top
5)

What students are included in Group 2b?
In Group 2b, you should report the number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who were awarded any of the following:

Federal or private loans to students
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Group 2b is Group 2a minus those students who were awarded only Federal Work Study or grant or scholarship
aid from other sources known to the institution.
Back to top
6)

What students are included in Group 3?
Group 3 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates who were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the following sources:

Federal government
State/local government
Institution
For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program
reporters, include only those students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Do not include students who were awarded only grant or scholarship aid from private or other sources, or
students who were awarded only non-grant aid, such as loans.
Back to top
7)

What students are included in Group 4?
Group 4 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates who were awarded
any Title IV aid.
Title IV aid includes the following:

Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Academic
Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant
(National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) Grant
Federal Work Study
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL
Stafford Loan

For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program
reporters, include only those students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Back to top
Financial Aid
1)

Should veterans education benefits be reported?
For the portion of SFA (Parts A through E) that requires Title IV institutions to report on undergraduate students
receiving financial aid:

Veterans education benefits should not be reported as financial aid in SFA.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) removed veterans education benefits
from “estimated financial assistance,” effective July 1, 2010. A later technical corrections bill
(H.R. 1777) updated the list of programs that meet the definition of "veterans' education
benefits" in section 480(c) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) and moved the effective date of
the exclusion to July 1, 2009 (beginning with the 2009-10 award year).
However, the institutional aid from Yellow Ribbon program should be reported under
institutional aid. See how to report the Yellow Ribbon aid in FAQ.
For more information about the Department's Guidance on Federal Veterans’ Education
Benefits for Purposes of the Title IV Student Assistance Programs, please visit
http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/081309GuidFedVeteransEdBenefits.html.
For the portion of SFA (Section 2) that requires institutions to report on students who received military or
veteran benefits:

Educational benefits from the Department of Defense's Military Tuition Assistance or
Department of Veteran Affairs' Post-9/11 GI Bill should be reported in SFA.
Back to top
2)

How should I report post-9/11 "Yellow Ribbon" benefits?
The Post-9/11 GI Bill program includes a 'Yellow Ribbon' program, which is comprised of matching funds
provided by the government and the institution. The institutional part of this aid should be reported in the SFA
component (Section 1) as aid to the undergraduate student. Yellow Ribbon benefits provided from the VA should
NOT be included when reporting to the portion of SFA (Section 1) on Title IV institutions that enroll full-time,
first-time degree/certificate seeking undergraduate students.
However, both Post-9/11 GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon beneficiaries and federal dollar amounts should be
reported to the military/veteran question of SFA (Section 2). This portion of SFA requires all institutions that
enroll students with Post-9/11 GI Bill and/or Tuition Assistance educational benefits to provide the number of
beneficiaries and total dollar amounts.
Back to top

3)

The SFA survey indicates that the maximum amount of DOD TAP awarded per fiscal year per
student is $4500. What do I do if my DOD TAP average is greater than $4500 per student?
According to the 2014 final regulations set for the DOD Voluntary Education Programs - which include TAP each branch of military service can pay no more than $250/semester-unit (or equivalent) for tuition. Each
service member is eligible for up to $4500 in aggregate for each fiscal year. If your institution’s DOD TAP
average is greater than $4500 per student per award year, then you should:
--Ask your financial aid office or VA certifying official to sort out the military aid and remove any non-DOD TAP
aid (e.g., ROTC scholarships, tuition reimbursements for advanced civil schooling, education-related incentive
or bonus);
--Remove any non-Title 10 aid since TAP is a Title 10 program; and
--Make sure that you are including one disbursement period for that award year. Even though DOD TAP aid are
reported for the Oct 1 – Sep 30 timeframe, which technically covers two fall periods; only include one fall
disbursement period per award year.
Back to top

4)

What types of financial aid should be reported?
The following types of financial aid should be reported in this component:

Federal grants (grants/educational assistance funds): Grants provided by federal agencies
such as the U.S. Department of Education, including Title IV federal student aid grants such as
Pell grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs), Academic
Competitiveness Grants (ACGs), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent
(National SMART) Grants, and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) Grants. Also include need-based and merit-based educational assistance funds and
training vouchers provided from other federal agencies and/or federally-sponsored educational
benefits programs.
State/local government grants (grants/scholarships/waivers): Grants that were provided
by your state such as Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIGs)
and Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships. Also include merit scholarships that were provided by
your state and tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was reimbursed by a state
agency. Local grants include any local government grants, scholarships or gift-aid awarded
directly to the student.
Institutional grants: Scholarships and fellowships granted and funded by the institution
and/or individual departments within the institution (and are limited to students attending your
institution). Also include scholarships targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of
residence or major) for which the institution designates the recipient; athletic scholarships;
and the like. This is not intended to include Federal Work Study.
Private grants or scholarships: These may include scholarships or grants to students that are
paid by an outside organization but are directed through the institution's financial aid office
(e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Loans to students: Monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student
is the designated borrower. Include all Title IV federal student loan aid such as Federal Perkins
Loans, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loans, and Unsubsidized Director or FFEL Stafford
Loans. Also include all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Please do not include
PLUS and other loans made directly to parents.
Note that different parts of the SFA component ask for different types of financial aid to be reported. Please
review the instructions and the survey screens carefully to ensure that you are reporting the correct types of
financial aid in the appropriate parts.
Back to top
5)

What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?
Institutions should report aid that was awarded any time during the academic year.
For academic reporters, the academic year is the period of time generally extending from September to June,
usually equated to two semesters or trimesters, three quarters, or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar

system.
For program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as it falls between July 1 and
June 30.
Note that for the purposes of calculating net price, the cost of attendance (COA) for an academic year reported
in the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component should align with the aid amounts reported in the Student
Financial Aid (SFA) component.
Back to top
6)

Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?
Yes, tuition and fee waivers should be reported.
Tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was reimbursed by a state agency should be reported under
state/local government grants.
Tuition and fee waivers granted by your institution (for which your institution is not reimbursed from another
source) should be reported as institutional grants.
Back to top

7)

Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?
In general, institutions should report financial aid from tribal offices awarded to full-time, first-time students in
the state/local government field (Line 03) in Part C.
Back to top

8)

Should PLUS loans be reported?
No. PLUS loans are made to the parents of students. Any type of loan that is not made to the student should not
be reported.
Back to top

9)

What does "aid awarded" mean?
Institutions should report on grant or scholarship aid that has been awarded to students. This may be different
from aid that was actually disbursed to students. For example, a student may be awarded grant or scholarship
aid at the beginning of the academic year but then leave the institution before the entire amount is disbursed.
In this case, you would report the original amount of grant or scholarship aid that was awarded, even though
the entire amount was not actually disbursed to the student.
For reporting loans to students, institutions should continue to report on loans that were awarded to and
accepted by the student.
Back to top

10)

If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?
Yes, students should be included in each category of aid that they are awarded. If a student is awarded both
federal and institutional aid, he/she should be counted under both types of aid.
However, in Part C, count students only once in the major aid category. For example, if a student is awarded
both a Pell Grant (Line 02a) and another type of federal grant (Line 02b), then count that student once for the
major category of Federal grants (Line 02).
Back to top

11)

Where can I get living arrangement information for students?
Students indicate their intended living arrangement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or
an institutional financial aid application. If a student did not complete the FAFSA or an institutional financial aid
application with living arrangement information, that student may appear as having an unknown living
arrangement.
Institutions should use the most recently available information regarding student living arrangement.
Back to top

12)

How do I get information about students' income categories?
To assign the income category of the student, use the income that was used by your financial aid office to
determine the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC). For dependent students this will include the
parents’ adjusted gross income and the student’s adjusted gross income. For independent students this will
include the student’s adjusted gross income.
If your institution takes part in campus-based aid programs like SEOG, FWS, and Perkins Loans, then it might
be easiest to tell your financial aid office that students should be put in income categories as they are done on
FISAP. Institutions with campus-based based aid programs must report annually to the Department of Education
using the FISAP (Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate). Part of the FISAP includes incomerelated information. Even if your institution does not file FISAP, the instructions from it may be helpful (fields
26-39):

Use the FISAP Total Income (FTI), one of the intermediate computed values on the Student Aid Record (SAR) or
ISIR (Institutional Student Information Record), to determine the proper cell for each student. For dependent
students, FTI is the sum of Total Income (TI) and Student’s Total Income (STI). For independent students, the
FTI will equal the TI. Remember, extract this information only from the SARs/ISIRs of students who
actually enrolled in your school.
You might need to correct or adjust a student’s income information and recalculate the EFC. If so, you must use
that corrected or adjusted information when determining the proper income cell for a student. In such a case,
to determine the income cell for a dependent student, you must use the student’s and parents’ base year
incomes, as reported on the SAR/ISIR.

Back to top

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 8/4/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > Form

Student Financial Aid for institutions with graduate students only (academic reporters)

Overview
IPEDS Student Financial Aid Component Overview
Academic Reporters
Welcome to the Student Financial Aid (SFA) component. As a graduate school, the purpose of the SFA component is to collect information about your students who have
received military/veteran educational benefits.
Data Reporting Reminder
Total number and amount will be asked for both undergraduate and graduate students. Please work with your institutional representative who certifies such benefits. They
may not be associated with the student financial aid office.
Data Reporting Tips
If there are no students in a benefit category, please enter zero (0). Do NOT leave the cell blank.

Interactive Edits and Error Messages
SFA contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some error messages will require you to confirm or
explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568 for resolution.
Context Boxes
Context boxes are optional, but allow you to provide more information about the reported data. Some context boxes may be made available to the public on College
Navigator, so make sure that the entered information can be understood easily by students, parents, and the general public.
Resources
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials

If you have questions about completing this component, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568.

Section 2: Screening Question
1. Did your institution award military tuition assistance and/or veteran’s benefits?

No
Yes
The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 2: Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits
Section 2: Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits
IMPORTANT NOTE: Report for Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits: July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 and Report for Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program: October 1, 2016 September 30, 2017

Report the total number of student recipients and the total dollar amounts for each
Student recipients can also include eligible dependents.
Consult with your campus certifying official, who may not be in the student financial
For Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits, do not include the matching institutional aid provided
participated.
Information reported to IPEDS is only what is known to the institution.
Enter zero (0) if your institution did not have beneficiaries for a program. Please do

program.
aid office.
through the Yellow Ribbon Program if your institution

not leave a cell blank.
YOUR PRIOR YEAR DATA

Type of benefit/assistance

Number of students
receiving
benefits/assistance

Total dollar amount of
benefits/assistance
awarded
through the institution

Average dollar amount of
benefits/assistance
awarded
through the institution

Average dollar amount of
benefits/assistance
awarded
through the institution

Graduate students
Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
Department of Defense Tuition Assistance
Program

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2017-18 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/4/2017

Student Financial Aid, Private Program Reporters

Purpose of Component
Who Must Report
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
What You Will Need
About the Data
Context Boxes

Coverage
Reporting Period

Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Detailed Instructions
Military Servicemembers and Veterans Benefits Question

Purpose of Component
The purpose of the Student Financial Aid (SFA) is collect information about the financial aid provided to various groups of undergraduates in
order to meet requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. Starting in 2014-15 data collection year, SFA has expanded to
collect information on the federal dollars supporting military servicemember and veteran undergraduate and graduate students.
As presented in the Technical Review Panel Report #36 (March 2012), the increase in beneficiaries and federal dollars has led for an increase
demand for information to help prospective students look where to use their educational benefits, researchers study the impact of the
programs on college outcomes, and policymakers assess the effectiveness of benefits programs and return on investment.

Who Must Report
All registered IPEDS institutions that educate military servicemembers, veterans, or eligible dependents receiving any Tuition Assistance
Program or Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Report only those that RECEIVED the benefit(s).

Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2017-18 data collection period.

General Instructions
What You Will Need
If unfamiliar with these educational benefits, below is a general synopsis of each programs:
1. Post-9/11 GI Bill
Effective August 1, 2009, benefit provides payment of tuition and fees, monthly housing allowance, and books and supplies stipend.
Tuition and fees are paid directly to the institution on behalf the students; thus, institutions should know which students have Post9/11 GI Bill benefits and the amount of benefits received at the institution.
Educational benefits can be transferred to a dependent.
Program expanded in 2011 to cover non-degree-granting programs, apprenticeships/on-the-job training programs, flight training
programs, and training correspondence.
The Yellow Ribbon program through the Post-9/11 GI Bill is an institutional aid matching program only for tuition and fees for students
attending participating institutions.
For more information, visit the Department of Veteran Affairs, Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits website
http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp
2. Department of Defense Tuition Assistance
For active duty servicemembers, reservists called to active duty, and their spouses.
Educational payments cover only tuition and fees and are made directly to the institution.
GI Bill benefits can be used to supplement costs not covered by this program.
For more information, visit the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program website http://www.dodmou.com/
Consult and verify the data with your institutional representative who certifies these benefits. This individual or office may not be in the
student financial aid office.

About the Data
The Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance programs may only highlight two of many educational benefits provided to military
servicemembers and veterans. However, from a national perspective, Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance programs are more likely to
be found across over 7,500 IPEDS institutions.
For Yellow Ribbon participating institutions, the institutional aid provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon matching program

should NOT be included in the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution.

Context Boxes
Optional context boxes throughout the component allow institutions to provide more information regarding reported data. Note that the
information in these context boxes may be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website. NCES will review
entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on College Navigator. However, institutions
should ensure that entries in these context boxes are free from grammatical and spelling errors and are written to be understood by
students and parents.

Interactive Edits
This component contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some
error messages will require you to confirm or explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to
contact the IPEDS Help Desk (1-877-225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org) for resolution.

Coverage
Reporting Period
The data reported for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic year, from July 1 to June 30. For example, for
the 2017-18 data collection year, the data reported will be July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017.
The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program questions should be for the prior academic year,
from October 1 to September 30. For example, for the 2017-18 data collection year, the data reported will be October 1, 2016-September
30, 2017.

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

Detailed Instructions
This section provides line-by-line instructions for the Military Servicemember and Veteran Benefits Question.
Screening Question. For graduate schools only, a screening question will ask if your school certified any military tuition assistance or veteran
benefits in the prior academic year. If the answer is ‘Yes’, you will be directed to the next question. If ‘No’, you have completed this portion of
SFA. A context box is also provided for further explanation of your response. Please see in the early part of these instructions on the
treatment of Context Boxes.
Benefits Question. For the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit, please provide in the first column the number of students receiving the benefit during the
July 1-June 30 reporting period (see coverage above). In the second column, provide the total dollar amount for each benefit during the same
reporting period.
For the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program benefit, please provide in the first column the number of students receiving the
benefit during the October 1-September 30 reporting period (see coverage above). In the second column, provide the total dollar amount for
each benefit during the same reporting period.
If your institution did not have any student beneficiaries for one of the benefit programs, enter a zero (0) in the cell. In other words, do NOT
leave the cell blank for a program that did not have any beneficiaries.
For Yellow Ribbon participating institutions, the institutional aid provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon matching program should
NOT be included in the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution.

Glossary

date: 8/4/2017

Term

Definition

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).

Military Tuition Assistance
Program (TAP)

A program that funds up to 100% of an eligible servicemember's college tuition and course-specific fees. Available only to eligible
servicemembers who are currently in active service as long as criteria limits are not exceeded and students are enrolled off-duty in an
U.S. Department of Education accredited post-secondary institution. This military benefit is paid directly to the postsecondary institution
by the individual's Armed service.

Post 9/11 GI Bill

A federal education benefit program for veterans, who served on active duty after September 10, 2001. This Department of Veteran
Affairs benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits at an approved institution for the following college costs: tuition and
fees, books and supplies and housing. The tuition and fees payment, which is the cost for an in-state student attending a public
institution, is made directly to the postsecondary institution whereas payments for books and supplies and housing are sent directly to
the student.

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).

Transfer of Entitlement Option

A program through which any unused Post 9/11 GI Bill may be transferred to a spouse or dependent(s) as long as servicemembers or
veterans meet the additional Department of Veterans Affairs’ criteria. Only Department of Defense (DoD) can approve transfer of
benefits requests.

Yellow Ribbon Program

A voluntary program through which participating public and private institutions can provide veterans and eligible beneficiaries additional
institutional aid to cover the costs of tuition and fees at their institutions. The Yellow Ribbon Program is a supplementary program to
the Post 9/11 GI Bill coverage of in-state tuition and fees. The Department of Veterans Affairs matches the institutional aid provided
beyond the in-state tuition and fees, but to certain limit each year.

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 8/4/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > FAQ

Student Financial Aid
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)

Which institutions are required to complete the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA)
component?

2)

What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?

3)

What changes occurred for SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?

4)

Can I revise my institutions cost of attendance (COA) data in SFA?

Student Counts
1)

For which students should I report financial aid
information?

2)

What students are included in Group 1?

3)

What students are included in Group 2?

4)

What students are included in Group 2a?

5)

What students are included in Group 2b?

6)

What students are included in Group 3?

7)

What students are included in Group 4?

Financial Aid
1)

Should veterans education benefits be reported?

2)

How should I report post-9/11 "Yellow Ribbon" benefits?

3)

The SFA survey indicates that the maximum amount of DOD TAP awarded per fiscal year per student is $4500.
What do I do if my DOD TAP average is greater than $4500 per student?

4)

What types of financial aid should be reported?

5)

What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?

6)

Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?

7)

Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?

8)

Should PLUS loans be reported?

9)

What does "aid awarded" mean?

10)

If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?

11)

Where can I get living arrangement information for students?

12)

How do I get information about students' income categories?

Answers:
General
1)

Which institutions are required to complete the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA) component?
All postsecondary institutions that either 1.) participate in federal student financial aid programs that enrolled
undergraduate students or 2.) enroll students who received an educational benefit (e.g., Department of Defense
Tuition Assistance or Department of Veteran Affairs Post-9/11GI Bill) any time during academic year 2016-17
must complete SFA.
Back to top

2)

What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?
For the 2017-18 data collection, institutions should report data for academic year 2016-17.
For Title IV participating institutions that enroll undergraduate students:

For academic reporters, the academic year is defined as the period of time generally
extending from September to June; usually equated to 2 semesters or trimesters, 3 quarters,
or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar system.
To determine the financial aid amounts to report for a given group of students, first identify the
students in that group (e.g., for Group 2, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled in Fall 2016). Second, determine the financial aid that was awarded
to these students any time during the 2016-17 academic year.
For program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as the
institutionally-defined academic year falls within the full aid year period of July 1-June 30.
To determine the financial aid amounts to report for a given group of students, first identify the
students in that group (e.g., for Group 2, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled any time during the academic year). Second, determine the financial
aid that was awarded to these students any time during the academic year.
For institutions that enroll undergraduate and graduate students who received military or veteran benefits:

The data reported for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic
year, from July 1 to June 30.
The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program questions
should be for the prior academic year, from October 1 to September 30.
Back to top
3)

What changes occurred for SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?
For the 2017-18 collection year, there were no changes.
Back to top

4)

Can I revise my institutions cost of attendance (COA) data in SFA?

Yes, the 3 most recent COA years can be changed in SFA's "Cost Revision" screen, which carried forward
the COA data from Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. Changes should only be made if errors were
made in the IC reporting. Changes cannot be made in the prior year revision system.
Back to top
Student Counts
1)

For which students should I report financial aid information?
SFA collects information on undergraduate students only.
Academic reporters should report on students who were enrolled as of October 15, or the institution’s official
Fall reporting date.
Program reporters should report on students who were enrolled any time during the academic year. For
program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as it falls between July 1 and June
30.
For the purposes of reporting to SFA, students are divided into the following groups:

Group 1: All undergraduate students
Group 2: Of Group 1, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Group 3: Of Group 2, students who were awarded any grant/scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution. For public institutions, include only
those paying in-state/in-district tuition rates. For program reporters, include only those
enrolled in the institution’s largest program.
Group 4: Of Group 2, students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid. For public
institutions, include only those paying in-state/in-district tuition rates. For program reporters,
include only those enrolled in the institution’s largest program.
Back to top
2)

What students are included in Group 1?
Group 1 includes all undergraduate students. You should report the total number of all new and continuing fulltime students, part-time students, degree/certificate-seeking students, and non-degree/certificate-seeking
students.
Back to top

3)

What students are included in Group 2?
Group 2 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates.
For academic reporters, include students attending your institution for the first time at the undergraduate
level. Also include students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer
term, and students who entered with advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high
school). This number should match the data that you reported on the Fall Enrollment component of IPEDS.
For program reporters, include students attending your institution for the first time at the undergraduate
level anytime during the academic year, as defined at your institution. Also include students who entered with
advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school). This number should closely
match the data you reported on the 12-month Enrollment component of IPEDS.
Back to top

4)

What students are included in Group 2a?
In Group 2a, you should report the number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who were awarded any of the following:

Federal Work Study
Federal or private loans to students
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Grant or scholarship aid from other sources known to the institution
Back to top
5)

What students are included in Group 2b?
In Group 2b, you should report the number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who were awarded any of the following:

Federal or private loans to students
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Group 2b is Group 2a minus those students who were awarded only Federal Work Study or grant or scholarship
aid from other sources known to the institution.
Back to top
6)

What students are included in Group 3?
Group 3 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates who were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the following sources:

Federal government
State/local government
Institution
For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program
reporters, include only those students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Do not include students who were awarded only grant or scholarship aid from private or other sources, or
students who were awarded only non-grant aid, such as loans.
Back to top
7)

What students are included in Group 4?
Group 4 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates who were awarded
any Title IV aid.
Title IV aid includes the following:

Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Academic
Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant
(National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) Grant
Federal Work Study
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL
Stafford Loan

For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program
reporters, include only those students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Back to top
Financial Aid
1)

Should veterans education benefits be reported?
For the portion of SFA (Parts A through E) that requires Title IV institutions to report on undergraduate students
receiving financial aid:

Veterans education benefits should not be reported as financial aid in SFA.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) removed veterans education benefits
from “estimated financial assistance,” effective July 1, 2010. A later technical corrections bill
(H.R. 1777) updated the list of programs that meet the definition of "veterans' education
benefits" in section 480(c) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) and moved the effective date of
the exclusion to July 1, 2009 (beginning with the 2009-10 award year).
However, the institutional aid from Yellow Ribbon program should be reported under
institutional aid. See how to report the Yellow Ribbon aid in FAQ.
For more information about the Department's Guidance on Federal Veterans’ Education
Benefits for Purposes of the Title IV Student Assistance Programs, please visit
http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/081309GuidFedVeteransEdBenefits.html.
For the portion of SFA (Section 2) that requires institutions to report on students who received military or
veteran benefits:

Educational benefits from the Department of Defense's Military Tuition Assistance or
Department of Veteran Affairs' Post-9/11 GI Bill should be reported in SFA.
Back to top
2)

How should I report post-9/11 "Yellow Ribbon" benefits?
The Post-9/11 GI Bill program includes a 'Yellow Ribbon' program, which is comprised of matching funds
provided by the government and the institution. The institutional part of this aid should be reported in the SFA
component (Section 1) as aid to the undergraduate student. Yellow Ribbon benefits provided from the VA should
NOT be included when reporting to the portion of SFA (Section 1) on Title IV institutions that enroll full-time,
first-time degree/certificate seeking undergraduate students.
However, both Post-9/11 GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon beneficiaries and federal dollar amounts should be
reported to the military/veteran question of SFA (Section 2). This portion of SFA requires all institutions that
enroll students with Post-9/11 GI Bill and/or Tuition Assistance educational benefits to provide the number of
beneficiaries and total dollar amounts.
Back to top

3)

The SFA survey indicates that the maximum amount of DOD TAP awarded per fiscal year per
student is $4500. What do I do if my DOD TAP average is greater than $4500 per student?
According to the 2014 final regulations set for the DOD Voluntary Education Programs - which include TAP each branch of military service can pay no more than $250/semester-unit (or equivalent) for tuition. Each
service member is eligible for up to $4500 in aggregate for each fiscal year. If your institution’s DOD TAP
average is greater than $4500 per student per award year, then you should:
--Ask your financial aid office or VA certifying official to sort out the military aid and remove any non-DOD TAP
aid (e.g., ROTC scholarships, tuition reimbursements for advanced civil schooling, education-related incentive
or bonus);
--Remove any non-Title 10 aid since TAP is a Title 10 program; and
--Make sure that you are including one disbursement period for that award year. Even though DOD TAP aid are
reported for the Oct 1 – Sep 30 timeframe, which technically covers two fall periods; only include one fall
disbursement period per award year.
Back to top

4)

What types of financial aid should be reported?
The following types of financial aid should be reported in this component:

Federal grants (grants/educational assistance funds): Grants provided by federal agencies
such as the U.S. Department of Education, including Title IV federal student aid grants such as
Pell grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs), Academic
Competitiveness Grants (ACGs), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent
(National SMART) Grants, and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) Grants. Also include need-based and merit-based educational assistance funds and
training vouchers provided from other federal agencies and/or federally-sponsored educational
benefits programs.
State/local government grants (grants/scholarships/waivers): Grants that were provided
by your state such as Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIGs)
and Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships. Also include merit scholarships that were provided by
your state and tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was reimbursed by a state
agency. Local grants include any local government grants, scholarships or gift-aid awarded
directly to the student.
Institutional grants: Scholarships and fellowships granted and funded by the institution
and/or individual departments within the institution (and are limited to students attending your
institution). Also include scholarships targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of
residence or major) for which the institution designates the recipient; athletic scholarships;
and the like. This is not intended to include Federal Work Study.
Private grants or scholarships: These may include scholarships or grants to students that are
paid by an outside organization but are directed through the institution's financial aid office
(e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Loans to students: Monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student
is the designated borrower. Include all Title IV federal student loan aid such as Federal Perkins
Loans, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loans, and Unsubsidized Director or FFEL Stafford
Loans. Also include all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Please do not include
PLUS and other loans made directly to parents.
Note that different parts of the SFA component ask for different types of financial aid to be reported. Please
review the instructions and the survey screens carefully to ensure that you are reporting the correct types of
financial aid in the appropriate parts.
Back to top
5)

What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?
Institutions should report aid that was awarded any time during the academic year.
For academic reporters, the academic year is the period of time generally extending from September to June,
usually equated to two semesters or trimesters, three quarters, or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar

system.
For program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as it falls between July 1 and
June 30.
Note that for the purposes of calculating net price, the cost of attendance (COA) for an academic year reported
in the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component should align with the aid amounts reported in the Student
Financial Aid (SFA) component.
Back to top
6)

Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?
Yes, tuition and fee waivers should be reported.
Tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was reimbursed by a state agency should be reported under
state/local government grants.
Tuition and fee waivers granted by your institution (for which your institution is not reimbursed from another
source) should be reported as institutional grants.
Back to top

7)

Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?
In general, institutions should report financial aid from tribal offices awarded to full-time, first-time students in
the state/local government field (Line 03) in Part C.
Back to top

8)

Should PLUS loans be reported?
No. PLUS loans are made to the parents of students. Any type of loan that is not made to the student should not
be reported.
Back to top

9)

What does "aid awarded" mean?
Institutions should report on grant or scholarship aid that has been awarded to students. This may be different
from aid that was actually disbursed to students. For example, a student may be awarded grant or scholarship
aid at the beginning of the academic year but then leave the institution before the entire amount is disbursed.
In this case, you would report the original amount of grant or scholarship aid that was awarded, even though
the entire amount was not actually disbursed to the student.
For reporting loans to students, institutions should continue to report on loans that were awarded to and
accepted by the student.
Back to top

10)

If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?
Yes, students should be included in each category of aid that they are awarded. If a student is awarded both
federal and institutional aid, he/she should be counted under both types of aid.
However, in Part C, count students only once in the major aid category. For example, if a student is awarded
both a Pell Grant (Line 02a) and another type of federal grant (Line 02b), then count that student once for the
major category of Federal grants (Line 02).
Back to top

11)

Where can I get living arrangement information for students?
Students indicate their intended living arrangement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or
an institutional financial aid application. If a student did not complete the FAFSA or an institutional financial aid
application with living arrangement information, that student may appear as having an unknown living
arrangement.
Institutions should use the most recently available information regarding student living arrangement.
Back to top

12)

How do I get information about students' income categories?
To assign the income category of the student, use the income that was used by your financial aid office to
determine the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC). For dependent students this will include the
parents’ adjusted gross income and the student’s adjusted gross income. For independent students this will
include the student’s adjusted gross income.
If your institution takes part in campus-based aid programs like SEOG, FWS, and Perkins Loans, then it might
be easiest to tell your financial aid office that students should be put in income categories as they are done on
FISAP. Institutions with campus-based based aid programs must report annually to the Department of Education
using the FISAP (Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate). Part of the FISAP includes incomerelated information. Even if your institution does not file FISAP, the instructions from it may be helpful (fields
26-39):

Use the FISAP Total Income (FTI), one of the intermediate computed values on the Student Aid Record (SAR) or
ISIR (Institutional Student Information Record), to determine the proper cell for each student. For dependent
students, FTI is the sum of Total Income (TI) and Student’s Total Income (STI). For independent students, the
FTI will equal the TI. Remember, extract this information only from the SARs/ISIRs of students who
actually enrolled in your school.
You might need to correct or adjust a student’s income information and recalculate the EFC. If so, you must use
that corrected or adjusted information when determining the proper income cell for a student. In such a case,
to determine the income cell for a dependent student, you must use the student’s and parents’ base year
incomes, as reported on the SAR/ISIR.

Back to top

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 8/4/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > Form

Student Financial Aid for institutions with graduate students only (program reporters)

Overview
IPEDS Student Financial Aid Component Overview
Program Reporters
Welcome to the Student Financial Aid (SFA) component of the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The purpose of
the SFA component is to collect information about financial aid provided to various groups of undergraduate students at your institution.
Data Reporting Reminders
Total number and amount will be asked for both undergraduate and graduate students. Please work with your institutional representative who certifies such benefits. They
may not be associated with the student financial aid office.

Data Reporting Tips
If there are no students in a benefit category, please enter zero (0). Do not leave the cell blank.

Interactive Edits and Error Messages
SFA contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some error messages will require you to confirm or
explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568 for resolution.
Context Boxes
Context boxes are optional, but allow you to provide more information about the reported data. Some context boxes may be made available to the public on College
Navigator, so make sure that the entered information can be understood easily by students, parents, and the general public.
Resources
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials

If you have questions about completing this component, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568.

Section 2: Screening Question
1. Did your institution award military tuition assistance and/or veteran’s benefits?

No
Yes
The notes below provide context for the data you've reported above and may be posted on the College Navigator website. Choose one option that best explains your
data or choose "Non-applicable" if you do not wish to provide context notes. If none of the options provided explains your institution’s data, then choose "Other" and
write your own context notes. Notes should be written to be understood by students and parents. For example, institutions may report here other sources of private aid
not included in the categories listed.
Non-applicable

Section 2: Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits
Section 2: Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits
IMPORTANT NOTE: Report for Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits: July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 and Report for Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program: October 1, 2016 September 30, 2017
Program reporters should be reporting the information on this screen for ALL programs (not just the largest program).
Report the total number of student recipients and the total dollar amounts for each
Student recipients can also include eligible dependents.
Consult with your campus certifying official, who may not be in the student financial
For Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits, do not include the matching institutional aid provided
participated.
Information reported to IPEDS is only what is known to the institution.
Enter zero (0) if your institution did not have beneficiaries for a program. Please do

program.
aid office.
through the Yellow Ribbon Program if your institution

not leave a cell blank.
YOUR PRIOR YEAR DATA

Type of benefit/assistance

Number of students
receiving
benefits/assistance

Total dollar amount of
benefits/assistance
awarded
through the institution

Average dollar amount of
benefits/assistance
awarded
through the institution

Average dollar amount of
benefits/assistance
awarded
through the institution

Graduate students
Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
Department of Defense Tuition Assistance
Program

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2017-18 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 8/4/2017

Student Financial Aid, Private Program Reporters

Purpose of Component
Who Must Report
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
What You Will Need
About the Data
Context Boxes

Coverage
Reporting Period

Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Detailed Instructions
Military Servicemembers and Veterans Benefits Question

Purpose of Component
The purpose of the Student Financial Aid (SFA) is collect information about the financial aid provided to various groups of undergraduates in
order to meet requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. Starting in 2014-15 data collection year, SFA has expanded to
collect information on the federal dollars supporting military servicemember and veteran undergraduate and graduate students.
As presented in the Technical Review Panel Report #36 (March 2012), the increase in beneficiaries and federal dollars has led for an increase
demand for information to help prospective students look where to use their educational benefits, researchers study the impact of the
programs on college outcomes, and policymakers assess the effectiveness of benefits programs and return on investment.

Who Must Report
All registered IPEDS institutions that educate military servicemembers, veterans, or eligible dependents receiving any Tuition Assistance
Program or Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Report only those that RECEIVED the benefit(s).

Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2017-18 data collection period.

General Instructions
What You Will Need
If unfamiliar with these educational benefits, below is a general synopsis of each programs:
1. Post-9/11 GI Bill
Effective August 1, 2009, benefit provides payment of tuition and fees, monthly housing allowance, and books and supplies stipend.
Tuition and fees are paid directly to the institution on behalf the students; thus, institutions should know which students have Post9/11 GI Bill benefits and the amount of benefits received at the institution.
Educational benefits can be transferred to a dependent.
Program expanded in 2011 to cover non-degree-granting programs, apprenticeships/on-the-job training programs, flight training
programs, and training correspondence.
The Yellow Ribbon program through the Post-9/11 GI Bill is an institutional aid matching program only for tuition and fees for students
attending participating institutions.
For more information, visit the Department of Veteran Affairs, Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits website
http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp
2. Department of Defense Tuition Assistance
For active duty servicemembers, reservists called to active duty, and their spouses.
Educational payments cover only tuition and fees and are made directly to the institution.
GI Bill benefits can be used to supplement costs not covered by this program.
For more information, visit the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program website http://www.dodmou.com/
Consult and verify the data with your institutional representative who certifies these benefits. This individual or office may not be in the
student financial aid office.

About the Data
The Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance programs may only highlight two of many educational benefits provided to military
servicemembers and veterans. However, from a national perspective, Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance programs are more likely to
be found across over 7,500 IPEDS institutions.
For Yellow Ribbon participating institutions, the institutional aid provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon matching program

should NOT be included in the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution.

Context Boxes
Optional context boxes throughout the component allow institutions to provide more information regarding reported data. Note that the
information in these context boxes may be posted on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator website. NCES will review
entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on College Navigator. However, institutions
should ensure that entries in these context boxes are free from grammatical and spelling errors and are written to be understood by
students and parents.

Interactive Edits
This component contains interactive edits that will check for blank fields, invalid values, or values that fall outside expected ranges. Some
error messages will require you to confirm or explain the values that you entered. Some error messages are fatal and will require you to
contact the IPEDS Help Desk (1-877-225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org) for resolution.

Coverage
Reporting Period
The data reported for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic year, from July 1 to June 30. For example, for
the 2017-18 data collection year, the data reported will be July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017.
The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program questions should be for the prior academic year,
from October 1 to September 30. For example, for the 2017-18 data collection year, the data reported will be October 1, 2016-September
30, 2017.

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

Detailed Instructions
This section provides line-by-line instructions for the Military Servicemember and Veteran Benefits Question.
Screening Question. For graduate schools only, a screening question will ask if your school certified any military tuition assistance or veteran
benefits in the prior academic year. If the answer is ‘Yes’, you will be directed to the next question. If ‘No’, you have completed this portion of
SFA. A context box is also provided for further explanation of your response. Please see in the early part of these instructions on the
treatment of Context Boxes.
Benefits Question. For the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit, please provide in the first column the number of students receiving the benefit during the
July 1-June 30 reporting period (see coverage above). In the second column, provide the total dollar amount for each benefit during the same
reporting period.
For the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program benefit, please provide in the first column the number of students receiving the
benefit during the October 1-September 30 reporting period (see coverage above). In the second column, provide the total dollar amount for
each benefit during the same reporting period.
If your institution did not have any student beneficiaries for one of the benefit programs, enter a zero (0) in the cell. In other words, do NOT
leave the cell blank for a program that did not have any beneficiaries.
For Yellow Ribbon participating institutions, the institutional aid provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon matching program should
NOT be included in the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution.

Glossary

date: 8/4/2017

Term

Definition

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).

Military Tuition Assistance
Program (TAP)

A program that funds up to 100% of an eligible servicemember's college tuition and course-specific fees. Available only to eligible
servicemembers who are currently in active service as long as criteria limits are not exceeded and students are enrolled off-duty in an
U.S. Department of Education accredited post-secondary institution. This military benefit is paid directly to the postsecondary institution
by the individual's Armed service.

Post 9/11 GI Bill

A federal education benefit program for veterans, who served on active duty after September 10, 2001. This Department of Veteran
Affairs benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits at an approved institution for the following college costs: tuition and
fees, books and supplies and housing. The tuition and fees payment, which is the cost for an in-state student attending a public
institution, is made directly to the postsecondary institution whereas payments for books and supplies and housing are sent directly to
the student.

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).

Transfer of Entitlement Option

A program through which any unused Post 9/11 GI Bill may be transferred to a spouse or dependent(s) as long as servicemembers or
veterans meet the additional Department of Veterans Affairs’ criteria. Only Department of Defense (DoD) can approve transfer of
benefits requests.

Yellow Ribbon Program

A voluntary program through which participating public and private institutions can provide veterans and eligible beneficiaries additional
institutional aid to cover the costs of tuition and fees at their institutions. The Yellow Ribbon Program is a supplementary program to
the Post 9/11 GI Bill coverage of in-state tuition and fees. The Department of Veterans Affairs matches the institutional aid provided
beyond the in-state tuition and fees, but to certain limit each year.

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or ipedshelp@rti.org
NCES National Center for Education Statistics

date: 8/4/2017

2017-18 Survey Materials > FAQ

Student Financial Aid
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)

Which institutions are required to complete the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA)
component?

2)

What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?

3)

What changes occurred for SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?

4)

Can I revise my institutions cost of attendance (COA) data in SFA?

Student Counts
1)

For which students should I report financial aid
information?

2)

What students are included in Group 1?

3)

What students are included in Group 2?

4)

What students are included in Group 2a?

5)

What students are included in Group 2b?

6)

What students are included in Group 3?

7)

What students are included in Group 4?

Financial Aid
1)

Should veterans education benefits be reported?

2)

How should I report post-9/11 "Yellow Ribbon" benefits?

3)

The SFA survey indicates that the maximum amount of DOD TAP awarded per fiscal year per student is $4500.
What do I do if my DOD TAP average is greater than $4500 per student?

4)

What types of financial aid should be reported?

5)

What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?

6)

Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?

7)

Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?

8)

Should PLUS loans be reported?

9)

What does "aid awarded" mean?

10)

If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?

11)

Where can I get living arrangement information for students?

12)

How do I get information about students' income categories?

Answers:
General
1)

Which institutions are required to complete the IPEDS Student Financial Aid (SFA) component?
All postsecondary institutions that either 1.) participate in federal student financial aid programs that enrolled
undergraduate students or 2.) enroll students who received an educational benefit (e.g., Department of Defense
Tuition Assistance or Department of Veteran Affairs Post-9/11GI Bill) any time during academic year 2016-17
must complete SFA.
Back to top

2)

What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?
For the 2017-18 data collection, institutions should report data for academic year 2016-17.
For Title IV participating institutions that enroll undergraduate students:

For academic reporters, the academic year is defined as the period of time generally
extending from September to June; usually equated to 2 semesters or trimesters, 3 quarters,
or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar system.
To determine the financial aid amounts to report for a given group of students, first identify the
students in that group (e.g., for Group 2, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled in Fall 2016). Second, determine the financial aid that was awarded
to these students any time during the 2016-17 academic year.
For program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as the
institutionally-defined academic year falls within the full aid year period of July 1-June 30.
To determine the financial aid amounts to report for a given group of students, first identify the
students in that group (e.g., for Group 2, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled any time during the academic year). Second, determine the financial
aid that was awarded to these students any time during the academic year.
For institutions that enroll undergraduate and graduate students who received military or veteran benefits:

The data reported for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic
year, from July 1 to June 30.
The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program questions
should be for the prior academic year, from October 1 to September 30.
Back to top
3)

What changes occurred for SFA for the 2017-18 collection year?
For the 2017-18 collection year, there were no changes.
Back to top

4)

Can I revise my institutions cost of attendance (COA) data in SFA?

Yes, the 3 most recent COA years can be changed in SFA's "Cost Revision" screen, which carried forward
the COA data from Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. Changes should only be made if errors were
made in the IC reporting. Changes cannot be made in the prior year revision system.
Back to top
Student Counts
1)

For which students should I report financial aid information?
SFA collects information on undergraduate students only.
Academic reporters should report on students who were enrolled as of October 15, or the institution’s official
Fall reporting date.
Program reporters should report on students who were enrolled any time during the academic year. For
program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as it falls between July 1 and June
30.
For the purposes of reporting to SFA, students are divided into the following groups:

Group 1: All undergraduate students
Group 2: Of Group 1, full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students
Group 3: Of Group 2, students who were awarded any grant/scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution. For public institutions, include only
those paying in-state/in-district tuition rates. For program reporters, include only those
enrolled in the institution’s largest program.
Group 4: Of Group 2, students who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid. For public
institutions, include only those paying in-state/in-district tuition rates. For program reporters,
include only those enrolled in the institution’s largest program.
Back to top
2)

What students are included in Group 1?
Group 1 includes all undergraduate students. You should report the total number of all new and continuing fulltime students, part-time students, degree/certificate-seeking students, and non-degree/certificate-seeking
students.
Back to top

3)

What students are included in Group 2?
Group 2 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates.
For academic reporters, include students attending your institution for the first time at the undergraduate
level. Also include students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer
term, and students who entered with advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high
school). This number should match the data that you reported on the Fall Enrollment component of IPEDS.
For program reporters, include students attending your institution for the first time at the undergraduate
level anytime during the academic year, as defined at your institution. Also include students who entered with
advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school). This number should closely
match the data you reported on the 12-month Enrollment component of IPEDS.
Back to top

4)

What students are included in Group 2a?
In Group 2a, you should report the number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who were awarded any of the following:

Federal Work Study
Federal or private loans to students
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Grant or scholarship aid from other sources known to the institution
Back to top
5)

What students are included in Group 2b?
In Group 2b, you should report the number of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who were awarded any of the following:

Federal or private loans to students
Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government
Grant or scholarship aid from state/local government
Grant or scholarship aid from the institution
Group 2b is Group 2a minus those students who were awarded only Federal Work Study or grant or scholarship
aid from other sources known to the institution.
Back to top
6)

What students are included in Group 3?
Group 3 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates who were awarded
grant or scholarship aid from the following sources:

Federal government
State/local government
Institution
For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program
reporters, include only those students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Do not include students who were awarded only grant or scholarship aid from private or other sources, or
students who were awarded only non-grant aid, such as loans.
Back to top
7)

What students are included in Group 4?
Group 4 students include all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates who were awarded
any Title IV aid.
Title IV aid includes the following:

Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Academic
Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant
(National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) Grant
Federal Work Study
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL
Stafford Loan

For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate. For program
reporters, include only those students enrolled in the institution's largest program.
Back to top
Financial Aid
1)

Should veterans education benefits be reported?
For the portion of SFA (Parts A through E) that requires Title IV institutions to report on undergraduate students
receiving financial aid:

Veterans education benefits should not be reported as financial aid in SFA.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) removed veterans education benefits
from “estimated financial assistance,” effective July 1, 2010. A later technical corrections bill
(H.R. 1777) updated the list of programs that meet the definition of "veterans' education
benefits" in section 480(c) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) and moved the effective date of
the exclusion to July 1, 2009 (beginning with the 2009-10 award year).
However, the institutional aid from Yellow Ribbon program should be reported under
institutional aid. See how to report the Yellow Ribbon aid in FAQ.
For more information about the Department's Guidance on Federal Veterans’ Education
Benefits for Purposes of the Title IV Student Assistance Programs, please visit
http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/081309GuidFedVeteransEdBenefits.html.
For the portion of SFA (Section 2) that requires institutions to report on students who received military or
veteran benefits:

Educational benefits from the Department of Defense's Military Tuition Assistance or
Department of Veteran Affairs' Post-9/11 GI Bill should be reported in SFA.
Back to top
2)

How should I report post-9/11 "Yellow Ribbon" benefits?
The Post-9/11 GI Bill program includes a 'Yellow Ribbon' program, which is comprised of matching funds
provided by the government and the institution. The institutional part of this aid should be reported in the SFA
component (Section 1) as aid to the undergraduate student. Yellow Ribbon benefits provided from the VA should
NOT be included when reporting to the portion of SFA (Section 1) on Title IV institutions that enroll full-time,
first-time degree/certificate seeking undergraduate students.
However, both Post-9/11 GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon beneficiaries and federal dollar amounts should be
reported to the military/veteran question of SFA (Section 2). This portion of SFA requires all institutions that
enroll students with Post-9/11 GI Bill and/or Tuition Assistance educational benefits to provide the number of
beneficiaries and total dollar amounts.
Back to top

3)

The SFA survey indicates that the maximum amount of DOD TAP awarded per fiscal year per
student is $4500. What do I do if my DOD TAP average is greater than $4500 per student?
According to the 2014 final regulations set for the DOD Voluntary Education Programs - which include TAP each branch of military service can pay no more than $250/semester-unit (or equivalent) for tuition. Each
service member is eligible for up to $4500 in aggregate for each fiscal year. If your institution’s DOD TAP
average is greater than $4500 per student per award year, then you should:
--Ask your financial aid office or VA certifying official to sort out the military aid and remove any non-DOD TAP
aid (e.g., ROTC scholarships, tuition reimbursements for advanced civil schooling, education-related incentive
or bonus);
--Remove any non-Title 10 aid since TAP is a Title 10 program; and
--Make sure that you are including one disbursement period for that award year. Even though DOD TAP aid are
reported for the Oct 1 – Sep 30 timeframe, which technically covers two fall periods; only include one fall
disbursement period per award year.
Back to top

4)

What types of financial aid should be reported?
The following types of financial aid should be reported in this component:

Federal grants (grants/educational assistance funds): Grants provided by federal agencies
such as the U.S. Department of Education, including Title IV federal student aid grants such as
Pell grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs), Academic
Competitiveness Grants (ACGs), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent
(National SMART) Grants, and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) Grants. Also include need-based and merit-based educational assistance funds and
training vouchers provided from other federal agencies and/or federally-sponsored educational
benefits programs.
State/local government grants (grants/scholarships/waivers): Grants that were provided
by your state such as Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIGs)
and Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships. Also include merit scholarships that were provided by
your state and tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was reimbursed by a state
agency. Local grants include any local government grants, scholarships or gift-aid awarded
directly to the student.
Institutional grants: Scholarships and fellowships granted and funded by the institution
and/or individual departments within the institution (and are limited to students attending your
institution). Also include scholarships targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of
residence or major) for which the institution designates the recipient; athletic scholarships;
and the like. This is not intended to include Federal Work Study.
Private grants or scholarships: These may include scholarships or grants to students that are
paid by an outside organization but are directed through the institution's financial aid office
(e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship).
Loans to students: Monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student
is the designated borrower. Include all Title IV federal student loan aid such as Federal Perkins
Loans, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loans, and Unsubsidized Director or FFEL Stafford
Loans. Also include all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Please do not include
PLUS and other loans made directly to parents.
Note that different parts of the SFA component ask for different types of financial aid to be reported. Please
review the instructions and the survey screens carefully to ensure that you are reporting the correct types of
financial aid in the appropriate parts.
Back to top
5)

What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?
Institutions should report aid that was awarded any time during the academic year.
For academic reporters, the academic year is the period of time generally extending from September to June,
usually equated to two semesters or trimesters, three quarters, or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar

system.
For program reporters, the academic year is defined by the institution, so long as it falls between July 1 and
June 30.
Note that for the purposes of calculating net price, the cost of attendance (COA) for an academic year reported
in the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component should align with the aid amounts reported in the Student
Financial Aid (SFA) component.
Back to top
6)

Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?
Yes, tuition and fee waivers should be reported.
Tuition and fee waivers for which your institution was reimbursed by a state agency should be reported under
state/local government grants.
Tuition and fee waivers granted by your institution (for which your institution is not reimbursed from another
source) should be reported as institutional grants.
Back to top

7)

Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?
In general, institutions should report financial aid from tribal offices awarded to full-time, first-time students in
the state/local government field (Line 03) in Part C.
Back to top

8)

Should PLUS loans be reported?
No. PLUS loans are made to the parents of students. Any type of loan that is not made to the student should not
be reported.
Back to top

9)

What does "aid awarded" mean?
Institutions should report on grant or scholarship aid that has been awarded to students. This may be different
from aid that was actually disbursed to students. For example, a student may be awarded grant or scholarship
aid at the beginning of the academic year but then leave the institution before the entire amount is disbursed.
In this case, you would report the original amount of grant or scholarship aid that was awarded, even though
the entire amount was not actually disbursed to the student.
For reporting loans to students, institutions should continue to report on loans that were awarded to and
accepted by the student.
Back to top

10)

If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?
Yes, students should be included in each category of aid that they are awarded. If a student is awarded both
federal and institutional aid, he/she should be counted under both types of aid.
However, in Part C, count students only once in the major aid category. For example, if a student is awarded
both a Pell Grant (Line 02a) and another type of federal grant (Line 02b), then count that student once for the
major category of Federal grants (Line 02).
Back to top

11)

Where can I get living arrangement information for students?
Students indicate their intended living arrangement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or
an institutional financial aid application. If a student did not complete the FAFSA or an institutional financial aid
application with living arrangement information, that student may appear as having an unknown living
arrangement.
Institutions should use the most recently available information regarding student living arrangement.
Back to top

12)

How do I get information about students' income categories?
To assign the income category of the student, use the income that was used by your financial aid office to
determine the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC). For dependent students this will include the
parents’ adjusted gross income and the student’s adjusted gross income. For independent students this will
include the student’s adjusted gross income.
If your institution takes part in campus-based aid programs like SEOG, FWS, and Perkins Loans, then it might
be easiest to tell your financial aid office that students should be put in income categories as they are done on
FISAP. Institutions with campus-based based aid programs must report annually to the Department of Education
using the FISAP (Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate). Part of the FISAP includes incomerelated information. Even if your institution does not file FISAP, the instructions from it may be helpful (fields
26-39):

Use the FISAP Total Income (FTI), one of the intermediate computed values on the Student Aid Record (SAR) or
ISIR (Institutional Student Information Record), to determine the proper cell for each student. For dependent
students, FTI is the sum of Total Income (TI) and Student’s Total Income (STI). For independent students, the
FTI will equal the TI. Remember, extract this information only from the SARs/ISIRs of students who
actually enrolled in your school.
You might need to correct or adjust a student’s income information and recalculate the EFC. If so, you must use
that corrected or adjusted information when determining the proper income cell for a student. In such a case,
to determine the income cell for a dependent student, you must use the student’s and parents’ base year
incomes, as reported on the SAR/ISIR.

Back to top

U.S. Department of Education

Software Provider Resources

Use of Cookies

Section 508 Compliance

Browsers Supported

Troubleshooting

NCES Privacy Policy


File Typeapplication/pdf
AuthorLawley, Tara
File Modified2017-08-18
File Created2017-08-18

© 2024 OMB.report | Privacy Policy