Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2016-2019

Student Financial Aid
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

This IPEDS Student Financial Aid data collection instrument was
used during the 2015-16 data collection. Changes to the IPEDS
Student Financial Aid component starting with the 2016-17
data collection are reflected on the next page.

Changes to IPEDS Student Financial Aid component, 2016-17
Context Boxes
IPEDS will provide some options for institutions to select from that are frequently used
contexts. Institutions will still be able to enter their own contexts.

Image description. The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System End of image description.

IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Form

date: 1/13/2016

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 2015-16 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
Image description. SFA Overview End of image description.

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
To access your prior year data submission for this component: Reported Data

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 2014

01 Group 1
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 paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate 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 paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate were
awarded any Title IV federal student aid

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR DATA
Fall 2013

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 enrolled in Fall 2014.
For this part, report:
For These Students
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
•
•
•
All undergraduate students
Grant or scholarship aid
Any time during
enrolled in Fall 2014
from the federal
academic year 2014-15
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
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:
Group 1
All undergraduate students
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 01.)
Aid Type

Fall 2014

2014-15
Number of Group
Percentage of
Total amount of Average amount
1 students who Group 1 students aid awarded to
of aid awarded
were awarded aid who were awarded Group 1 students
to Group 1
aid
students

01 Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government, state/local
government, the institution, and
other sources known to the
institution
02 Pell grants
03 Federal student loans
Image
description.
These
context
notes
may
beon
posted
the
College
Navigator
website.
of image End
description.

You may use the space below to provide context for data you've reported above. These context notes may

be posted on the College Navigator website and should be written to be understood by students and parents.

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 2014.
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:
Group 2
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 02)
Group 2 students:

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

Fall 2014

YOUR PRIOR YEAR
DATA
Fall 2014
Fall 2013
Number of Group
Percentage of
Percentage of
2 students
Group 2 students 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/certificateseeking undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2014.
For this part, report:
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
•
•
Grant or scholarship
Any time during
aid from the federal
academic year
government
2014-15
•
•
Grant or scholarship
For program
aid from state/local
reporters, this is
government
the aid year
period from July
•
Grant or scholarship
1, 2014 through
aid from the
June 30, 2015.
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
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.
•

For These Students
Full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking undergraduate students
enrolled in Fall 2014

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

Fall 2014

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
Aid Type

01 Grants or scholarships from the
federal government, state/local
government, or the institution
02 Federal grants

03

02a

Pell grants

02b

Other federal grants

YOUR
PRIOR YEAR
DATA
Fall 2014
Fall 2013
Number of
Percentage of Total amount
Average
Average
Group 2
Group 2
of aid awarded amount of amount of
students who students who
to Group 2 aid awarded aid awarded
were awarded were awarded
students
to Group 2 to Group 2
aid
aid
students
students

State/local government grants or
scholarships
(grants/scholarships/waivers)
04 Institutional grants or scholarships
(scholarships/fellowships)
05 Loans to students

Image
description.
These
context
notes
may
beon
posted
the
College
Navigator.
End of image
description.

05a

Federal loans

05b

Other loans (including
private loans)

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes

may be posted on the College Navigator website and 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
above.

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, firsttime 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
Pell grants
Federal Student
Loans
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 Average amount of aid awarded
11 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)

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
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
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

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/certificateseeking undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2014 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.
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
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
•
•
•
Full-time, first-time
Grant or scholarship aid from the
Any time during
degree/certificate-seeking
federal government
academic year
undergraduate students
2014-15
•
Grant or scholarship aid from
enrolled in Fall 2014 who
state/local government
paid the in-state or in-district
•
Grant or scholarship aid from the
tuition rate and were
institution
awarded grant or scholarship
•
Do not include grant or scholarship
aid from the following
aid from private or other sources
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
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
YOUR
2014-2015
PRIOR
PRIOR
YEAR DATA YEAR DATA
2012-2013 2013-2014

Group 3
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 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

YOUR
YOUR
PRIOR
PRIOR
YEAR DATA YEAR DATA
2012-13
2013-14

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]
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.

2014-15

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/certificateseeking undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2014 who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and 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
• Full-time, first-time
•
•
Grant or scholarship aid from:
Any time during
degree/certificate-seeking
academic year 2014◦ federal government
undergraduate students
15
◦ state/local government
enrolled in Fall 2014 who
◦ institution
paid the in-state or in•
Do not include:
district tuition rate and
◦  grant or scholarship aid
were awarded any Title
from private or other
IV federal student aid
sources
◦ loan amounts
◦ Federal Work Study
amounts
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:
Group 4
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were
awarded any Title IV federal student aid
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 04)
01

02

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

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2012-13

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2013-14

2014-15

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
Of those in
Average
students
Column 1, the Column 1, the
amount of
who were
number who total amount of
federal,
awarded any were awarded
grant or
state/local,
Title IV aid
any grant or scholarship aid
and
(Group 4) scholarship aid awarded from institutional
from the
the following
grant or
following
sources: the
scholarship
sources: the
federal
aid awarded
federal
government,
to Group 4
government,
state/local
students
state/local
government, or
government, or the institution
the institution
2012-13
Col. 1
Col. 2
Col. 3
Col. 4

Income level
02a

$0-30,000

02b

$30,001-48,000

02c

$48,001-75,000

02d

$75,001-110,000

02e

$110,001 and
more
Total all income
levels

02f

2013-14
03

Income level
03a

Col. 2

Col. 1

Col. 2

Col. 3

Col. 4

Col. 3

Col. 4

$0-30,000

03b

$30,001-48,000

03c

$48,001-75,000

03d

$75,001-110,000

03e

$110,001 and
more
Total all income
levels

03f

Col. 1

2014-15
04

Income level
04a

$0-30,000

04b

$30,001-48,000

04c

$48,001-75,000

04d

$75,001-110,000

04e

$110,001 and
more
04f
Total all income
levels
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.

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
YOUR PRIOR
2014-15
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2012-13
2013-14
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
05 Weighted average for room and board and other
expenses by living arrangement (excluding unknown
values)
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: [F06F07]
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.
Do you wish to provide additional context notes?
No
Image
description.
These
context
notes
may
beon
posted
the
College
Navigator.
End of image
description.

Yes

You may use the space below to provide context for these data. These context notes may be posted on the

College Navigator website and should be written to be understood by students and parents.

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
YOUR PRIOR
2014-15
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2012-13
2013-14
Components of cost of attendance
01 Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-district or instate)
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
05 Weighted average for room and board and other
expenses by living arrangement (excluding unknown
values)
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
08 Average institutional net price for Group 4 students
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.
Do you wish to provide additional context notes?
No
Image
description.
These
context
notes
may
beon
posted
the
College
Navigator.
End
of image
description.

Yes

You may use the space below to provide context for these data. These context notes may be posted on the

College Navigator website and should be written to be understood by students and parents.

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, 2014 - June 30, 2015 and Report for Department
of Defense Tuition Assistance Program: October 1, 2014 - September 30, 2015
•
•
•
•

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.
Type of
Number of students
Total dollar amount of
Average dollar amount of
benefit/assistance
receiving
benefits/assistance
benefits/assistance
benefits/assistance
awarded
awarded
through the institution
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
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Of
Education
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description.

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NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 1/13/2016

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 A - Establish Your Groups
Part B - Financial Aid About Group 1
Part C - Enter Financial Aid About Group 2
Part D - Enter Financial Aid About Group 3
Part E - Enter Financial Aid About Group 4
Part F - Net Price Calculation for Group 3
Part 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: [email protected]

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.
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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

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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 indistrict tuition rate. For program reporters, this includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest
program.

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Who Must Report
Institutions that had undergraduate students enrolled during the prior academic year must report.
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Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2015-16 data collection period.
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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
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2. Living arrangement information for 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 during the reporting period
3. Living arrangement information 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
4. Income levels 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

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 [email protected] ) for
resolution.
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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 Director 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.
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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, non-degree/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

02b.

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.
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 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
Report students 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 aid only from other sources.

04.

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

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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
Awarded in This Period
· Grant or scholarship aid from the · Any time during the prior
federal government
academic year
· 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

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
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.
Column 4. The average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 1 students is calculated
for you.

02.

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.

Context You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. The information you
Box
enter in this context box may be posted on College Navigator and should be written to be understood
by students and parents. Make sure that your entries are free from grammatical and spelling errors.
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Part C - 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
Description
01.
01a.
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.
01b.
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.
01c.
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.
01d.
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.
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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. Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in the prior Fall.
For this part, report:
For These Students
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
· Full-time, first-time,
· Grant or scholarship aid from the · Any time during the prior
degree/certificate-seeking
federal government
academic year
undergraduate students enrolled · Grant or scholarship aid from
in the prior Fall
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:
Prior Fall
Group 2a
Carried forward from Part A
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
Carried forward from Part A
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)
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.

Context You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. For example, institutions
Box
may report in the context box other sources of private aid not included in the categories above (e.g.,
Rotary Club Scholarship). The information you enter in this context box may be posted on College
Navigator and should be written to be understood by students and parents. Make sure that your entries
are free from grammatical and spelling errors.
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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 in-state 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
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
· Full-time, first-time,
· Grant or scholarship aid from the · Any time during the prior
degree/certificate-seeking
federal government
academic year
undergraduate students enrolled · Grant or scholarship aid from
in the prior fall who paid the instate/local government
state or in-district tuition rate and · Grant or scholarship from the
were awarded grant or scholarship institution
aid from the following sources: the · Do not include grant or
federal government, state/local
scholarship aid from private or
government, or the institution
other sources.
· 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.
Information from Part A:

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2012-13
Pre-loaded

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2013-14
Pre-loaded

2014-15
Group 3
Carried forward
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
from Part A
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)
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 oncampus 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 Description
01.
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.
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
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.
03.
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.
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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 in-district 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
Awarded in This Period
· Grant or scholarship aid from the · Any time during the prior
federal government
academic year
· 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.
Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:
YOUR PRIOR
YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA

2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
Group 4
Pre-loaded
Pre-loaded
Carried forward
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
from Part A
undergraduate students who paid the in-state or indistrict tuition rate and were awarded any Title IV
federal student aid
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 04)
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 oncampus 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
Description
02.
02a.
$0–30,000
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.
02b.
$30,001–48,000 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.
02c.
$48,001–75,000 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.
02d.
$75,001–110,000Column 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.
02e.
$110,001 and
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level who
more
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.
02f.
Total all income 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.
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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 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.
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
01.

Description
Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-district or in-state)
The published tuition and required fees (lower of in-district or in-state rates) 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 paid the in-state or in-district rate and 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.

Context
Box

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. The information you
enter in this context box may be posted on College Navigator and should be written to be
understood by students and parents. Make sure that your entries are free from grammatical and
spelling errors.

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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 paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were awarded Title IV federal student aid.
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
01.

Description
Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-district or in-state)
The published tuition and require fees (lower of in-district or in-state rates) 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 paid the in-state or in-district rate and 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.

Context
Box

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. The information you
enter in this context box may be posted on College Navigator and should be written to be
understood by students and parents. Make sure that your entries are free from grammatical and
spelling errors.

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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 201415 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 effectives of
benefits programs and return on investment.
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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.
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Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2015-16 data collection period.
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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 Post-9/11 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 only two of many educational benefits
provided to military servicemembers and veterans. However, from a national prospective, 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 [email protected]) for
resolution.
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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 2015-16 data collection year, the data reported will be July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015.
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 2015-16 data collection year, the data reported
will be October 1, 2014-September 30, 2015.
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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.  
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date: 1/13/2016

Glossary
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 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 institution-level 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 web-based 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 fee 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 for-profit 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.

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2015-16 Survey Materials > FAQ

date: 1/13/2016

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 2015-16 collection year?
3) What changes occurred for SFA for the 2015-16 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) What types of financial aid should be reported?
4) What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?
5) Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?
6) Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?
7) Should PLUS loans be reported?
8) What does "aid awarded" mean?
9) If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?
10) Where can I get living arrangement information for students?
11) 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 2014-15 must complete SFA.
Back to top
2) What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2015-16 collection year?
For the 2015-16 data collection, institutions should report data for academic year 2014-15.
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 4-14 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
2014). Second, determine the financial aid that was awarded to these students any time during the 2014-15
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 2015-16 collection year?
For the 2015-16 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 full-time 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.
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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)
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 federallysponsored 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
4)
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
5)
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.
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6)
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.
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7)
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
8)
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
9)
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
10) 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
11) 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 campusbased 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 income-related 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

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2015-16 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 1/13/2016

Student Financial Aid for public institutions reporting on a fall cohort (public academic
reporters)
Edit specifications for the 2015-16 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Student Financial Aid (SFA) Component
Applicable to public institutions reporting on a fall cohort (public academic reporters)
NOTE: The specifications in this document apply to the institutions listed above. Some sections and parts may not
apply to your particular institution. Please read the specifications carefully to determine which sections and/or parts
apply to your institution.
All screens in this survey must be completed in order to lock the survey.

Section 1
Part A: Establish Your Groups
Part B: Enter Information about Group 1
Part C: Enter Information about Group 2
Cost of Attendance
Part D: Enter Information about Group 3
Part E: Enter Information about Group 4
Part F: Net Price Calculation for Group 3
Part G: Net Price Calculation for Group 4
Section 2
Military Servicemembers and Veterans Benefits (NEW)
Section 1
Part A: Establish Your Groups
The Higher Education Act (HEA), as amended, requires you to report financial aid data for multiple groups of students. Use
Part A to establish these groups, based on the descriptions below:
•

•
•
•
•
•

Group 1: Report the number of all undergraduate students who were enrolled as of October 15, 2014. Include all new
and continuing undergraduate students (full-time students, part-time students, degree/certificate-seeking students,
non-degree/certificate-seeking students, and all others). NOTE: This number will be preloaded based on the data
provided by your institution in the prior year IPEDS Fall Enrollment (PY EF ) component, but may be modified as
needed.
Group 2: Of those in Group 1, report the number of students who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates.
Group 2a: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students 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.
Group 2b: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students who were awarded any loans to students; or grant or
scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Group 3: Of those in Group 2, report the number of 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.
Group 4: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were
awarded Title IV federal student aid.

The system will perform the following General edits on the data entered:
•
•

A value must be entered for each field on this screen.
The data on this screen will be considered inconsistent and will not be saved if your institution has reported a number
greater than 0 for Group 1, and any of the following is true:
◦ You reported that you have no students in Group 2, but entered a number greater than 0 for Group 2a.
◦ You reported that you have no students in Group 2a, but entered a number greater than 0 for Group 2b.
◦ You reported that you have no students in Group 2b, but entered a number greater than 0 for Group 3 or 4.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 1:
•

•

The current year value reported Group 1 is expected to be within a certain range of the corresponding (PY EF) value
reported in the prior year Fall Enrollment survey, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY EF value is between 1 and 49, then the number of students in Group 1 is expected to be within plus
or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the PY EF value is greater than 49, then the number of students in Group 1 is expected to be within a 10%
range of that value.
The current year value reported for Fall 2014 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year Fall 2013
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is between 1 and 25, then the Fall 2014 value must be within plus or minus 8 of that
number.
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is between 26 and 100, then the Fall 2014 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is greater than 100, then the Fall 2014 value must be within a 20% range of that
number.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 2:
•
•
•

•

•
•

The number of students in Group 2 must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 1.
If your institution did not  report full-time, first-time students in the IC Header survey, then the number of students in
Group 2 is expected to be 0.
The current year value reported Group 2 is expected to be within a certain range of the corresponding (PY EF) value
reported in the prior year Fall Enrollment survey, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY EF value is between 1 and 29, then the number of students in Group 2 must be within plus or minus
3 of that value.
▪
If the above is true and the number reported for Group 2 is within plus or minus 3 of that value, then
the number of students in Group 2 is expected to be within plus or minus 2 of that value.
◦ If the PY EF value is greater than 29, then the number of students in Group 2 must be within a 10% range of
that value.
▪
If the above is true, and the number reported for Group 2 is within a 10% range of that value, then
the number of students in Group 2 is expected to be within plus or minus 5% of that value.
The current year value reported for Fall 2014 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year Fall 2013
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the  Fall 2013 value is between 1 and 25, then the Fall 2014 value must be within plus or minus 8 of that
number.
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is between 26 and 100, then the Fall 2014 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is greater than 100, then the Fall 2014 value must be within a 20% range of that
number.
If the values reported for Group 1 and Group 2 are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is greater than 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 30% of the
Fall 2013 value.
If the values reported for Group 1 and Group 2 are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is between 1 and 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 15% of
the Fall 2013 value.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 2a:
•
•
•
•

•

The number of students in Group 2a must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2.
If the number of students reported for Group 2 is greater than 50, then the number of students reported for Group
2a must be greater than 0.
If the number of students reported for Group 2a is greater than 0, then the sum of students reported for Groups
2b, 3, and 4 must be greater than 0.
The current year value reported for Fall 2014 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year Fall 2013
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is between 1 and 25, then the Fall 2014 value must be within plus or minus 8 of that
number.
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is between 26 and 100, then the Fall 2014 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is greater than 100, then the Fall 2014 value must be within a 20% range of that
number.
If the values reported for Group 2 and Group 2a are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is greater than 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 30% of the
Fall 2013 value.

•

If the values reported for Group 2 and Group 2a are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is between 1 and 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 15% of
the Fall 2013 value.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 2b:
•
•

The number of students in Group 2b must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2a.
If the number of students reported for Group 2b is greater than 0, then the sum of students reported for Group 3
and Group 4 must be greater than 0.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 3:
•
•
•

The number of students in Group 3 must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2b.
If the number of students reported for Group 2 is greater than 50, then the number of students reported for Group 3
must be greater than 0.
The current year value reported for Fall 2014 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year Fall 2013
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is between 1 and 2 4, then the Fall 2014 value must be between 1 and 30.
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is greater than 24, then the Fall 2014 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 4:
•
•

The number of students in Group 4 must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2a.
If the number of students reported for Group 2 is greater than 50, then the number of students reported for Group 4
must be greater than 0.

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Part B: Enter Information about Group 1
On this screen, you must report the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded aid and the Total amount of aid
awarded to Group 1 students in 2014-15 for each of the following Aid Types:
•
•
•

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, the institution, and other sources
known to the institution (line 01)
Pell grants (line 02)
Federal student loans (line 03)

Based on the information entered above, the Percentage of Group 1 students who were awarded aid and the Average
amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students are automatically calculated for each aid type upon saving the screen.
The system will perform the following General edits on the data entered:
•
•

For each Aid Type, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded
aid column, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students column must contain a value greater
than 0; and vice versa.
For each Aid Type, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded
aid column, then the calculated Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students must be greater than or
equal to 100.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 01:
•
•
•
•
•

You must enter a value for the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line
01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) must be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is expected to be less
than or equal to the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is expected to be greater
than or equal to 5% of the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is
based on the institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Public, 4-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must be less than $15,000.
◦ If your institution is a Public, 2-year or Public, less-than-2-year institution, then the line 01 average
amount must be less than $8,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02:

•
•
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) must be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be less than or equal to
the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be greater than or equal
to 5% of the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be less than or equal to
the number of students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01).
The Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Pell grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
total amount reported for Grant or scholarship aid (line 01).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Pell grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to
$5,645.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 03:
•
•
•

The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Federal student loans (line 03) should be less than or equal
to the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Federal student loans (line 03) is expected to be greater
than or equal to 5% of the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Federal student loans (line 03) must be less than
$12,000.

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Part C: Enter Information about Group 2
Page 1
For your reference, the data you entered in Part A of this survey will be displayed on this screen. You must then enter the
Number of Group 2 students in Fall 2014 who are:
•
•
•

Paying in-district tuition rates (line 01a)
Paying in-state tuition rates (line 01b)
Paying out-of-state tuition rates (line 01c)

The number of students in Group 2 whose residency status is Unknown (line 01d) is automatically calculated based on the
numbers entered above.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•

For each residency status (in-district, in-state, and out-of-state), a value must be entered in the Number of Group 2
students column for lines 01a, 01b, and 01c.
If your institution indicated in the Institutional Characteristics survey that it does not offer different tuition rates for indistrict, in-state, and out-of-state, then all students should be reported as paying in-state tuition rates. Otherwise, a
fatal error will occur.
The Number of Group 2 students whose residency status is Unknown (line 01d) must be greater than or equal to
0. If this is not the case, you must adjust the number of students entered in lines 01a through 01c so that the sum of
the values in this column is less than or equal to the total number of students in Group 2.
The Number of Group 2 students whose residency status is Unknown (line 01d) should be less than or equal to
30% of the total number of students in Group 2.

Page 2
On this screen, you will be asked to enter the Number of Students in Group 2 who were awarded aid in 2014-15 for
each of the following Aid Types:
•

•

Grants or scholarships from federal, state, or local governments, or the institution (line 01)
◦ Federal grants (line 02)
▪
Pell grants (line 02a)
▪
Other Federal grants (line 02b)
◦ State/local government grants or scholarships (grants/scholarships/waivers) (line 03)
◦ Institutional grants or scholarships (scholarships/fellowships) (line 04)
Loans to students (line 05)
◦ Federal loans (line 05a)
◦ Other loans (including private loans) (line05b)

For several of the Aid Types listed above, you will be asked to input the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2
students in 2014-15. Based on this value, the Percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded aid and the
Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students are automatically calculated for each type of aid upon saving the
screen. Your institution's prior year average is displayed for each aid type your reference.

The system will perform the following General edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•
•

For each Aid Type, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded
aid, then the adjacent Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students column must contain a value greater
than 0; and vice versa.
For each required Aid Type, the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students is expected to be greater than
or equal to $100.
For each Aid Type, the Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students is expected to be within a 20%
range of the PY Average amount.
The number of students in Group 2b must be less than or equal to the sum of the Number of Group 2
students who were awarded Grants or scholarships (line 01) and those who were awarded Loans (line 05).
If the total number of students in Group 2b is greater than 0, then the sum of the following categories must also be
greater than 0:
◦ Federal grants (line 02)
◦ State/local government grants or scholarships (line 03)
◦ Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04)
◦ Loans to students (line 05)

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 01:
•
•
•
•
•

•

•

•

•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Grants or scholarships (line 01) is expected to be greater
than or equal to 15% of the total number of students in Group 2 (Part A, Line 02).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal
to the total number of students in Group 2b (Part A, Line 02b).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Grants or scholarships (line 01) is expected to be greater
than or equal to the total number of students in Group 3 (Part A, Line 03).
The Number of Group 2 students who received Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal to the
sum of students reported for Federal grants (line 02), State/local grants (line 03), and Institutional grants (line
04).
If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Number of students in Group 1 who were awarded Grant or
scholarship aid in Part B is greater than 0, then the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded aid for
Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than the number reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group
1 in Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Number of students in Group 1 who were
awarded Grant or scholarship aid in Part B is greater than 0, then the Number of Group 2 students who were
awarded aid for Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal to the number reported for the
corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Grant or
scholarship aid  in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for
Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than the number reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group
1 in Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2
students for Grant or scholarship aid  in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to
Group 2 students for Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal to the number reported for the
corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students (as calculated in line 01) is based on the
institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a 4-year institution, then the Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2
students must be less than $15,000.
◦ If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, then the Average amount of aid awarded to
Group 2 students must be less than $8,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02:
•
•
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) is expected to be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
total number of students in Group 2b (Part A, Line 02b).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
sum of the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) and Other federal grants (line
02b). 
The sum of the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students reported for Pell grants (line 02a) and Other
Federal grants (line 02b) must be greater than 0.
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Federal grants (line 02) is expected to be less
than $10,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02a:

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) must be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) is expected to be greater than or equal
to 5% of the total number of students in Group 2 (Part A, Line 02).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) is expected to be less than or equal to
the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) must be less than or equal to the
number of students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02).
If you indicated in Part A that all undergraduates at your institution are full-time, first-time students, then the
number of students in Group 1 who receive Pell grants (Part B, Line 02) must be equal to the number of students
in Group 2 who receive Pell grants (Part C, Line 02a).
If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 for Pell grants in Part B is
greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Pell grants (line 02a) must be
less than the amount reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.  
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 for Pell
grants in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Pell grants
(line 02a) must be less than or equal to the amount reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B
of this component.
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Pell grants (line 02a) should be less than or equal
to $5,645.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02b:
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Other Federal grants (line 02b) is expected to be less than
or equal to the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Other Federal grants (line 02b) must be less than or equal
to the number of students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Other Federal grants (line 02b) should be less
than $10,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 03:
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded State/local government grants or scholarships (line
03) must be less than or equal to the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded State/local government grants or scholarships (line 03)
must be less than or equal to the total number of students in Group 2b.
If your institution is a 4-year or 2-year institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded
State/local government grants or scholarships (line 03) is expected to be greater than 0.
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for State/local government grants or
scholarships (line 03) is based on the institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a 4-year or 2-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less than
$7,000.
◦ If your institution is a less-than-2-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less than
$5,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 04:
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04) must be less
than or equal to the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04) must be less
than or equal to the total number of students in Group 2b.
If your institution is a 4-year institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Institutional
grants or scholarships (line 04) is expected to be greater than 0.
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Institutional grants or scholarships
(line 04) is based on the institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a 4-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less than $11,000.
◦ If your institution is a 2-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less than $ 7,000.
◦ If your institution is a less-than-2-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less than
$3,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 05:
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05) must be less than
or equal to the total number of students in Group 2b (Part A, Line 02b).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05) must be less than
or equal to the total number of students in Group 2a.

•
•
•

If your institution is a 4-year institution, then the Number of students who were awarded and accepted Loans to
students (line 05) is expected to be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Loans to students (line 05) must be less than or equal to
the sum of the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal loans (line 05a) and Other loans (line
05b). 
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Loans to students (line 05) should be less than
$21,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 05a:
•
•
•
•

•

•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Federal loans (line 05a) must be less than or
equal to the number who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05).
If your institution is a 4-year institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted
Federal loans (line 05a) is expected to be greater than 0.
If the number of students reported for Group 1 is greater than 0, and that number is equal to the number of students
reported for Group 2, then the Number of students in Group 2 who were awarded Federal loans (line 05a) must
be equal to the amount reported for Federal loans in Group 1 (Part B).
If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Federal
student loans in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for
Federal loans (line 05a) must be less than the amount reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in
Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1
students for Federal student loans in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group
2 students for Federal loans (line 05a) must be less than or equal to the amount reported for the corresponding
type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Federal loans (line 05a) should be less than
$12,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 05b:
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Other loans (line 05b) must be less than or
equal to the number who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Other loans (line 05b) should be less than
$30,000.

Part C - Comparison Chart
The comparison chart displays the amounts entered for Pell Grants and Federal Student Loans in Group 1 and Group 2 for
each of the following data items:
•
•
•
•

Number of students who were awarded aid
Percentage who were awarded aid
Total amount of aid awarded
Average amount of aid awarded

Based on the data entered, All other undergraduate amounts (Group 1 - Group 2) are calculated for each data item listed
above. The number of students in each group is preloaded for your reference.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•

For each of the data items, the amount calculated for Pell Grants cannot be negative.
For each of the data items, the amount calculated for Federal Student Loans cannot be negative.

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Cost of Attendance
On this screen, you must review the cost of attendance data for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students at
your institution for academic years 2012-13 (PPY - prior prior year), 2013-14 (PY - prior year), and 2014-15 (CY - current
year). 
Note: Edits will only be performed on this screen if updates are made.
For the first section, you must review published tuition and required fees charges. The tuition rates shown may vary to include
In-district, In-state, and Out-of-state; or there may only be one tuition rate for all full-time undergraduate students at your
institution. The available options will depend on the answers given in the current year Institutional Characteristics survey. All
amounts will be preloaded from the current year Institutional Characteristics survey. Amounts may be corrected, as needed.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for each applicable tuition rate:
•
•

For the PY academic year, a value is expected to be reported for Tuition.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value greater than $0 for Tuition in the
Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

For the PY and CY academic years, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the
more recent value reported for Tuition is expected to be within a 20% range of the prior year value.
For the PY academic year, a value is expected to be reported for Required fees.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value greater than $0 for Required fees in the
Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For the PY and CY academic years, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the
more recent value reported for Required fees is expected to be within a 40% range of the prior year value.
For the PY academic year, the value calculated for Tuition + fees total is expected to be greater than $500.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value between $0 and $500 for  Tuition + fees
total in the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value greater than $500 for Tuition + fees total
in the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $500.
For the PY and CY academic years, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the
more recent value calculated for Tuition + fees total is expected to be within a 20% range of the prior year amount.
If tuition rates vary for your institution, then the In-state Tuition for each year must be greater than or equal to the
corresponding In-district value.
If tuition rates vary for your institution, then the Out-of-state Tuition for each year must be greater than or equal to
the corresponding In-state value.
For each academic year, if the amount of Room and board and Other expenses is greater than 0, then amount
entered for Tuition + fees total is also expected to be greater than 0.

For the second section, you must review the amounts reported for Books and supplies a typical student at your institution
should expect to pay for the entire academic year. All amounts will be preloaded from the current year Institutional
Characteristics survey. Amounts may be corrected, as needed.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•

For the PY academic year, a value is expected to be reported for Books and supplies.
For each academic year, the amount entered for Books and supplies is expected to be greater than $100.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value greater than $0 for Books and supplies in
the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For the PY and CY academic years, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the
more recent value reported for Books and supplies is expected to be within a 25% range of the prior year value.

For the last section of this screen, you must review the reported cost of room and board and estimated other expenses (e.g.,
laundry, transportation, entertainment, etc.). The living arrangements shown may vary to include any or all of On campus,
Off campus (not with family), and Off campus (with family). The available options will depend on the answers given in
the current year Institutional Characteristics survey. All amounts will be preloaded from the current year Institutional
Characteristics survey. Amounts may be corrected, as needed.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for each applicable living arrangement:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

For the PY academic year, a value is expected to be reported for Room and board.
For the PY academic year, the amount entered for Room and board is expected to be greater than $500.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value between $0 and $500 for Room and board
in the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value greater than $500 for Room and board in
the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $500.
For the PY and CY academic years, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the
more recent value reported for Room and board is expected to be within a 20% range of the prior year value.
For the PY academic year, a value is expected to be reported for Other expenses.
For the PY academic year, the amount entered for Other expenses is expected to be greater than $400.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value between $0 and $399 for Other expenses in
the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value greater than or equal to $400 for Other
expenses in the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than or equal to
$400.
For the PY and CY academic years, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the
more recent value reported for Other expenses is expected to be within a 20% range of the prior year value.

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Part D: Enter Information about Group 3
On this screen, you must report the number of Group 3 students (full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates 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) with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant
and scholarship aid awarded to these students for academic years 2012-13 (PPY - prior prior year), 2013-14 (PY - prior year),
and 2014-15 (CY - current year).
Note: For existing institutions, the prior year (PY and PPY) values are preloaded from the prior year Student Financial Aid
survey. Please review this information and make changes, as needed. New institutions must provide data for all years.
You must first report the number of Group 3 students for the PY and PPY academic years. For your reference, this value for
the current year will be preloaded from Part A.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 3 :
•
•

For the PY and PPY academic years, the number of students reported across all living arrangements must be equal to
the total number of Group 3 students reported for that year.
For the PY academic year, the total number of Group 3 students reported must be within a certain range of the PPY
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PPY  value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.

For each academic year, you must report the number of Group 3 students with the following living arrangements, as
applicable to your institution:
•
•
•

On-campus (line 01a)
Off-campus with family (line 01b)
Off-campus not with family (line 01c)

The number of Group 3 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line 01d) is automatically calculated by the
system based on the numbers entered above.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 01a through 01d:
•
•
•

•
•

•
•

A value must be entered in each field for lines 01a, 01b, and 01c, as applicable to your institution.
For the CY academic year, the number of Group 3 students reported across all living arrangements for the CY
academic year in Part D must be equal to the total number of Group 3 students reported in Part A.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the CY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 and 24, then the CY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PY  value is greater than 24, then the CY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For the CY and PY academic years, if you reported a value of 0 for the previous year, and a value greater than 0 for
the subsequent academic year, then you must confirm that the more recent value is correct.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the PY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PPY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For the CY academic year, the number of Group 3 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line
01d) should be less than or equal to 30% of the total number of Group 3 students for that same year (line 01).
For each academic year, the number of Group 3 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line 01d) must
be greater than or equal to 0. If this is not the case, you must adjust the number of students entered in lines 01a
through 01c so that the sum of the values in this column is less than or equal to the total number of students reported
for that year in Group 3.

Additionally, you must Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students (line 02) for each applicable academic year. The system
will then calculate the Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or
the institution awarded to Group 3 students (line 03) based on the reported values.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02:
•
•
•
•

•

A value must be entered in each field, as applicable to your institution.
For the CY and PY academic years, the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3
students (line 02) is expected to be greater than or equal to $100.
If you reported a value of 0 for the previous year, and a value greater than 0 for the subsequent academic year, then
you must confirm that the more recent value is correct.
For the CY academic year, if the number of Group 3 students is equal to the number of Group 2 students (as reported
in Part A), then the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students (line 02) must be
equal to the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 2 students (Part C, Page 2, Line 01,
Column 3).
For the CY academic year, if the number of Group 3 students is less than the number of Group 2 students (as
reported in Part A), then the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students (line 02)
must be less than the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 2 students (Part C, Page 2, Line
01, Column 3).

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 03:
•
•
•

For each academic year, the Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) is must be greater than or equal to $100.
For the CY and PY academic years, the Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) must be within a 26% range of
the previous year's value.
For the CY and PY academic years, if the Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) is within a 25% range of the
previous year's value, then line 03 is expected to be within a 15% range of the previous year's value.

•

For the CY academic year, the expected Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) is based on the institution type,
as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a 4-year institution, then the Average grant or scholarship aid is expected be less than
$15,000.
◦ If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, then the Average grant or scholarship aid is
expected be less than $8,000.

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Part E: Enter Information about Group 4
On this screen, you must report the number of Group 4 students (full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who were awarded Title IV federal student aid) with each type of
living arrangement and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to these students for academic years 2012-13
(PPY - prior prior year), 2013-14 (PY - prior year), and 2014-15 (CY - current year).
Note: For existing institutions, the prior year (PY and PPY) values are preloaded from the prior year Student Financial Aid
survey. Please review this information and make changes, as needed. New institutions must provide data for all years.
You must first report the number of Group 4 students for the PY and PPY academic years. For your reference, this value for
the current year will be preloaded from Part A.
The system will perform the following edit on the data entered for Group 4:
•
•

For the PY and PPY academic years, the number of students reported across all living arrangements must be equal to
the total number of Group 4 students reported for that year.
For the PY academic year, the total number of Group 3 students reported must be within a certain range of the PPY
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.

For each academic year, you must report the number of Group 4 students with the following living arrangements, as
applicable to your institution:
•
•
•

On-campus (line 01a)
Off-campus (with family) (line 01b)
Off-campus (not with family) (line 01c)

The number of Group 4 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line 01d) is automatically calculated by the
system based on the numbers entered above.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 01a through 01d:
•
•
•
•
•

•

•
•
•

A value must be entered in each field for lines 01a, 01b, and 01c, as applicable to your institution.
For the CY academic year, the number of students entered across all applicable living arrangements (lines 01a
through 01d) must equal the total Group 4 amount for that year.
For the PY academic year, the number of Group 4 students reported in Part E is expected to be with a 5% range of
the Fall 2013 value reported for Group 4 in Part A of the prior year Student Financial Aid survey.
For the PPY academic year, the number of Group 4 students reported in Part E is expected to be with a 5% range of
the Fall 2012 value reported for Group 4 in Part A of the prior-prior year Student Financial Aid survey.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the CY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 and 24, then the CY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 24, then the CY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the PY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PPY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the CY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 24, then the CY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For the CY and PY academic years, if you reported a value of 0 for the previous year, and a value greater than 0 for
the subsequent academic year, then you must confirm that the more recent value is correct.
For the C Y academic year, the number of Group 4 students whose living arrangements were Unknown (line 01d)
should be less than or equal to 30% of the total number of Group 4 students for that same year.
The number of Group 4 students whose living arrangements were Unknown (line 01d) must be greater than or equal
to 0. If this is not the case, you must adjust the number of students entered in lines 01a through 01c so that the sum
of the values in this column is less than or equal to the total number of students in Group 4.

Additionally, you must 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 grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4
students from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution (column 3) for the following
income levels for the PPY (section 2), PY (section 3), and CY (section 4) academic years:
•

$0-30,000 (line a)

•
•
•
•

$30,001-48,000 (line b)
$48,001-75,000 (line c)
$75,001-110,000 (line d)
$110,001 and more (line e)

A Total all income levels (line f) value is calculated for each column, and the Average amount of grant or scholarship
aid awarded to Group 4 students from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution (column
4) is calculated for each income level, based on the numbers entered above.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for sections 02, 03,and 04:
•
•
•
•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•
•
•

For each academic year, the total Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid for all
income levels (line f, column 1) should be equal to the total number of students reported for that academic year in
Group 4.
For each academic year and income level, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 4 students
who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1), then a value greater than 0 must also be entered for the Total
amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded (column 3); and vice versa.
For each academic year and income level, 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) must be
less than or equal to the Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1).
For each academic year and income level, if 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) is
greater than 0, then Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students (column 3) must
be greater than 0.
For each academic year and income level, if 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) is equal
to 0, then Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students (column 3) must be equal to
0.
For each academic year, if the number of students who were awarded grants or scholarships form the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution in Part C, Line 01 is greater than 0, then 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) is expected to be greater than 0.
For the CY academic year, the Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1) is
expected to be within a certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 and 19, then the CY value is expected to be within plus or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 19, then the CY value is expected to be within a 25% range of that value.
For the CY academic year, 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) is expected to be within a
certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 and 19, then the CY value is expected to be within plus or minus 10 of that value.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 19, then the CY value is expected to be within a 45% range of that value.
For the PY academic year, the Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1) is
expected to be within a certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 19, then the PY value is expected to be within plus or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 19, then the PY value is expected to be within a 25% range of that value.
For the PY academic year, 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) is expected to be within a
certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 19, then the PY value is expected to be within plus or minus 10 of that
value.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 19, then the PY value is expected to be within a 45% range of that value.
For the CY and PY academic years, the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students
reported across all income levels (line f, column 3) is expected to be within a 25% range of the previous year's
amount.
For the CY academic year, the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students  reported
across all income levels (line 04f, column 3) should be less than or equal to the Total amount of grant or
scholarship aid awarded to Group 2 students (Part C, Line 01, Column 3).
For each income level, the Average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students is
expected to be greater at lower income levels than at higher ones.

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Part F: Net Price Calculation for Group 3
The worksheet in this section displays information compiled from data reported by your institution in this Student Financial Aid
component. Based on this information, the system computes the Weighted average for room and board and other
expenses by living arrangement, the Total cost of attendance, the Average amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 3 students from the federal government, state/local government, and the institution, and
the Average institutional net price for Group 3 students. This information is 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 system will perform the following edits on the data entered:

•

•

For each academic year, the Average institutional net price for Group 3 students (line 08) cannot be negative. If
an average of less than 0 is calculated, then you must fix it by adjusting your entries in the previous sections of this
survey. If the calculated average is correct, you must enter an explanation for why this is true. In addition, you may
wish to add information in the context box at the bottom of the screen.
If you selected Yes to indicate that you wish to provide additional context for these data, you must enter the desired
information in the space provided. If you no longer wish to provide additional context notes, please change your
response to No.

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Part G: Net Price Calculation for Group 4
The worksheet in this section displays information compiled from data reported by your institution in this Student Financial Aid
component. Based on this information, the system computes the Weighted average for room and board and other
expenses by living arrangement, the Total cost of attendance by income level, the Average amount of grant or
scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students from the federal government, state/local government, and the
institution total and by income level, and the Average institutional net price for Group 4 students. This information is
then included on the U.S. Department of Education's College Navigator website.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•

•

For the 2014-15 academic year, the Average institutional net price for Group 4 students (line 08) for each
income level cannot be negative. If an average of less than 0 is calculated, then you must fix it by adjusting your
entries in the previous sections of the survey. If the calculated average is correct, you must enter an explanation for
why this is true. In addition, you may wish to add information in the context box at the bottom of the screen.
If you selected Yes to indicate that you wish to provide additional context for these data, you must enter the desired
information in the space provided. If you no longer wish to provide additional context notes, please change your
response to No.

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Section 2
Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits (NEW)
On this screen, you must provide information related to your institution's veteran's benefits. The data reported for the Post9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic year, from July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015 for undergraduate and
graduate students, as applicable to your institution. The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance
Program questions should be for the prior academic year, from October 1, 2014-September 30, 2015 for undergraduate and
graduate students, as applicable to your institution.  

Undergraduate Only
Applicable to institutions that enroll only undergraduate students, but not graduate students
Enter the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance and the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution for the following types of benefit/assistance:
•
•

Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•

For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Number of students receiving
benefits/assistance.
For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution.
For each type of benefit/assistance, if the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance is greater than 0,
then the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution must be greater than 0.

Undergraduate and Graduate
Applicable to institutions that enroll both undergraduate and graduate students
Enter the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance and the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution for the following types of benefit/assistance:
Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
•
•

Undergraduate
Graduate

Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program
•
•

Undergraduate
Graduate

Based on the data entered, the system will calculate the total number of students and the total dollar amount for each type of
benefit/assistance.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•

For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Number of students receiving
benefits/assistance.
For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution.
For each type of benefit/assistance, if the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance is greater than 0,
then the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution must be greater than 0.

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NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Form

date: 1/13/2016

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 2015-16 data collection period.
Data Reporting Reminders
Undergraduate Student Groups
You will be asked to report information for different groups of undergraduate 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
Image description. SFA Overview End of image description.

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
To access your prior year data submission for this component: Reported Data

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 2014

01 Group 1
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

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR DATA
Fall 2013

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 enrolled in Fall 2014.
For this part, report:
For These Students
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
•
•
•
All undergraduate students
Grant or scholarship aid
Any time during
enrolled in Fall 2014
from the federal
academic year 2014-15
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
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:
Group 1
All undergraduate students
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 01.)
Aid Type

Fall 2014

2014-15
Number of Group
Percentage of
Total amount of Average amount
1 students who Group 1 students aid awarded to
of aid awarded
were awarded aid who were awarded Group 1 students
to Group 1
aid
students

01 Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government, state/local
government, the institution, and
other sources known to the
institution
02 Pell grants
03 Federal student loans
Image
description.
These
context
notes
may
beon
posted
the
College
Navigator
website.
of image End
description.

You may use the space below to provide context for data you've reported above. These context notes may

be posted on the College Navigator website and should be written to be understood by students and parents.

Section 1: Part C 
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/certificateseeking undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2014.
For this part, report:
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
•
•
Grant or scholarship
Any time during
aid from the federal
academic year
government
2014-15
•
•
Grant or scholarship
For program
aid from state/local
reporters, this is
government
the aid year
period from July
•
Grant or scholarship
1, 2014 through
aid from the
June 30, 2015.
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
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.
•

For These Students
Full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking undergraduate students
enrolled in Fall 2014

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

Fall 2014

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
Aid Type

01 Grants or scholarships from the
federal government, state/local
government, or the institution
02 Federal grants

03

02a

Pell grants

02b

Other federal grants

YOUR
PRIOR YEAR
DATA
Fall 2014
Fall 2013
Number of
Percentage of Total amount
Average
Average
Group 2
Group 2
of aid awarded amount of amount of
students who students who
to Group 2 aid awarded aid awarded
were awarded were awarded
students
to Group 2 to Group 2
aid
aid
students
students

State/local government grants or
scholarships
(grants/scholarships/waivers)
04 Institutional grants or scholarships
(scholarships/fellowships)
05 Loans to students

Image
description.
These
context
notes
may
beon
posted
the
College
Navigator.
End of image
description.

05a

Federal loans

05b

Other loans (including
private loans)

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes

may be posted on the College Navigator website and 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
above.

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, firsttime 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
Pell grants
Federal Student
Loans
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 Average amount of aid awarded
11 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)

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
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
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

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/certificateseeking undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2014 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
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
•
•
•
Full-time, first-time
Grant or scholarship aid from the
Any time during
degree/certificate-seeking
federal government
academic year
undergraduate students
2014-15
•
Grant or scholarship aid from
enrolled in Fall 2014 who
state/local government
were awarded grant or
•
Grant or scholarship aid from the
scholarship aid from the
institution
following sources: the federal
•
Do not include grant or scholarship
government, state/local
aid from private or other sources
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
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.
YOUR
YOUR
2014-2015
PRIOR
PRIOR
YEAR DATA YEAR DATA
2012-2013 2013-2014

Information from Part A:
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

YOUR
YOUR
PRIOR
PRIOR
YEAR DATA YEAR DATA
2012-13
2013-14

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]
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.

2014-15

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/certificateseeking undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2014 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
• Full-time, first-time
•
•
Grant or scholarship aid from:
Any time during
degree/certificate-seeking
academic year 2014◦ federal government
undergraduate students
15
◦ state/local government
enrolled in Fall 2014 who
◦ institution
were awarded any Title
•
Do not include:
IV federal student aid
◦  grant or scholarship aid
from private or other
sources
◦ loan amounts
◦ Federal Work Study
amounts
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:
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
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

02

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

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2012-13

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2013-14

2014-15

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
Of those in
Average
students
Column 1, the
Column 1, the
amount of
who were
number who
total amount of
federal,
awarded any were awarded
grant or
state/local,
Title IV aid
any grant or
scholarship aid
and
(Group 4) scholarship aid awarded from
institutional
from the
the following
grant or
following
sources: the
scholarship
sources: the
federal
aid awarded to
federal
government,
Group 4
government,
state/local
students
state/local
government, or
government, or the institution
the institution
2012-13
Col. 1
Col. 2
Col. 3
Col. 4

Income level
02a

$0-30,000

02b

$30,001-48,000

02c

$48,001-75,000

02d

$75,001-110,000

02e

$110,001 and
more
Total all income
levels

02f

2013-14
Col. 1

Col. 2

Col. 3

Col. 4

03

Income level
03a

$0-30,000

03b

$30,001-48,000

03c

$48,001-75,000

03d

$75,001-110,000

03e

$110,001 and
more
Total all income
levels

03f

2014-15
Col. 1
04

Income level
04a

$0-30,000

04b

$30,001-48,000

04c

$48,001-75,000

04d

$75,001-110,000

04e

Col. 2

$110,001 and
more
04f
Total all income
levels
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.

Col. 3

Col. 4

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
YOUR PRIOR
2014-15
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2012-13
2013-14
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
05 Weighted average for room and board and other
expenses by living arrangement (excluding unknown
values)
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: [F06F07]
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.
Do you wish to provide additional context notes?
No
Image
description.
These
context
notes
may
beon
posted
the
College
Navigator.
End
of image
description.

Yes

You may use the space below to provide context for these data. These context notes may be posted on the

College Navigator website and should be written to be understood by students and parents.

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
YOUR PRIOR
2014-15
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2012-13
2013-14
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
05 Weighted average for room and board and other
expenses by living arrangement (excluding unknown
values)
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
08 Average institutional net price for Group 4 students
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.
Do you wish to provide additional context notes?
No
Image
description.
These
context
notes
may
beon
posted
the
College
Navigator.
End of image
description.

Yes

You may use the space below to provide context for these data. These context notes may be posted on the

College Navigator website and should be written to be understood by students and parents.

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, 2014 - June 30, 2015 and Report for Department
of Defense Tuition Assistance Program: October 1, 2014 - September 30, 2015
•
•
•
•

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.
Type of
Number of students
Total dollar amount of
Average dollar amount of
benefit/assistance
receiving
benefits/assistance
benefits/assistance
benefits/assistance
awarded
awarded
through the institution
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
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 1/13/2016

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 A - Establish Your Groups
Part B - Financial Aid About Group 1
Part C - Enter Financial Aid About Group 2
Part D - Enter Financial Aid About Group 3
Part E - Enter Financial Aid About Group 4
Part F - Net Price Calculation for Group 3
Part 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: [email protected]

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.
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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

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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 indistrict tuition rate. For program reporters, this includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest
program.

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Who Must Report
Institutions that had undergraduate students enrolled during the prior academic year must report.
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Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2015-16 data collection period.
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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
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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 [email protected]) for
resolution.
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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 Director 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.
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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, non-degree/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

02b.

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.
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 who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the following sources:
the federal government, state/local government, or the institution
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
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

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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
Awarded in This Period
· Grant or scholarship aid from the · Any time during the prior
federal government
academic year
· 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

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
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.
Column 4. The average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 1 students is calculated
for you.
02.

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.

Context You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. The information you
Box
enter in this context box may be posted on College Navigator and should be written to be understood
by students and parents. Make sure that your entries are free from grammatical and spelling errors.
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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. Group 2 students are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled in the prior Fall.
For this part, report:
For These Students
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
· Full-time, first-time,
· Grant or scholarship aid from the · Any time during the prior
degree/certificate-seeking
federal government
academic year
undergraduate students enrolled · Grant or scholarship aid from
in the prior Fall
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

Prior Fall
Carried forward from Part A

Carried forward from Part A

(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
02b)
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.
Context You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. For example, institutions
Box
may report in the context box other sources of private aid not included in the categories above (e.g.,
Rotary Club Scholarship). The information you enter in this context box may be posted on College
Navigator and should be written to be understood by students and parents. Make sure that your entries
are free from grammatical and spelling errors.
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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
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
· Full-time, first-time,
· Grant or scholarship aid from the · Any time during the prior
degree/certificate-seeking
federal government
academic year.
undergraduate students enrolled · Grant or scholarship aid from
in the prior fall who were awarded state/local government
grant or scholarship aid from the · Grant or scholarship from the
following sources: the federal
institution
government, state/local
· Do not include grant or
government, or the institution
scholarship aid from private or
· Do not include students who
other sources.
were awarded only grant or
scholarship aid from private or
other sources, or students who
were awarded only non-grant aid.
Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:
YOUR PRIOR
YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA

2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
Group 3
Pre-loaded
Pre-loaded
Carried forward
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
from Part A
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)
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 oncampus 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 Description
01.
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.
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
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.
03.
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.
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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
Awarded in This Period
· Grant or scholarship aid from the · Any time during the prior
federal government
academic year
· 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.
Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:
YOUR PRIOR
YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA

2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
Group 4
Pre-loaded
Pre-loaded
Carried forward
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
from Part A
undergraduate students who were awarded any Title
IV federal student aid
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 04)
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 oncampus 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
Description
02.
02a.
$0–30,000
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.
02b.
$30,001–48,000 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.
02c.
$48,001–75,000 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.
02d.
$75,001–110,000Column 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.

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02e.

$110,001 and
more

02f.

Total all income
levels

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.
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
01.

Description
Published tuition and required fees
The published tuition and required fees 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.

Context
Box

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. The information you
enter in this context box may be posted on College Navigator and should be written to be
understood by students and parents. Make sure that your entries are free from grammatical and
spelling errors.

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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.
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
01.

Description
Published tuition and required fees
The published tuition and require fees 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.

Context
Box

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. The information you
enter in this context box may be posted on College Navigator and should be written to be
understood by students and parents. Make sure that your entries are free from grammatical and
spelling errors.

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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 201415 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 effectives of
benefits programs and return on investment.
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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.
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Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2015-16 data collection period.
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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 Post-9/11 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 only two of many educational benefits
provided to military servicemembers and veterans. However, from a national prospective, 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 [email protected]) for
resolution.
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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 2015-16 data collection year, the data reported will be July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015.
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 2015-16 data collection year, the data reported
will be October 1, 2014-September 30, 2015.
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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.  
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date: 1/13/2016

Glossary
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 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 institution-level 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 web-based 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 fee 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 for-profit 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.

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2015-16 Survey Materials > FAQ

date: 1/13/2016

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 2015-16 collection year?
3) What changes occurred for SFA for the 2015-16 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) What types of financial aid should be reported?
4) What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?
5) Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?
6) Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?
7) Should PLUS loans be reported?
8) What does "aid awarded" mean?
9) If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?
10) Where can I get living arrangement information for students?
11) 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 2014-15 must complete SFA.
Back to top
2) What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2015-16 collection year?
For the 2015-16 data collection, institutions should report data for academic year 2014-15.
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 4-14 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
2014). Second, determine the financial aid that was awarded to these students any time during the 2014-15
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 2015-16 collection year?
For the 2015-16 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.
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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.

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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 full-time students,
part-time students, degree/certificate-seeking students, and non-degree/certificate-seeking students.
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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.
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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

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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.

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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.
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3)
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 federallysponsored 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
4)
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
5)
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.
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6)
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
7)
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
8)
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
9)
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
10) 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
11) 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 campusbased 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 income-related 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.
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2015-16 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 1/13/2016

Student Financial Aid for private institutions reporting on a fall cohort (private academic
reporters)
Edit specifications for the 2015-16 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Student Financial Aid (SFA) Component
Applicable to private institutions reporting on a fall cohort (private academic reporters)
NOTE: The specifications in this document apply to the institutions listed above. Some sections and parts may not
apply to your particular institution. Please read the specifications carefully to determine which sections and/or parts
apply to your institution.
All screens must be completed in order to lock the survey.

Section 1
Part A: Establish Your Groups
Part B: Enter Information about Group 1
Part C: Enter Information about Group 2
Cost of Attendance
Part D: Enter Information about Group 3
Part E: Enter Information about Group 4
Part F: Net Price Calculation for Group 3
Part G: Net Price Calculation for Group 4
Section 2
Military Servicemembers and Veterans Benefits (NEW)
Section 1
Part A: Establish Your Groups
The Higher Education Act (HEA), as amended, requires you to report financial aid data for multiple groups of students. Use
Part A to establish these groups, based on the descriptions below:
•

•
•
•
•
•

Group 1: Report the number of all undergraduate students who were enrolled as of October 15, 2014. Include all new
and continuing undergraduate students (full-time students, part-time students, degree/certificate-seeking students,
non-degree/certificate-seeking students, and all others). NOTE: This number will be preloaded based on the data
provided by your institution in the prior year IPEDS Fall Enrollment ( PY EF ) component, but may be modified as
needed.
Group 2: Of those in Group 1, report the number of students who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates.
Group 2a: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students 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.
Group 2b: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students who were awarded any loans to students; or grant or
scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Group 3: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Group 4: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students who were awarded Title IV federal student aid.

The system will perform the following General edits on the data entered:
•
•

A value must be entered for each field on this screen.
The data on this screen will be considered inconsistent and will not be saved if your institution has reported a number
greater than 0 for Group 1, and any of the following is true:
◦ You reported that you have no students in Group 2, but entered a number greater than 0 for Group 2a.
◦ You reported that you have no students in Group 2a, but entered a number greater than 0 for Group 2b.
◦ You reported that you have no students in Group 2b, but entered a number greater than 0 for Group 3 or 4.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 1:
•
•

•

A value must be entered for each field on this screen.
The current year value reported Group 1 is expected to be within a certain range of the corresponding (PY EF) value
reported in the prior year Fall Enrollment survey, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY EF value is between 1 and 49, then the number of students in Group 1 is expected to be within plus
or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the PY EF value is greater than 49, then the number of students in Group 1 is expected to be within a 10%
range of that value.
The current year value reported for Fall 2014 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year Fall 2013
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is between 1 and 25, then the Fall 2014 value must be within plus or minus 8 of that
number.
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is between 26 and 100, then the Fall 2014 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is greater than 100, then the Fall 2014 value must be within a 20% range of that
number.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 2:
•
•
•

•

•
•

The number of students in Group 2 must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 1.
If your institution did not  report full-time, first-time students in the IC Header survey, then the number of students in
Group 2 is expected to be 0.
The current year value reported Group 2 is expected to be within a certain range of the corresponding (PY EF) value
reported in the prior year Fall Enrollment survey, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY EF value is between 1 and 29, then the number of students in Group 2 must be within plus or minus
3 of that value.
▪
If the above is true and the number reported for Group 2 is within plus or minus 3 of that value, then
the number of students in Group 2 is expected to be within plus or minus 2 of that value.
◦ If the PY EF value is greater than 29, then the number of students in Group 2 must be within a 10% range of
that value.
▪
If the above is true, and the number reported for Group 2 is within a 10% range of that value, then
the number of students in Group 2 is expected to be within plus or minus 5% of that value.
The current year value reported for Fall 2014 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year Fall 2013
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the  Fall 2013 value is between 1 and 25, then the Fall 2014 value must be within plus or minus 8 of that
number.
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is between 26 and 100, then the Fall 2014 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is greater than 100, then the Fall 2014 value must be within a 20% range of that
number.
If the values reported for Group 1 and Group 2 are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is greater than 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 30% of the
Fall 2013 value.
If the values reported for Group 1 and Group 2 are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is greater between 1 and 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or
minus 15% of the Fall 2013 value.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 2a:
•
•
•
•

•

The number of students in Group 2a must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2.
If the number of students reported for Group 2 is greater than 50, then the number of students reported for Group
2a must be greater than 0.
If the number of students reported for Group 2a is greater than 0, then the sum of students reported for Groups
2b, 3, and 4 must be greater than 0.
The current year value reported for Fall 2014 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year Fall 2013
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is between 1 and 25, then the Fall 2014 value must be within plus or minus 8 of that
number.
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is between 26 and 100, then the Fall 2014 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is greater than 100, then the Fall 2014 value must be within a 20% range of that
number.
If the values reported for Group 2 and Group 2a are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is greater than 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 30% of the
Fall 2013 value.

•

If the values reported for Group 2 and Group 2a are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is between 1 and 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 15% of
the Fall 2013 value.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 2b:
•
•

The number of students in Group 2b must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2a.
If the number of students reported for Group 2b is greater than 0, then the sum of students reported for Group 3
and Group 4 must be greater than 0.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 3:
•
•
•

The number of students in Group 3 must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2b.
If the number of students reported for Group 2 is greater than 50, then the number of students reported for Group 3
must be greater than 0.
Based on the preloaded value in the Fall 2013 column, the current year value reported for Fall 2014 is expected to
be within a certain range of the preloaded data, as outlined below:
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is between 1 and 24, then the Fall 2014 value must be between 1 and 30.
◦ If the Fall 2013 value is greater than 24, then the Fall 2014 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 4:
•
•

The number of students in Group 4 must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2a.
If the number of students reported for Group 2 is greater than 50, then the number of students reported for Group 4
must be greater than 0.

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Part B: Enter Information about Group 1
On this screen, you must report the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded aid and the Total amount of aid
awarded to Group 1 students in 2014-15 for each of the following Aid Types:
•
•
•

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, the institution, and other sources
known to the institution (line 01)
Pell grants (line 02)
Federal student loans (line 03)

Based on the information entered above, the Percentage of Group 1 students who were awarded aid and the Average
amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students are automatically calculated for each aid type upon saving the screen.
The system will perform the following General edits on the data entered:
•
•

For each Aid Type, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded
aid column, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students column must contain a value greater
than 0; and vice versa.
For each Aid Type, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded
aid column, then the calculated Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students must be greater than or
equal to 100.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 01:
•
•
•
•
•

You must enter a value for the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line
01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is expected to be greater
than 0.
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is expected to be less
than or equal to the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is expected to be greater
than or equal to 5% of the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is
based on the institution type, as outlined below:

◦
◦
◦
◦
◦

If your institution is a Private non-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must be less
than $40,000.
If your institution is a Private non-profit, 2-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must be less
than $10,000.
If your institution is a Private non-profit, less-than-2-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must
be less than $7,000.
If your institution is a Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must be less than
$12,000.
If your institution is a Private for-profit, 2-year or Private for-profit, less-than-2-year institution, then the line
01 average amount must be less than $8,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02:
•
•
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be less than or equal to
the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be greater than or equal
to 5% of the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be less than or equal to
the number of students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01).
The Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Pell grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
total amount reported for Grant or scholarship aid (line 01).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Pell grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to
$ 5,645.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 03:
•
•
•

The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Federal student loans (line 03) should be less than or equal
to the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Federal student loans (line 03) is expected to be greater
than or equal to 5% of the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Federal student loans (line 03) must be less than
$12,000.

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Part C: Enter Information about Group 2
On this screen, you will be asked to enter the Number of Students in Group 2 who were awarded aid in 2014-15 for
each of the following Aid Types:
•

•

Grants or scholarships from federal, state, or local governments, or the institution (line 01)
◦ Federal grants (line 02)
▪
Pell grants (line 02a)
▪
Other Federal grants (line 02b)
◦ State/local government grants or scholarships (grants/scholarships/waivers) (line 03)
◦ Institutional grants or scholarships (scholarships/fellowships) (line 04)
Loans to students (line 05)
◦ Federal loans (line 05a)
◦ Other loans (including private loans) (line05b)

For several of the Aid Types listed above, you will be asked to input the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2
students in 2014-15. Based on this value, the Percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded aid and the
Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students are automatically calculated for each type of aid upon saving the
screen. Your institution's prior year average is displayed for each aid type for your reference.
The system will perform the following General edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•
•

For each Aid Type, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded
aid, then the adjacent Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students column must contain a value greater
than 0; and vice versa.
For each required Aid Type, the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students is expected to be greater than
or equal to $100.
For each Aid Type, the Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students is expected to be within a 20%
range of the PY Average amount.
The number of students in Group 2b must be less than or equal to the sum of the Number of Group 2
students who were awarded Grants or scholarships (line 01) and those who were awarded Loans (line 05).
If the total number of students in Group 2b is greater than 0, then the sum of the following categories must also be
greater than 0:

◦
◦
◦
◦

Federal grants (line 02)
State/local government grants or scholarships (line 03)
Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04)
Loans to students (line 05)

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 01:
•
•
•
•
•

•

•

•

•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Grants or scholarships (line 01) is expected to be greater
than or equal to 15% of the total number of students in Group 2 (Part A, Line 02).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal
to the total number of students in Group 2b (Part A, Line 02b).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Grants or scholarships (line 01) is expected to be equal to
the total number of students in Group 3 (Part A, Line 03).
The Number of Group 2 students who received Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal to the
sum of students reported for Federal grants (line 02), State/local grants (line 03), and Institutional grants (line
04).
If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Number of students in Group 1 who were awarded Grant or
scholarship aid in Part B is greater than 0, then the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded aid for
Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than the number reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group
1 in Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Number of students in Group 1 who were
awarded Grant or scholarship aid in Part B is greater than 0, then the Number of Group 2 students who were
awarded aid for Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal to the number reported for the
corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Grant or
scholarship aid  in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for
Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than the number reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group
1 in Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2
students for Grant or scholarship aid  in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to
Group 2 students for Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal to the number reported for the
corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students (as calculated in line 01) is based on the
institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 4-year institution, then the Average amount of aid awarded to
Group 2 students must be less than $40,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 2-year institution, then the Average amount of aid awarded to
Group 2 students must be less than $10,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, less-than-2-year institution, then then the Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 2 students must be less than $7,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the Average amount of aid awarded to
Group 2 students must be less than $12,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 2-year or less-than-2-year institution, then the Average amount of
aid awarded to Group 2 students must be less than $8,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02:
•
•
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) is expected to be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
total number of students in Group 2b (Part A, Line 02b).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
sum of the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) and Other federal grants (line
02b). 
The sum of the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students reported for Pell grants (line 02a) and Other
Federal grants (line 02b) must be greater than 0.
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Federal grants (line 02) is expected to be less
than $10,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02a:
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) is expected to be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) is expected to be greater than or equal
to 5% of the total number of students in Group 2 (Part A, Line 02).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) is expected to be less than or equal to
the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).

•
•
•
•

•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) must be less than or equal to the
number of students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02).
If you indicated in Part A that all undergraduates at your institution are full-time, first-time students, then the
number of students in Group 1 who receive Pell grants (Part B, Line 02) must be equal to the number of students
in Group 2 who receive Pell grants (Part C, Line 02a).
If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 for Pell grants in Part B is
greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Pell grants (line 02a) must be
less than the amount reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.  
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 for Pell
grants in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Pell grants
(line 02a) must be less than or equal to the amount reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B
of this component.  
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Pell grants (line 02a) should be less than or equal
to $5,645.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02b:
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Other Federal grants (line 02b) is expected to be less than
or equal to the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Other Federal grants (line 02b) must be less than or equal
to the number of students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Other Federal grants (line 02b) should be less
than $10,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 03:
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded State/local government grants or scholarships (line
03) must be less than or equal to the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded State/local government grants or scholarships (line 03)
must be less than or equal to the total number of students in Group 2b.
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for State/local government grants or
scholarships (line 03) is based on the institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less
than $10,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 2-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less
than $8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less than
$7,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 2-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less than
$10,000.
◦ If your institution is a less-than-2-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less than
$5,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 04:
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04) must be less
than or equal to the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04) must be less
than or equal to the total number of students in Group 2b.
If your institution is a Private non-profit, 4-year institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who were
awarded Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04) is expected to be greater than 0.
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Institutional grants or scholarships
(line 04) is based on the institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less
than $36,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less than
$10,000.
◦ If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less
than $10,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 05:
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05) must be less than
or equal to the total number of students in Group 2b (Part A, Line 02b).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05) must be less than
or equal to the total number of students in Group 2a.

•
•
•

If your institution is a Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the Number of students who were awarded and
accepted Loans to students (line 05) is expected to be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Loans to students (line 05) must be less than or equal to
the sum of the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal loans (line 05a) and Other loans (line
05b). 
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Loans to students (line 05) should be less than
$21,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 05a:
•
•
•
•

•

•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Federal loans (line 05a) must be less than or
equal to the number who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05).
If your institution is a Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who were
awarded and accepted Federal loans (line 05a) is expected to be greater than 0.
If the number of students reported for Group 1 is greater than 0, and that number is equal to the number of students
reported for Group 2, then the Number of students in Group 2 who were awarded Federal loans (line 05a) must
be equal to the amount reported for Federal loans in Group 1 (Part B).
If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Federal
student loans in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for
Federal loans (line 05a) must be less than the amount reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in
Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1
students for Federal student loans in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group
2 students for Federal loans (line 05a) must be less than or equal to the amount reported for the corresponding
type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Federal loans (line 05a) should be less than
$12,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 05b:
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Other loans (line 05b) must be less than or
equal to the number who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Other loans (line 05b) should be less than
$30,000.

Part C - Comparison Chart
The comparison chart displays the amounts entered for Pell Grants and Federal Student Loans in Group 1 and Group 2 for
each of the following data items:
•
•
•
•

Number of students who were awarded aid
Percentage who were awarded aid
Total amount of aid awarded
Average amount of aid awarded

Based on the data entered, All other undergraduate amounts (Group 1 - Group 2) are calculated for each data item listed
above. The number of students in each group is preloaded for your reference.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•

For each of the data items, the amount calculated for Pell Grants cannot be negative.
For each of the data items, the amount calculated for Federal Student Loans cannot be negative.

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Cost of Attendance
On this screen, you must review the cost of attendance data for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students at
your institution for academic years 2012-13 (PPY - prior prior year), 2013-14 (PY - prior year), and 2014-15 (CY - current
year).  
Note: Edits will only be performed on this screen if updates are made.
For the first section, you must review published tuition and required fees charges. The tuition rates shown may vary to include
In-district, In-state, and Out-of-state; or there may only be one tuition rate for all full-time undergraduate students at your
institution. The available options will depend on the answers given in the current year Institutional Characteristics survey. All
amounts will be preloaded from the current year Institutional Characteristics survey. Amounts may be corrected, as needed.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for each applicable tuition rate:
•
•

For the PY academic year, a value is expected to be reported for Tuition.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value greater than $0 for Tuition in the
Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

For the PY and CY academic years, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the
more recent value reported for Tuition is expected to be within a 20% range of the prior year value.
For the PY academic year, a value is expected to be reported for Required fees.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value greater than $0 for Required fees in the
Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For the PY and CY academic years, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the
more recent value reported for Required fees is expected to be within a 40% range of the prior year value.
For the PY academic year, the value calculated for Tuition + fees total is expected to be greater than $500.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value between $0 and $500 for  Tuition + fees
total in the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value greater than $500 for Tuition + fees total
in the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $500.
For the PY and CY academic years, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the
more recent value calculated for Tuition + fees total is expected to be within a 20% range of the prior year amount.
If tuition rates vary for your institution, then the In-state Tuition for each year must be greater than or equal to the
corresponding In-district value.
If tuition rates vary for your institution, then the Out-of-state Tuition for each year must be greater than or equal to
the corresponding In-state value.
For each academic year, if the amount of Room and board and Other expenses is greater than 0, then amount
entered for Tuition + fees total is also expected to be greater than 0.

For the second section, you must review the amounts reported for Books and supplies a typical student at your institution
should expect to pay for the entire academic year. All amounts will be preloaded from the current year Institutional
Characteristics survey. Amounts may be corrected, as needed.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•

For the PY academic year, a value is expected to be reported for Books and supplies.
For each academic year, the amount entered for Books and supplies is expected to be greater than $100.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value greater than $0 for Books and supplies in
the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For the PY and CY academic years, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the
more recent value reported for Books and supplies is expected to be within a 25% range of the prior year value.

For the last section of this screen, you must review the reported cost of room and board and estimated other expenses (e.g.,
laundry, transportation, entertainment, etc.). The living arrangements shown may vary to include any or all of On campus,
Off campus (not with family), and Off campus (with family). The available options will depend on the answers given in
the current year Institutional Characteristics survey. All amounts will be preloaded from the current year Institutional
Characteristics survey. Amounts may be corrected, as needed.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for each applicable living arrangement:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

For the PY academic year, a value is expected to be reported for Room and board.
For the PY academic year, the amount entered for Room and board is expected to be greater than $500.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value between $0 and $500 for Room and board
in the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value greater than $500 for Room and board in
the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $500.
For the PY and CY academic years, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the
more recent value reported for Room and board is expected to be within a 20% range of the prior year value.
For the PY academic year, a value is expected to be reported for Other expenses.
For the PY academic year, the amount entered for Other expenses is expected to be greater than $400.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value between $0 and $399 for Other expenses in
the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For the CY academic year, if your institution previously reported a value greater than or equal to $400 for Other
expenses in the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than or equal to
$400.
For the PY and CY academic years, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the
more recent value reported for Other expenses is expected to be within a 20% range of the prior year value.

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Part D: Enter Information about Group 3
On this screen, you must report the number of Group 3 students (full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the
institution) with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant and scholarship aid awarded to these students
for academic years 2012-13 (PPY - prior prior year), 2013-14 (PY - prior year), and 2014-15 (CY - current year).
Note: For existing institutions, the prior year (PY and PPY) values are preloaded from the prior year Student Financial Aid
survey. Please review this information and make changes, as needed. New institutions must provide data for all years.
You must first report the number of Group 3 students for the PY and PPY academic years. For your reference, this value for
the current year will be preloaded from Part A.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 3 :

•
•

For the PY and PPY academic years, the number of students reported across all living arrangements must be equal to
the total number of Group 3 students reported for that year.
For the PY academic year, the total number of Group 3 students reported must be within a certain range of the PPY
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.

For each academic year, you must report the number of Group 3 students with the following living arrangements, as
applicable to your institution:
•
•
•

On-campus (line 01a)
Off-campus with family (line 01b)
Off-campus not with family (line 01c)

The number of Group 3 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line 01d) is automatically calculated by the
system based on the numbers entered above.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 01a through 01d:
•
•
•

•
•

•
•

A value must be entered in each field for lines 01a, 01b, and 01c, as applicable to your institution.
For the CY academic year, the number of Group 3 students reported across all living arrangements for 2014-15 in
Part D must be equal to the total number of Group 3 students reported in Part A.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the CY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 and 24, then the CY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 24, then the CY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For the CY and PY academic years, if you reported a value of 0 for the previous year, and a value greater than 0 for
the subsequent academic year, then you must confirm that the more recent value is correct.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the PY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PPY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the P PY value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For the CY academic year, the number of Group 3 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line
01d) should be less than or equal to 30% of the total number of Group 3 students for that same year (line 01).
For each academic year, the number of Group 3 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line 01d) must
be greater than or equal to 0. If this is not the case, you must adjust the number of students entered in lines 01a
through 01c so that the sum of the values in this column is less than or equal to the total number of students reported
for that year in Group 3.

Additionally, you must Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students (line 02) for each applicable academic year. The system
will then calculate the Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or
the institution awarded to Group 3 students (line 03) based on the reported values.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02:
•
•
•
•

•

A value must be entered in each field, as applicable to your institution.
For the CY and PY academic years, the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3
students (line 02) is expected to be greater than or equal to $100.
If you reported a value of 0 for the previous year, and a value greater than 0 for the subsequent academic year, then
you must confirm that the more recent value is correct.
For the CY academic year, if the number of Group 3 students is equal to the number of Group 2 students (as reported
in Part A), then the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students (line 02) must be
equal to the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 2 students (Part C, Page 2, Line 01,
Column 3).
F or the CY academic year, if the number of Group 3 students is less than the number of Group 2 students (as
reported in Part A), then the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students (line 02)
must be less than the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 2 students (Part C, Page 2, Line
01, Column 3).

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 03:
•
•
•

For each academic year, the Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) must be greater than or equal to $100.
For the CY and PY academic years, the Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) must be within a 26% range of
the previous year's value.
For the CY and PY academic years, if the Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) is within a 25% range of the
previous year's value, then line 03 is expected to be within a 15% range of the previous year's value.

•

For the CY academic year, the expected Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) is based on the institution type,
as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 4-year institution, then the Average grant or scholarship aid is
expected be less than $40,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 2-year institution, then the Average grant or scholarship aid is
expected be less than $10,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, less-than-2-year institution, then the Average grant or
scholarship aid is expected be less than $7,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the Average grant or scholarship aid is
expected be less than $12,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 2 year or Private for-profit, less-than-2-year institution, then the
Average grant or scholarship aid is expected be less than $8,000.

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Part E: Enter Information about Group 4
On this screen, you must report the number of Group 4 students (full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates who were awarded Title IV federal student aid) with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of
grant or scholarship aid awarded to these students for academic years 2012-13 (PPY - prior prior year), 2013-14 (PY - prior
year), and 2014-15 (CY - current year).
Note: For existing institutions, the prior year (PY and PPY) values are preloaded from the prior year Student Financial Aid
survey. Please review this information and make changes, as needed. New institutions must provide data for all years.
You must first report the number of Group 4 students for the PY and PPY academic years. For your reference, this value for
the current year will be preloaded from Part A.
The system will perform the following edit on the data entered for Group 4:
•
•

For the PY and PPY academic years, the number of students reported across all living arrangements must be equal to
the total number of Group 4 students reported for that year.
For the PY academic year, the total number of Group 3 students reported must be within a certain range of the PPY
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PPY  value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.

For each academic year, you must report the number of Group 4 students with the following living arrangements, as
applicable to your institution:
•
•
•

On-campus (line 01a)
Off-campus (with family) (line 01b)
Off-campus (not with family) (line 01c)

The number of Group 4 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line 01d) is automatically calculated by the
system based on the numbers entered above.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 01a through 01d:
•
•
•
•
•

•

•
•
•

A value must be entered in each field for lines 01a, 01b, and 01c, as applicable to your institution.
For the CY academic year, the number of students entered across all applicable living arrangements (lines 01a
through 01d) must equal the total Group 4 amount for that year.
For the PY academic year, the number of Group 4 students reported in Part E is expected to be with a 5% range of
the Fall 2013 value reported for Group 4 in Part A of the prior year Student Financial Aid survey.
For the PPY academic year, the number of Group 4 students reported in Part E is expected to be with a 5% range of
the Fall 2012 value reported for Group 4 in Part A of the prior-prior year Student Financial Aid survey.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the CY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 and 24, then the CY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 24, then the CY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the PY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PPY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For the CY and PY academic years, if you reported a value of 0 for the previous year, and a value greater than 0 for
the subsequent academic year, then you must confirm that the more recent value is correct.
For the CY academic year, the number of Group 4 students whose living arrangements were Unknown (line 01d)
should be less than or equal to 30% of the total number of Group 4 students for that same year.
The number of Group 4 students whose living arrangements were Unknown (line 01d) must be greater than or equal
to 0. If this is not the case, you must adjust the number of students entered in lines 01a through 01c so that the sum
of the values in this column is less than or equal to the total number of students in Group 4.

Additionally, you must 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 grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4
students from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution (column 3) for the following
income levels for the PPY (section 2), PY (section 3), and CY (section 4) academic years:
•
•
•
•
•

$0-30,000 (line a)
$30,001-48,000 (line b)
$48,001-75,000 (line c)
$75,001-110,000 (line d)
$110,001 and more (line e)

A Total all income levels (line f) value is calculated for each column, and the Average amount of grant or scholarship
aid awarded to Group 4 students from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution (column
4) is calculated for each income level, based on the numbers entered above.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for sections 02, 03, and 04:
•
•
•
•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•
•
•

For each academic year, the total Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid for all
income levels (line f, column 1) should be equal to the total number of students reported for that academic year in
Group 4.
For each academic year and income level, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 4 students
who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1), then a value greater than 0 must also be entered for the Total
amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded (column 3); and vice versa.
For each academic year and income level, 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) must be
less than or equal to the Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1).
For each academic year and income level, if 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) is
greater than 0, then Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students (column 3) must
be greater than 0.
For each academic year and income level, if 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) is equal
to 0, then Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students (column 3) must be equal to
0.
For each academic year, if the number of students who were awarded grants or scholarships form the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution in Part C, Line 01 is greater than 0, then 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) is expected to be greater than 0.
For the CY academic year, the Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1) is
expected to be within a certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 and 19, then the CY value is expected to be within plus or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 19, then the CY value is expected to be within a 25% range of that value.
For the CY academic year, 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) is expected to be within a
certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 and 19, then the CY value is expected to be within plus or minus 10 of that value.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 19, then the CY value is expected to be within a 45% range of that value.
For the PY academic year, the Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1) is
expected to be within a certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 19, then the PY value is expected to be within plus or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 19, then the PY value is expected to be within a 25% range of that value.
For the PY academic year, 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) is expected to be within a
certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 19, then the PY value is expected to be within plus or minus 10 of that
value.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 19, then the PY value is expected to be within a 45% range of that value.
For the CY and PY academic years, the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students
reported across all income levels (line f, column 3) is expected to be within a 25% range of the previous year's
amount.
For the CY academic year, the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students reported
across all income levels (line 04f, column 3) should be less than or equal to the Total amount of grant or
scholarship aid awarded to Group 2 students (Part C, Line 01, Column 3).
For each income level, the Average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students is
expected to be greater at lower income levels than at higher ones.

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Part F: Net Price Calculation for Group 3

The worksheet in this section displays information compiled from data reported by your institution in this Student Financial Aid
component. Based on this information, the system computes the Weighted average for room and board and other
expenses by living arrangement, the Total cost of attendance, the Average amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 3 students from the federal government, state/local government, and the institution, and
the Average institutional net price for Group 3 students. This information is 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 system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•

•

For each academic year, the Average institutional net price for Group 3 students (line 08) cannot be negative. If
an average of less than 0 is calculated, then you must fix it by adjusting your entries in the previous sections of this
survey. If the calculated average is correct, you must enter an explanation for why this is true. In addition, you may
wish to add information in the context box at the bottom of the screen. 
If you selected Yes to indicate that you wish to provide additional context for these data, you must enter the desired
information in the space provided. If you no longer wish to provide additional context notes, please change your
response to No.

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Part G: Net Price Calculation for Group 4
The worksheet in this section displays information compiled from data reported by your institution in this Student Financial Aid
component. Based on this information, the system computes the Weighted average for room and board and other
expenses by living arrangement, the Total cost of attendance by income level, the Average amount of grant or
scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students from the federal government, state/local government, and the
institution total and by income level, and the Average institutional net price for Group 4 students. This information is
then included on the U.S. Department of Education's College Navigator website.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•

•

For the 2014-15 academic year, the Average institutional net price for Group 4 students (line 08) for each
income level cannot be negative. If an average of less than 0 is calculated, then you must fix it by adjusting your
entries in the previous sections of the survey. If the calculated average is correct, you must enter an explanation for
why this is true. In addition, you may wish to add information in the context box at the bottom of the screen.
If you selected Yes to indicate that you wish to provide additional context for these data, you must enter the desired
information in the space provided. If you no longer wish to provide additional context notes, please change your
response to No.

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Section 2
Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits (NEW)
On this screen, you must provide information related to your institution's veteran's benefits. The data reported for the Post9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic year, from July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015 for undergraduate and
graduate students, as applicable to your institution. The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance
Program questions should be for the prior academic year, from October 1, 2014-September 30, 2015 for undergraduate and
graduate students, as applicable to your institution.  

Undergraduate Only
Applicable to institutions that enroll only undergraduate students, but not graduate students
Enter the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance and the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution for the following types of benefit/assistance:
•
•

Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•

For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Number of students receiving
benefits/assistance.
For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution.
For each type of benefit/assistance, if the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance is greater than 0,
then the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution must be greater than 0.

Undergraduate and Graduate
Applicable to institutions that enroll both undergraduate and graduate students
Enter the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance and the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution for the following types of benefit/assistance:
Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits

•
•

Undergraduate
Graduate

Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program
•
•

Undergraduate
Graduate

Based on the data entered, the system will calculate the total number of students and the total dollar amount for each type of
benefit/assistance.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•

For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Number of students receiving
benefits/assistance.
For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution.
For each type of benefit/assistance, if the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance is greater than 0,
then the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution must be greater than 0.

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IPEDS Help Desk
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Form

date: 1/13/2016

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 2015-16 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 students paying 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 students paying the
in-state or in-district tuition rate.
Image description. SFA Overview End of image description.

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
To access your prior year data submission for this component: Reported Data

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, 2014June 30, 2015

01 Group 1
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 enrolled in your institution’s largest program paying the instate 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
04 Group 4
Of those in Group 2, those enrolled in your institution’s largest program paying the instate or in-district tuition rate who were awarded any Title IV federal student aid

YOUR
PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2013-14

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 enrolled any time during
academic year 2014-15.
For this part, report:
For These Students
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
•

•
Grant or scholarship aid
Any time during academic
from the federal
year 2014-15 (the aid year
government
period from July 1, 2014
through June 30, 2015)
•
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
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.
All undergraduate
students

•

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

2014-15

2014-15
Number of Group
Percentage of Total amount of aid Average amount
1 students who Group 1 students awarded to Group of aid awarded to
were awarded aid who were awarded
1 students
Group 1 students
aid

01 Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government, state/local
government, the institution, and
other sources known to the
institution
02 Pell grants
03 Federal student loans
Image
description.
These
context
notes
may
beon
posted
the
College
Navigator
website.
of
image End
description.

You may use the space below to provide context for data you've reported above. These context notes may

be posted on the College Navigator website and should be written to be understood by students and parents.

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/certificateseeking undergraduate students enrolled any time during academic year 2014-15.
For this part, report:
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
•
•
Grant or scholarship
Any time during
aid from the federal
academic year
government
2014-15
•
•
Grant or scholarship
For program
aid from state/local
reporters, this is
government
the aid year
period from July
•
Grant or scholarship
1, 2014 through
aid from the
June 30, 2015.
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
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.
•

For These Students
Full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking undergraduate students
enrolled any time during academic year
2014-15

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

2014-15

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
Aid Type

01 Grants or scholarships from the
federal government, state/local
government, or the institution
02 Federal grants

03

02a

Pell grants

02b

Other federal grants

YOUR
PRIOR YEAR
DATA
2014-15
2013-14
Number of
Percentage of Total amount
Average
Average
Group 2
Group 2
of aid awarded amount of amount of
students who students who
to Group 2 aid awarded aid awarded
were awarded were awarded
students
to Group 2 to Group 2
aid
aid
students
students

State/local government grants or
scholarships
(grants/scholarships/waivers)
04 Institutional grants or scholarships
(scholarships/fellowships)
05 Loans to students

Image
description.
These
context
notes
may
beon
posted
the
College
Navigator.
End of image
description.

05a

Federal loans

05b

Other loans (including
private loans)

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes

may be posted on the College Navigator website and 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
above.

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, firsttime 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
Pell grants
Federal Student
Loans
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 Average amount of aid awarded
11 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)

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
2012-13
Tuition and required fees for the
entire program

2013-14

2014-15

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
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
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

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/certificateseeking undergraduate students enrolled in your institution’s largest program any time during academic year 2014-15
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
•
•
•
Full-time, first-time
Grant or scholarship aid from the
Any time during
degree/certificate-seeking
federal government
academic year
undergraduate students
2014-15 (the aid
•
Grant or scholarship aid from
enrolled in your institution’s
year period from
state/local government
largest program paying the
July 1, 2014
•
Grant or scholarship aid from the
in-state or in-district
through June 30,
institution
tuition rate who were
2015)
•
Do not include grant or
awarded grant or
scholarship aid from private or
scholarship aid from the
other sources
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
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
CIP Code
Title
Information from Part A:

2014-15

YOUR
YOUR PRIOR
PRIOR
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2013-14
2012-13

2014-15

Group 3
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
(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

02
03

Unknown (calculated)
This value is calculated using the
following formula: [A03(D01a+D01b+D01c)]
Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid
from the federal government, state/local government,
or the institution awarded to Group 3 students
Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution
awarded to Group 3 students (calculated value).

YOUR
YOUR PRIOR
PRIOR
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2012-13
2013-14

2014-15

This value is calculated using the following formula:
[D02/A03]
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.

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/certificateseeking undergraduate students enrolled in your institution’s largest program any time during academic year 2014-15
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
Awarded in This Period
• Full-time, first-time
•
•
Grant or scholarship aid from:
Any time during
degree/certificate-seeking
academic year 2014
◦ federal government
undergraduate students
-15 (the aid year
◦ state/local government
enrolled in your
period from July 1,
◦ institution
institution’s largest
2014 through June
•
Do not include:
program paying the in30, 2015)
◦  grant or scholarship aid
state or in-district
from private or other
tuition rate who were
sources
awarded any Title IV
◦
loan amounts
federal student aid
◦ Federal Work Study
amounts
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
YOUR PRIOR
2014-15
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2012-13
2013-14
Group 4
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
students enrolled in your institution’s largest program paying the instate 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

02

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

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2012-13

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2013-14

2014-15

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
Of those in
Average
students who Column 1, the Column 1, the
amount of
were awarded number who total amount of
federal,
any Title IV were awarded
grant or
state/local,
aid (Group 4) any grant or scholarship aid
and
scholarship aid awarded from institutional
from the
the following
grant or
following
sources: the
scholarship
sources: the
federal
aid awarded
federal
government,
to Group 4
government,
state/local
students
state/local
government, or
government, or the institution
the institution
2012-13
Col. 1
Col. 2
Col. 3
Col. 4

Income level
02a
02b

$0-30,000
$30,001-48,000

02c

$48,001-75,000

02d

$75,001-110,000

02e

$110,001 and
more
Total all income
levels

02f

2013-14
03

Income level
03a

Col. 2

Col. 1

Col. 2

Col. 3

Col. 4

Col. 3

Col. 4

$0-30,000

03b

$30,001-48,000

03c

$48,001-75,000

03d

$75,001-110,000

03e

$110,001 and
more
Total all income
levels

03f

Col. 1

2014-15
04

Income level
04a

$0-30,000

04b

$30,001-48,000

04c

$48,001-75,000

04d

$75,001-110,000

04e

$110,001 and
more
04f
Total all income
levels
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.

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
YOUR PRIOR
2014-15
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2012-13
2013-14
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 (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
05 Weighted average for room and board and other
expenses by living arrangement (excluding unknown
values)
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: [F06F07]
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.
Do you wish to provide additional context notes?
No
Image
description.
These
context
notes
may
beon
posted
the
College
Navigator.
End
of image
description.

Yes

You may use the space below to provide context for these data. These context notes may be posted on the

College Navigator website and should be written to be understood by students and parents.

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
YOUR PRIOR
2014-15
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2012-13
2013-14
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 (lower of in-district or instate)
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
05 Weighted average for room and board and other expenses
by living arrangement (excluding unknown values)
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
08 Average institutional net price for Group 4 students
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.
Do you wish to provide additional context notes?
No
Image
description.
These
context
notes
may
beon
posted
the College
Navigator.
End of image
description.

Yes

You may use the space below to provide context for these data. These context notes may be posted on the

College Navigator website and should be written to be understood by students and parents.

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, 2014 - June 30, 2015 and Report for Department
of Defense Tuition Assistance Program: October 1, 2014 - September 30, 2015
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.
Type of
Number of students
Total dollar amount of
Average dollar amount of
benefit/assistance
receiving
benefits/assistance
benefits/assistance
benefits/assistance
awarded
awarded
through the institution
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
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 1/13/2016

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 A - Establish Your Groups
Part B - Financial Aid About Group 1
Part C - Enter Financial Aid About Group 2
Part D - Enter Financial Aid About Group 3
Part E - Enter Financial Aid About Group 4
Part F - Net Price Calculation for Group 3
Part 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: [email protected]

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.
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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

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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 indistrict tuition rate. For program reporters, this includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest
program.

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Who Must Report
Institutions that had undergraduate students enrolled during the prior academic year must report.
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Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2015-16 data collection period.
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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.
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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 [email protected]) for
resolution.
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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 Director 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.
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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
01.

Description
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 paid the instate 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
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 paid the instate or in-district tuition rate and were awarded any Title IV federal student aid
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

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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
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.
Column 4. The average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 1 students is calculated
for you.
02.

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.

Context You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. The
Box
information you enter in this context box may be posted on College Navigator and should be

written to be understood by students and parents. Make sure that your entries are free from
grammatical and spelling errors.
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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 any
time during the prior academic year.
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 Academic Year
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

Description

01.

01a.

01b.

01c.

01d.

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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. 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

The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
· Grant or scholarship aid from the · Any time during the prior
federal government
academic year (the aid year period
· Grant or scholarship aid from
from July 1 through June 30)
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:
Prior Academic Year
Group 2a
Carried forward from Part A
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
Carried forward from Part A
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)
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.

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.
Context You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. For example, institutions
Box
may report in the context box other sources of private aid not included in the categories above (e.g.,
Rotary Club Scholarship). The information you enter in this context box may be posted on College
Navigator and should be written to be understood by students and parents. Make sure that your entries
are free from grammatical and spelling errors.
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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 paid the in-state 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
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
· Full-time, first-time,
· Grant or scholarship aid from the · Any time during the prior
degree/certificate-seeking
federal government
academic year (the aid year period
undergraduate students enrolled · Grant or scholarship aid from
from July 1 through June 30)
in your institution's largest
state/local government
program who paid the in-state or · Grant or scholarship from the
in-district tuition rate and were
institution
awarded grant or scholarship aid · Do not include grant or
from the following sources: the
scholarship aid from private or
federal government, state/local
other sources.
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.
Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:
YOUR PRIOR
YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA

2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
Group 3
Pre-loaded
Pre-loaded
Carried forward
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
from Part A
undergraduate students enrolled in your 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
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line
03)
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 oncampus 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 Description
01.
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.

02.

03.

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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 paid the in-state or in-district 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
your institution's largest program
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
Awarded in This Period
· Grant or scholarship aid from the · Any time during the prior
federal government
academic year (the aid year period
· Grant or scholarship aid from
from July 1 through June 30)
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.
Data carried forward from Part A include the following:
Information from Part A:
YOUR PRIOR
YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA

2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
Group 4
Pre-loaded
Pre-loaded
Carried forward
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
from Part A
undergraduate students enrolled in your institution's
largest program who paid the in-state or in-district
tuition rate and were awarded any Title IV federal
student aid
(This number is carried forward from Part A, Line 04)
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 oncampus 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
Description
02.
02a.
$0–30,000
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.
02b.
$30,001–48,000 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.
02c.
$48,001–75,000 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.
02d.
$75,001–110,000 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.
02e.
$110,001 and
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income level who
more
were awarded any Title IV aid.

02f.

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Total all income
levels

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 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.
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
01.

Description
Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-district or in-state)
The published tuition and required fees (lower of in-district or in-state rates) 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
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 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.

Context
Box

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. The information you
enter in this context box may be posted on College Navigator and should be written to be
understood by students and parents. Make sure that your entries are free from grammatical and
spelling errors.

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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 paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate
and were awarded Title IV federal student aid.
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
01.

Description
Published tuition and required fees (lower of in-district or in-state)
The published tuition and require fees (lower of in-district or in-state rates) 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
paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and 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.
Context
Box

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. The information you
enter in this context box may be posted on College Navigator and should be written to be
understood by students and parents. Make sure that your entries are free from grammatical and
spelling errors.

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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 201415 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 effectives of
benefits programs and return on investment.
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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.
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Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2015-16 data collection period.
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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 Post-9/11 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 only two of many educational benefits
provided to military servicemembers and veterans. However, from a national prospective, 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 [email protected]) for
resolution.
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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 2015-16 data collection year, the data reported will be July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015.
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 2015-16 data collection year, the data reported
will be October 1, 2014-September 30, 2015.
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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.  
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date: 1/13/2016

Glossary
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 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 institution-level 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 web-based 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 fee 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 for-profit 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.

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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > FAQ

date: 1/13/2016

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 2015-16 collection year?
3) What changes occurred for SFA for the 2015-16 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) What types of financial aid should be reported?
4) What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?
5) Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?
6) Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?
7) Should PLUS loans be reported?
8) What does "aid awarded" mean?
9) If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?
10) Where can I get living arrangement information for students?
11) 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 2014-15 must complete SFA.
Back to top
2) What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2015-16 collection year?
For the 2015-16 data collection, institutions should report data for academic year 2014-15.
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 4-14 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
2014). Second, determine the financial aid that was awarded to these students any time during the 2014-15
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 2015-16 collection year?
For the 2015-16 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 full-time 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.

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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.
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3)
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 federallysponsored 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.
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4)
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.
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5)
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.
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6)
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.
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7)
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.
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8)
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
9)
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).
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10) 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.
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11) 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 campusbased 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 income-related 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.
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2015-16 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 1/13/2016

Student Financial Aid for institutions reporting on a full-year cohort (program reporters)
Edit specifications for the 2015-16 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Student Financial Aid (SFA) Component
Applicable to all program reporters
NOTE: The specifications in this document apply to the institutions listed above. Some sections and parts may not
apply to your particular institution. Please read the specifications carefully to determine which sections and/or parts
apply to your institution.
All screens must be completed in order to lock the survey.

Section 1
Part A: Establish Your Groups
Part B: Enter Information about Group 1
Part C: Enter Information about Group 2
Cost of Attendance
Part D: Enter Information about Group 3
Part E: Enter Information about Group 4
Part F: Net Price Calculation for Group 3
Part G: Net Price Calculation for Group 4
Section 2
Military Servicemembers and Veterans Benefits (NEW)
Section 1
Part A: Establish Your Groups
The Higher Education Act (HEA), as amended, requires you to report financial aid data for multiple groups of students. Use
Part A to establish these groups, based on the descriptions below:
•

•
•
•
•
•

Group 1: Report the number of all undergraduate students who were enrolled between July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015.
Include all new and continuing undergraduate students (full-time students, part-time students, degree/certificateseeking students, non-degree/certificate-seeking students, and all others). NOTE: This number will be preloaded
based on the data provided by your institution in the prior year IPEDS Fall Enrollment (PY EF) component, but may
be modified as needed.
Group 2: Of those in Group 1, report the number of students who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates.
Group 2a: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students 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.
Group 2b: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students who were awarded any loans to students; or grant or
scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Group 3: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students 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. For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate.
Group 4: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students enrolled in the institution’s largest program who were
awarded Title IV federal student aid. For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or indistrict tuition rate.

The system will perform the following General edits on the data entered:
•
•

A value must be entered for each field on this screen.
The data on this screen will be considered inconsistent and will not be saved if your institution has reported a number
greater than 0 for Group 1, and any of the following is true:
◦ You reported that you have no students in Group 2, but entered a number greater than 0 for Group 2a.
◦ You reported that you have no students in Group 2a, but entered a number greater than 0 for Group 2b.
◦ You reported that you have no students in Group 2b, but entered a number greater than 0 for Group 3 or 4.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 1:
•
•

The current year value reported Group 1 is expected to be equal to the total number of students reported in the
current year 12-month Enrollment survey.
The current year value reported for 2014- 15 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year 2013-14
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the 2013-14 value is between 1 and 25, then the 2014- 15 value must be within plus or minus 8 of that
number.
◦ If the 2013-14 value is between 26 and 100, then the 2014- 15 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.
◦ If the 2013-14 value is greater than 100, then the 2014- 15 value must be within a 20% range of that
number.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 2:
•
•
•

•
•

The number of students in Group 2 must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 1.
If your institution did not  report full-time, first-time students in the IC Header survey, then the number of students in
Group 2 is expected to be 0.
The current year value reported for 2014- 15 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year 2013-14
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the 2013-14 value is between 1 and 25, then the 2014- 15 value must be within plus or minus 8 of that
number.
◦ If the 2013-14 value is between 26 and 100, then the 2014- 15 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.
◦ If the 2013-14 value is greater than 100, then the 2014- 15 value must be within a 20% range of that
number.
If the values reported for Group 1 and Group 2 are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is greater than 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 30% of the
2013-14 value.
If the values reported for Group 1 and Group 2 are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is between 1 and 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 15% of
the 2013-14 value.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 2a:
•
•
•
•

•
•

The number of students in Group 2a must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2.
If the number of students reported for Group 2 is greater than 100, then the number of students reported for Group
2a must be greater than 0.
If the number of students reported for Group 2a is greater than 0, then the sum of students reported for Groups
2b, 3, and 4 must be greater than 0.
The current year value reported for 2014-15 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year 2013-14
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the 2013-14 value is between 1 and 25, then the 2014-15 value must be within plus or minus 8 of that
number.
◦ If the 2013-14 value is between 26 and 100, then the 2014-15 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.
◦ If the 2013-14 value is greater than 100, then the 2014-15 value must be within a 20% range of that
number.
If the values reported for Group 2 and Group 2a are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is greater than 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 30% of the
2013-14 value.
If the values reported for Group 2 and Group 2a are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is between 1 and 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 15% of
the 2013-14 value.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 2b:
•
•

The number of students in Group 2b must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2a.
If the number of students reported for Group 2b is greater than 0, then the sum of students reported for Group 3
and Group 4 must be greater than 0.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 3:
•

The number of students in Group 3 must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2b.

•
•

If the number of students reported for Group 2 is greater than 50, then the number of students reported for Group 3
must be greater than 0.
The current year value reported for 2014-15 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year 2013-14
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the 2013-14 value is between 1 and 2 4, then the 2014-15 value must be between 1 and 30.
◦ If the 2013-14 value is greater than 25, then the 2014-15 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 4:
•
•

The number of students in Group 4 must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2a.
If the number of students reported for Group 2 is greater than 50, then the number of students reported for Group 4
must be greater than 0.

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Part B: Enter Information about Group 1
On this screen, you must report the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded aid and the Total amount of aid
awarded to Group 1 students in 2014-15 for each of the following Aid Types:
•
•
•

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, the institution, and other sources
known to the institution (line 01)
Pell grants (line 02)
Federal student loans (line 03)

Based on the information entered above, the Percentage of Group 1 students who were awarded aid and the Average
amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students are automatically calculated for each aid type upon saving the screen.
The system will perform the following General edits on the data entered:
•
•

For each Aid Type, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded
aid column, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students column must contain a value greater
than 0; and vice versa.
For each Aid Type, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded
aid column, then the calculated Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students must be greater than or
equal to 100.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 01:
•
•
•
•
•

You must enter a value for the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line
01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is expected to be greater
than 0. If your institution is a Public institution, this error is fatal; if your institution is a Private institution, then an
explanation is required.
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is expected to be less
than or equal to the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is expected to be greater
than or equal to 5% of the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is
based on the institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Public, 4-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must be less than $15,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must be less
than $40,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must be less than
$12,000.
◦ If your institution is a Public, 2-year or Public, less-than-2-year institution, then the line 01 average
amount must be less than $8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 2-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must be less
than $10,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 2-year or less-than-2-year institution, then the line 01 average
amount must be less than $8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, less-than-2-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must
be less than $7,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02:

•
•
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be greater than 0. If your
institution is a Public institution, this error is fatal; if your institution is a Private institution, then an explanation is
required.
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be less than or equal to
the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be greater than or equal
to 5% of the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be less than or equal to
the number of students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01).
The Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Pell grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
total amount reported for Grant or scholarship aid (line 01).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Pell grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to
$5,645.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 03:
•
•
•

The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Federal student loans (line 03) should be less than or equal
to the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Federal student loans (line 03) is expected to be greater
than or equal to 5% of the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Federal student loans (line 03) must be less than
$12,000.

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Part C: Enter Information about Group 2
On this screen, you will be asked to enter the Number of Students in Group 2 who were awarded aid in 2014-15 for
each of the following Aid Types:
•

•

Grants or scholarships from federal, state, or local governments, or the institution (line 01)
◦ Federal grants (line 02)
▪
Pell grants (line 02a)
▪
Other Federal grants (line 02b)
◦ State/local government grants or scholarships (grants/scholarships/waivers) (line 03)
◦ Institutional grants or scholarships (scholarships/fellowships) (line 04)
Loans to students (line 05)
◦ Federal loans (line 05a)
◦ Other loans (including private loans) (line05b)

For several of the Aid Types listed above, you will be asked to input the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2
students in 2014-15. Based on this value, the Percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded aid and the
Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students are automatically calculated for each type of aid upon saving the
screen. Your institution's prior year average is displayed for each aid type for your reference.
The system will perform the following General edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•
•

For each Aid Type, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded
aid, then the adjacent Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students column must contain a value greater
than 0; and vice versa.
For each required Aid Type, the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students is expected to be greater than
or equal to $100.
For each Aid Type, the Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students is expected to be within a 20%
range of the PY Average amount.
The number of students in Group 2b must be less than or equal to the sum of the Number of Group 2
students who were awarded Grants or scholarships (line 01) and those who were awarded Loans (line 05).
If the total number of students in Group 2b is greater than 0, then the sum of the following categories must also be
greater than 0:
◦ Federal grants (line 02)
◦ State/local government grants or scholarships (line 03)
◦ Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04)
◦ Loans to students (line 05)

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 01:
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Grants or scholarships (line 01) is expected to be greater
than or equal to 15% of the total number of students in Group 2 (Part A, Line 02).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal
to the total number of students in Group 2b (Part A, Line 02b).

•
•
•
•

•

•

•

•

If your institution is a Public institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Grants or
scholarships (line 01) is expected to be greater than or equal to the total number of students in Group 3 (Part A,
Line 03).
If your institution is a Private institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Grants or
scholarships (line 01) is expected to equal to the total number of students in Group 3 (Part A, Line 03).
The Number of Group 2 students who received Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal to the
sum of students reported for Federal grants (line 02), State/local grants (line 03), and Institutional grants (line
04).
If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Number of students in Group 1 who were awarded Grant or
scholarship aid in Part B is greater than 0, then the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded aid for
Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than the number reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group
1 in Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Number of students in Group 1 who were
awarded Grant or scholarship aid in Part B is greater than 0, then the Number of Group 2 students who were
awarded aid for Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal to the number reported for the
corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Grant or
scholarship aid  in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for
Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than the number reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group
1 in Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2
students for Grant or scholarship aid  in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to
Group 2 students for Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal to the number reported for the
corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students (as calculated in line 01) is based on the
institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Public, 4-year institution, then the Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2
students must be less than $15,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 4-year institution, then the Average amount of aid awarded to
Group 2 students must be less than $40,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the Average amount of aid awarded to
Group 2 students must be less than $12,000.
◦ If your institution is a Public, 2-year or Public, less-than-2-year  institution, then the Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 2 students must be less than $8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 2-year institution, then the Average amount of aid awarded to
Group 2 students must be less than $10,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 2-year or less-than-2-year institution, then the Average amount of
aid awarded to Group 2 students must be less than $8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, less-than-2-year institution, then then the Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 2 students must be less than $7,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02:
•
•
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) is expected to be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
total number of students in Group 2b (Part A, Line 02b).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
sum of the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) and Other federal grants (line
02b). 
The sum of the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students reported for Pell grants (line 02a) and Other
Federal grants (line 02b) must be greater than 0.
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Federal grants (line 02) is expected to be less
than $10,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02a:
•
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) is expected to be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) is expected to be greater than or equal
to 5% of the total number of students in Group 2 (Part A, Line 02).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) is expected to be less than or equal to
the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) must be less than or equal to the
number of students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02).
If you indicated in Part A that all undergraduates at your institution are full-time, first-time students, then the
number of students in Group 1 who receive Pell grants (Part B, Line 02) must be equal to the number of students
in Group 2 who receive Pell grants (Part C, Line 02a).

•
•

•

If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 for Pell grants in Part B is
greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Pell grants (line 02a) must be
less than the amount reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.  
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 for Pell
grants in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Pell grants
(line 02a) must be less than or equal to the amount reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B
of this component.  
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Pell grants (line 02a) should be less than or equal
to $5,645.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02b:
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Other Federal grants (line 02b) is expected to be less than
or equal to the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Other Federal grants (line 02b) must be less than or equal
to the number of students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Other Federal grants (line 02b) should be less
than $10,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 03:
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded State/local government grants or scholarships (line
03) must be less than or equal to the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded State/local government grants or scholarships (line 03)
must be less than or equal to the total number of students in Group 2b.
If your institution is a Public, 4-year or Public, 2-year institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who were
awarded State/local government grants or scholarships (line 03) is expected to be greater than 0.
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for State/local government grants or
scholarships (line 03) is based on the institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Public, 4-year or 2-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less than
$4,000.
◦ If your institution is a Public, less-than-2-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less than
$8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less
than $4,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 2-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less
than $6,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, less-than-2-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must
be less than $8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less than
$10,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 04:
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04) must be less
than or equal to the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04) must be less
than or equal to the total number of students in Group 2b.
If your institution is a Public, 4-year or Public, 2-year institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who were
awarded Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04) is expected to be greater than 0.
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Institutional grants or scholarships
(line 04) is based on the institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Public, 4-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less than $10,000.
◦ If your institution is a Public, 2-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less than $4,000.
◦ If your institution is a Public, less-than-2-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less than
$5,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less
than $10,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less than
$8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private, 2-year or Private, less-than-2-year institution, then the line 04 average
amount must be less than $10,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 05:
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05) must be less than
or equal to the total number of students in Group 2b (Part A, Line 02b).

•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05) must be less than
or equal to the total number of students in Group 2a.
If your institution is a Public or Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the Number of students who were awarded
and accepted Loans to students (line 05) is expected to be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Loans to students (line 05) must be less than or equal to
the sum of the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal loans (line 05a) and Other loans (line
05b). 
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Loans to students (line 05) should be less than
$21,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 05a:
•
•
•
•

•

•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Federal loans (line 05a) must be less than or
equal to the number who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05).
If your institution is a Public or Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who
were awarded and accepted Federal loans (line 05a) is expected to be greater than 0.
If the number of students reported for Group 1 is greater than 0, and that number is equal to the number of students
reported for Group 2, then the Number of students in Group 2 who were awarded Federal loans (line 05a) must
be equal to the amount reported for Federal loans in Group 1 (Part B).
If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Federal
student loans in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for
Federal loans (line 05a) must be less than the amount reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in
Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1
students for Federal student loans in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group
2 students for Federal loans (line 05a) must be less than or equal to the amount reported for the corresponding
type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Federal loans (line 05a) should be less than
$12,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 05b:
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Other loans (line 05b) must be less than or
equal to the number who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Other loans (line 05b) should be less than
$30,000.

Part C - Comparison Chart
The comparison chart displays the amounts entered for Pell Grants and Federal Student Loans in Group 1 and Group 2 for
each of the following data items:
•
•
•
•

Number of students who were awarded aid
Percentage who were awarded aid
Total amount of aid awarded
Average amount of aid awarded

Based on the data entered, All other undergraduate amounts (Group 1 - Group 2) are calculated for each data item listed
above. The number of students in each group is preloaded for your reference.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•

For each of the data items, the amount calculated for Pell Grants cannot be negative.
For each of the data items, the amount calculated for Federal Student Loans cannot be negative.

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Cost of Attendance
On this screen, you must review the cost of attendance data for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students at
your institution for academic years 2012-13 (PPY - prior prior year), 2013-14 (PY - prior year), and 2014-15 (CY - current
year). The CIP Code and Title of your institution's largest program are available for your reference.
Note: Edits will only be performed on this screen if updates are made.
For the first section, you must review published tuition and required fees charges for the entire length of the largest program.
All amounts will be preloaded from the current year Institutional Characteristics survey. Amounts may be corrected, as
needed.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•

For academic year PY, a value is expected to be reported for Tuition and required fees.

•
•
•
•
•

For academic years PPY and PY, the value reported for Tuition and required fees is expected to be greater than
$500.
For academic year CY, if your institution previously reported a value between $0 and $500 for  Tuition and required
fees in the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For academic year CY, if your institution previously reported a value greater than $500 for  Tuition and required
fees in the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $500.
For academic years PY and CY, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the more
recent value reported for Tuition and required fees is expected to be within a 20% range of the prior year amount.
For each academic year, if the amount of Room and board and Other expenses is greater than 0, then amount
entered for Tuition + fees total is also expected to be greater than 0.

For the second section, you must review the amounts reported for Books and supplies a typical student at your institution
should expect to pay for the entire length of the largest program. All amounts will be preloaded from the current year
Institutional Characteristics survey. Amounts may be corrected, as needed.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•

For academic year PY, a value is expected to be reported for Books and supplies.
For each academic year, the amount entered for Books and supplies is expected to be greater than $100.
For academic year CY, if your institution previously reported a value greater than $0 for Books and supplies in the
Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For academic years PY and CY, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the more
recent value reported for Books and supplies is expected to be within a 25% range of the prior year value.

For the last section of this screen, you must review the reported cost of room and board and estimated other expenses (e.g.,
laundry, transportation, entertainment, etc.) for 4 weeks. The living arrangements shown may vary to include any or all of On
campus, Off campus (not with family), and Off campus (with family). The available options will depend on the answers
given in the current year Institutional Characteristics survey. All amounts will be preloaded from the current year Institutional
Characteristics survey. Amounts may be corrected, as needed.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for each applicable living arrangement:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

For academic year PY, a value is expected to be reported for Room and board.
For academic year PY, the amount entered for Room and board is expected to be between $300 and $2000.
For academic year CY, if your institution previously reported a value between $0 and $299 for Room and board in
the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For academic year CY if your institution previously reported a value greater than $300 for Room and board in the
Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $300.
For academic year CY, the amount entered for Room and board must be less than or equal to $2000.
For PY and CY, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the more recent value
reported for Room and board is expected to be within a 20% range of the prior year value.
For academic year PY, a value is expected to be reported for Other expenses.
For academic year PY, the amount entered for Other expenses is expected to be between $50 and $250.
For academic year CY, if your institution previously reported a value between $0 and $49 for Other expenses in the
Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For academic year CY, if your institution previously reported a value greater than or equal to $50 for Other
expenses in the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than or equal to
$50.
For academic year CY, the amount entered for On-campus Other expenses must be less than or equal to $400.
For academic year CY, the amount entered for Off -campus Other expenses must be less than or equal to $700.
For PY and CY, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the more recent value
reported for Other expenses is expected to be within a 20% range of the prior year value.

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Part D: Enter Information about Group 3
On this screen, you must report the number of Group 3 (line 01) students (full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled in your institution's largest program who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution) with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant
and scholarship aid awarded to these students for academic years 2012-13 (PPY - prior prior year), 2013-14 (PY - prior year),
and 2014-15 (CY - current year).
Note: For existing institutions, the prior year (PY and PPY) values are preloaded from the prior year Student Financial Aid
survey. Please review this information and make changes, as needed. New institutions must provide data for all years.
You must first report the number of Group 3 students for the PY and PPY academic years. For your reference, this value for
the current year will be preloaded from Part A.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 3:
•
•

For the PY and PPY academic years, the number of students reported across all living arrangements must be equal to
the total number of Group 3 students reported for that year.
For the PY academic year, the total number of Group 3 students reported must be within a certain range of the PPY
value, as outlined below:

◦
◦

If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
If the PPY  value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.

For each academic year, you must report the number of Group 3 students with the following living arrangements, as
applicable to your institution:
•
•
•

On-campus (line 01a)
Off-campus with family (line 01b)
Off-campus not with family (line 01c)

The number of Group 3 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line 01d) is automatically calculated by the
system based on the numbers entered above.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 01a through 01d:
•
•
•

•
•

•
•

A value must be entered in each field for lines 01a, 01b, and 01c, as applicable to your institution.
For the CY academic year, the number of Group 3 students reported across all living arrangements in Part D must be
equal to the total number of Group 3 students reported in Part A.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the CY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 an d 24, then the CY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 24, then the CY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For the CY and PY academic years, if you reported a value of 0 for the previous year, and a value greater than 0 for
the subsequent academic year, then you must confirm that the more recent value is correct.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the PY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PPY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the P PY value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For the CY academic year, the number of Group 3 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line
01d) should be less than or equal to 30% of the total number of Group 3 students for that same year (line 01).
For each academic year, the number of Group 3 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line 01d) must
be greater than or equal to 0. If this is not the case, you must adjust the number of students entered in lines 01a
through 01c so that the sum of the values in this column is less than or equal to the total number of students reported
for that year in Group 3.

Additionally, you must Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students (line 02) for each applicable academic year. The system
will then calculate the Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or
the institution awarded to Group 3 students (line 03) based on the reported values.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02:
•
•
•
•

•

A value must be entered in each field, as applicable to your institution.
For the CY and PY academic years, the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3
students (line 02) is expected to be greater than or equal to $100.
If you reported a value of 0 for the previous year, and a value greater than 0 for the subsequent academic year, then
you must confirm that the more recent value is correct.
For the CY academic year, if the number of Group 3 students is equal to the number of Group 2 students (as reported
in Part A), then the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students (line 02) must be
equal to the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 2 students (Part C, Page 2, Line 01,
Column 3).
For the CY academic year, if the number of Group 3 students is less than the number of Group 2 students (as
reported in Part A), then the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students (line 02)
must be less than the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 2 students (Part C, Page 2, Line
01, Column 3).

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 03:
•
•
•
•

For each academic year, the Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) must be greater than or equal to $100.
For the CY and PY academic years, the Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) must be within a 26% range of
the previous year's value.
For the CY and PY academic years, if the Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) is within a 25% range of the
previous year's value, then line 03 is expected to be within a 15% range of the previous year's value.
For the CY academic year, the expected Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) is based on the institution type,
as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Public, 4-year institution, then the Average grant or scholarship aid is expected be
less than $15,000.
◦ If your institution is a Public, 2-year or less-than-2-year institution, then the Average grant or scholarship
aid is expected be less than $8,000.

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Part E: Enter Information about Group 4
On this screen, you must report the number of Group 4 students (full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled in your institution's largest program who were awarded Title IV federal student aid) with each type of
living arrangement and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to these students for academic years 2012-13
(PPY - prior prior year), 2013-14 (PY - prior year), and 2014-15 (CY - current year).
Note: For existing institutions, the prior year (PY and PPY) values are preloaded from the prior year Student Financial Aid
survey. Please review this information and make changes, as needed. New institutions must provide data for all years.
You must first report the number of Group 4 students for the PY and PPY academic years. For your reference, this value for
the current year will be preloaded from Part A.
The system will perform the following edit on the data entered for Group 4:
•
•

For the PY and PPY academic years, the number of students reported across all living arrangements must be equal to
the total number of Group 4 students reported for that year.
For the PY academic year, the total number of Group 3 students reported must be within a certain range of the PPY
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.

For each academic year, you must report the number of Group 4 students with the following living arrangements, as
applicable to your institution:
•
•
•

On-campus (line 01a)
Off-campus (with family) (line 01b)
Off-campus (not with family) (line 01c)

The number of Group 4 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line 01d) is automatically calculated by the
system based on the numbers entered above.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 01a through 01d:
•
•
•
•
•

•

•
•
•

A value must be entered in each field for lines 01a, 01b, and 01c, as applicable to your institution.
For the CY academic year, the number of students entered across all applicable living arrangements (lines 01a
through 01d) must equal the total Group 4 amount for that year.
For the PY academic year, the number of Group 4 students reported in Part E is expected to be with a 5% range of
the Fall 2013 value reported for Group 4 in Part A of the prior year Student Financial Aid survey.
For the PPY academic year, the number of Group 4 students reported in Part E is expected to be with a 5% range of
the Fall 2012 value reported for Group 4 in Part A of the prior-prior year Student Financial Aid survey.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the CY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 and 24, then the CY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 24, then the CY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the PY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PPY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For the CY and PY academic years, if you reported a value of 0 for the previous year, and a value greater than 0 for
the subsequent academic year, then you must confirm that the more recent value is correct.
For the CY academic year, the number of Group 4 students whose living arrangements were Unknown (line 01d)
should be less than or equal to 30% of the total number of Group 4 students for that same year.
The number of Group 4 students whose living arrangements were Unknown (line 01d) must be greater than or equal
to 0. If this is not the case, you must adjust the number of students entered in lines 01a through 01c so that the sum
of the values in this column is less than or equal to the total number of students in Group 4.

Additionally, you must 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 grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4
students from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution (column 3) for the following
income levels for the PPY (section 2), PY (section 3), and CY (section 4) academic years:
•
•
•
•
•

$0-30,000 (line a)
$30,001-48,000 (line b)
$48,001-75,000 (line c)
$75,001-110,000 (line d)
$110,001 and more (line e)

A Total all income levels (line f) value is calculated for each column, and the Average amount of grant or scholarship
aid awarded to Group 4 students from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution (column
4) is calculated for each income level, based on the numbers entered above.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for sections 02, 03, and 04:
•
•
•
•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•
•
•

For each academic year, the total Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid for all
income levels (line f, column 1) should be equal to the total number of students reported for that academic year in
Group 4.
For each academic year and income level, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 4 students
who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1), then a value greater than 0 must also be entered for the Total
amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded (column 3); and vice versa.
For each academic year and income level, 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) must be
less than or equal to the Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1).
For each academic year and income level, if 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) is
greater than 0, then Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students (column 3) must
be greater than 0.
For each academic year and income level, if 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) is equal
to 0, then Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students (column 3) must be equal to
0.
For each academic year, if the number of students who were awarded grants or scholarships form the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution in Part C, Line 01 is greater than 0, then 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) is expected to be greater than 0.
For the CY academic year, the Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1) is
expected to be within a certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 and 19, then the CY value is expected to be within plus or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 19, then the CY value is expected to be within a 25% range of that value.
For the CY academic year, 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) is expected to be within a
certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 and 19, then the CY value is expected to be within plus or minus 10 of that value.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 19, then the CY value is expected to be within a 45% range of that value.
For the PY academic year, the Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1) is
expected to be within a certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 19, then the PY value is expected to be within plus or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 19, then the PY value is expected to be within a 25% range of that value.
For the PY academic year, 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) is expected to be within a
certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 19, then the PY value is expected to be within plus or minus 10 of that
value.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 19, then the PY value is expected to be within a 45% range of that value.
For the CY and PY academic years, the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students
reported across all income levels (line f, column 3) is expected to be within a 25% range of the previous year's
amount.
For the CY academic year, the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students reported
across all income levels (line 04f, column 3) should be less than or equal to the Total amount of grant or
scholarship aid awarded to Group 2 students (Part C, Line 01, Column 3).
For each income level, the Average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students is
expected to be greater at lower income levels than at higher ones.

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Part F: Net Price Calculation for Group 3
The worksheet in this section displays information compiled from data reported by your institution in this Student Financial Aid
component. Based on this information, the system computes the Weighted average for room and board and other
expenses by living arrangement, the Total cost of attendance, the Average amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 3 students from the federal government, state/local government, and the institution, and
the Average institutional net price for Group 3 students. This information is 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 system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•

For each academic year, the Average institutional net price for Group 3 students (line 08) cannot be negative. If
an average of less than 0 is calculated, then you must fix it by adjusting your entries in the previous sections of this
survey. If the calculated average is correct, you must enter an explanation for why this is true. In addition, you may
wish to add information in the context box at the bottom of the screen. 

•

If you selected Yes to indicate that you wish to provide additional context for these data, you must enter the desired
information in the space provided. If you no longer wish to provide additional context notes, please change your
response to No.

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Part G: Net Price Calculation for Group 4
The worksheet in this section displays information compiled from data reported by your institution in this Student Financial Aid
component. Based on this information, the system computes the Weighted average for room and board and other
expenses by living arrangement, the Total cost of attendance by income level, the Average amount of grant or
scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students from the federal government, state/local government, and the
institution total and by income level, and the Average institutional net price for Group 4 students. This information is
then included on the U.S. Department of Education's College Navigator website.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•

•

For 2014-15, the Average institutional net price for Group 4 students (line 08) for each income level cannot be
negative. If an average of less than 0 is calculated, then you must fix it by adjusting your entries in the previous
sections of the survey. If the calculated average is correct, you must enter an explanation for why this is true. In
addition, you may wish to add information in the context box at the bottom of the screen.
If you selected Yes to indicate that you wish to provide additional context for these data, you must enter the desired
information in the space provided. If you no longer wish to provide additional context notes, please change your
response to No.

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Section 2: Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits (NEW)
On this screen, you must provide information related to your institution's veteran's benefits. The data reported for the Post9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic year, from July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015 for undergraduate and
graduate students, as applicable to your institution. The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance
Program questions should be for the prior academic year, from October 1, 2014-September 30, 2015 for undergraduate and
graduate students, as applicable to your institution. 

Undergraduate Only
Applicable to institutions that enroll only undergraduate students, but not graduate students
Enter the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance and the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution for the following types of benefit/assistance:
•
•

Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•

For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Number of students receiving
benefits/assistance.
For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution.
For each type of benefit/assistance, if the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance is greater than 0,
then the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution must be greater than 0.

Undergraduate and Graduate
Applicable to institutions that enroll both undergraduate and graduate students
Enter the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance and the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution for the following types of benefit/assistance:
Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
•
•

Undergraduate
Graduate

Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program
•
•

Undergraduate
Graduate

Based on the data entered, the system will calculate the total number of students and the total dollar amount for each type of
benefit/assistance.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:

•
•
•

For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Number of students receiving
benefits/assistance.
For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution.
For each type of benefit/assistance, if the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance is greater than 0,
then the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution must be greater than 0.

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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Form

date: 1/13/2016

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 2015-16 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 students paying 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 students paying the
in-state or in-district tuition rate.
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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
To access your prior year data submission for this component: Reported Data

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, 2014YOUR
June 30, 2015 PRIOR YEAR
DATA
2013-14
01 Group 1
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 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 enrolled any time during
academic year 2014-15.
For this part, report:
For These Students
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
•

•
Grant or scholarship aid
Any time during academic
from the federal
year 2014-15 (the aid year
government
period from July 1, 2014
through June 30, 2015)
•
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
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.
All undergraduate
students

•

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

2014-15

2014-15
Number of Group
Percentage of Total amount of aid Average amount
1 students who Group 1 students awarded to Group of aid awarded to
were awarded aid who were awarded
1 students
Group 1 students
aid

01 Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government, state/local
government, the institution, and
other sources known to the
institution
02 Pell grants
03 Federal student loans
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description.
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context
notes
may
beon
posted
the
College
Navigator
website.
of
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You may use the space below to provide context for data you've reported above. These context notes may

be posted on the College Navigator website and should be written to be understood by students and parents.

Section 1: Part C 
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/certificateseeking undergraduate students enrolled any time during academic year 2014-15.
For this part, report:
The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
•
•
Grant or scholarship
Any time during
aid from the federal
academic year
government
2014-15
•
•
Grant or scholarship
For program
aid from state/local
reporters, this is
government
the aid year
period from July
•
Grant or scholarship
1, 2014 through
aid from the
June 30, 2015.
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
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.
•

For These Students
Full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking undergraduate students
enrolled any time during academic year
2014-15

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

2014-15

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
Aid Type

01 Grants or scholarships from the
federal government, state/local
government, or the institution
02 Federal grants

03

02a

Pell grants

02b

Other federal grants

YOUR
PRIOR YEAR
DATA
2014-15
2013-14
Number of
Percentage of Total amount
Average
Average
Group 2
Group 2
of aid awarded amount of amount of
students who students who
to Group 2 aid awarded aid awarded
were awarded were awarded
students
to Group 2 to Group 2
aid
aid
students
students

State/local government grants or
scholarships
(grants/scholarships/waivers)
04 Institutional grants or scholarships
(scholarships/fellowships)
05 Loans to students

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context
notes
may
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posted
the
College
Navigator.
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05a

Federal loans

05b

Other loans (including
private loans)

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes

may be posted on the College Navigator website and 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
above.

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, firsttime 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
Pell grants
Federal Student
Loans
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 Average amount of aid awarded
11 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)

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
2012-13
Tuition and required fees for the
entire program

2013-14

2014-15

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
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
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

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/certificateseeking undergraduate students enrolled in your institution’s largest program any time during academic year 2014-15
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
•
•
•
Full-time, first-time
Grant or scholarship aid from the
Any time during
degree/certificate-seeking
federal government
academic year
undergraduate students
2014-15 (the aid
•
Grant or scholarship aid from
enrolled in your institution’s
year period from
state/local government
largest program who were
July 1, 2014
•
Grant or scholarship aid from the
awarded grant or
through June 30,
institution
scholarship aid from the
2015)
•
Do not include grant or
following sources: the
scholarship aid from private or
federal government,
other sources
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
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
CIP Code
Title
Information from Part A:

2014-15

YOUR
YOUR PRIOR
PRIOR
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2013-14
2012-13

2014-15

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

YOUR
YOUR PRIOR
PRIOR
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2012-13
2013-14

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]
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.

2014-15

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/certificateseeking undergraduate students enrolled in your institution’s largest program any time during academic year 2014-15
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
Awarded in This Period
• Full-time, first-time
•
•
Grant or scholarship aid from:
Any time during
degree/certificate-seeking
academic year 2014◦ federal government
undergraduate students
15 (the aid year
◦ state/local government
enrolled in your
period from July 1,
◦ institution
institution’s largest
2014 through June
•
Do not include:
program who were
30, 2015)
◦  grant or scholarship aid
awarded any Title IV
from private or other
federal student aid
sources
◦ loan amounts
◦ Federal Work Study
amounts
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
YOUR PRIOR
2014-15
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2012-13
2013-14
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

02

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

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2012-13

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
2013-14

2014-15

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
Of those in
Average
students who Column 1, the Column 1, the
amount of
were
number who total amount of
federal,
awarded any were awarded
grant or
state/local,
Title IV aid
any grant or
scholarship aid
and
(Group 4) scholarship aid awarded from institutional
from the
the following
grant or
following
sources: the
scholarship
sources: the
federal
aid awarded
federal
government,
to Group 4
government,
state/local
students
state/local
government, or
government, or the institution
the institution
2012-13
Col. 1
Col. 2
Col. 3
Col. 4

Income level
02a
02b

$0-30,000
$30,001-48,000

02c

$48,001-75,000

02d

$75,001-110,000

02e

$110,001 and
more
Total all income
levels

02f

2013-14
03

Income level
03a

Col. 2

Col. 1

Col. 2

Col. 3

Col. 4

Col. 3

Col. 4

$0-30,000

03b

$30,001-48,000

03c

$48,001-75,000

03d

$75,001-110,000

03e

$110,001 and
more
Total all income
levels

03f

Col. 1

2014-15
04

Income level
04a

$0-30,000

04b

$30,001-48,000

04c

$48,001-75,000

04d

$75,001-110,000

04e

$110,001 and
more
04f
Total all income
levels
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.

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
YOUR PRIOR
2014-15
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2012-13
2013-14
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
05 Weighted average for room and board and other
expenses by living arrangement (excluding unknown
values)
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: [F06F07]
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.
Do you wish to provide additional context notes?
No
Image
description.
These
context
notes
may
beon
posted
the
College
Navigator.
End of image
description.

Yes

You may use the space below to provide context for these data. These context notes may be posted on the

College Navigator website and should be written to be understood by students and parents.

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
YOUR PRIOR
2014-15
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2012-13
2013-14
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
05 Weighted average for room and board and other expenses
by living arrangement (excluding unknown values)
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
08 Average institutional net price for Group 4 students
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.
Do you wish to provide additional context notes?
No
Image
description.
These
context
notes
may
beon
posted
the
College
Navigator.
End of image
description.

Yes

You may use the space below to provide context for these data. These context notes may be posted on the

College Navigator website and should be written to be understood by students and parents.

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, 2014 - June 30, 2015 and Report for Department
of Defense Tuition Assistance Program: October 1, 2014 - September 30, 2015
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.
Type of
Number of students
Total dollar amount of
Average dollar amount of
benefit/assistance
receiving
benefits/assistance
benefits/assistance
benefits/assistance
awarded
awarded
through the institution
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
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 1/13/2016

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 A - Establish Your Groups
Part B - Financial Aid About Group 1
Part C - Enter Financial Aid About Group 2
Part D - Enter Financial Aid About Group 3
Part E - Enter Financial Aid About Group 4
Part F - Net Price Calculation for Group 3
Part 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: [email protected]

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.
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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

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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 indistrict tuition rate. For program reporters, this includes only students enrolled in the institution's largest
program.

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Who Must Report
Institutions that had undergraduate students enrolled during the prior academic year must report.
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Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2015-16 data collection period.
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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.
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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 [email protected]) for
resolution.
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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 Director 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.
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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, part-time 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
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
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
•
Work Study
•
Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL
Stafford Loan

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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

Prior Academic Year
Carried forward from Part A

(This number is carried forward from Part A,
Line 01)
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.
Column 4. The average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 1 students is calculated
for you.

02.

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.

Context You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. The
Box
information you enter in this context box may be posted on College Navigator and should be

written to be understood by students and parents. Make sure that your entries are free from
grammatical and spelling errors.
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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. 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

The Following Type(s) of Aid

· Grant or scholarship aid from the
federal government
· Grant or scholarship aid from
state/local government

Awarded in This Period

· 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

· 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:
Prior Academic Year
Group 2a
Carried forward from Part A
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
Carried forward from Part A
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)
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
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.

Context You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. For example,
Box
institutions may report in the context box other sources of private aid not included in the
categories above (e.g., Rotary Club Scholarship). The information you enter in this context
box may be posted on College Navigator and should be written to be understood by students
and parents. Make sure that your entries are free from grammatical and spelling errors.

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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

The Following Type(s) of
Aid
·
Full-time, first-time,
·
Grant or scholarship aid
degree/certificate-seeking
from the federal government
undergraduate students
·
Grant or scholarship aid
enrolled in your institution's
from state/local government
largest program who were
·
Grant or scholarship from
awarded grant or scholarship the institution
aid from the following sources: ·
Do not include grant or
the federal government,
scholarship aid from private or
state/local government, or the other sources.
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.

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 government, or the institution
(This number is carried forward from Part A,
Line 03)

YOUR PRIOR YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA
YEAR DATA
2012-13

2013-14

Pre-loaded

Pre-loaded

2014-15

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 oncampus 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 Description
01.
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 off
-campus not with their parents or guardians.
01d.

02.

03.

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description.

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).
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

The Following Type(s) of Aid
Awarded in This Period
· Grant or scholarship aid from · Any time during the prior
the federal government
academic year (the aid year
· Grant or scholarship aid from period from July 1 through June
30)
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.

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
(This number is carried forward from Part A,
Line 04)

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA

YOUR PRIOR
YEAR DATA

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

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 oncampus 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 offcampus 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.

02b.

02c.

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.
$30,001–48,000 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.
$48,001–75,000 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.
$0–30,000

02d.

02e.

02f.

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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.
$75,001–110,000Column 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.
$110,001 and
Column 1. Report the number of Group 4 students in this income
more
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.
Total all income Column 1. The total number of Group 4 students who were
levels
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.
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
01.

Description
Published tuition and required fees

The published tuition and required fees 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.

Context
Box

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. The
information you enter in this context box may be posted on College Navigator and should
be written to be understood by students and parents. Make sure that your entries are free
from grammatical and spelling errors.

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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.
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
01.

Description
Published tuition and required fees

The published tuition and require fees 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.

Context
Box

You may use the space below to provide context for the data you’ve reported. The
information you enter in this context box may be posted on College Navigator and should
be written to be understood by students and parents. Make sure that your entries are free
from grammatical and spelling errors.

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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 201415 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 effectives of
benefits programs and return on investment.
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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.
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Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2015-16 data collection period.
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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 Post-9/11 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 only two of many educational benefits
provided to military servicemembers and veterans. However, from a national prospective, 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 [email protected]) for
resolution.
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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 2015-16 data collection year, the data reported will be July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015.
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 2015-16 data collection year, the data reported
will be October 1, 2014-September 30, 2015.
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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.  
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date: 1/13/2016

Glossary
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 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 institution-level 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 web-based 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 fee 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 for-profit 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.

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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > FAQ

date: 1/13/2016

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 2015-16 collection year?
3) What changes occurred for SFA for the 2015-16 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) What types of financial aid should be reported?
4) What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?
5) Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?
6) Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?
7) Should PLUS loans be reported?
8) What does "aid awarded" mean?
9) If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?
10) Where can I get living arrangement information for students?
11) 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 2014-15 must complete SFA.
Back to top
2) What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2015-16 collection year?
For the 2015-16 data collection, institutions should report data for academic year 2014-15.
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 4-14 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
2014). Second, determine the financial aid that was awarded to these students any time during the 2014-15
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 2015-16 collection year?
For the 2015-16 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 full-time 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.
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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.
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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.

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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.
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3)
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 federallysponsored 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.
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4)
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.
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5)
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.
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6)
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.
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7)
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.
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8)
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
9)
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).
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10) 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.
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11) 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 campusbased 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 income-related 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.
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2015-16 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 1/13/2016

Student Financial Aid for institutions reporting on a full-year cohort (program reporters)
Edit specifications for the 2015-16 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Student Financial Aid (SFA) Component
Applicable to all program reporters
NOTE: The specifications in this document apply to the institutions listed above. Some sections and parts may not
apply to your particular institution. Please read the specifications carefully to determine which sections and/or parts
apply to your institution.
All screens must be completed in order to lock the survey.

Section 1
Part A: Establish Your Groups
Part B: Enter Information about Group 1
Part C: Enter Information about Group 2
Cost of Attendance
Part D: Enter Information about Group 3
Part E: Enter Information about Group 4
Part F: Net Price Calculation for Group 3
Part G: Net Price Calculation for Group 4
Section 2
Military Servicemembers and Veterans Benefits (NEW)
Section 1
Part A: Establish Your Groups
The Higher Education Act (HEA), as amended, requires you to report financial aid data for multiple groups of students. Use
Part A to establish these groups, based on the descriptions below:
•

•
•
•
•
•

Group 1: Report the number of all undergraduate students who were enrolled between July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015.
Include all new and continuing undergraduate students (full-time students, part-time students, degree/certificateseeking students, non-degree/certificate-seeking students, and all others). NOTE: This number will be preloaded
based on the data provided by your institution in the prior year IPEDS Fall Enrollment (PY EF) component, but may
be modified as needed.
Group 2: Of those in Group 1, report the number of students who are full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates.
Group 2a: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students 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.
Group 2b: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students who were awarded any loans to students; or grant or
scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution.
Group 3: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students 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. For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate.
Group 4: Of those in Group 2, report the number of students enrolled in the institution’s largest program who were
awarded Title IV federal student aid. For public institutions, include only those students who paid the in-state or indistrict tuition rate.

The system will perform the following General edits on the data entered:
•
•

A value must be entered for each field on this screen.
The data on this screen will be considered inconsistent and will not be saved if your institution has reported a number
greater than 0 for Group 1, and any of the following is true:
◦ You reported that you have no students in Group 2, but entered a number greater than 0 for Group 2a.
◦ You reported that you have no students in Group 2a, but entered a number greater than 0 for Group 2b.
◦ You reported that you have no students in Group 2b, but entered a number greater than 0 for Group 3 or 4.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 1:
•
•

The current year value reported Group 1 is expected to be equal to the total number of students reported in the
current year 12-month Enrollment survey.
The current year value reported for 2014- 15 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year 2013-14
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the 2013-14 value is between 1 and 25, then the 2014- 15 value must be within plus or minus 8 of that
number.
◦ If the 2013-14 value is between 26 and 100, then the 2014- 15 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.
◦ If the 2013-14 value is greater than 100, then the 2014- 15 value must be within a 20% range of that
number.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 2:
•
•
•

•
•

The number of students in Group 2 must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 1.
If your institution did not  report full-time, first-time students in the IC Header survey, then the number of students in
Group 2 is expected to be 0.
The current year value reported for 2014- 15 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year 2013-14
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the 2013-14 value is between 1 and 25, then the 2014- 15 value must be within plus or minus 8 of that
number.
◦ If the 2013-14 value is between 26 and 100, then the 2014- 15 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.
◦ If the 2013-14 value is greater than 100, then the 2014- 15 value must be within a 20% range of that
number.
If the values reported for Group 1 and Group 2 are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is greater than 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 30% of the
2013-14 value.
If the values reported for Group 1 and Group 2 are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is between 1 and 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 15% of
the 2013-14 value.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 2a:
•
•
•
•

•
•

The number of students in Group 2a must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2.
If the number of students reported for Group 2 is greater than 100, then the number of students reported for Group
2a must be greater than 0.
If the number of students reported for Group 2a is greater than 0, then the sum of students reported for Groups
2b, 3, and 4 must be greater than 0.
The current year value reported for 2014-15 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year 2013-14
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the 2013-14 value is between 1 and 25, then the 2014-15 value must be within plus or minus 8 of that
number.
◦ If the 2013-14 value is between 26 and 100, then the 2014-15 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.
◦ If the 2013-14 value is greater than 100, then the 2014-15 value must be within a 20% range of that
number.
If the values reported for Group 2 and Group 2a are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is greater than 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 30% of the
2013-14 value.
If the values reported for Group 2 and Group 2a are greater than 0, and the calculated percentage of students who
received any aid is between 1 and 30, then the calculated percentage is expected to be within plus or minus 15% of
the 2013-14 value.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 2b:
•
•

The number of students in Group 2b must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2a.
If the number of students reported for Group 2b is greater than 0, then the sum of students reported for Group 3
and Group 4 must be greater than 0.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 3:
•

The number of students in Group 3 must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2b.

•
•

If the number of students reported for Group 2 is greater than 50, then the number of students reported for Group 3
must be greater than 0.
The current year value reported for 2014-15 is expected to be within a certain range of the prior year 2013-14
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the 2013-14 value is between 1 and 2 4, then the 2014-15 value must be between 1 and 30.
◦ If the 2013-14 value is greater than 25, then the 2014-15 value must be within a 30% range of that
number.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 4:
•
•

The number of students in Group 4 must be less than or equal to the number reported for Group 2a.
If the number of students reported for Group 2 is greater than 50, then the number of students reported for Group 4
must be greater than 0.

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Part B: Enter Information about Group 1
On this screen, you must report the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded aid and the Total amount of aid
awarded to Group 1 students in 2014-15 for each of the following Aid Types:
•
•
•

Grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, the institution, and other sources
known to the institution (line 01)
Pell grants (line 02)
Federal student loans (line 03)

Based on the information entered above, the Percentage of Group 1 students who were awarded aid and the Average
amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students are automatically calculated for each aid type upon saving the screen.
The system will perform the following General edits on the data entered:
•
•

For each Aid Type, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded
aid column, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students column must contain a value greater
than 0; and vice versa.
For each Aid Type, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded
aid column, then the calculated Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students must be greater than or
equal to 100.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 01:
•
•
•
•
•

You must enter a value for the Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line
01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is expected to be greater
than 0. If your institution is a Public institution, this error is fatal; if your institution is a Private institution, then an
explanation is required.
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is expected to be less
than or equal to the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is expected to be greater
than or equal to 5% of the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Grant or scholarship aid (line 01) is
based on the institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Public, 4-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must be less than $15,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must be less
than $40,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must be less than
$12,000.
◦ If your institution is a Public, 2-year or Public, less-than-2-year institution, then the line 01 average
amount must be less than $8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 2-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must be less
than $10,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 2-year or less-than-2-year institution, then the line 01 average
amount must be less than $8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, less-than-2-year institution, then the line 01 average amount must
be less than $7,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02:

•
•
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be greater than 0. If your
institution is a Public institution, this error is fatal; if your institution is a Private institution, then an explanation is
required.
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be less than or equal to
the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be greater than or equal
to 5% of the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02) is expected to be less than or equal to
the number of students who were awarded Grant or scholarship aid (line 01).
The Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Pell grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
total amount reported for Grant or scholarship aid (line 01).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Pell grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to
$5,645.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 03:
•
•
•

The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Federal student loans (line 03) should be less than or equal
to the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Number of Group 1 students who were awarded Federal student loans (line 03) is expected to be greater
than or equal to 5% of the total number of students in Group 1 (Part A, Line 01).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Federal student loans (line 03) must be less than
$12,000.

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Part C: Enter Information about Group 2
On this screen, you will be asked to enter the Number of Students in Group 2 who were awarded aid in 2014-15 for
each of the following Aid Types:
•

•

Grants or scholarships from federal, state, or local governments, or the institution (line 01)
◦ Federal grants (line 02)
▪
Pell grants (line 02a)
▪
Other Federal grants (line 02b)
◦ State/local government grants or scholarships (grants/scholarships/waivers) (line 03)
◦ Institutional grants or scholarships (scholarships/fellowships) (line 04)
Loans to students (line 05)
◦ Federal loans (line 05a)
◦ Other loans (including private loans) (line05b)

For several of the Aid Types listed above, you will be asked to input the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2
students in 2014-15. Based on this value, the Percentage of Group 2 students who were awarded aid and the
Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students are automatically calculated for each type of aid upon saving the
screen. Your institution's prior year average is displayed for each aid type for your reference.
The system will perform the following General edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•
•

For each Aid Type, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded
aid, then the adjacent Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students column must contain a value greater
than 0; and vice versa.
For each required Aid Type, the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students is expected to be greater than
or equal to $100.
For each Aid Type, the Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students is expected to be within a 20%
range of the PY Average amount.
The number of students in Group 2b must be less than or equal to the sum of the Number of Group 2
students who were awarded Grants or scholarships (line 01) and those who were awarded Loans (line 05).
If the total number of students in Group 2b is greater than 0, then the sum of the following categories must also be
greater than 0:
◦ Federal grants (line 02)
◦ State/local government grants or scholarships (line 03)
◦ Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04)
◦ Loans to students (line 05)

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 01:
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Grants or scholarships (line 01) is expected to be greater
than or equal to 15% of the total number of students in Group 2 (Part A, Line 02).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal
to the total number of students in Group 2b (Part A, Line 02b).

•
•
•
•

•

•

•

•

If your institution is a Public institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Grants or
scholarships (line 01) is expected to be greater than or equal to the total number of students in Group 3 (Part A,
Line 03).
If your institution is a Private institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Grants or
scholarships (line 01) is expected to equal to the total number of students in Group 3 (Part A, Line 03).
The Number of Group 2 students who received Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal to the
sum of students reported for Federal grants (line 02), State/local grants (line 03), and Institutional grants (line
04).
If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Number of students in Group 1 who were awarded Grant or
scholarship aid in Part B is greater than 0, then the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded aid for
Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than the number reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group
1 in Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Number of students in Group 1 who were
awarded Grant or scholarship aid in Part B is greater than 0, then the Number of Group 2 students who were
awarded aid for Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal to the number reported for the
corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Grant or
scholarship aid  in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for
Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than the number reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group
1 in Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2
students for Grant or scholarship aid  in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to
Group 2 students for Grants or scholarships (line 01) must be less than or equal to the number reported for the
corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students (as calculated in line 01) is based on the
institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Public, 4-year institution, then the Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2
students must be less than $15,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 4-year institution, then the Average amount of aid awarded to
Group 2 students must be less than $40,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the Average amount of aid awarded to
Group 2 students must be less than $12,000.
◦ If your institution is a Public, 2-year or Public, less-than-2-year  institution, then the Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 2 students must be less than $8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 2-year institution, then the Average amount of aid awarded to
Group 2 students must be less than $10,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 2-year or less-than-2-year institution, then the Average amount of
aid awarded to Group 2 students must be less than $8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, less-than-2-year institution, then then the Average amount of aid
awarded to Group 2 students must be less than $7,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02:
•
•
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) is expected to be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
total number of students in Group 2b (Part A, Line 02b).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02) must be less than or equal to the
sum of the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) and Other federal grants (line
02b). 
The sum of the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students reported for Pell grants (line 02a) and Other
Federal grants (line 02b) must be greater than 0.
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Federal grants (line 02) is expected to be less
than $10,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02a:
•
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) is expected to be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) is expected to be greater than or equal
to 5% of the total number of students in Group 2 (Part A, Line 02).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) is expected to be less than or equal to
the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Pell grants (line 02a) must be less than or equal to the
number of students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02).
If you indicated in Part A that all undergraduates at your institution are full-time, first-time students, then the
number of students in Group 1 who receive Pell grants (Part B, Line 02) must be equal to the number of students
in Group 2 who receive Pell grants (Part C, Line 02a).

•
•

•

If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 for Pell grants in Part B is
greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Pell grants (line 02a) must be
less than the amount reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.  
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 for Pell
grants in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Pell grants
(line 02a) must be less than or equal to the amount reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in Part B
of this component.  
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Pell grants (line 02a) should be less than or equal
to $5,645.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02b:
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Other Federal grants (line 02b) is expected to be less than
or equal to the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Other Federal grants (line 02b) must be less than or equal
to the number of students who were awarded Federal grants (line 02).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Other Federal grants (line 02b) should be less
than $10,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 03:
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded State/local government grants or scholarships (line
03) must be less than or equal to the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded State/local government grants or scholarships (line 03)
must be less than or equal to the total number of students in Group 2b.
If your institution is a Public, 4-year or Public, 2-year institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who were
awarded State/local government grants or scholarships (line 03) is expected to be greater than 0.
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for State/local government grants or
scholarships (line 03) is based on the institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Public, 4-year or 2-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less than
$4,000.
◦ If your institution is a Public, less-than-2-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less than
$8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less
than $4,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 2-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less
than $6,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, less-than-2-year institution, then the line 03 average amount must
be less than $8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit institution, then the line 03 average amount must be less than
$10,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 04:
•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04) must be less
than or equal to the number of students who were awarded any Grants or scholarships (line 01).
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04) must be less
than or equal to the total number of students in Group 2b.
If your institution is a Public, 4-year or Public, 2-year institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who were
awarded Institutional grants or scholarships (line 04) is expected to be greater than 0.
The expected Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Institutional grants or scholarships
(line 04) is based on the institution type, as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Public, 4-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less than $10,000.
◦ If your institution is a Public, 2-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less than $4,000.
◦ If your institution is a Public, less-than-2-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less than
$5,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private non-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less
than $10,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the line 04 average amount must be less than
$8,000.
◦ If your institution is a Private, 2-year or Private, less-than-2-year institution, then the line 04 average
amount must be less than $10,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 05:
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05) must be less than
or equal to the total number of students in Group 2b (Part A, Line 02b).

•
•
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05) must be less than
or equal to the total number of students in Group 2a.
If your institution is a Public or Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the Number of students who were awarded
and accepted Loans to students (line 05) is expected to be greater than 0.
The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Loans to students (line 05) must be less than or equal to
the sum of the Number of Group 2 students who were awarded Federal loans (line 05a) and Other loans (line
05b). 
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Loans to students (line 05) should be less than
$21,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 05a:
•
•
•
•

•

•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Federal loans (line 05a) must be less than or
equal to the number who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05).
If your institution is a Public or Private for-profit, 4-year institution, then the Number of Group 2 students who
were awarded and accepted Federal loans (line 05a) is expected to be greater than 0.
If the number of students reported for Group 1 is greater than 0, and that number is equal to the number of students
reported for Group 2, then the Number of students in Group 2 who were awarded Federal loans (line 05a) must
be equal to the amount reported for Federal loans in Group 1 (Part B).
If your institution is a 4-year institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1 students for Federal
student loans in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for
Federal loans (line 05a) must be less than the amount reported for the corresponding type of aid for Group 1 in
Part B of this component.
If your institution is a 2-year or less-than-2-year  institution, and the Total amount of aid awarded to Group 1
students for Federal student loans in Part B is greater than 0, then the Total amount of aid awarded to Group
2 students for Federal loans (line 05a) must be less than or equal to the amount reported for the corresponding
type of aid for Group 1 in Part B of this component.
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Federal loans (line 05a) should be less than
$12,000.

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 05b:
•
•

The Number of Group 2 students who were awarded and accepted Other loans (line 05b) must be less than or
equal to the number who were awarded and accepted Loans to students (line 05).
The Average amount of aid awarded to Group 2 students for Other loans (line 05b) should be less than
$30,000.

Part C - Comparison Chart
The comparison chart displays the amounts entered for Pell Grants and Federal Student Loans in Group 1 and Group 2 for
each of the following data items:
•
•
•
•

Number of students who were awarded aid
Percentage who were awarded aid
Total amount of aid awarded
Average amount of aid awarded

Based on the data entered, All other undergraduate amounts (Group 1 - Group 2) are calculated for each data item listed
above. The number of students in each group is preloaded for your reference.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•

For each of the data items, the amount calculated for Pell Grants cannot be negative.
For each of the data items, the amount calculated for Federal Student Loans cannot be negative.

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Cost of Attendance
On this screen, you must review the cost of attendance data for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students at
your institution for academic years 2012-13 (PPY - prior prior year), 2013-14 (PY - prior year), and 2014-15 (CY - current
year). The CIP Code and Title of your institution's largest program are available for your reference.
Note: Edits will only be performed on this screen if updates are made.
For the first section, you must review published tuition and required fees charges for the entire length of the largest program.
All amounts will be preloaded from the current year Institutional Characteristics survey. Amounts may be corrected, as
needed.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•

For academic year PY, a value is expected to be reported for Tuition and required fees.

•
•
•
•
•

For academic years PPY and PY, the value reported for Tuition and required fees is expected to be greater than
$500.
For academic year CY, if your institution previously reported a value between $0 and $500 for  Tuition and required
fees in the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For academic year CY, if your institution previously reported a value greater than $500 for  Tuition and required
fees in the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $500.
For academic years PY and CY, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the more
recent value reported for Tuition and required fees is expected to be within a 20% range of the prior year amount.
For each academic year, if the amount of Room and board and Other expenses is greater than 0, then amount
entered for Tuition + fees total is also expected to be greater than 0.

For the second section, you must review the amounts reported for Books and supplies a typical student at your institution
should expect to pay for the entire length of the largest program. All amounts will be preloaded from the current year
Institutional Characteristics survey. Amounts may be corrected, as needed.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•
•

For academic year PY, a value is expected to be reported for Books and supplies.
For each academic year, the amount entered for Books and supplies is expected to be greater than $100.
For academic year CY, if your institution previously reported a value greater than $0 for Books and supplies in the
Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For academic years PY and CY, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the more
recent value reported for Books and supplies is expected to be within a 25% range of the prior year value.

For the last section of this screen, you must review the reported cost of room and board and estimated other expenses (e.g.,
laundry, transportation, entertainment, etc.) for 4 weeks. The living arrangements shown may vary to include any or all of On
campus, Off campus (not with family), and Off campus (with family). The available options will depend on the answers
given in the current year Institutional Characteristics survey. All amounts will be preloaded from the current year Institutional
Characteristics survey. Amounts may be corrected, as needed.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for each applicable living arrangement:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

For academic year PY, a value is expected to be reported for Room and board.
For academic year PY, the amount entered for Room and board is expected to be between $300 and $2000.
For academic year CY, if your institution previously reported a value between $0 and $299 for Room and board in
the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For academic year CY if your institution previously reported a value greater than $300 for Room and board in the
Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $300.
For academic year CY, the amount entered for Room and board must be less than or equal to $2000.
For PY and CY, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the more recent value
reported for Room and board is expected to be within a 20% range of the prior year value.
For academic year PY, a value is expected to be reported for Other expenses.
For academic year PY, the amount entered for Other expenses is expected to be between $50 and $250.
For academic year CY, if your institution previously reported a value between $0 and $49 for Other expenses in the
Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than $0.
For academic year CY, if your institution previously reported a value greater than or equal to $50 for Other
expenses in the Institutional Characteristics survey, then the amount reported here must be greater than or equal to
$50.
For academic year CY, the amount entered for On-campus Other expenses must be less than or equal to $400.
For academic year CY, the amount entered for Off -campus Other expenses must be less than or equal to $700.
For PY and CY, if a value greater than 0 is reported for both the current and prior year, then the more recent value
reported for Other expenses is expected to be within a 20% range of the prior year value.

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Part D: Enter Information about Group 3
On this screen, you must report the number of Group 3 (line 01) students (full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled in your institution's largest program who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution) with each type of living arrangement and the total amount of grant
and scholarship aid awarded to these students for academic years 2012-13 (PPY - prior prior year), 2013-14 (PY - prior year),
and 2014-15 (CY - current year).
Note: For existing institutions, the prior year (PY and PPY) values are preloaded from the prior year Student Financial Aid
survey. Please review this information and make changes, as needed. New institutions must provide data for all years.
You must first report the number of Group 3 students for the PY and PPY academic years. For your reference, this value for
the current year will be preloaded from Part A.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for Group 3:
•
•

For the PY and PPY academic years, the number of students reported across all living arrangements must be equal to
the total number of Group 3 students reported for that year.
For the PY academic year, the total number of Group 3 students reported must be within a certain range of the PPY
value, as outlined below:

◦
◦

If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
If the PPY  value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.

For each academic year, you must report the number of Group 3 students with the following living arrangements, as
applicable to your institution:
•
•
•

On-campus (line 01a)
Off-campus with family (line 01b)
Off-campus not with family (line 01c)

The number of Group 3 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line 01d) is automatically calculated by the
system based on the numbers entered above.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 01a through 01d:
•
•
•

•
•

•
•

A value must be entered in each field for lines 01a, 01b, and 01c, as applicable to your institution.
For the CY academic year, the number of Group 3 students reported across all living arrangements in Part D must be
equal to the total number of Group 3 students reported in Part A.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the CY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 an d 24, then the CY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 24, then the CY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For the CY and PY academic years, if you reported a value of 0 for the previous year, and a value greater than 0 for
the subsequent academic year, then you must confirm that the more recent value is correct.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the PY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PPY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the P PY value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For the CY academic year, the number of Group 3 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line
01d) should be less than or equal to 30% of the total number of Group 3 students for that same year (line 01).
For each academic year, the number of Group 3 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line 01d) must
be greater than or equal to 0. If this is not the case, you must adjust the number of students entered in lines 01a
through 01c so that the sum of the values in this column is less than or equal to the total number of students reported
for that year in Group 3.

Additionally, you must Report the total amount of grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local
government, or the institution awarded to Group 3 students (line 02) for each applicable academic year. The system
will then calculate the Average grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or
the institution awarded to Group 3 students (line 03) based on the reported values.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 02:
•
•
•
•

•

A value must be entered in each field, as applicable to your institution.
For the CY and PY academic years, the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3
students (line 02) is expected to be greater than or equal to $100.
If you reported a value of 0 for the previous year, and a value greater than 0 for the subsequent academic year, then
you must confirm that the more recent value is correct.
For the CY academic year, if the number of Group 3 students is equal to the number of Group 2 students (as reported
in Part A), then the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students (line 02) must be
equal to the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 2 students (Part C, Page 2, Line 01,
Column 3).
For the CY academic year, if the number of Group 3 students is less than the number of Group 2 students (as
reported in Part A), then the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students (line 02)
must be less than the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 2 students (Part C, Page 2, Line
01, Column 3).

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for line 03:
•
•
•
•

For each academic year, the Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) must be greater than or equal to $100.
For the CY and PY academic years, the Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) must be within a 26% range of
the previous year's value.
For the CY and PY academic years, if the Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) is within a 25% range of the
previous year's value, then line 03 is expected to be within a 15% range of the previous year's value.
For the CY academic year, the expected Average grant or scholarship aid (line 03) is based on the institution type,
as outlined below:
◦ If your institution is a Public, 4-year institution, then the Average grant or scholarship aid is expected be
less than $15,000.
◦ If your institution is a Public, 2-year or less-than-2-year institution, then the Average grant or scholarship
aid is expected be less than $8,000.

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Part E: Enter Information about Group 4
On this screen, you must report the number of Group 4 students (full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking
undergraduates enrolled in your institution's largest program who were awarded Title IV federal student aid) with each type of
living arrangement and the total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to these students for academic years 2012-13
(PPY - prior prior year), 2013-14 (PY - prior year), and 2014-15 (CY - current year).
Note: For existing institutions, the prior year (PY and PPY) values are preloaded from the prior year Student Financial Aid
survey. Please review this information and make changes, as needed. New institutions must provide data for all years.
You must first report the number of Group 4 students for the PY and PPY academic years. For your reference, this value for
the current year will be preloaded from Part A.
The system will perform the following edit on the data entered for Group 4:
•
•

For the PY and PPY academic years, the number of students reported across all living arrangements must be equal to
the total number of Group 4 students reported for that year.
For the PY academic year, the total number of Group 3 students reported must be within a certain range of the PPY
value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.

For each academic year, you must report the number of Group 4 students with the following living arrangements, as
applicable to your institution:
•
•
•

On-campus (line 01a)
Off-campus (with family) (line 01b)
Off-campus (not with family) (line 01c)

The number of Group 4 students whose living arrangements are Unknown (line 01d) is automatically calculated by the
system based on the numbers entered above.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for lines 01a through 01d:
•
•
•
•
•

•

•
•
•

A value must be entered in each field for lines 01a, 01b, and 01c, as applicable to your institution.
For the CY academic year, the number of students entered across all applicable living arrangements (lines 01a
through 01d) must equal the total Group 4 amount for that year.
For the PY academic year, the number of Group 4 students reported in Part E is expected to be with a 5% range of
the Fall 2013 value reported for Group 4 in Part A of the prior year Student Financial Aid survey.
For the PPY academic year, the number of Group 4 students reported in Part E is expected to be with a 5% range of
the Fall 2012 value reported for Group 4 in Part A of the prior-prior year Student Financial Aid survey.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the CY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 and 24, then the CY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 24, then the CY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For each living arrangement, the number of students reported for the PY academic year is expected to be within a
certain range of the PPY value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 24, then the PY value must be between 1 and 33.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 24, then the PY value must be between within a 30% range of that value.
For the CY and PY academic years, if you reported a value of 0 for the previous year, and a value greater than 0 for
the subsequent academic year, then you must confirm that the more recent value is correct.
For the CY academic year, the number of Group 4 students whose living arrangements were Unknown (line 01d)
should be less than or equal to 30% of the total number of Group 4 students for that same year.
The number of Group 4 students whose living arrangements were Unknown (line 01d) must be greater than or equal
to 0. If this is not the case, you must adjust the number of students entered in lines 01a through 01c so that the sum
of the values in this column is less than or equal to the total number of students in Group 4.

Additionally, you must 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 grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4
students from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution (column 3) for the following
income levels for the PPY (section 2), PY (section 3), and CY (section 4) academic years:
•
•
•
•
•

$0-30,000 (line a)
$30,001-48,000 (line b)
$48,001-75,000 (line c)
$75,001-110,000 (line d)
$110,001 and more (line e)

A Total all income levels (line f) value is calculated for each column, and the Average amount of grant or scholarship
aid awarded to Group 4 students from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution (column
4) is calculated for each income level, based on the numbers entered above.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered for sections 02, 03, and 04:
•
•
•
•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•
•
•

For each academic year, the total Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid for all
income levels (line f, column 1) should be equal to the total number of students reported for that academic year in
Group 4.
For each academic year and income level, if a value greater than 0 is reported for the Number of Group 4 students
who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1), then a value greater than 0 must also be entered for the Total
amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded (column 3); and vice versa.
For each academic year and income level, 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) must be
less than or equal to the Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1).
For each academic year and income level, if 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) is
greater than 0, then Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students (column 3) must
be greater than 0.
For each academic year and income level, if 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) is equal
to 0, then Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students (column 3) must be equal to
0.
For each academic year, if the number of students who were awarded grants or scholarships form the federal
government, state/local government, or the institution in Part C, Line 01 is greater than 0, then 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) is expected to be greater than 0.
For the CY academic year, the Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1) is
expected to be within a certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 and 19, then the CY value is expected to be within plus or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 19, then the CY value is expected to be within a 25% range of that value.
For the CY academic year, 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) is expected to be within a
certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PY value is between 1 and 19, then the CY value is expected to be within plus or minus 10 of that value.
◦ If the PY value is greater than 19, then the CY value is expected to be within a 45% range of that value.
For the PY academic year, the Number of Group 4 students who were awarded any Title IV aid (column 1) is
expected to be within a certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 19, then the PY value is expected to be within plus or minus 5 of that value.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 19, then the PY value is expected to be within a 25% range of that value.
For the PY academic year, 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) is expected to be within a
certain range of the prior year value, as outlined below:
◦ If the PPY value is between 1 and 19, then the PY value is expected to be within plus or minus 10 of that
value.
◦ If the PPY value is greater than 19, then the PY value is expected to be within a 45% range of that value.
For the CY and PY academic years, the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students
reported across all income levels (line f, column 3) is expected to be within a 25% range of the previous year's
amount.
For the CY academic year, the Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students reported
across all income levels (line 04f, column 3) should be less than or equal to the Total amount of grant or
scholarship aid awarded to Group 2 students (Part C, Line 01, Column 3).
For each income level, the Average amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to Group 4 students is
expected to be greater at lower income levels than at higher ones.

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Part F: Net Price Calculation for Group 3
The worksheet in this section displays information compiled from data reported by your institution in this Student Financial Aid
component. Based on this information, the system computes the Weighted average for room and board and other
expenses by living arrangement, the Total cost of attendance, the Average amount of grant or scholarship aid
awarded to Group 3 students from the federal government, state/local government, and the institution, and
the Average institutional net price for Group 3 students. This information is 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 system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•

For each academic year, the Average institutional net price for Group 3 students (line 08) cannot be negative. If
an average of less than 0 is calculated, then you must fix it by adjusting your entries in the previous sections of this
survey. If the calculated average is correct, you must enter an explanation for why this is true. In addition, you may
wish to add information in the context box at the bottom of the screen. 

•

If you selected Yes to indicate that you wish to provide additional context for these data, you must enter the desired
information in the space provided. If you no longer wish to provide additional context notes, please change your
response to No.

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Part G: Net Price Calculation for Group 4
The worksheet in this section displays information compiled from data reported by your institution in this Student Financial Aid
component. Based on this information, the system computes the Weighted average for room and board and other
expenses by living arrangement, the Total cost of attendance by income level, the Average amount of grant or
scholarship aid awarded to Group 3 students from the federal government, state/local government, and the
institution total and by income level, and the Average institutional net price for Group 4 students. This information is
then included on the U.S. Department of Education's College Navigator website.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•

•

For 2014-15, the Average institutional net price for Group 4 students (line 08) for each income level cannot be
negative. If an average of less than 0 is calculated, then you must fix it by adjusting your entries in the previous
sections of the survey. If the calculated average is correct, you must enter an explanation for why this is true. In
addition, you may wish to add information in the context box at the bottom of the screen.
If you selected Yes to indicate that you wish to provide additional context for these data, you must enter the desired
information in the space provided. If you no longer wish to provide additional context notes, please change your
response to No.

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Section 2: Military Servicemembers and Veteran's Benefits (NEW)
On this screen, you must provide information related to your institution's veteran's benefits. The data reported for the Post9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic year, from July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015 for undergraduate and
graduate students, as applicable to your institution. The data reported for the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance
Program questions should be for the prior academic year, from October 1, 2014-September 30, 2015 for undergraduate and
graduate students, as applicable to your institution. 

Undergraduate Only
Applicable to institutions that enroll only undergraduate students, but not graduate students
Enter the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance and the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution for the following types of benefit/assistance:
•
•

Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•

For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Number of students receiving
benefits/assistance.
For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution.
For each type of benefit/assistance, if the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance is greater than 0,
then the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution must be greater than 0.

Undergraduate and Graduate
Applicable to institutions that enroll both undergraduate and graduate students
Enter the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance and the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution for the following types of benefit/assistance:
Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
•
•

Undergraduate
Graduate

Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program
•
•

Undergraduate
Graduate

Based on the data entered, the system will calculate the total number of students and the total dollar amount for each type of
benefit/assistance.
The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:

•
•
•

For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Number of students receiving
benefits/assistance.
For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution.
For each type of benefit/assistance, if the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance is greater than 0,
then the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution must be greater than 0.

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U.S. Department of Education
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Section 508 Compliance
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Form

date: 1/13/2016

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
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes

may be posted on the College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and
parents.

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, 2014 - June 30, 2015 and Report for Department
of Defense Tuition Assistance Program: October 1, 2014 - September 30, 2015
•
•
•
•

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 institution 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 not leave a
cell blank.
Type of benefit/assistance
Number of students
Total dollar amount of Average dollar amount of
receiving
benefits/assistance
benefits/assistance
benefits/assistance
awarded
awarded
through the institution
through the institution
Graduate students
Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
Department of Defense Tuition
Assistance Program

U.S. Department of Education
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics

2015-16 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 1/13/2016

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 201415 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 effectives of
benefits programs and return on investment.
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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.
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Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2015-16 data collection period.
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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 Post-9/11 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 only two of many educational benefits
provided to military servicemembers and veterans. However, from a national prospective, 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 [email protected]) for
resolution.
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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 2015-16 data collection year, the data reported will be July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015.
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 2015-16 data collection year, the data reported
will be October 1, 2014-September 30, 2015.
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: [email protected]

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.
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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

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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. 
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date: 1/13/2016

Glossary
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 institution-level 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 web-based 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.

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2015-16 Survey Materials > FAQ

date: 1/13/2016

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 2015-16 collection year?
3) What changes occurred for SFA for the 2015-16 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) What types of financial aid should be reported?
4) What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?
5) Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?
6) Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?
7) Should PLUS loans be reported?
8) What does "aid awarded" mean?
9) If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?
10) Where can I get living arrangement information for students?
11) 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 2014-15 must complete SFA.
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2) What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2015-16 collection year?
For the 2015-16 data collection, institutions should report data for academic year 2014-15.
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 4-14 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
2014). Second, determine the financial aid that was awarded to these students any time during the 2014-15
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.
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3) What changes occurred for SFA for the 2015-16 collection year?
For the 2015-16 collection year, there were no changes.
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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.
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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.

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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 full-time students,
part-time students, degree/certificate-seeking students, and non-degree/certificate-seeking students.
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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.
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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

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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.

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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.
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3)
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 federallysponsored 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.
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4)
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.
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5)
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.
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6)
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.
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7)
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.
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8)
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
9)
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).
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10) 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.
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11) 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 campusbased 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 income-related 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.
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2015-16 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 1/13/2016

Student Financial Aid for institutions that only enroll graduate students
Edit specifications for the 2015-16 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Student Financial Aid (SFA) Component
Applicable to institutions that only enroll graduate students
NOTE: The specifications in this document apply to the institutions listed above. Some sections and parts may not
apply to your particular institution. Please read the specifications carefully to determine which sections and/or parts
apply to your institution.
All screens must be completed in order to lock the survey.

Screening Question
Military Servicemembers and Veterans Benefits (NEW)
Note: Institutions reporting on a fall cohort (academic reporters) should report data for July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015.
Institutions reporting on a full-year cohort (program reporters) should report data for July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015. The data
collection time period is the same for both academic and program reporters.

Screening Question
You must answer the following screening question.
Did your institution certify military tuition assistance and/or veteran's benefits? Choose one of the following options:
•
•

Yes
No

Military Servicemembers and Veterans Benefits (NEW)
On this screen, you must provide information related to your institution's military servicemembers and/or veterans
benefits for eligible graduate students. On this screen, you must provide information related to your institution's veteran's
benefits. The data reported for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic year, from July 1,
2014-June 30, 2015 for undergraduate and graduate students, as applicable to your institution. The data reported for the
Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program questions should be for the prior academic year, from October 1,
2014-September 30, 2015 for undergraduate and graduate students, as applicable to your institution. 

Enter the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance and the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution for the following types of benefit/assistance:
•
•

Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•

For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Number of students receiving
benefits/assistance.
For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution.
For each type of benefit/assistance, if the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance is greater than 0,
then the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution must be greater than 0.

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2015-16 Survey Materials > Form

date: 1/13/2016

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
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes

may be posted on the College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and
parents.

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, 2014 - June 30, 2015 and Report for Department
of Defense Tuition Assistance Program: October 1, 2014 - September 30, 2015
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 institution 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 not leave a
cell blank.
Type of benefit/assistance
Number of students
Total dollar amount of Average dollar amount of
receiving
benefits/assistance
benefits/assistance
benefits/assistance
awarded
awarded
through the institution
through the institution
Graduate students
Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
Department of Defense Tuition
Assistance Program

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2015-16 Survey Materials > Instructions

date: 1/13/2016

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 201415 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 effectives of
benefits programs and return on investment.
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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.
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Changes in Reporting
There were no changes implemented for the 2015-16 data collection period.
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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 Post-9/11 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 only two of many educational benefits
provided to military servicemembers and veterans. However, from a national prospective, 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 [email protected]) for
resolution.
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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 2015-16 data collection year, the data reported will be July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015.
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 2015-16 data collection year, the data reported
will be October 1, 2014-September 30, 2015.
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: 1-877-225-2568
Email: [email protected]

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.
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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

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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. 
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date: 1/13/2016

Glossary
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 institution-level 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 web-based 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.

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2015-16 Survey Materials > FAQ

date: 1/13/2016

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 2015-16 collection year?
3) What changes occurred for SFA for the 2015-16 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) What types of financial aid should be reported?
4) What is the time period for which I should report financial aid amounts?
5) Should tuition and fee waivers be reported?
6) Where in Part C should I report tribal aid?
7) Should PLUS loans be reported?
8) What does "aid awarded" mean?
9) If a student is awarded more than one type of aid, do I count him/her twice?
10) Where can I get living arrangement information for students?
11) 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 2014-15 must complete SFA.
Back to top
2) What is the reporting period covered by SFA for the 2015-16 collection year?
For the 2015-16 data collection, institutions should report data for academic year 2014-15.
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 4-14 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
2014). Second, determine the financial aid that was awarded to these students any time during the 2014-15
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.
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3) What changes occurred for SFA for the 2015-16 collection year?
For the 2015-16 collection year, there were no changes.
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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.
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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.

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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 full-time students,
part-time students, degree/certificate-seeking students, and non-degree/certificate-seeking students.
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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.
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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

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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.

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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.
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3)
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 federallysponsored 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.
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4)
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.
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5)
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.
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6)
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.
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7)
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.
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8)
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
9)
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).
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10) 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.
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11) 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 campusbased 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 income-related 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.
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2015-16 Survey Materials > Narrative Edits

date: 1/13/2016

Student Financial Aid for institutions that only enroll graduate students
Edit specifications for the 2015-16 IPEDS Web-Based Data Collection
Student Financial Aid (SFA) Component
Applicable to institutions that only enroll graduate students
NOTE: The specifications in this document apply to the institutions listed above. Some sections and parts may not
apply to your particular institution. Please read the specifications carefully to determine which sections and/or parts
apply to your institution.
All screens must be completed in order to lock the survey.

Screening Question
Military Servicemembers and Veterans Benefits (NEW)
Note: Institutions reporting on a fall cohort (academic reporters) should report data for July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015.
Institutions reporting on a full-year cohort (program reporters) should report data for July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015. The data
collection time period is the same for both academic and program reporters.

Screening Question
You must answer the following screening question.
Did your institution certify military tuition assistance and/or veteran's benefits? Choose one of the following options:
•
•

Yes
No

Military Servicemembers and Veterans Benefits (NEW)
On this screen, you must provide information related to your institution's military servicemembers and/or veterans
benefits for eligible graduate students. On this screen, you must provide information related to your institution's veteran's
benefits. The data reported for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit questions should be for the prior academic year, from July 1,
2014-June 30, 2015 for undergraduate and graduate students, as applicable to your institution. The data reported for the
Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program questions should be for the prior academic year, from October 1,
2014-September 30, 2015 for undergraduate and graduate students, as applicable to your institution. 

Enter the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance and the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution for the following types of benefit/assistance:
•
•

Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program

The system will perform the following edits on the data entered:
•
•
•

For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Number of students receiving
benefits/assistance.
For each type of benefit/assistance, a value must be entered for Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance
awarded through the institution.
For each type of benefit/assistance, if the Number of students receiving benefits/assistance is greater than 0,
then the Total dollar amount of benefits/assistance awarded through the institution must be greater than 0.

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