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Institutional Characteristics
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2019-20
to 2021-22
Changes for 2019-20 and 2020-21 are described on the next page, with screen mockups starting on p. 3. Screen changes are not included on the attached screens and can
only be seen on mock-ups, however, instructional changes and changes to FAQs are
included and highlighted within the instructions.
2
2019-20 Changes for IC:
-
-
Add an FAQ to explain how to report room and board when an institution provides one but not
the other:
New FAQ: If my institution offers room or board, but not both, how should I report this on the
Cost of Attendance page?
In this case, the “room and board” value must include both the known value and an
estimate for the unknown value. Inclusion of both meal cost and housing cost is
necessary to generate a total cost of attendance, which is subsequently needed for Net
Price calculations. For example, if the institution offers meals but no housing, in the
“on-campus room and board” field they would need to enter a total that includes the
cost of the meal plan plus as estimate of housing (such as a housing cost similar to that
of off-campus housing).
Replace “formal award” terminology with “recognized postsecondary credential”
Replace “contact hour” with “clock hour”
Add instruction to exclude students receiving Experimental Pell.
2020-21 Changes for IC:
- Segment subbaccalaureate certificates that are less than one year in length on ICH (Former
category 1 will be split into 1a and 1b; for screen changes see mock-up p.3)
- Remove academic year equivalencies (e.g., One academic year equals 900 contact or clock hours
of instruction, 30 semester credit hours or its equivalent, or 45 quarter credit hours.)
- Remove the term dual credit and replace with dual enrollment in Part C, Question 1 and
throughout the instructions (for screen changes, see mock-up p. 4)
3
Segment subbaccalaureate certificates that are less than one year in length on ICH
2. What award levels are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
When reporting award levels for subbaccalaureate certificates (levels 1, 2, and 4), determine program
length by the number of credit or clock hours, NOT the academic year length in parentheses. The
academic year length is meant only to provide context.
The "Other" award level should not be used unless your program truly does not fit any of the other
award levels. We expect very few institutions to fit the "Other" category.
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission,
they are considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1 a or b,
2, or 4, depending on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Award Level
BELOW THE BACCALAUREATE:
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of
- less than 300 clock hours, or
1a.
□
- less than 9 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- less than 13 quarter credit hours
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of
- 300-899 clock hours, or
- 9-29 semester or trimester credit hours, or
1b.
□
- 13-44 quarter credit hours
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of
- at least 900 but less than 1,800 clock hours, or
2.
□
- at least 30 but less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- at least 45 but less than 90 quarter credit hours
3.
□
Associate’s degree
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of
- 1,800 or more clock hours, or
4.
□
- 60 or more semester or trimester credit hours, or
- 90 or more quarter credit hours
5.
□
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
6.
□
Postbaccalaureate certificate
7.
□
Master’s degree
8.
□
Post-master’s certificate
17.
□
Doctor’s degree – research/scholarship
18.
□
Doctor’s degree – professional practice
19.
□
Doctor’s degree – other
12.
□
Other (please specify in context box below)
□
Yes, I confirm that I reviewed the award levels offered by my institution above
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.
4
Remove the term dual credit and replace with dual enrollment in Part C, Question 1 and throughout the
instructions.
Part C - Student Services - Special Learning Opportunities
1. Does your institution accept any of the following? [Check all that apply]
□
Dual enrollment
□
Credit for life experiences
□
Advanced Placement (AP) credits
□
None of the above
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
IC Header for 4-year degree-granting institutions
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Header Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics Header survey component (IC Header). This survey was introduced to collect data that are key
to reporting throughout the IPEDS data collection, and must be completed and locked before any other survey can be started.
Some IC Header questions may require nothing more than a confirmation, if nothing has changed. Please make changes as necessary, and
complete items that do need a response (enrollment questions).
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to provide NCES with accurate data about the institution. Please never hesitate to call the
IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568 and ask for help to make sure that you are reporting correctly!
Because of the importance of the IC Header data in determining the screens you will receive in other surveys, be sure to report correctly, and
to contact the IPEDS Help Desk if you have ANY questions about what you need to report.
The IC Header data affect other survey components in the following ways:
•
The Educational Offerings question verifies your institution's inclusion in IPEDS.
•
The Control and Levels page is key to all survey components, especially to Finance (F) and Graduation Rates (GR). Additionally,
this is important information for students, impacts many federal reports, and is used in placing institutions in appropriate net price
groupings.
•
Calendar system selection impacts student charges data reported in Institutional Characteristics (IC), Fall Enrollment (EF) data, GR
data, and Student Financial Aid (SFA) data related to the net price calculation.
•
Enrollment levels impact student charges in IC and enrollment categories in the EF survey component.
•
The Open Admission question determines whether the Admissions component will be required in the Winter collection.
•
The Academic Libraries expenses question determines whether the Academic Libraries component will be required in the Spring
collection. This question is asked of degree-granting institutions only.
•
The operations question for new institutions determines reporting of 12-month enrollment (E12).
To download survey materials package for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Educational Offerings
1. Which of the following types of instruction/programs are offered by your institution? [Check one or more]
If your institution does not offer occupational, academic or continuing professional programs, you are not expected to complete this or any
other IPEDS survey.
Occupational, may lead to a certificate, degree, or other formal award
Academic, may lead to a certificate, degree, or diploma
Continuing professional (postbaccalaureate only)
Recreational or avocational (leisure) programs
Adult basic or remedial instruction or high school equivalency
Secondary (high school)
Part B - Organization - Control and Levels
1. What is your institutional control or affiliation?
Be sure to select the correct control for your institution. Errors on this question have an impact throughout the IPEDS surveys, in
federal reporting, in net price groupings, and on your institutions' appearance to students. If you reported incorrectly in a previous
year, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568 to correct the error.
Public - Select primary
and/or secondary controls
below
Primary control
Secondary control (if applicable)
Select One
Select One
Private for-profit
Private not-for-profit independent (no religious affiliation)
Private not-for-profit religious affiliation - Select affiliation below
Select One
2. What award levels are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
When reporting award levels for subbaccalaureate certificates (levels 1, 2, and 4), determine program length by the number of credit or
contact hours, NOT the academic year length in parentheses. The academic year length is meant only to provide context.
The "Other" award level should not be used unless your program truly does not fit any of the other award levels. We expect very few
institutions to fit the "Other" category.
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are considered subbaccalaureate
undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1, 2, or 4, depending on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Award Level
BELOW THE BACCALAUREATE:
1
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (less than 1 academic year)
- less than 900 contact or clock hours, or
- less than 30 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- less than 45 quarter credit hours
2
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 1 but less than 2 academic years)
- at least 900 but less than 1,800 contact or clock hours, or
- at least 30 but less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- at least 45 but less than 90 quarter credit hours
3
Associate's degree
4
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 2 but less than 4 academic years)
- 1,800 or more contact or clock hours, or
- 60 or more semester or trimester credit hours, or
- 90 or more quarter credit hours
BACCALAUREATE AND ABOVE:
5
Bachelor's degree or equivalent
6
Postbaccalaureate certificate
7
Master's degree
8
Post-master's certificate
17
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
18
Doctor's degree - professional practice
19
Doctor's degree - other
12
Other (specify in box below)
Yes, I confirm that I reviewed the award levels offered by my institution above.
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.
Part B - Organization - Calendar System
Your response to the next question determines how your institution reports Institutional Characteristics student charges data in the
fall, Student Financial Aid data in the winter, and Graduation Rates data in the winter. It also impacts the net price calculation in the
Student Financial Aid survey.
If the calendar system differs from prior year or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
3. What is the predominant calendar system at the institution? [Choose one]
Academic Year Reporting Method (Standard academic terms)
Selecting one of the following calendar types determines that your institution will provide Student Financial Aid and Graduation Rates data
based on a FALL COHORT, and student charges data for a full ACADEMIC YEAR.
Semester
Quarter
Trimester
4-1-4 or similar plan
Program Reporting Method (Other calendar system)
Selecting one of the following calendar types determines that your institution will provide Student Financial Aid and Graduation Rates data
based on a FULL-YEAR COHORT, and student charges data by PROGRAM.
Differs by program
Continuous basis (every 2 weeks, monthly, or other period)
Hybrid/Mixed Reporting Method (Standard academic terms, other academic calendar)
Selecting the hybrid calendar type determines that your institution will provide Graduation Rates data based on a FULL-YEAR COHORT,
student charges data for a full ACADEMIC YEAR, and Student Financial Aid data for students enrolling between August 1 and October 31.
Hybrid (Other academic calendar)
Part B - Organization - Student Enrollment
4. Does your institution enroll any of the following types of students?
Include all levels offered by your institution, even if there are no students currently enrolled at that level.
Responses to these questions determine which screens will be generated for reporting academic year tuition charges, and for reporting Fall
Enrollment during the Spring collection. Additionally, checking Yes for full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
determines that your institution must report cost of attendance data (on the IC component) and Student Financial Aid data for these students.
Full-time
Part-time
Undergraduate (academic or occupational programs)
First-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
Graduate (not including doctor's-professional practice)
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
5. Does your institution enroll students in doctor's degree - professional practice programs?
Checking Yes for this question will allow your institution to report graduate level students in Fall Enrollment. If you select Yes to enrolling
students in one of the listed programs, you will also report tuition for the appropriate program(s).
No
Yes
Do you enroll students in one of the following?
Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.), Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.), Medicine (M.D.), Optometry (O.D.), Osteopathic
Medicine (D.O.), Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), Podiatry (Pod.D., D.P., or D.P.M.), Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), Law (J.D.)
No
Yes
6. For Fall 2012, did your institution have any full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students enrolled in programs at the
baccalaureate level or below?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be required to provide Graduation Rates data for the 2012-13 cohort in the winter collection. If you
answer No to this question, indicate the reason you are not required to report Graduation Rates for the cohort year requested.
If you reported any full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates on the 2012-13 Enrollment survey, the data will be preloaded
below.
No
This institution did not enroll full-time, first-time
(undergraduate) students.
This institution did not offer programs at or below the
baccalaureate level.
This institution was not in operation in 2012-13.
Yes
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students from the 2012-13 Enrollment survey (GR Cohort)
Part B - Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
7. Multi-institution or multi-campus organization
Is the institution part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the institution? Do NOT
indicate a religious affiliation here; that information is collected separately.
If you need assistance, contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568. You will not be able to lock your submission if this question is blank.
No, this institution IS NOT a part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls
the institution.
Yes, this institution IS a part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the
institution.
If yes, select the name of the multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the
institution after clicking on 'Select System' below.
Select System
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Open Admission
1. Does your institution have an open admission policy for all or most entering first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduatelevel students?
If the only requirement for admission is a high school diploma or GED/other equivalent, your institution is still considered open admission.
Institutions that require only an Ability to Benefit or similar test beyond the diploma/equivalent, and only reject a very small number of students
based on the test, are also considered open admission.
If your institution does not have an open admission policy, you will be required to report Admissions component on your admissions
procedures and admissions yield.
No
Yes
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College
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written so they can be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Library Access and Expenses
2. Does your institution have access to a library collection?
No
Yes (receives Academic Libraries component)
Were your annual total library expenses for Fiscal Year 2018 greater than zero?
No
Yes (receives Academic Libraries component)
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Levels of Enrollment Offered
3. Was your institution in operation during the academic year 2017-2018?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be able to specify the levels of enrollment offered at your institution during 2017-2018 and to report
12-month enrollment during the fall collection.
No
Yes. Please specify the levels of enrollment offered during 2017-2018.
Undergraduate
Graduate (not including doctor's-professional practice)
Doctor's-professional practice
U.S. Department of Education
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
IC Header Full Instructions for 4-yr degree-granting institutions
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Header Survey
Changes in Reporting
General instructions
Reporting Period for Institutional Characteristics Header
Context boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Educational Offerings
Part B - Organization
Control and Award Levels
Calendar System
Enrollment Levels and GR cohort question
Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions
Open Admission
Library Expenses
Level of Enrollment
Part D - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) survey is to collect basic institutional
data including control or affiliation, calendar system, and award levels. These data are key to accurate reporting as
they are used to determine the reporting for other IPEDS surveys. Any errors in the IC-H survey can lead to further
errors in the data reporting process, so please be very careful in reporting these data correctly, and contact the IPEDS
Help Desk (877.225.2568) if you have any questions.
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Changes in reporting
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General instructions
Reporting period covered
Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) covers data for the current year with two exceptions.
•
•
Cohort data in B6 refer to a past cohort and are used to set the Graduation Rates component (GR).
For new institutions, the question about prior year operation refers to the prior academic year and is used to
determine the applicability of the 12-Month Enrollment (E12) component.
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Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website, however, institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries. Inappropriate or
repetitive contexts will be deleted.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) survey to ensure that you are reporting
data for the appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC-H survey
(e.g., undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to Include
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or recognized postsecondary
credential, including those enrolled in off-campus centers
High school students taking regular college courses for credit
Full-time students taking remedial courses IF the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses for credit (e.g., online students)
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree
B. Who NOT to Include
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential
Students enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Students exclusively auditing classes
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice (previously first-professional), since they have already
received their Doctor's degree
Students studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the "home" institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Students in Experimental Pell programs.
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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 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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Reporting Directions
Part A - Educational Offerings
Responses on this screen verify inclusion of the institution on the NCES/IPEDS list of institutions and agencies that
provide all types of postsecondary education. Postsecondary education is defined as the provision of a formal
instructional program whose curriculum is designed primarily for students beyond the compulsory age for high school.
This includes programs whose purpose is occupational, academic, or continuing professional education but excludes
avocational and adult basic education programs.
If you select only avocational and/or adult basic education programs, you will be contacted by IPEDS to confirm your
exemption from IPEDS reporting.
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Part B – Organization
Institutional Control or Affiliation
Indicate the appropriate control or affiliation under which the institution operates. If the institution has a religious
affiliation, select the denomination from the list provided in the drop-down box. Public institutions must designate a
primary control; identification of a secondary control is optional. If control of the institution differs from the prior year
or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
Correct reporting of control or affiliation is KEY to IPEDS reporting. Errors in reporting control or affiliation cause you
to receive incorrect survey forms, misrepresent your institution to the public on College Navigator and other search
tools that use IPEDS data, and place your institution in incorrect groups in IPEDS publications and on the College
Affordability and Transparency Lists. If you do not know the control or affiliation of your institution, please call the
Help Desk.
Award Levels
Check applicable award levels for all credit programs offered at the institution. Award levels are identified based on
duration and/or awards.
•
•
•
•
•
Report using the number of CLOCK or CREDIT hours, as is appropriate to your calendar system (e.g., semester
or quarter).
Award levels 1a and b, 2, and 4 differ by length of programs and refer to completions below the baccalaureate
degree. Use the IPEDS designations, not institutionally defined designations, to describe these levels.
Award levels 3, 5, 7, 17, 18, and 19 indicate degree levels for which the institution is authorized to make
awards.
Award levels 6 and 8 indicate certificate levels.
If you cannot classify an award within the award levels indicated on the screen, check award level 12 ("Other")
and specify or describe the award in the context box. Because there are few programs that fall under "Other"
please contact the Help Desk if you are considering selecting Level 12.
NOTE: Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1a or b, 2, or 4, depending
on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Calendar System
Indicate the predominant calendar system under which the institution operates. If programs are offered on more
than one calendar, select the system under which most programs are offered. If there is no predominant calendar
system at your institution, select the option that best characterizes your institution.
If your calendar system differs from the prior year or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at
877.225.2568.
Note: Calendar system selection determines reporting in many other IPEDS components. Be sure that the calendar
system you select accurately represents your institution. Contact the IPEDS Help Desk if you are not sure which
calendar system to select.
•
Standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, 4-1-4)
◦
◦
◦
•
•
Use a Fall cohort for Graduation Rates.
Report tuition and fees and cost information based on a full academic year.
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled as of October 15, or the official Fall reporting
date used by the institution. This Fall enrollment cohort will be preloaded into the next year's
Student Financial Aid component.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report aid for an academic year.
Program-by-program or continuous enrollment basis
◦
Use a full-year cohort for Graduation Rates.
◦
Report tuition and fees and books and supplies information by program for the entire length of the
program. For living expenses, report costs for 4 weeks (1 month). Note: Living expenses are only
applicable to institutions with full-time, first-time students and are reported with the largest program.
◦
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled in the institution at any time between August 1
and October 31.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report aid for the largest program for an academic year.
Hybrid academic calendar (If you are considering selecting the "Other academic calendar" option, please
contact the Help Desk at 877.225.2568 so they can confirm the appropriateness of this calendar system for
your institution.)
◦
Use a full-year cohort for Graduation Rates.
◦
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled in the institution at any time between August 1
and October 31.
◦
Report tuition and fees and cost information based on a full academic year.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report students enrolled in the prior academic year between August 1 and
October 31, and the aid for an academic year.
Student Enrollment
Enrollment of full- and part-time students
Indicate whether your institution enrolls any full-time or part-time students at the levels listed. Include all levels
offered, even if there are not any students currently enrolled at that level.
Responses to those categories will determine the screens generated for reporting academic year tuition charges in the
Institutional Characteristics survey during the Fall collection and enrollment data in the Fall Enrollment survey during
the Spring collection.
•
Make sure to check "Yes" for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students if applicable, as this
determines that your institution will report cost information on Institutional Characteristics screens in Part D
and Student Financial Aid information during the Winter collection.
Doctor's - professional practice
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed Doctor's - professional practice programs. If your institution
offers Doctor's -professional practice programs but does not offer any of the listed programs, indicate no.
GR cohort question.
•
•
4-year institutions. Indicate if your institution had any full-time, first-time undergraduate students enrolled
in programs at the baccalaureate level or below in the academic year indicated on the screen. If you indicate
Yes, you must report Graduation Rates data in the Winter collection.
Less-than-4-year institutions. Indicate if your institution had any full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking students enrolled in the academic year indicated on the screen. If you check Yes, you must report
Graduation Rates data in the Winter collection.
Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
If applicable, select from the provided list the multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or
controls the institution. If you do not see your multi-institution or multi-organization listed, please contact the IPEDS
Help Desk.
A multi-institution or multi-campus organization includes organizations with two or more institutions or campuses.
Non-postsecondary education agencies that govern or control institutions include, but are not limited to, public school
districts, art organizations, hospitals and other medical/health organizations.
Do not include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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coordinating systems
single institution owner
single institution corporate name
single institution governing board
consortia
associations
religious affiliation (requested in control question)
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions
Open admission policy
Check Yes if your institution has an open admission policy.
If your institution requires only a high school diploma/equivalent and/or Ability to Benefit (or similar) test, and few
students are not admitted based on the test, your institution is still considered open admission. For example, if you
have students take the ATB test and allow 98% of those students to enroll, you are likely open admission. The 2%
that were not admitted had unusual circumstances that kept them from being admitted.
Note: IPEDS does not have a set percentage to determine open admission. Please review your institution's admission
policy or talk to someone in the admissions office if you are not sure whether your institution is open admission, or
contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
Library Access and Expenses
Indicate whether the institution has access to a library collection and/or the annual total library expenses at your
institution were greater than zero for Fiscal Year 2018. Fiscal Year 2018 is defined as the most recent 12-month period
that corresponds to your institution's fiscal year that ends before October 1, 2018.
A library collection is defined as “comprising documents held locally and remote resources for which permanent or
temporary access rights have been acquired. Access rights may be acquired by the library itself, by a consortium
and/or through external funding. Acquisition is to be understood as securing access rights and including it in the
library catalog, other library databases or discovery systems.”
Expenses include funds expended by the library (regardless of when received) from its regular budget and from all
other known sources; e.g., research grants, special projects, gifts and endowments, and fees for services. Those
libraries in consortia or those that share all their resources with another institution, please report whether the total
annual library expenses at YOUR institution were greater than zero in Fiscal Year 2018.
If the institution does not have access to a library collection and the institution's library expenses are equal to 0, you
will not be asked to complete the Academic Libraries (AL) component in the Spring.
Levels of Enrollment
New institutions should indicate whether their institution was in operation during the prior academic year. If the
response is "Yes", they should also indicate the levels that were offered.
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Part D - Branch campus
For branch campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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IC Header
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
If my institution offers an award level but currently does not have any students enrolled at that level how should I
1)
report?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics Header data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in
2)
the fall?
In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
3)
4)
My institution has a system office. Does the system office need to complete an Institutional Characteristics - Header
survey?
Answers:
General
1)
If my institution offers an award level but currently does not have any students enrolled at that level how
should I report?
You should indicate all levels of awards that your institution is authorized to grant.
Back to top
2)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics Header data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a
mistake in the fall?
It is important to report IC Header data correctly the first time, as changes to this component affect all of the other
surveys. If you made an error that impacts your ability to respond appropriately to other components, call the Help
Desk at 877-225-2568, and they will change the necessary data. For example, if you indicated that you do not enroll
any full-time, first-time students (thus no GRS or SFA surveys are generated), you may correct your answer so that
you can complete this survey.
Back to top
3)
In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs, and students in these programs are undergraduate students.
Back to top
4)
My institution has a system office. Does the system office need to complete an Institutional
Characteristics - Header survey?
Any system or central office that employs 15 or more full-time staff OR has its own budget (and therefore must report
IPEDS Finance data) must also complete the Institutional Characteristics - Header survey. The administrative
office must indicate all types and levels of instruction and programs offered at all of the institutions in its system. This
will ensure that each institution in the system is represented.
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IC Header for 4-year non-degree-granting institutions
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Header Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics Header survey component (IC Header). This survey was introduced to collect data that are key
to reporting throughout the IPEDS data collection, and must be completed and locked before any other survey can be started.
Some IC Header questions may require nothing more than a confirmation, if nothing has changed. Please make changes as necessary, and
complete items that do need a response (enrollment questions).
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to provide NCES with accurate data about the institution. Please never hesitate to call the
IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568 and ask for help to make sure that you are reporting correctly!
Because of the importance of the IC Header data in determining the screens you will receive in other surveys, be sure to report correctly, and
to contact the IPEDS Help Desk if you have ANY questions about what you need to report.
The IC Header data affect other survey components in the following ways:
•
The Educational Offerings question verifies your institution's inclusion in IPEDS.
•
The Control and Levels page is key to all survey components, especially to Finance (F) and Graduation Rates (GR). Additionally,
this is important information for students, impacts many federal reports, and is used in placing institutions in appropriate net price
groupings.
•
Calendar system selection impacts student charges data reported in Institutional Characteristics (IC), Fall Enrollment (EF) data, GR
data, and Student Financial Aid (SFA) data related to the net price calculation.
•
Enrollment levels impact student charges in IC and enrollment categories in the EF survey component.
•
The Open Admission question determines whether the Admissions component will be required in the Winter collection.
•
The Academic Libraries expenses question determines whether the Academic Libraries component will be required in the Spring
collection. This question is asked of degree-granting institutions only.
•
The operations question for new institutions determines reporting of 12-month enrollment (E12).
To download survey materials package for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Educational Offerings
1. Which of the following types of instruction/programs are offered by your institution? [Check one or more]
If your institution does not offer occupational, academic or continuing professional programs, you are not expected to complete this or any
other IPEDS survey.
Occupational, may lead to a certificate, degree, or other formal award
Academic, may lead to a certificate, degree, or diploma
Continuing professional (postbaccalaureate only)
Recreational or avocational (leisure) programs
Adult basic or remedial instruction or high school equivalency
Secondary (high school)
Part B - Organization - Control and Levels
1. What is your institutional control or affiliation?
Be sure to select the correct control for your institution. Errors on this question have an impact throughout the IPEDS surveys, in
federal reporting, in net price groupings, and on your institutions' appearance to students. If you reported incorrectly in a previous
year, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568 to correct the error.
Public - Select primary
and/or secondary controls
below
Primary control
Secondary control (if applicable)
Select One
Select One
Private for-profit
Private not-for-profit independent (no religious affiliation)
Private not-for-profit religious affiliation - Select affiliation below
Select One
2. What award levels are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
When reporting award levels for subbaccalaureate certificates (levels 1, 2, and 4), determine program length by the number of credit or
contact hours, NOT the academic year length in parentheses. The academic year length is meant only to provide context.
The "Other" award level should not be used unless your program truly does not fit any of the other award levels. We expect very few
institutions to fit the "Other" category.
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are considered subbaccalaureate
undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1, 2, or 4, depending on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Award Level
BELOW THE BACCALAUREATE:
1
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (less than 1 academic year)
- less than 900 contact or clock hours, or
- less than 30 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- less than 45 quarter credit hours
2
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 1 but less than 2 academic years)
- at least 900 but less than 1,800 contact or clock hours, or
- at least 30 but less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- at least 45 but less than 90 quarter credit hours
3
Associate's degree
4
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 2 but less than 4 academic years)
- 1,800 or more contact or clock hours, or
- 60 or more semester or trimester credit hours, or
- 90 or more quarter credit hours
BACCALAUREATE AND ABOVE:
5
Bachelor's degree or equivalent
6
Postbaccalaureate certificate
7
Master's degree
8
Post-master's certificate
17
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
18
Doctor's degree - professional practice
19
Doctor's degree - other
12
Other (specify in box below)
Yes, I confirm that I reviewed the award levels offered by my institution above.
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.
Part B - Organization - Calendar System
Your response to the next question determines how your institution reports Institutional Characteristics student charges data in the
fall, Student Financial Aid data in the winter, and Graduation Rates data in the winter. It also impacts the net price calculation in the
Student Financial Aid survey.
If the calendar system differs from prior year or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
3. What is the predominant calendar system at the institution? [Choose one]
Academic Year Reporting Method (Standard academic terms)
Selecting one of the following calendar types determines that your institution will provide Student Financial Aid and Graduation Rates data
based on a FALL COHORT, and student charges data for a full ACADEMIC YEAR.
Semester
Quarter
Trimester
4-1-4 or similar plan
Program Reporting Method (Other calendar system)
Selecting one of the following calendar types determines that your institution will provide Student Financial Aid and Graduation Rates data
based on a FULL-YEAR COHORT, and student charges data by PROGRAM.
Differs by program
Continuous basis (every 2 weeks, monthly, or other period)
Hybrid/Mixed Reporting Method (Standard academic terms, other academic calendar)
Selecting the hybrid calendar type determines that your institution will provide Graduation Rates data based on a FULL-YEAR COHORT,
student charges data for a full ACADEMIC YEAR, and Student Financial Aid data for students enrolling between August 1 and October 31.
Hybrid (Other academic calendar)
Part B - Organization - Student Enrollment
4. Does your institution enroll any of the following types of students?
Include all levels offered by your institution, even if there are no students currently enrolled at that level.
Responses to these questions determine which screens will be generated for reporting academic year tuition charges, and for reporting Fall
Enrollment during the Spring collection. Additionally, checking Yes for full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
determines that your institution must report cost of attendance data (on the IC component) and Student Financial Aid data for these students.
Full-time
Part-time
Undergraduate (academic or occupational programs)
First-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
Graduate (not including doctor's-professional practice)
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
5. Does your institution enroll students in doctor's degree - professional practice programs?
Checking Yes for this question will allow your institution to report graduate level students in Fall Enrollment. If you select Yes to enrolling
students in one of the listed programs, you will also report tuition for the appropriate program(s).
No
Yes
Do you enroll students in one of the following?
Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.), Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.), Medicine (M.D.), Optometry (O.D.), Osteopathic
Medicine (D.O.), Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), Podiatry (Pod.D., D.P., or D.P.M.), Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), Law (J.D.)
No
Yes
6. For Fall 2012, did your institution have any full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students enrolled in programs at the
baccalaureate level or below?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be required to provide Graduation Rates data for the 2012-13 cohort in the winter collection. If you
answer No to this question, indicate the reason you are not required to report Graduation Rates for the cohort year requested.
If you reported any full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates on the 2012-13 Enrollment survey, the data will be preloaded
below.
No
This institution did not enroll full-time, first-time
(undergraduate) students.
This institution did not offer programs at or below the
baccalaureate level.
This institution was not in operation in 2012-13.
Yes
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students from the 2012-13 Enrollment survey (GR Cohort)
Part B - Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
7. Multi-institution or multi-campus organization
Is the institution part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the institution? Do NOT
indicate a religious affiliation here; that information is collected separately.
If you need assistance, contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568. You will not be able to lock your submission if this question is blank.
No, this institution IS NOT a part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls
the institution.
Yes, this institution IS a part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the
institution.
If yes, select the name of the multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the
institution after clicking on 'Select System' below.
Select System
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Open Admission
1. Does your institution have an open admission policy for all or most entering first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduatelevel students?
If the only requirement for admission is a high school diploma or GED/other equivalent, your institution is still considered open admission.
Institutions that require only an Ability to Benefit or similar test beyond the diploma/equivalent, and only reject a very small number of students
based on the test, are also considered open admission.
If your institution does not have an open admission policy, you will be required to report Admissions component on your admissions
procedures and admissions yield.
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 will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written so they can be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Levels of Enrollment Offered
3. Was your institution in operation during the academic year 2017-2018?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be able to specify the levels of enrollment offered at your institution during 2017-2018 and to report
12-month enrollment during the fall collection.
No
Yes. Please specify the levels of enrollment offered during 2017-2018.
Undergraduate
Graduate (not including doctor's-professional practice)
Doctor's-professional practice
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IC Header Full Instructions for 4-yr nondegree-granting institutions
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Header Survey
Changes in Reporting
General instructions
Reporting Period for Institutional Characteristics Header
Context boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Educational Offerings
Part B - Organization
Control and Award Levels
Calendar System
Enrollment Levels and GR cohort question
Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions
Open Admission
Level of Enrollment
Part D - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) survey is to collect basic institutional
data including control or affiliation, calendar system, and award levels. These data are key to accurate reporting as
they are used to determine the reporting for other IPEDS surveys. Any errors in the IC-H survey can lead to further
errors in the data reporting process, so please be very careful in reporting these data correctly, and contact the IPEDS
Help Desk (877.225.2568) if you have any questions.
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Changes in reporting
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General instructions
Reporting period covered
Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) covers data for the current year with two exceptions.
•
•
Cohort data in B6 refer to a past cohort and are used to set the Graduation Rates component (GR).
For new institutions, the question about prior year operation refers to the prior academic year and is used to
determine the applicability of the 12-Month Enrollment (E12) component.
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Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website, however, institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries. Inappropriate or
repetitive contexts will be deleted.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) survey to ensure that you are reporting
data for the appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC-H survey
(e.g., undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to Include
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or other recognized
postsecondary credential, including those enrolled in off-campus centers
High school students taking regular college courses for credit
Full-time students taking remedial courses IF the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses for credit (e.g., online students)
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree
B. Who NOT to Include
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential
Students enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Students exclusively auditing classes
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice (previously first-professional), since they have already
received their Doctor's degree
Students studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the "home" institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Students in Experimental Pell programs
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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 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:
•
•
•
•
•
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IPEDS First Looks
IPEDS Table Library
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
The Digest of Education Statistics
The Condition of Education
Reporting Directions
Part A - Educational Offerings
Responses on this screen verify inclusion of the institution on the NCES/IPEDS list of institutions and agencies that
provide all types of postsecondary education. Postsecondary education is defined as the provision of a formal
instructional program whose curriculum is designed primarily for students beyond the compulsory age for high school.
This includes programs whose purpose is occupational, academic, or continuing professional education but excludes
avocational and adult basic education programs.
If you select only avocational and/or adult basic education programs, you will be contacted by IPEDS to confirm your
exemption from IPEDS reporting.
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Part B – Organization
Institutional Control or Affiliation
Indicate the appropriate control or affiliation under which the institution operates. If the institution has a religious
affiliation, select the denomination from the list provided in the drop-down box. Public institutions must designate a
primary control; identification of a secondary control is optional. If control of the institution differs from the prior year
or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
Correct reporting of control or affiliation is KEY to IPEDS reporting. Errors in reporting control or affiliation cause you
to receive incorrect survey forms, misrepresent your institution to the public on College Navigator and other search
tools that use IPEDS data, and place your institution in incorrect groups in IPEDS publications and on the College
Affordability and Transparency Lists. If you do not know the control or affiliation of your institution, please call the
Help Desk.
Award Levels
Check applicable award levels for all credit programs offered at the institution. Award levels are identified based on
duration and/or awards.
•
•
•
•
•
Report using the number of CLOCK or CREDIT hours, as is appropriate to your calendar system (e.g., semester
or quarter).
Award levels 1a and b, 2, and 4 differ by length of programs and refer to completions below the baccalaureate
degree. Use the IPEDS designations, not institutionally defined designations, to describe these levels.
Award levels 3, 5, 7, 17, 18, and 19 indicate degree levels for which the institution is authorized to make
awards.
Award levels 6 and 8 indicate certificate levels.
If you cannot classify an award within the award levels indicated on the screen, check award level 12 ("Other")
and specify or describe the award in the context box. Because there are few programs that fall under "Other"
please contact the Help Desk if you are considering selecting Level 12.
NOTE: Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1a or b, 2, or 4, depending
on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Calendar System
Indicate the predominant calendar system under which the institution operates. If programs are offered on more
than one calendar, select the system under which most programs are offered. If there is no predominant calendar
system at your institution, select the option that best characterizes your institution.
If your calendar system differs from the prior year or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at
877.225.2568.
Note: Calendar system selection determines reporting in many other IPEDS components. Be sure that the calendar
system you select accurately represents your institution. Contact the IPEDS Help Desk if you are not sure which
calendar system to select.
•
Standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, 4-1-4)
◦
◦
◦
•
•
Use a Fall cohort for Graduation Rates.
Report tuition and fees and cost information based on a full academic year.
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled as of October 15, or the official Fall reporting
date used by the institution. This Fall enrollment cohort will be preloaded into the next year's
Student Financial Aid component.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report aid for an academic year.
Program-by-program or continuous enrollment basis
◦
Use a full-year cohort for Graduation Rates.
◦
Report tuition and fees and books and supplies information by program for the entire length of the
program. For living expenses, report costs for 4 weeks (1 month). Note: Living expenses are only
applicable to institutions with full-time, first-time students and are reported with the largest program.
◦
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled in the institution at any time between August 1
and October 31.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report aid for the largest program for an academic year.
Hybrid academic calendar (If you are considering selecting the "Other academic calendar" option, please
contact the Help Desk at 877.225.2568 so they can confirm the appropriateness of this calendar system for
your institution.)
◦
Use a full-year cohort for Graduation Rates.
◦
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled in the institution at any time between August 1
and October 31.
◦
Report tuition and fees and cost information based on a full academic year.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report students enrolled in the prior academic year between August 1 and
October 31, and the aid for an academic year.
Student Enrollment
Enrollment of full- and part-time students
Indicate whether your institution enrolls any full-time or part-time students at the levels listed. Include all levels
offered, even if there are not any students currently enrolled at that level.
Responses to those categories will determine the screens generated for reporting academic year tuition charges in the
Institutional Characteristics survey during the Fall collection and enrollment data in the Fall Enrollment survey during
the Spring collection.
•
Make sure to check "Yes" for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students if applicable, as this
determines that your institution will report cost information on Institutional Characteristics screens in Part D
and Student Financial Aid information during the Winter collection.
Doctor's - professional practice
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed Doctor's - professional practice programs. If your institution
offers Doctor's -professional practice programs but does not offer any of the listed programs, indicate no.
GR cohort question.
•
•
4-year institutions. Indicate if your institution had any full-time, first-time undergraduate students enrolled
in programs at the baccalaureate level or below in the academic year indicated on the screen. If you indicate
Yes, you must report Graduation Rates data in the Winter collection.
Less-than-4-year institutions. Indicate if your institution had any full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking students enrolled in the academic year indicated on the screen. If you check Yes, you must report
Graduation Rates data in the Winter collection.
Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
If applicable, select from the provided list the multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or
controls the institution. If you do not see your multi-institution or multi-organization listed, please contact the IPEDS
Help Desk.
A multi-institution or multi-campus organization includes organizations with two or more institutions or campuses.
Non-postsecondary education agencies that govern or control institutions include, but are not limited to, public school
districts, art organizations, hospitals and other medical/health organizations.
Do not include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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coordinating systems
single institution owner
single institution corporate name
single institution governing board
consortia
associations
religious affiliation (requested in control question)
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions
Open admission policy
Check Yes if your institution has an open admission policy.
If your institution requires only a high school diploma/equivalent and/or Ability to Benefit (or similar) test, and few
students are not admitted based on the test, your institution is still considered open admission. For example, if you
have students take the ATB test and allow 98% of those students to enroll, you are likely open admission. The 2%
that were not admitted had unusual circumstances that kept them from being admitted.
Note: IPEDS does not have a set percentage to determine open admission. Please review your institution's admission
policy or talk to someone in the admissions office if you are not sure whether your institution is open admission, or
contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
Levels of Enrollment
New institutions should indicate whether their institution was in operation during the prior academic year. If the
response is "Yes", they should also indicate the levels that were offered.
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Part D - Branch campus
For branch campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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IC Header
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
If my institution offers an award level but currently does not have any students enrolled at that level how should I
1)
report?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics Header data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in
2)
the fall?
In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
3)
4)
My institution has a system office. Does the system office need to complete an Institutional Characteristics - Header
survey?
Answers:
General
1)
If my institution offers an award level but currently does not have any students enrolled at that level how
should I report?
You should indicate all levels of awards that your institution is authorized to grant.
Back to top
2)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics Header data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a
mistake in the fall?
It is important to report IC Header data correctly the first time, as changes to this component affect all of the other
surveys. If you made an error that impacts your ability to respond appropriately to other components, call the Help
Desk at 877-225-2568, and they will change the necessary data. For example, if you indicated that you do not enroll
any full-time, first-time students (thus no GRS or SFA surveys are generated), you may correct your answer so that
you can complete this survey.
Back to top
3)
In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs, and students in these programs are undergraduate students.
Back to top
4)
My institution has a system office. Does the system office need to complete an Institutional
Characteristics - Header survey?
Any system or central office that employs 15 or more full-time staff OR has its own budget (and therefore must report
IPEDS Finance data) must also complete the Institutional Characteristics - Header survey. The administrative
office must indicate all types and levels of instruction and programs offered at all of the institutions in its system. This
will ensure that each institution in the system is represented.
Back to top
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IC Header for public 2-year degree-granting institutions
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Header Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics Header survey component (IC Header). This survey was introduced to collect data that are key
to reporting throughout the IPEDS data collection, and must be completed and locked before any other survey can be started.
Some IC Header questions may require nothing more than a confirmation, if nothing has changed. Please make changes as necessary, and
complete items that do need a response (enrollment questions).
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to provide NCES with accurate data about the institution. Please never hesitate to call the
IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568 and ask for help to make sure that you are reporting correctly!
Because of the importance of the IC Header data in determining the screens you will receive in other surveys, be sure to report correctly, and
to contact the IPEDS Help Desk if you have ANY questions about what you need to report.
The IC Header data affect other survey components in the following ways:
•
The Educational Offerings question verifies your institution's inclusion in IPEDS.
•
The Control and Levels page is key to all survey components, especially to Finance (F) and Graduation Rates (GR). Additionally,
this is important information for students, impacts many federal reports, and is used in placing institutions in appropriate net price
groupings.
•
Calendar system selection impacts student charges data reported in Institutional Characteristics (IC), Fall Enrollment (EF) data, GR
data, and Student Financial Aid (SFA) data related to the net price calculation.
•
Enrollment levels impact student charges in IC and enrollment categories in the EF survey component.
•
The Open Admission question determines whether the Admissions component will be required in the Winter collection.
•
The Academic Libraries expenses question determines whether the Academic Libraries component will be required in the Spring
collection. This question is asked of degree-granting institutions only.
•
The operations question for new institutions determines reporting of 12-month enrollment (E12).
To download survey materials package for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Educational Offerings
1. Which of the following types of instruction/programs are offered by your institution? [Check one or more]
If your institution does not offer occupational or academic programs, you are not expected to complete this or any other IPEDS survey.
Occupational, may lead to a certificate, degree, or other formal award
Academic, may lead to a certificate, degree, or diploma
Recreational or avocational (leisure) programs
Adult basic or remedial instruction or high school equivalency
Secondary (high school)
Part B - Organization - Control and Levels
1. What is your institutional control or affiliation?
Be sure to select the correct control for your institution. Errors on this question have an impact throughout the IPEDS surveys, in
federal reporting, in net price groupings, and on your institutions' appearance to students. If you reported incorrectly in a previous
year, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568 to correct the error.
Public - Select primary
and/or secondary controls
below
Primary control
Secondary control (if applicable)
Select One
Select One
Private for-profit
Private not-for-profit independent (no religious affiliation)
Private not-for-profit religious affiliation - Select affiliation below
Select One
2. What award levels are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
When reporting award levels for subbaccalaureate certificates (levels 1, 2, and 4), determine program length by the number of credit or
contact hours, NOT the academic year length in parentheses. The academic year length is meant only to provide context.
The "Other" award level should not be used unless your program truly does not fit any of the other award levels. We expect very few
institutions to fit the "Other" category.
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are considered subbaccalaureate
undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1, 2, or 4, depending on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Award Level
BELOW THE BACCALAUREATE:
1
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (less than 1 academic year)
- less than 900 contact or clock hours, or
- less than 30 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- less than 45 quarter credit hours
2
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 1 but less than 2 academic years)
- at least 900 but less than 1,800 contact or clock hours, or
- at least 30 but less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- at least 45 but less than 90 quarter credit hours
3
Associate's degree
4
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 2 but less than 4 academic years)
- 1,800 or more contact or clock hours, or
- 60 or more semester or trimester credit hours, or
- 90 or more quarter credit hours
BACCALAUREATE AND ABOVE:
5
Bachelor's degree or equivalent
6
Postbaccalaureate certificate
7
Master's degree
8
Post-master's certificate
17
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
18
Doctor's degree - professional practice
19
Doctor's degree - other
12
Other (specify in box below)
Yes, I confirm that I reviewed the award levels offered by my institution above.
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.
Part B - Organization - Calendar System
Your response to the next question determines how your institution reports Institutional Characteristics student charges data in the
fall, Student Financial Aid data in the winter, and Graduation Rates data in the winter. It also impacts the net price calculation in the
Student Financial Aid survey.
If the calendar system differs from prior year or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
3. What is the predominant calendar system at the institution? [Choose one]
Academic Year Reporting Method (Standard academic terms)
Selecting one of the following calendar types determines that your institution will provide Student Financial Aid and Graduation Rates data
based on a FALL COHORT, and student charges data for a full ACADEMIC YEAR.
Semester
Quarter
Trimester
4-1-4 or similar plan
Program Reporting Method (Other calendar system)
Selecting one of the following calendar types determines that your institution will provide Student Financial Aid and Graduation Rates data
based on a FULL-YEAR COHORT, and student charges data by PROGRAM.
Differs by program
Continuous basis (every 2 weeks, monthly, or other period)
Hybrid/Mixed Reporting Method (Standard academic terms, other academic calendar)
Selecting the hybrid calendar type determines that your institution will provide Graduation Rates data based on a FULL-YEAR COHORT,
student charges data for a full ACADEMIC YEAR, and Student Financial Aid data for students enrolling between August 1 and October 31.
Hybrid (Other academic calendar)
Part B - Organization - Student Enrollment
4. Does your institution enroll any of the following types of students?
Include all levels offered by your institution, even if there are no students currently enrolled at that level.
Responses to these questions determine which screens will be generated for reporting academic year tuition charges, and for reporting Fall
Enrollment during the Spring collection. Additionally, checking Yes for full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
determines that your institution must report cost of attendance data (on the IC component) and Student Financial Aid data for these students.
Full-time
Part-time
Undergraduate (academic or occupational programs)
First-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
Graduate (not including doctor's-professional practice)
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
6. For academic year 2015-16, did your institution enroll any full-time, first-time students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be required to provide Graduation Rates data for the 2015-16 cohort in the winter collection. If you
answer No to this question, indicate the reason you are not required to report Graduation Rates for the cohort year requested. If you reported
any full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students on the 2015-16 Fall Enrollment survey, the data will be preloaded below.
No
This institution did not enroll full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking students.
This institution was not in operation in 2015-16.
Yes
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students from the 2015-16 Fall Enrollment survey (GR Cohort)
Part B - Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
7. Multi-institution or multi-campus organization
Is the institution part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the institution? Do NOT
indicate a religious affiliation here; that information is collected separately.
If you need assistance, contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568. You will not be able to lock your submission if this question is blank.
No, this institution IS NOT a part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls
the institution.
Yes, this institution IS a part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the
institution.
If yes, select the name of the multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the
institution after clicking on 'Select System' below.
Select System
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Open Admission
1. Does your institution have an open admission policy for all or most entering first-time students?
If the only requirement for admission is a high school diploma or GED/other equivalent, your institution is still considered open admission.
Institutions that require only an Ability to Benefit or similar test beyond the diploma/equivalent, and only reject a very small number of students
based on the test, are also considered open admission.
If your institution does not have an open admission policy, you will be required to report Admissions component on your admissions
procedures and admissions yield.
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 will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written so they can be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Library Access and Expenses
2. Does your institution have access to a library collection?
No
Yes (receives Academic Libraries component)
Were your annual total library expenses for Fiscal Year 2018 greater than zero?
No
Yes (receives Academic Libraries component)
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Levels of Enrollment Offered
3. Was your institution in operation during the academic year 2017-2018?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be able to specify the levels of enrollment offered at your institution during 2017-2018 and to report
12-month enrollment during the fall collection.
No
Yes. Please specify the levels of enrollment offered during 2017-2018.
Undergraduate
Graduate (not including doctor's-professional practice)
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IC Header Full Instructions for public 2-yr degree-granting institutions
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Header Survey
Changes in Reporting
General instructions
Reporting Period for Institutional Characteristics Header
Context boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Educational Offerings
Part B - Organization
Control and Award Levels
Calendar System
Enrollment Levels and GR cohort question
Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions
Open Admission
Library Expenses
Levels of Enrollment
Part D - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) survey is to collect basic institutional
data including control or affiliation, calendar system, and award levels. These data are key to accurate reporting as
they are used to determine the reporting for other IPEDS surveys. Any errors in the IC-H survey can lead to further
errors in the data reporting process, so please be very careful in reporting these data correctly, and contact the IPEDS
Help Desk (877.225.2568) if you have any questions.
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Changes in reporting
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General instructions
Reporting period covered
Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) covers data for the current year with two exceptions.
•
•
Cohort data in B6 refer to a past cohort and are used to set the Graduation Rates component (GR).
For new institutions, the question about prior year operation refers to the prior academic year and is used to
determine the applicability of the 12-Month Enrollment (E12) component.
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Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website, however, institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries. Inappropriate or
repetitive contexts will be deleted.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) survey to ensure that you are reporting
data for the appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC-H survey
(e.g., undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to Include
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or other recognized
postsecondary credential, including those enrolled in off-campus centers
High school students taking regular college courses for credit
Full-time students taking remedial courses IF the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses for credit (e.g., online students)
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree
B. Who NOT to Include
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential
Students enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Students exclusively auditing classes
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice (previously first-professional), since they have already
received their Doctor's degree
Students studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the "home" institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Students in Experimental Pell Programs
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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 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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Reporting Directions
Part A - Educational Offerings
Responses on this screen verify inclusion of the institution on the NCES/IPEDS list of institutions and agencies that
provide all types of postsecondary education. Postsecondary education is defined as the provision of a formal
instructional program whose curriculum is designed primarily for students beyond the compulsory age for high school.
This includes programs whose purpose is occupational, academic, or continuing professional education but excludes
avocational and adult basic education programs.
If you select only avocational and/or adult basic education programs, you will be contacted by IPEDS to confirm your
exemption from IPEDS reporting.
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Part B – Organization
Institutional Control or Affiliation
Indicate the appropriate control or affiliation under which the institution operates. If the institution has a religious
affiliation, select the denomination from the list provided in the drop-down box. Public institutions must designate a
primary control; identification of a secondary control is optional. If control of the institution differs from the prior year
or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
Correct reporting of control or affiliation is KEY to IPEDS reporting. Errors in reporting control or affiliation cause you
to receive incorrect survey forms, misrepresent your institution to the public on College Navigator and other search
tools that use IPEDS data, and place your institution in incorrect groups in IPEDS publications and on the College
Affordability and Transparency Lists. If you do not know the control or affiliation of your institution, please call the
Help Desk.
Award Levels
Check applicable award levels for all credit programs offered at the institution. Award levels are identified based on
duration and/or awards.
•
•
•
•
•
Report using the number of CLOCK or CREDIT hours, as is appropriate to your calendar system (e.g., semester
or quarter).
Award levels 1 a and b, 2, and 4 differ by length of programs and refer to completions below the baccalaureate
degree. Use the IPEDS designations, not institutionally defined designations, to describe these levels.
Award levels 3, 5, 7, 17, 18, and 19 indicate degree levels for which the institution is authorized to make
awards.
Award levels 6 and 8 indicate certificate levels.
If you cannot classify an award within the award levels indicated on the screen, check award level 12 ("Other")
and specify or describe the award in the context box. Because there are few programs that fall under "Other"
please contact the Help Desk if you are considering selecting Level 12.
NOTE: Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1a or b, 2, or 4, depending
on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Calendar System
Indicate the predominant calendar system under which the institution operates. If programs are offered on more
than one calendar, select the system under which most programs are offered. If there is no predominant calendar
system at your institution, select the option that best characterizes your institution.
If your calendar system differs from the prior year or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at
877.225.2568.
Note: Calendar system selection determines reporting in many other IPEDS components. Be sure that the calendar
system you select accurately represents your institution. Contact the IPEDS Help Desk if you are not sure which
calendar system to select.
•
•
•
Standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, 4-1-4)
◦
Use a Fall cohort for Graduation Rates.
◦
Report tuition and fees and cost information based on a full academic year.
◦
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled as of October 15, or the official Fall reporting
date used by the institution. This Fall enrollment cohort will be preloaded into the next year's
Student Financial Aid component.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report aid for an academic year.
Program-by-program or continuous enrollment basis
◦
Use a full-year cohort for Graduation Rates.
◦
Report tuition and fees and books and supplies information by program for the entire length of the
program. For living expenses, report costs for 4 weeks (1 month). Note: Living expenses are only
applicable to institutions with full-time, first-time students and are reported with the largest program.
◦
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled in the institution at any time between August 1
and October 31.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report aid for the largest program for an academic year.
Hybrid academic calendar (If you are considering selecting the "Other academic calendar" option, please
contact the Help Desk at 877.225.2568 so they can confirm the appropriateness of this calendar system for
your institution.)
◦
Use a full-year cohort for Graduation Rates.
◦
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled in the institution at any time between August 1
and October 31.
◦
Report tuition and fees and cost information based on a full academic year.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report students enrolled in the prior academic year between August 1 and
October 31, and the aid for an academic year.
Student Enrollment
Enrollment of full- and part-time students
Indicate whether your institution enrolls any full-time or part-time students at the levels listed. Include all levels
offered, even if there are not any students currently enrolled at that level.
Responses to those categories will determine the screens generated for reporting academic year tuition charges in the
Institutional Characteristics survey during the Fall collection and enrollment data in the Fall Enrollment survey during
the Spring collection.
•
Make sure to check "Yes" for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students if applicable, as this
determines that your institution will report cost information on Institutional Characteristics screens in Part D
and Student Financial Aid information during the Winter collection.
Doctor's - professional practice
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed Doctor's - professional practice programs. If your institution
offers Doctor's -professional practice programs but does not offer any of the listed programs, indicate no.
GR cohort question.
•
•
4-year institutions. Indicate if your institution had any full-time, first-time undergraduate students enrolled
in programs at the baccalaureate level or below in the academic year indicated on the screen. If you indicate
Yes, you must report Graduation Rates data in the Winter collection.
Less-than-4-year institutions. Indicate if your institution had any full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking students enrolled in the academic year indicated on the screen. If you check Yes, you must report
Graduation Rates data in the Winter collection.
Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
If applicable, select from the provided list the multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or
controls the institution. If you do not see your multi-institution or multi-organization listed, please contact the IPEDS
Help Desk.
A multi-institution or multi-campus organization includes organizations with two or more institutions or campuses.
Non-postsecondary education agencies that govern or control institutions include, but are not limited to, public school
districts, art organizations, hospitals and other medical/health organizations.
Do not include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
coordinating systems
single institution owner
single institution corporate name
single institution governing board
consortia
associations
religious affiliation (requested in control question)
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Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions
Open admission policy
Check Yes if your institution has an open admission policy.
If your institution requires only a high school diploma/equivalent and/or Ability to Benefit (or similar) test, and few
students are not admitted based on the test, your institution is still considered open admission. For example, if you
have students take the ATB test and allow 98% of those students to enroll, you are likely open admission. The 2%
that were not admitted had unusual circumstances that kept them from being admitted.
Note: IPEDS does not have a set percentage to determine open admission. Please review your institution's admission
policy or talk to someone in the admissions office if you are not sure whether your institution is open admission, or
contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
Library Access and Expenses
Indicate whether the institution has access to a library collection and/or the annual total library expenses at your
institution were greater than zero for Fiscal Year 2018. Fiscal Year 2018 is defined as the most recent 12-month period
that corresponds to your institution's fiscal year that ends before October 1, 2018.
A library collection is defined as “comprising documents held locally and remote resources for which permanent or
temporary access rights have been acquired. Access rights may be acquired by the library itself, by a consortium
and/or through external funding. Acquisition is to be understood as securing access rights and including it in the
library catalog, other library databases or discovery systems.”
Expenses include funds expended by the library (regardless of when received) from its regular budget and from all
other known sources; e.g., research grants, special projects, gifts and endowments, and fees for services. Those
libraries in consortia or those that share all their resources with another institution, please report whether the total
annual library expenses at YOUR institution were greater than zero in Fiscal Year 2018.
If the institution does not have access to a library collection and the institution's library expenses are equal to 0, you
will not be asked to complete the Academic Libraries (AL) component in the Spring.
Levels of Enrollment
New institutions should indicate whether their institution was in operation during the prior academic year. If the
response is "Yes", they should also indicate the levels that were offered.
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Part D - Branch campus
For branch campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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IC Header
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
If my institution offers an award level but currently does not have any students enrolled at that level how should I
1)
report?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics Header data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in
2)
the fall?
In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
3)
4)
My institution has a system office. Does the system office need to complete an Institutional Characteristics - Header
survey?
Answers:
General
1)
If my institution offers an award level but currently does not have any students enrolled at that level how
should I report?
You should indicate all levels of awards that your institution is authorized to grant.
Back to top
2)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics Header data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a
mistake in the fall?
It is important to report IC Header data correctly the first time, as changes to this component affect all of the other
surveys. If you made an error that impacts your ability to respond appropriately to other components, call the Help
Desk at 877-225-2568, and they will change the necessary data. For example, if you indicated that you do not enroll
any full-time, first-time students (thus no GRS or SFA surveys are generated), you may correct your answer so that
you can complete this survey.
Back to top
3)
In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs, and students in these programs are undergraduate students.
Back to top
4)
My institution has a system office. Does the system office need to complete an Institutional
Characteristics - Header survey?
Any system or central office that employs 15 or more full-time staff OR has its own budget (and therefore must report
IPEDS Finance data) must also complete the Institutional Characteristics - Header survey. The administrative
office must indicate all types and levels of instruction and programs offered at all of the institutions in its system. This
will ensure that each institution in the system is represented.
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IC Header for public 2-year non-degree-granting institutions
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Header Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics Header survey component (IC Header). This survey was introduced to collect data that are key
to reporting throughout the IPEDS data collection, and must be completed and locked before any other survey can be started.
Some IC Header questions may require nothing more than a confirmation, if nothing has changed. Please make changes as necessary, and
complete items that do need a response (enrollment questions).
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to provide NCES with accurate data about the institution. Please never hesitate to call the
IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568 and ask for help to make sure that you are reporting correctly!
Because of the importance of the IC Header data in determining the screens you will receive in other surveys, be sure to report correctly, and
to contact the IPEDS Help Desk if you have ANY questions about what you need to report.
The IC Header data affect other survey components in the following ways:
•
The Educational Offerings question verifies your institution's inclusion in IPEDS.
•
The Control and Levels page is key to all survey components, especially to Finance (F) and Graduation Rates (GR). Additionally,
this is important information for students, impacts many federal reports, and is used in placing institutions in appropriate net price
groupings.
•
Calendar system selection impacts student charges data reported in Institutional Characteristics (IC), Fall Enrollment (EF) data, GR
data, and Student Financial Aid (SFA) data related to the net price calculation.
•
Enrollment levels impact student charges in IC and enrollment categories in the EF survey component.
•
The Open Admission question determines whether the Admissions component will be required in the Winter collection.
•
The Academic Libraries expenses question determines whether the Academic Libraries component will be required in the Spring
collection. This question is asked of degree-granting institutions only.
•
The operations question for new institutions determines reporting of 12-month enrollment (E12).
To download survey materials package for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Educational Offerings
1. Which of the following types of instruction/programs are offered by your institution? [Check one or more]
If your institution does not offer occupational or academic programs, you are not expected to complete this or any other IPEDS survey.
Occupational, may lead to a certificate, degree, or other formal award
Academic, may lead to a certificate, degree, or diploma
Recreational or avocational (leisure) programs
Adult basic or remedial instruction or high school equivalency
Secondary (high school)
Part B - Organization - Control and Levels
1. What is your institutional control or affiliation?
Be sure to select the correct control for your institution. Errors on this question have an impact throughout the IPEDS surveys, in
federal reporting, in net price groupings, and on your institutions' appearance to students. If you reported incorrectly in a previous
year, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568 to correct the error.
Public - Select primary
and/or secondary controls
below
Primary control
Secondary control (if applicable)
Select One
Select One
Private for-profit
Private not-for-profit independent (no religious affiliation)
Private not-for-profit religious affiliation - Select affiliation below
Select One
2. What award levels are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
When reporting award levels for subbaccalaureate certificates (levels 1, 2, and 4), determine program length by the number of credit or
contact hours, NOT the academic year length in parentheses. The academic year length is meant only to provide context.
The "Other" award level should not be used unless your program truly does not fit any of the other award levels. We expect very few
institutions to fit the "Other" category.
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are considered subbaccalaureate
undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1, 2, or 4, depending on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Award Level
BELOW THE BACCALAUREATE:
1
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (less than 1 academic year)
- less than 900 contact or clock hours, or
- less than 30 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- less than 45 quarter credit hours
2
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 1 but less than 2 academic years)
- at least 900 but less than 1,800 contact or clock hours, or
- at least 30 but less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- at least 45 but less than 90 quarter credit hours
3
Associate's degree
4
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 2 but less than 4 academic years)
- 1,800 or more contact or clock hours, or
- 60 or more semester or trimester credit hours, or
- 90 or more quarter credit hours
BACCALAUREATE AND ABOVE:
5
Bachelor's degree or equivalent
6
Postbaccalaureate certificate
7
Master's degree
8
Post-master's certificate
17
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
18
Doctor's degree - professional practice
19
Doctor's degree - other
12
Other (specify in box below)
Yes, I confirm that I reviewed the award levels offered by my institution above.
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.
Part B - Organization - Calendar System
Your response to the next question determines how your institution reports Institutional Characteristics student charges data in the
fall, Student Financial Aid data in the winter, and Graduation Rates data in the winter. It also impacts the net price calculation in the
Student Financial Aid survey.
If the calendar system differs from prior year or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
3. What is the predominant calendar system at the institution? [Choose one]
Academic Year Reporting Method (Standard academic terms)
Selecting one of the following calendar types determines that your institution will provide Student Financial Aid and Graduation Rates data
based on a FALL COHORT, and student charges data for a full ACADEMIC YEAR.
Semester
Quarter
Trimester
4-1-4 or similar plan
Program Reporting Method (Other calendar system)
Selecting one of the following calendar types determines that your institution will provide Student Financial Aid and Graduation Rates data
based on a FULL-YEAR COHORT, and student charges data by PROGRAM.
Differs by program
Continuous basis (every 2 weeks, monthly, or other period)
Hybrid/Mixed Reporting Method (Standard academic terms, other academic calendar)
Selecting the hybrid calendar type determines that your institution will provide Graduation Rates data based on a FULL-YEAR COHORT,
student charges data for a full ACADEMIC YEAR, and Student Financial Aid data for students enrolling between August 1 and October 31.
Hybrid (Other academic calendar)
Part B - Organization - Student Enrollment
4. Does your institution enroll any of the following types of students?
Include all levels offered by your institution, even if there are no students currently enrolled at that level.
Responses to these questions determine which screens will be generated for reporting academic year tuition charges, and for reporting Fall
Enrollment during the Spring collection. Additionally, checking Yes for full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
determines that your institution must report cost of attendance data (on the IC component) and Student Financial Aid data for these students.
Full-time
Part-time
Undergraduate (academic or occupational programs)
First-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate
Graduate (not including doctor's-professional practice)
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
6. For academic year 2015-16, did your institution enroll any full-time, first-time students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be required to provide Graduation Rates data for the 2015-16 cohort in the winter collection. If you
answer No to this question, indicate the reason you are not required to report Graduation Rates for the cohort year requested. If you reported
any full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students on the 2015-16 Fall Enrollment survey, the data will be preloaded below.
No
This institution did not enroll full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking students.
This institution was not in operation in 2015-16.
Yes
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students from the 2015-16 Fall Enrollment survey (GR Cohort)
Part B - Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
7. Multi-institution or multi-campus organization
Is the institution part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the institution? Do NOT
indicate a religious affiliation here; that information is collected separately.
If you need assistance, contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568. You will not be able to lock your submission if this question is blank.
No, this institution IS NOT a part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls
the institution.
Yes, this institution IS a part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the
institution.
If yes, select the name of the multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the
institution after clicking on 'Select System' below.
Select System
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Open Admission
1. Does your institution have an open admission policy for all or most entering first-time students?
If the only requirement for admission is a high school diploma or GED/other equivalent, your institution is still considered open admission.
Institutions that require only an Ability to Benefit or similar test beyond the diploma/equivalent, and only reject a very small number of students
based on the test, are also considered open admission.
If your institution does not have an open admission policy, you will be required to report Admissions component on your admissions
procedures and admissions yield.
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 will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written so they can be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Levels of Enrollment Offered
3. Was your institution in operation during the academic year 2017-2018?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be able to specify the levels of enrollment offered at your institution during 2017-2018 and to report
12-month enrollment during the fall collection.
No
Yes. Please specify the levels of enrollment offered during 2017-2018.
Undergraduate
Graduate (not including doctor's-professional practice)
U.S. Department of Education
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IC Header Full Instructions for public 2-yr nondegree-granting institutions
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Header Survey
Changes in Reporting
General instructions
Reporting Period for Institutional Characteristics Header
Context boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Educational Offerings
Part B - Organization
Control and Award Levels
Calendar System
Enrollment Levels and GR cohort question
Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions
Open Admission
Levels of Enrollment
Part D - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) survey is to collect basic institutional
data including control or affiliation, calendar system, and award levels. These data are key to accurate reporting as
they are used to determine the reporting for other IPEDS surveys. Any errors in the IC-H survey can lead to further
errors in the data reporting process, so please be very careful in reporting these data correctly, and contact the IPEDS
Help Desk (877.225.2568) if you have any questions.
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Changes in reporting
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General instructions
Reporting period covered
Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) covers data for the current year with two exceptions.
•
•
Cohort data in B6 refer to a past cohort and are used to set the Graduation Rates component (GR).
For new institutions, the question about prior year operation refers to the prior academic year and is used to
determine the applicability of the 12-Month Enrollment (E12) component.
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Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website, however, institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries. Inappropriate or
repetitive contexts will be deleted.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) survey to ensure that you are reporting
data for the appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC-H survey
(e.g., undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to Include
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or other recognized
postsecondary credential, including those enrolled in off-campus centers
High school students taking regular college courses for credit
Full-time students taking remedial courses IF the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses for credit (e.g., online students)
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree
B. Who NOT to Include
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential
Students enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Students exclusively auditing classes
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice (previously first-professional), since they have already
received their Doctor's degree
Students studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the "home" institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Students in Experimental Pell Programs
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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 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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Reporting Directions
Part A - Educational Offerings
Responses on this screen verify inclusion of the institution on the NCES/IPEDS list of institutions and agencies that
provide all types of postsecondary education. Postsecondary education is defined as the provision of a formal
instructional program whose curriculum is designed primarily for students beyond the compulsory age for high school.
This includes programs whose purpose is occupational, academic, or continuing professional education but excludes
avocational and adult basic education programs.
If you select only avocational and/or adult basic education programs, you will be contacted by IPEDS to confirm your
exemption from IPEDS reporting.
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Part B – Organization
Institutional Control or Affiliation
Indicate the appropriate control or affiliation under which the institution operates. If the institution has a religious
affiliation, select the denomination from the list provided in the drop-down box. Public institutions must designate a
primary control; identification of a secondary control is optional. If control of the institution differs from the prior year
or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
Correct reporting of control or affiliation is KEY to IPEDS reporting. Errors in reporting control or affiliation cause you
to receive incorrect survey forms, misrepresent your institution to the public on College Navigator and other search
tools that use IPEDS data, and place your institution in incorrect groups in IPEDS publications and on the College
Affordability and Transparency Lists. If you do not know the control or affiliation of your institution, please call the
Help Desk.
Award Levels
Check applicable award levels for all credit programs offered at the institution. Award levels are identified based on
duration and/or awards.
•
•
•
•
•
Report using the number of CLOCK or CREDIT hours, as is appropriate to your calendar system (e.g., semester
or quarter).
Award levels 1 a and b, 2, and 4 differ by length of programs and refer to completions below the baccalaureate
degree. Use the IPEDS designations, not institutionally defined designations, to describe these levels.
Award levels 3, 5, 7, 17, 18, and 19 indicate degree levels for which the institution is authorized to make
awards.
Award levels 6 and 8 indicate certificate levels.
If you cannot classify an award within the award levels indicated on the screen, check award level 12 ("Other")
and specify or describe the award in the context box. Because there are few programs that fall under "Other"
please contact the Help Desk if you are considering selecting Level 12.
NOTE: Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1 a or b, 2, or 4, depending
on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Calendar System
Indicate the predominant calendar system under which the institution operates. If programs are offered on more
than one calendar, select the system under which most programs are offered. If there is no predominant calendar
system at your institution, select the option that best characterizes your institution.
If your calendar system differs from the prior year or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at
877.225.2568.
Note: Calendar system selection determines reporting in many other IPEDS components. Be sure that the calendar
system you select accurately represents your institution. Contact the IPEDS Help Desk if you are not sure which
calendar system to select.
•
Standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, 4-1-4)
◦
◦
◦
•
•
Use a Fall cohort for Graduation Rates.
Report tuition and fees and cost information based on a full academic year.
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled as of October 15, or the official Fall reporting
date used by the institution. This Fall enrollment cohort will be preloaded into the next year's
Student Financial Aid component.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report aid for an academic year.
Program-by-program or continuous enrollment basis
◦
Use a full-year cohort for Graduation Rates.
◦
Report tuition and fees and books and supplies information by program for the entire length of the
program. For living expenses, report costs for 4 weeks (1 month). Note: Living expenses are only
applicable to institutions with full-time, first-time students and are reported with the largest program.
◦
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled in the institution at any time between August 1
and October 31.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report aid for the largest program for an academic year.
Hybrid academic calendar (If you are considering selecting the "Other academic calendar" option, please
contact the Help Desk at 877.225.2568 so they can confirm the appropriateness of this calendar system for
your institution.)
◦
Use a full-year cohort for Graduation Rates.
◦
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled in the institution at any time between August 1
and October 31.
◦
Report tuition and fees and cost information based on a full academic year.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report students enrolled in the prior academic year between August 1 and
October 31, and the aid for an academic year.
Student Enrollment
Enrollment of full- and part-time students
Indicate whether your institution enrolls any full-time or part-time students at the levels listed. Include all levels
offered, even if there are not any students currently enrolled at that level.
Responses to those categories will determine the screens generated for reporting academic year tuition charges in the
Institutional Characteristics survey during the Fall collection and enrollment data in the Fall Enrollment survey during
the Spring collection.
•
Make sure to check "Yes" for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students if applicable, as this
determines that your institution will report cost information on Institutional Characteristics screens in Part D
and Student Financial Aid information during the Winter collection.
Doctor's - professional practice
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed Doctor's - professional practice programs. If your institution
offers Doctor's -professional practice programs but does not offer any of the listed programs, indicate no.
GR cohort question.
•
•
4-year institutions. Indicate if your institution had any full-time, first-time undergraduate students enrolled
in programs at the baccalaureate level or below in the academic year indicated on the screen. If you indicate
Yes, you must report Graduation Rates data in the Winter collection.
Less-than-4-year institutions. Indicate if your institution had any full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking students enrolled in the academic year indicated on the screen. If you check Yes, you must report
Graduation Rates data in the Winter collection.
Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
If applicable, select from the provided list the multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or
controls the institution. If you do not see your multi-institution or multi-organization listed, please contact the IPEDS
Help Desk.
A multi-institution or multi-campus organization includes organizations with two or more institutions or campuses.
Non-postsecondary education agencies that govern or control institutions include, but are not limited to, public school
districts, art organizations, hospitals and other medical/health organizations.
Do not include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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coordinating systems
single institution owner
single institution corporate name
single institution governing board
consortia
associations
religious affiliation (requested in control question)
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions
Open admission policy
Check Yes if your institution has an open admission policy.
If your institution requires only a high school diploma/equivalent and/or Ability to Benefit (or similar) test, and few
students are not admitted based on the test, your institution is still considered open admission. For example, if you
have students take the ATB test and allow 98% of those students to enroll, you are likely open admission. The 2%
that were not admitted had unusual circumstances that kept them from being admitted.
Note: IPEDS does not have a set percentage to determine open admission. Please review your institution's admission
policy or talk to someone in the admissions office if you are not sure whether your institution is open admission, or
contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
Levels of Enrollment
New institutions should indicate whether their institution was in operation during the prior academic year. If the
response is "Yes", they should also indicate the levels that were offered.
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Part D - Branch campus
For branch campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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IC Header
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
If my institution offers an award level but currently does not have any students enrolled at that level how should I
1)
report?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics Header data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in
2)
the fall?
In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
3)
4)
My institution has a system office. Does the system office need to complete an Institutional Characteristics - Header
survey?
Answers:
General
1)
If my institution offers an award level but currently does not have any students enrolled at that level how
should I report?
You should indicate all levels of awards that your institution is authorized to grant.
Back to top
2)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics Header data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a
mistake in the fall?
It is important to report IC Header data correctly the first time, as changes to this component affect all of the other
surveys. If you made an error that impacts your ability to respond appropriately to other components, call the Help
Desk at 877-225-2568, and they will change the necessary data. For example, if you indicated that you do not enroll
any full-time, first-time students (thus no GRS or SFA surveys are generated), you may correct your answer so that
you can complete this survey.
Back to top
3)
In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs, and students in these programs are undergraduate students.
Back to top
4)
My institution has a system office. Does the system office need to complete an Institutional
Characteristics - Header survey?
Any system or central office that employs 15 or more full-time staff OR has its own budget (and therefore must report
IPEDS Finance data) must also complete the Institutional Characteristics - Header survey. The administrative
office must indicate all types and levels of instruction and programs offered at all of the institutions in its system. This
will ensure that each institution in the system is represented.
Back to top
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IC Header for private 2-year degree-granting institutions
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Header Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics Header survey component (IC Header). This survey was introduced to collect data that are key
to reporting throughout the IPEDS data collection, and must be completed and locked before any other survey can be started.
Some IC Header questions may require nothing more than a confirmation, if nothing has changed. Please make changes as necessary, and
complete items that do need a response (enrollment questions).
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to provide NCES with accurate data about the institution. Please never hesitate to call the
IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568 and ask for help to make sure that you are reporting correctly!
Because of the importance of the IC Header data in determining the screens you will receive in other surveys, be sure to report correctly, and
to contact the IPEDS Help Desk if you have ANY questions about what you need to report.
The IC Header data affect other survey components in the following ways:
•
The Educational Offerings question verifies your institution's inclusion in IPEDS.
•
The Control and Levels page is key to all survey components, especially to Finance (F) and Graduation Rates (GR). Additionally,
this is important information for students, impacts many federal reports, and is used in placing institutions in appropriate net price
groupings.
•
Calendar system selection impacts student charges data reported in Institutional Characteristics (IC), Fall Enrollment (EF) data, GR
data, and Student Financial Aid (SFA) data related to the net price calculation.
•
Enrollment levels impact student charges in IC and enrollment categories in the EF survey component.
•
The Open Admission question determines whether the Admissions component will be required in the Winter collection.
•
The Academic Libraries expenses question determines whether the Academic Libraries component will be required in the Spring
collection. This question is asked of degree-granting institutions only.
•
The operations question for new institutions determines reporting of 12-month enrollment (E12).
To download survey materials package for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Educational Offerings
1. Which of the following types of instruction/programs are offered by your institution? [Check one or more]
If your institution does not offer occupational or academic programs, you are not expected to complete this or any other IPEDS survey.
Occupational, may lead to a certificate, degree, or other formal award
Academic, may lead to a certificate, degree, or diploma
Recreational or avocational (leisure) programs
Adult basic or remedial instruction or high school equivalency
Secondary (high school)
Part B - Organization - Control and Levels
1. What is your institutional control or affiliation?
Be sure to select the correct control for your institution. Errors on this question have an impact throughout the IPEDS surveys, in
federal reporting, in net price groupings, and on your institutions' appearance to students. If you reported incorrectly in a previous
year, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568 to correct the error.
Public - Select primary
and/or secondary controls
below
Primary control
Secondary control (if applicable)
Select One
Select One
Private for-profit
Private not-for-profit independent (no religious affiliation)
Private not-for-profit religious affiliation - Select affiliation below
Select One
2. What award levels are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
When reporting award levels for subbaccalaureate certificates (levels 1, 2, and 4), determine program length by the number of credit or
contact hours, NOT the academic year length in parentheses. The academic year length is meant only to provide context.
The "Other" award level should not be used unless your program truly does not fit any of the other award levels. We expect very few
institutions to fit the "Other" category.
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are considered subbaccalaureate
undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1, 2, or 4, depending on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Award Level
BELOW THE BACCALAUREATE:
1
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (less than 1 academic year)
- less than 900 contact or clock hours, or
- less than 30 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- less than 45 quarter credit hours
2
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 1 but less than 2 academic years)
- at least 900 but less than 1,800 contact or clock hours, or
- at least 30 but less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- at least 45 but less than 90 quarter credit hours
3
Associate's degree
4
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 2 but less than 4 academic years)
- 1,800 or more contact or clock hours, or
- 60 or more semester or trimester credit hours, or
- 90 or more quarter credit hours
BACCALAUREATE AND ABOVE:
5
Bachelor's degree or equivalent
6
Postbaccalaureate certificate
7
Master's degree
8
Post-master's certificate
17
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
18
Doctor's degree - professional practice
19
Doctor's degree - other
12
Other (specify in box below)
Yes, I confirm that I reviewed the award levels offered by my institution above.
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.
Part B - Organization - Calendar System
Your response to the next question determines how your institution reports Institutional Characteristics student charges data in the
fall, Student Financial Aid data in the winter, and Graduation Rates data in the winter. It also impacts the net price calculation in the
Student Financial Aid survey.
If the calendar system differs from prior year or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
3. What is the predominant calendar system at the institution? [Choose one]
Academic Year Reporting Method (Standard academic terms)
Selecting one of the following calendar types determines that your institution will provide Student Financial Aid and Graduation Rates data
based on a FALL COHORT, and student charges data for a full ACADEMIC YEAR.
Semester
Quarter
Trimester
4-1-4 or similar plan
Program Reporting Method (Other calendar system)
Selecting one of the following calendar types determines that your institution will provide Student Financial Aid and Graduation Rates data
based on a FULL-YEAR COHORT, and student charges data by PROGRAM.
Differs by program
Continuous basis (every 2 weeks, monthly, or other period)
Hybrid/Mixed Reporting Method (Standard academic terms, other academic calendar)
Selecting the hybrid calendar type determines that your institution will provide Graduation Rates data based on a FULL-YEAR COHORT,
student charges data for a full ACADEMIC YEAR, and Student Financial Aid data for students enrolling between August 1 and October 31.
Hybrid (Other academic calendar)
Part B - Organization - Student Enrollment
4. Does your institution enroll any of the following types of students?
Include all levels offered by your institution, even if there are no students currently enrolled at that level.
Responses to these questions determine which screens will be generated for reporting academic year tuition charges, and for reporting Fall
Enrollment during the Spring collection. Additionally, checking Yes for full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
determines that your institution must report cost of attendance data (on the IC component) and Student Financial Aid data for these students.
Full-time
Part-time
Students in academic or occupational programs
First-time students
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
6. For academic year 2015-16, did your institution enroll any full-time, first-time students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be required to provide Graduation Rates data for the 2015-16 cohort in the winter collection. If you
answer No to this question, indicate the reason you are not required to report Graduation Rates for the cohort year requested. If you reported
any full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students on the 2015-16 Fall Enrollment survey, the data will be preloaded below.
No
This institution did not enroll full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking students.
This institution was not in operation in 2015-16.
Yes
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students from the 2015-16 Fall Enrollment survey (GR Cohort)
Part B - Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
7. Multi-institution or multi-campus organization
Is the institution part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the institution? Do NOT
indicate a religious affiliation here; that information is collected separately.
If you need assistance, contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568. You will not be able to lock your submission if this question is blank.
No, this institution IS NOT a part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls
the institution.
Yes, this institution IS a part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the
institution.
If yes, select the name of the multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the
institution after clicking on 'Select System' below.
Select System
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Open Admission
1. Does your institution have an open admission policy for all or most entering first-time students?
If the only requirement for admission is a high school diploma or GED/other equivalent, your institution is still considered open admission.
Institutions that require only an Ability to Benefit or similar test beyond the diploma/equivalent, and only reject a very small number of students
based on the test, are also considered open admission.
If your institution does not have an open admission policy, you will be required to report Admissions component on your admissions
procedures and admissions yield.
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 will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written so they can be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Library Access and Expenses
2. Does your institution have access to a library collection?
No
Yes (receives Academic Libraries component)
Were your annual total library expenses for Fiscal Year 2018 greater than zero?
No
Yes (receives Academic Libraries component)
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Levels of Enrollment Offered
3. Was your institution in operation during the academic year 2017-2018?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be able to specify the levels of enrollment offered at your institution during 2017-2018 and to report
12-month enrollment during the fall collection.
No
Yes. Please specify the levels of enrollment offered during 2017-2018.
Undergraduate
Graduate (not including doctor's-professional practice)
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IC Header Full Instructions for private 2-yr degree-granting institutions
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Header Survey
Changes in Reporting
General instructions
Reporting Period for Institutional Characteristics Header
Context boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Educational Offerings
Part B - Organization
Control and Award Levels
Calendar System
Enrollment Levels and GR cohort question
Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions
Open Admission
Library Expenses
Levels of Enrollment
Part D - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) survey is to collect basic institutional
data including control or affiliation, calendar system, and award levels. These data are key to accurate reporting as
they are used to determine the reporting for other IPEDS surveys. Any errors in the IC-H survey can lead to further
errors in the data reporting process, so please be very careful in reporting these data correctly, and contact the IPEDS
Help Desk (877.225.2568) if you have any questions.
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Changes in reporting
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General instructions
Reporting period covered
Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) covers data for the current year with two exceptions.
•
•
Cohort data in B6 refer to a past cohort and are used to set the Graduation Rates component (GR).
For new institutions, the question about prior year operation refers to the prior academic year and is used to
determine the applicability of the 12-Month Enrollment (E12) component.
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Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website, however, institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries. Inappropriate or
repetitive contexts will be deleted.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) survey to ensure that you are reporting
data for the appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC-H survey
(e.g., undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to Include
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or other recognized
postsecondary credential, including those enrolled in off-campus centers
High school students taking regular college courses for credit
Full-time students taking remedial courses IF the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses for credit (e.g., online students)
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree
B. Who NOT to Include
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential
Students enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Students exclusively auditing classes
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice (previously first-professional), since they have already
received their Doctor's degree
Students studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the "home" institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Students in Experimental Pell Programs
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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 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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Reporting Directions
Part A - Educational Offerings
Responses on this screen verify inclusion of the institution on the NCES/IPEDS list of institutions and agencies that
provide all types of postsecondary education. Postsecondary education is defined as the provision of a formal
instructional program whose curriculum is designed primarily for students beyond the compulsory age for high school.
This includes programs whose purpose is occupational, academic, or continuing professional education but excludes
avocational and adult basic education programs.
If you select only avocational and/or adult basic education programs, you will be contacted by IPEDS to confirm your
exemption from IPEDS reporting.
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Part B – Organization
Institutional Control or Affiliation
Indicate the appropriate control or affiliation under which the institution operates. If the institution has a religious
affiliation, select the denomination from the list provided in the drop-down box. Public institutions must designate a
primary control; identification of a secondary control is optional. If control of the institution differs from the prior year
or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
Correct reporting of control or affiliation is KEY to IPEDS reporting. Errors in reporting control or affiliation cause you
to receive incorrect survey forms, misrepresent your institution to the public on College Navigator and other search
tools that use IPEDS data, and place your institution in incorrect groups in IPEDS publications and on the College
Affordability and Transparency Lists. If you do not know the control or affiliation of your institution, please call the
Help Desk.
Award Levels
Check applicable award levels for all credit programs offered at the institution. Award levels are identified based on
duration and/or awards.
•
•
•
•
•
Report using the number of CLOCK or CREDIT hours, as is appropriate to your calendar system (e.g., semester
or quarter).
Award levels 1 a and b, 2, and 4 differ by length of programs and refer to completions below the baccalaureate
degree. Use the IPEDS designations, not institutionally defined designations, to describe these levels.
Award levels 3, 5, 7, 17, 18, and 19 indicate degree levels for which the institution is authorized to make
awards.
Award levels 6 and 8 indicate certificate levels.
If you cannot classify an award within the award levels indicated on the screen, check award level 12 ("Other")
and specify or describe the award in the context box. Because there are few programs that fall under "Other"
please contact the Help Desk if you are considering selecting Level 12.
NOTE: Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1 a or b, 2, or 4, depending
on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Calendar System
Indicate the predominant calendar system under which the institution operates. If programs are offered on more
than one calendar, select the system under which most programs are offered. If there is no predominant calendar
system at your institution, select the option that best characterizes your institution.
If your calendar system differs from the prior year or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at
877.225.2568.
Note: Calendar system selection determines reporting in many other IPEDS components. Be sure that the calendar
system you select accurately represents your institution. Contact the IPEDS Help Desk if you are not sure which
calendar system to select.
•
Standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, 4-1-4)
◦
◦
◦
•
•
Use a Fall cohort for Graduation Rates.
Report tuition and fees and cost information based on a full academic year.
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled as of October 15, or the official Fall reporting
date used by the institution. This Fall enrollment cohort will be preloaded into the next year's
Student Financial Aid component.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report aid for an academic year.
Program-by-program or continuous enrollment basis
◦
Use a full-year cohort for Graduation Rates.
◦
Report tuition and fees and books and supplies information by program for the entire length of the
program. For living expenses, report costs for 4 weeks (1 month). Note: Living expenses are only
applicable to institutions with full-time, first-time students and are reported with the largest program.
◦
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled in the institution at any time between August 1
and October 31.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report aid for the largest program for an academic year.
Hybrid academic calendar (If you are considering selecting the "Other academic calendar" option, please
contact the Help Desk at 877.225.2568 so they can confirm the appropriateness of this calendar system for
your institution.)
◦
Use a full-year cohort for Graduation Rates.
◦
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled in the institution at any time between August 1
and October 31.
◦
Report tuition and fees and cost information based on a full academic year.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report students enrolled in the prior academic year between August 1 and
October 31, and the aid for an academic year.
Student Enrollment
Enrollment of full- and part-time students
Indicate whether your institution enrolls any full-time or part-time students at the levels listed. Include all levels
offered, even if there are not any students currently enrolled at that level.
Responses to those categories will determine the screens generated for reporting academic year tuition charges in the
Institutional Characteristics survey during the Fall collection and enrollment data in the Fall Enrollment survey during
the Spring collection.
•
Make sure to check "Yes" for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students if applicable, as this
determines that your institution will report cost information on Institutional Characteristics screens in Part D
and Student Financial Aid information during the Winter collection.
Doctor's - professional practice
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed Doctor's - professional practice programs. If your institution
offers Doctor's -professional practice programs but does not offer any of the listed programs, indicate no.
GR cohort question.
•
•
4-year institutions. Indicate if your institution had any full-time, first-time undergraduate students enrolled
in programs at the baccalaureate level or below in the academic year indicated on the screen. If you indicate
Yes, you must report Graduation Rates data in the Winter collection.
Less-than-4-year institutions. Indicate if your institution had any full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking students enrolled in the academic year indicated on the screen. If you check Yes, you must report
Graduation Rates data in the Winter collection.
Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
If applicable, select from the provided list the multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or
controls the institution. If you do not see your multi-institution or multi-organization listed, please contact the IPEDS
Help Desk.
A multi-institution or multi-campus organization includes organizations with two or more institutions or campuses.
Non-postsecondary education agencies that govern or control institutions include, but are not limited to, public school
districts, art organizations, hospitals and other medical/health organizations.
Do not include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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coordinating systems
single institution owner
single institution corporate name
single institution governing board
consortia
associations
religious affiliation (requested in control question)
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions
Open admission policy
Check Yes if your institution has an open admission policy.
If your institution requires only a high school diploma/equivalent and/or Ability to Benefit (or similar) test, and few
students are not admitted based on the test, your institution is still considered open admission. For example, if you
have students take the ATB test and allow 98% of those students to enroll, you are likely open admission. The 2%
that were not admitted had unusual circumstances that kept them from being admitted.
Note: IPEDS does not have a set percentage to determine open admission. Please review your institution's admission
policy or talk to someone in the admissions office if you are not sure whether your institution is open admission, or
contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
Library Access and Expenses
Indicate whether the institution has access to a library collection and/or the annual total library expenses at your
institution were greater than zero for Fiscal Year 2018. Fiscal Year 2018 is defined as the most recent 12-month period
that corresponds to your institution's fiscal year that ends before October 1, 2018.
A library collection is defined as “comprising documents held locally and remote resources for which permanent or
temporary access rights have been acquired. Access rights may be acquired by the library itself, by a consortium
and/or through external funding. Acquisition is to be understood as securing access rights and including it in the
library catalog, other library databases or discovery systems.”
Expenses include funds expended by the library (regardless of when received) from its regular budget and from all
other known sources; e.g., research grants, special projects, gifts and endowments, and fees for services. Those
libraries in consortia or those that share all their resources with another institution, please report whether the total
annual library expenses at YOUR institution were greater than zero in Fiscal Year 2018.
If the institution does not have access to a library collection and the institution's library expenses are equal to 0, you
will not be asked to complete the Academic Libraries (AL) component in the Spring.
Levels of Enrollment
New institutions should indicate whether their institution was in operation during the prior academic year. If the
response is "Yes", they should also indicate the levels that were offered.
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Part D - Branch campus
For branch campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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IC Header
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
If my institution offers an award level but currently does not have any students enrolled at that level how should I
1)
report?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics Header data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in
2)
the fall?
In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
3)
4)
My institution has a system office. Does the system office need to complete an Institutional Characteristics - Header
survey?
Answers:
General
1)
If my institution offers an award level but currently does not have any students enrolled at that level how
should I report?
You should indicate all levels of awards that your institution is authorized to grant.
Back to top
2)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics Header data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a
mistake in the fall?
It is important to report IC Header data correctly the first time, as changes to this component affect all of the other
surveys. If you made an error that impacts your ability to respond appropriately to other components, call the Help
Desk at 877-225-2568, and they will change the necessary data. For example, if you indicated that you do not enroll
any full-time, first-time students (thus no GRS or SFA surveys are generated), you may correct your answer so that
you can complete this survey.
Back to top
3)
In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs, and students in these programs are undergraduate students.
Back to top
4)
My institution has a system office. Does the system office need to complete an Institutional
Characteristics - Header survey?
Any system or central office that employs 15 or more full-time staff OR has its own budget (and therefore must report
IPEDS Finance data) must also complete the Institutional Characteristics - Header survey. The administrative
office must indicate all types and levels of instruction and programs offered at all of the institutions in its system. This
will ensure that each institution in the system is represented.
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IC Header for private 2-year non-degree-granting institutions
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Header Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics Header survey component (IC Header). This survey was introduced to collect data that are key
to reporting throughout the IPEDS data collection, and must be completed and locked before any other survey can be started.
Some IC Header questions may require nothing more than a confirmation, if nothing has changed. Please make changes as necessary, and
complete items that do need a response (enrollment questions).
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to provide NCES with accurate data about the institution. Please never hesitate to call the
IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568 and ask for help to make sure that you are reporting correctly!
Because of the importance of the IC Header data in determining the screens you will receive in other surveys, be sure to report correctly, and
to contact the IPEDS Help Desk if you have ANY questions about what you need to report.
The IC Header data affect other survey components in the following ways:
•
The Educational Offerings question verifies your institution's inclusion in IPEDS.
•
The Control and Levels page is key to all survey components, especially to Finance (F) and Graduation Rates (GR). Additionally,
this is important information for students, impacts many federal reports, and is used in placing institutions in appropriate net price
groupings.
•
Calendar system selection impacts student charges data reported in Institutional Characteristics (IC), Fall Enrollment (EF) data, GR
data, and Student Financial Aid (SFA) data related to the net price calculation.
•
Enrollment levels impact student charges in IC and enrollment categories in the EF survey component.
•
The Open Admission question determines whether the Admissions component will be required in the Winter collection.
•
The Academic Libraries expenses question determines whether the Academic Libraries component will be required in the Spring
collection. This question is asked of degree-granting institutions only.
•
The operations question for new institutions determines reporting of 12-month enrollment (E12).
To download survey materials package for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Educational Offerings
1. Which of the following types of instruction/programs are offered by your institution? [Check one or more]
If your institution does not offer occupational or academic programs, you are not expected to complete this or any other IPEDS survey.
Occupational, may lead to a certificate, degree, or other formal award
Academic, may lead to a certificate, degree, or diploma
Recreational or avocational (leisure) programs
Adult basic or remedial instruction or high school equivalency
Secondary (high school)
Part B - Organization - Control and Levels
1. What is your institutional control or affiliation?
Be sure to select the correct control for your institution. Errors on this question have an impact throughout the IPEDS surveys, in
federal reporting, in net price groupings, and on your institutions' appearance to students. If you reported incorrectly in a previous
year, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568 to correct the error.
Public - Select primary
and/or secondary controls
below
Primary control
Secondary control (if applicable)
Select One
Select One
Private for-profit
Private not-for-profit independent (no religious affiliation)
Private not-for-profit religious affiliation - Select affiliation below
Select One
2. What award levels are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
When reporting award levels for subbaccalaureate certificates (levels 1, 2, and 4), determine program length by the number of credit or
contact hours, NOT the academic year length in parentheses. The academic year length is meant only to provide context.
The "Other" award level should not be used unless your program truly does not fit any of the other award levels. We expect very few
institutions to fit the "Other" category.
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are considered subbaccalaureate
undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1, 2, or 4, depending on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Award Level
BELOW THE BACCALAUREATE:
1
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (less than 1 academic year)
- less than 900 contact or clock hours, or
- less than 30 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- less than 45 quarter credit hours
2
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 1 but less than 2 academic years)
- at least 900 but less than 1,800 contact or clock hours, or
- at least 30 but less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- at least 45 but less than 90 quarter credit hours
3
Associate's degree
4
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 2 but less than 4 academic years)
- 1,800 or more contact or clock hours, or
- 60 or more semester or trimester credit hours, or
- 90 or more quarter credit hours
BACCALAUREATE AND ABOVE:
5
Bachelor's degree or equivalent
6
Postbaccalaureate certificate
7
Master's degree
8
Post-master's certificate
17
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
18
Doctor's degree - professional practice
19
Doctor's degree - other
12
Other (specify in box below)
Yes, I confirm that I reviewed the award levels offered by my institution above.
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.
Part B - Organization - Calendar System
Your response to the next question determines how your institution reports Institutional Characteristics student charges data in the
fall, Student Financial Aid data in the winter, and Graduation Rates data in the winter. It also impacts the net price calculation in the
Student Financial Aid survey.
If the calendar system differs from prior year or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
3. What is the predominant calendar system at the institution? [Choose one]
Academic Year Reporting Method (Standard academic terms)
Selecting one of the following calendar types determines that your institution will provide Student Financial Aid and Graduation Rates data
based on a FALL COHORT, and student charges data for a full ACADEMIC YEAR.
Semester
Quarter
Trimester
4-1-4 or similar plan
Program Reporting Method (Other calendar system)
Selecting one of the following calendar types determines that your institution will provide Student Financial Aid and Graduation Rates data
based on a FULL-YEAR COHORT, and student charges data by PROGRAM.
Differs by program
Continuous basis (every 2 weeks, monthly, or other period)
Hybrid/Mixed Reporting Method (Standard academic terms, other academic calendar)
Selecting the hybrid calendar type determines that your institution will provide Graduation Rates data based on a FULL-YEAR COHORT,
student charges data for a full ACADEMIC YEAR, and Student Financial Aid data for students enrolling between August 1 and October 31.
Hybrid (Other academic calendar)
Part B - Organization - Student Enrollment
4. Does your institution enroll any of the following types of students?
Include all levels offered by your institution, even if there are no students currently enrolled at that level.
Responses to these questions determine which screens will be generated for reporting academic year tuition charges, and for reporting Fall
Enrollment during the Spring collection. Additionally, checking Yes for full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
determines that your institution must report cost of attendance data (on the IC component) and Student Financial Aid data for these students.
Full-time
Part-time
Students in academic or occupational programs
First-time students
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
6. For academic year 2015-16, did your institution enroll any full-time, first-time students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be required to provide Graduation Rates data for the 2015-16 cohort in the winter collection. If you
answer No to this question, indicate the reason you are not required to report Graduation Rates for the cohort year requested. If you reported
any full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students on the 2015-16 Fall Enrollment survey, the data will be preloaded below.
No
This institution did not enroll full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking students.
This institution was not in operation in 2015-16.
Yes
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students from the 2015-16 Fall Enrollment survey (GR Cohort)
Part B - Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
7. Multi-institution or multi-campus organization
Is the institution part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the institution? Do NOT
indicate a religious affiliation here; that information is collected separately.
If you need assistance, contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568. You will not be able to lock your submission if this question is blank.
No, this institution IS NOT a part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls
the institution.
Yes, this institution IS a part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the
institution.
If yes, select the name of the multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the
institution after clicking on 'Select System' below.
Select System
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Open Admission
1. Does your institution have an open admission policy for all or most entering first-time students?
If the only requirement for admission is a high school diploma or GED/other equivalent, your institution is still considered open admission.
Institutions that require only an Ability to Benefit or similar test beyond the diploma/equivalent, and only reject a very small number of students
based on the test, are also considered open admission.
If your institution does not have an open admission policy, you will be required to report Admissions component on your admissions
procedures and admissions yield.
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 will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written so they can be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Levels of Enrollment Offered
3. Was your institution in operation during the academic year 2017-2018?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be able to specify the levels of enrollment offered at your institution during 2017-2018 and to report
12-month enrollment during the fall collection.
No
Yes. Please specify the levels of enrollment offered during 2017-2018.
Undergraduate
Graduate (not including doctor's-professional practice)
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IC Header Full Instructions for private 2-yr nondegree-granting institutions
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Header Survey
Changes in Reporting
General instructions
Reporting Period for Institutional Characteristics Header
Context boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Educational Offerings
Part B - Organization
Control and Award Levels
Calendar System
Enrollment Levels and GR cohort question
Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions
Open Admission
Levels of Enrollment
Part D - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) survey is to collect basic institutional
data including control or affiliation, calendar system, and award levels. These data are key to accurate reporting as
they are used to determine the reporting for other IPEDS surveys. Any errors in the IC-H survey can lead to further
errors in the data reporting process, so please be very careful in reporting these data correctly, and contact the IPEDS
Help Desk (877.225.2568) if you have any questions.
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Changes in reporting
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General instructions
Reporting period covered
Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) covers data for the current year with two exceptions.
•
•
Cohort data in B6 refer to a past cohort and are used to set the Graduation Rates component (GR).
For new institutions, the question about prior year operation refers to the prior academic year and is used to
determine the applicability of the 12-Month Enrollment (E12) component.
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Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website, however, institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries. Inappropriate or
repetitive contexts will be deleted.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) survey to ensure that you are reporting
data for the appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC-H survey
(e.g., undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to Include
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or other recognized
postsecondary credential, including those enrolled in off-campus centers
High school students taking regular college courses for credit
Full-time students taking remedial courses IF the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses for credit (e.g., online students)
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree
B. Who NOT to Include
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential
Students enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Students exclusively auditing classes
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice (previously first-professional), since they have already
received their Doctor's degree
Students studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the "home" institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Students in Experimental Pell Programs
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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 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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Reporting Directions
Part A - Educational Offerings
Responses on this screen verify inclusion of the institution on the NCES/IPEDS list of institutions and agencies that
provide all types of postsecondary education. Postsecondary education is defined as the provision of a formal
instructional program whose curriculum is designed primarily for students beyond the compulsory age for high school.
This includes programs whose purpose is occupational, academic, or continuing professional education but excludes
avocational and adult basic education programs.
If you select only avocational and/or adult basic education programs, you will be contacted by IPEDS to confirm your
exemption from IPEDS reporting.
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Part B – Organization
Institutional Control or Affiliation
Indicate the appropriate control or affiliation under which the institution operates. If the institution has a religious
affiliation, select the denomination from the list provided in the drop-down box. Public institutions must designate a
primary control; identification of a secondary control is optional. If control of the institution differs from the prior year
or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
Correct reporting of control or affiliation is KEY to IPEDS reporting. Errors in reporting control or affiliation cause you
to receive incorrect survey forms, misrepresent your institution to the public on College Navigator and other search
tools that use IPEDS data, and place your institution in incorrect groups in IPEDS publications and on the College
Affordability and Transparency Lists. If you do not know the control or affiliation of your institution, please call the
Help Desk.
Award Levels
Check applicable award levels for all credit programs offered at the institution. Award levels are identified based on
duration and/or awards.
•
•
•
•
•
Report using the number of CLOCK or CREDIT hours, as is appropriate to your calendar system (e.g., semester
or quarter).
Award levels 1 a and b, 2, and 4 differ by length of programs and refer to completions below the baccalaureate
degree. Use the IPEDS designations, not institutionally defined designations, to describe these levels.
Award levels 3, 5, 7, 17, 18, and 19 indicate degree levels for which the institution is authorized to make
awards.
Award levels 6 and 8 indicate certificate levels.
If you cannot classify an award within the award levels indicated on the screen, check award level 12 ("Other")
and specify or describe the award in the context box. Because there are few programs that fall under "Other"
please contact the Help Desk if you are considering selecting Level 12.
NOTE: Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1 a or b, 2, or 4, depending
on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Calendar System
Indicate the predominant calendar system under which the institution operates. If programs are offered on more
than one calendar, select the system under which most programs are offered. If there is no predominant calendar
system at your institution, select the option that best characterizes your institution.
If your calendar system differs from the prior year or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at
877.225.2568.
Note: Calendar system selection determines reporting in many other IPEDS components. Be sure that the calendar
system you select accurately represents your institution. Contact the IPEDS Help Desk if you are not sure which
calendar system to select.
•
Standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, 4-1-4)
◦
◦
◦
•
•
Use a Fall cohort for Graduation Rates.
Report tuition and fees and cost information based on a full academic year.
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled as of October 15, or the official Fall reporting
date used by the institution. This Fall enrollment cohort will be preloaded into the next year's
Student Financial Aid component.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report aid for an academic year.
Program-by-program or continuous enrollment basis
◦
Use a full-year cohort for Graduation Rates.
◦
Report tuition and fees and books and supplies information by program for the entire length of the
program. For living expenses, report costs for 4 weeks (1 month). Note: Living expenses are only
applicable to institutions with full-time, first-time students and are reported with the largest program.
◦
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled in the institution at any time between August 1
and October 31.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report aid for the largest program for an academic year.
Hybrid academic calendar (If you are considering selecting the "Other academic calendar" option, please
contact the Help Desk at 877.225.2568 so they can confirm the appropriateness of this calendar system for
your institution.)
◦
Use a full-year cohort for Graduation Rates.
◦
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled in the institution at any time between August 1
and October 31.
◦
Report tuition and fees and cost information based on a full academic year.
◦
For Student Financial Aid, report students enrolled in the prior academic year between August 1 and
October 31, and the aid for an academic year.
Student Enrollment
Enrollment of full- and part-time students
Indicate whether your institution enrolls any full-time or part-time students at the levels listed. Include all levels
offered, even if there are not any students currently enrolled at that level.
Responses to those categories will determine the screens generated for reporting academic year tuition charges in the
Institutional Characteristics survey during the Fall collection and enrollment data in the Fall Enrollment survey during
the Spring collection.
•
Make sure to check "Yes" for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students if applicable, as this
determines that your institution will report cost information on Institutional Characteristics screens in Part D
and Student Financial Aid information during the Winter collection.
Doctor's - professional practice
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed Doctor's - professional practice programs. If your institution
offers Doctor's -professional practice programs but does not offer any of the listed programs, indicate no.
GR cohort question.
•
•
4-year institutions. Indicate if your institution had any full-time, first-time undergraduate students enrolled
in programs at the baccalaureate level or below in the academic year indicated on the screen. If you indicate
Yes, you must report Graduation Rates data in the Winter collection.
Less-than-4-year institutions. Indicate if your institution had any full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking students enrolled in the academic year indicated on the screen. If you check Yes, you must report
Graduation Rates data in the Winter collection.
Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
If applicable, select from the provided list the multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or
controls the institution. If you do not see your multi-institution or multi-organization listed, please contact the IPEDS
Help Desk.
A multi-institution or multi-campus organization includes organizations with two or more institutions or campuses.
Non-postsecondary education agencies that govern or control institutions include, but are not limited to, public school
districts, art organizations, hospitals and other medical/health organizations.
Do not include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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coordinating systems
single institution owner
single institution corporate name
single institution governing board
consortia
associations
religious affiliation (requested in control question)
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions
Open admission policy
Check Yes if your institution has an open admission policy.
If your institution requires only a high school diploma/equivalent and/or Ability to Benefit (or similar) test, and few
students are not admitted based on the test, your institution is still considered open admission. For example, if you
have students take the ATB test and allow 98% of those students to enroll, you are likely open admission. The 2%
that were not admitted had unusual circumstances that kept them from being admitted.
Note: IPEDS does not have a set percentage to determine open admission. Please review your institution's admission
policy or talk to someone in the admissions office if you are not sure whether your institution is open admission, or
contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
Levels of Enrollment
New institutions should indicate whether their institution was in operation during the prior academic year. If the
response is "Yes", they should also indicate the levels that were offered.
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Part D - Branch campus
For branch campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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IC Header
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
If my institution offers an award level but currently does not have any students enrolled at that level how should I
1)
report?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics Header data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in
2)
the fall?
In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
3)
4)
My institution has a system office. Does the system office need to complete an Institutional Characteristics - Header
survey?
Answers:
General
1)
If my institution offers an award level but currently does not have any students enrolled at that level how
should I report?
You should indicate all levels of awards that your institution is authorized to grant.
Back to top
2)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics Header data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a
mistake in the fall?
It is important to report IC Header data correctly the first time, as changes to this component affect all of the other
surveys. If you made an error that impacts your ability to respond appropriately to other components, call the Help
Desk at 877-225-2568, and they will change the necessary data. For example, if you indicated that you do not enroll
any full-time, first-time students (thus no GRS or SFA surveys are generated), you may correct your answer so that
you can complete this survey.
Back to top
3)
In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs, and students in these programs are undergraduate students.
Back to top
4)
My institution has a system office. Does the system office need to complete an Institutional
Characteristics - Header survey?
Any system or central office that employs 15 or more full-time staff OR has its own budget (and therefore must report
IPEDS Finance data) must also complete the Institutional Characteristics - Header survey. The administrative
office must indicate all types and levels of instruction and programs offered at all of the institutions in its system. This
will ensure that each institution in the system is represented.
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U.S. Department of Education
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IC Header for less-than-2-year institutions
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Header Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics Header survey component (IC Header). This survey was introduced to collect data that are key
to reporting throughout the IPEDS data collection, and must be completed and locked before any other survey can be started.
Some IC Header questions may require nothing more than a confirmation, if nothing has changed. Please make changes as necessary, and
complete items that do need a response (enrollment questions).
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to provide NCES with accurate data about the institution. Please never hesitate to call the
IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568 and ask for help to make sure that you are reporting correctly!
Because of the importance of the IC Header data in determining the screens you will receive in other surveys, be sure to report correctly, and
to contact the IPEDS Help Desk if you have ANY questions about what you need to report.
The IC Header data affect other survey components in the following ways:
•
The Educational Offerings question verifies your institution's inclusion in IPEDS.
•
The Control and Levels page is key to all survey components, especially to Finance (F) and Graduation Rates (GR). Additionally,
this is important information for students, impacts many federal reports, and is used in placing institutions in appropriate net price
groupings.
•
Calendar system selection impacts student charges data reported in Institutional Characteristics (IC), Fall Enrollment (EF) data, GR
data, and Student Financial Aid (SFA) data related to the net price calculation.
•
Enrollment levels impact student charges in IC and enrollment categories in the EF survey component.
•
The Open Admission question determines whether the Admissions component will be required in the Winter collection.
•
The Academic Libraries expenses question determines whether the Academic Libraries component will be required in the Spring
collection. This question is asked of degree-granting institutions only.
•
The operations question for new institutions determines reporting of 12-month enrollment (E12).
To download survey materials package for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Educational Offerings
1. Which of the following types of instruction/programs are offered by your institution? [Check one or more]
If your institution does not offer occupational or academic programs, you are not expected to complete this or any other IPEDS survey.
Occupational, may lead to a certificate, degree, or other formal award
Academic, may lead to a certificate, degree, or diploma
Recreational or avocational (leisure) programs
Adult basic or remedial instruction or high school equivalency
Secondary (high school)
Part B - Organization - Control and Levels
1. What is your institutional control or affiliation?
Be sure to select the correct control for your institution. Errors on this question have an impact throughout the IPEDS surveys, in
federal reporting, in net price groupings, and on your institutions' appearance to students. If you reported incorrectly in a previous
year, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568 to correct the error.
Public - Select primary
and/or secondary controls
below
Primary control
Secondary control (if applicable)
Select One
Select One
Private for-profit
Private not-for-profit independent (no religious affiliation)
Private not-for-profit religious affiliation - Select affiliation below
Select One
2. What award levels are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
When reporting award levels for subbaccalaureate certificates (levels 1, 2, and 4), determine program length by the number of credit or
contact hours, NOT the academic year length in parentheses. The academic year length is meant only to provide context.
The "Other" award level should not be used unless your program truly does not fit any of the other award levels. We expect very few
institutions to fit the "Other" category.
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are considered subbaccalaureate
undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1, 2, or 4, depending on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Award Level
1
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (less than 1 academic year)
- less than 900 contact or clock hours, or
- less than 30 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- less than 45 quarter credit hours
2
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 1 but less than 2 academic years)
- at least 900 but less than 1,800 contact or clock hours, or
- at least 30 but less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, or
- at least 45 but less than 90 quarter credit hours
3
Associate's degree
4
12
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma of (at least 2 but less than 4 academic years)
- 1,800 or more contact or clock hours, or
- 60 or more semester or trimester credit hours, or
- 90 or more quarter credit hours
Other (specify in box below)
Yes, I confirm that I reviewed the award levels offered by my institution above.
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.
Part B - Organization - Calendar System
Your response to the next question determines how your institution reports Institutional Characteristics student charges data in the
fall, Student Financial Aid data in the winter, and Graduation Rates data in the winter. It also impacts the net price calculation in the
Student Financial Aid survey.
If the calendar system differs from prior year or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
3. What is the predominant calendar system at the institution? [Choose one]
Program Reporting Method (Other calendar system)
Selecting one of the following calendar types determines that your institution will provide Student Financial Aid and Graduation Rates data
based on a FULL-YEAR COHORT, and student charges data by PROGRAM.
Differs by program
Continuous basis (every 2 weeks, monthly, or other period)
Academic Year Reporting Method (Standard academic terms)
Selecting one of the following calendar types determines that your institution will provide Student Financial Aid and Graduation Rates data
based on a FALL COHORT, and student charges data for a full ACADEMIC YEAR.
Semester
Quarter
Trimester
4-1-4 or similar plan
Part B - Organization - Student Enrollment
4. Does your institution enroll any of the following types of students?
Include all levels offered by your institution, even if there are no students currently enrolled at that level.
Responses to these questions determine which screens will be generated for reporting academic year tuition charges, and for reporting Fall
Enrollment during the Spring collection. Additionally, checking Yes for full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students
determines that your institution must report cost of attendance data (on the IC component) and Student Financial Aid data for these students.
Full-time
Part-time
Students in academic or occupational programs
First-time students
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
6. For academic year 2015-16, did your institution enroll any full-time, first-time students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be required to provide Graduation Rates data for the 2015-16 cohort in the winter collection. If you
answer No to this question, indicate the reason you are not required to report Graduation Rates for the cohort year requested. If you reported
any full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students on the 2015-16 Fall Enrollment survey, the data will be preloaded below.
No
This institution did not enroll full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking students.
This institution was not in operation in 2015-16.
Yes
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students from the 2015-16 Fall Enrollment survey (GR Cohort)
Part B - Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
7. Multi-institution or multi-campus organization
Is the institution part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the institution? Do NOT
indicate a religious affiliation here; that information is collected separately.
If you need assistance, contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 1-877-225-2568. You will not be able to lock your submission if this question is blank.
No, this institution IS NOT a part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls
the institution.
Yes, this institution IS a part of a multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the
institution.
If yes, select the name of the multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or controls the
institution after clicking on 'Select System' below.
Select System
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Open Admission
1. Does your institution have an open admission policy for all or most entering first-time students?
If the only requirement for admission is a high school diploma or GED/other equivalent, your institution is still considered open admission.
Institutions that require only an Ability to Benefit or similar test beyond the diploma/equivalent, and only reject a very small number of students
based on the test, are also considered open admission.
If your institution does not have an open admission policy, you will be required to report Admissions component on your admissions
procedures and admissions yield.
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 will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written so they can be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions - Levels of Enrollment Offered
3. Was your institution in operation during the academic year 2017-2018?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be able to specify the levels of enrollment offered at your institution during 2017-2018 and to report
12-month enrollment during the fall collection.
No
Yes. Please specify the levels of enrollment offered during 2017-2018.
Undergraduate
Graduate (not including doctor's-professional practice)
U.S. Department of Education
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IC Header Full Instructions for less than 2-year institutions
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Header Survey
Changes in Reporting
General instructions
Reporting Period for Institutional Characteristics Header
Context boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Educational Offerings
Part B - Organization
Control and Award Levels
Calendar System
Enrollment Levels and GR cohort question
Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions
Open Admission
Levels of Enrollment
Part D - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) survey is to collect basic institutional
data including control or affiliation, calendar system, and award levels. These data are key to accurate reporting as
they are used to determine the reporting for other IPEDS surveys. Any errors in the IC-H survey can lead to further
errors in the data reporting process, so please be very careful in reporting these data correctly, and contact the IPEDS
Help Desk (877.225.2568) if you have any questions.
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Changes in reporting
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General instructions
Reporting period covered
Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) covers data for the current year with two exceptions.
•
•
Cohort data in B6 refer to a past cohort and are used to set the Graduation Rates component (GR).
For new institutions, the question about prior year operation refers to the prior academic year and is used to
determine the applicability of the 12-Month Enrollment (E12) component.
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Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website, however, institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries. Inappropriate or
repetitive contexts will be deleted.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics Header (IC-H) survey to ensure that you are reporting
data for the appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC-H survey
(e.g., undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to Include
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or other recognized
postsecondary credential, including those enrolled in off-campus centers
High school students taking regular college courses for credit
Full-time students taking remedial courses IF the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses for credit (e.g., online students)
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree
B. Who NOT to Include
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential
Students enrolled exclusively in Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Students exclusively auditing classes
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice (previously first-professional), since they have already
received their Doctor's degree
Students studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the "home" institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country
Students in Experimental Pell Programs
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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 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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Reporting Directions
Part A - Educational Offerings
Responses on this screen verify inclusion of the institution on the NCES/IPEDS list of institutions and agencies that
provide all types of postsecondary education. Postsecondary education is defined as the provision of a formal
instructional program whose curriculum is designed primarily for students beyond the compulsory age for high school.
This includes programs whose purpose is occupational, academic, or continuing professional education but excludes
avocational and adult basic education programs.
If you select only avocational and/or adult basic education programs, you will be contacted by IPEDS to confirm your
exemption from IPEDS reporting.
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Part B – Organization
Institutional Control or Affiliation
Indicate the appropriate control or affiliation under which the institution operates. If the institution has a religious
affiliation, select the denomination from the list provided in the drop-down box. Public institutions must designate a
primary control; identification of a secondary control is optional. If control of the institution differs from the prior year
or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
Correct reporting of control or affiliation is KEY to IPEDS reporting. Errors in reporting control or affiliation cause you
to receive incorrect survey forms, misrepresent your institution to the public on College Navigator and other search
tools that use IPEDS data, and place your institution in incorrect groups in IPEDS publications and on the College
Affordability and Transparency Lists. If you do not know the control or affiliation of your institution, please call the
Help Desk.
Award Levels
Check applicable award levels for all credit programs offered at the institution. Award levels are identified based on
duration and/or awards.
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Report using the number of CLOCK or CREDIT hours, as is appropriate to your calendar system (e.g., semester
or quarter).
Award levels 1 a and b, 2, and 4 differ by length of programs and refer to completions below the baccalaureate
degree. Use the IPEDS designations, not institutionally defined designations, to describe these levels.
Award levels 3, 5, 7, 17, 18, and 19 indicate degree levels for which the institution is authorized to make
awards.
Award levels 6 and 8 indicate certificate levels.
If you cannot classify an award within the award levels indicated on the screen, check award level 12 ("Other")
and specify or describe the award in the context box. Because there are few programs that fall under "Other"
please contact the Help Desk if you are considering selecting Level 12.
NOTE: Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs. Check the applicable award level 1 a or b, 2, or 4, depending
on the length of the Teacher Preparation program.
Calendar System
Indicate the predominant calendar system under which the institution operates. If programs are offered on more
than one calendar, select the system under which most programs are offered. If there is no predominant calendar
system at your institution, select the option that best characterizes your institution.
If your calendar system differs from the prior year or requires a change, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at
877.225.2568.
Note: Calendar system selection determines reporting in many other IPEDS components. Be sure that the calendar
system you select accurately represents your institution. Contact the IPEDS Help Desk if you are not sure which
calendar system to select.
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Standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, 4-1-4)
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Use a Fall cohort for Graduation Rates.
Report tuition and fees and cost information based on a full academic year.
Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled as of October 15, or the official Fall reporting
date used by the institution. This Fall enrollment cohort will be preloaded into the next year's
Student Financial Aid component.
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For Student Financial Aid, report aid for an academic year.
Program-by-program or continuous enrollment basis
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Use a full-year cohort for Graduation Rates.
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Report tuition and fees and books and supplies information by program for the entire length of the
program. For living expenses, report costs for 4 weeks (1 month). Note: Living expenses are only
applicable to institutions with full-time, first-time students and are reported with the largest program.
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Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled in the institution at any time between August 1
and October 31.
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For Student Financial Aid, report aid for the largest program for an academic year.
Hybrid academic calendar (If you are considering selecting the "Other academic calendar" option, please
contact the Help Desk at 877.225.2568 so they can confirm the appropriateness of this calendar system for
your institution.)
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Use a full-year cohort for Graduation Rates.
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Report Fall Enrollment using students enrolled in the institution at any time between August 1
and October 31.
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Report tuition and fees and cost information based on a full academic year.
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For Student Financial Aid, report students enrolled in the prior academic year between August 1 and
October 31, and the aid for an academic year.
Student Enrollment
Enrollment of full- and part-time students
Indicate whether your institution enrolls any full-time or part-time students at the levels listed. Include all levels
offered, even if there are not any students currently enrolled at that level.
Responses to those categories will determine the screens generated for reporting academic year tuition charges in the
Institutional Characteristics survey during the Fall collection and enrollment data in the Fall Enrollment survey during
the Spring collection.
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Make sure to check "Yes" for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students if applicable, as this
determines that your institution will report cost information on Institutional Characteristics screens in Part D
and Student Financial Aid information during the Winter collection.
Doctor's - professional practice
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed Doctor's - professional practice programs. If your institution
offers Doctor's -professional practice programs but does not offer any of the listed programs, indicate no.
GR cohort question.
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4-year institutions. Indicate if your institution had any full-time, first-time undergraduate students enrolled
in programs at the baccalaureate level or below in the academic year indicated on the screen. If you indicate
Yes, you must report Graduation Rates data in the Winter collection.
Less-than-4-year institutions. Indicate if your institution had any full-time, first-time degree/certificateseeking students enrolled in the academic year indicated on the screen. If you check Yes, you must report
Graduation Rates data in the Winter collection.
Multi-institution or Multi-campus Organization
If applicable, select from the provided list the multi-institution or multi-campus organization that owns, governs, or
controls the institution. If you do not see your multi-institution or multi-organization listed, please contact the IPEDS
Help Desk.
A multi-institution or multi-campus organization includes organizations with two or more institutions or campuses.
Non-postsecondary education agencies that govern or control institutions include, but are not limited to, public school
districts, art organizations, hospitals and other medical/health organizations.
Do not include:
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coordinating systems
single institution owner
single institution corporate name
single institution governing board
consortia
associations
religious affiliation (requested in control question)
Part C - Other Survey Screening Questions
Open admission policy
Check Yes if your institution has an open admission policy.
If your institution requires only a high school diploma/equivalent and/or Ability to Benefit (or similar) test, and few
students are not admitted based on the test, your institution is still considered open admission. For example, if you
have students take the ATB test and allow 98% of those students to enroll, you are likely open admission. The 2%
that were not admitted had unusual circumstances that kept them from being admitted.
Note: IPEDS does not have a set percentage to determine open admission. Please review your institution's admission
policy or talk to someone in the admissions office if you are not sure whether your institution is open admission, or
contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877.225.2568.
Levels of Enrollment
New institutions should indicate whether their institution was in operation during the prior academic year. If the
response is "Yes", they should also indicate the levels that were offered.
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Part D - Branch campus
For branch campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
IC Header
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
If my institution offers an award level but currently does not have any students enrolled at that level how should I
1)
report?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics Header data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in
2)
the fall?
In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
3)
4)
My institution has a system office. Does the system office need to complete an Institutional Characteristics - Header
survey?
Answers:
General
1)
If my institution offers an award level but currently does not have any students enrolled at that level how
should I report?
You should indicate all levels of awards that your institution is authorized to grant.
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2)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics Header data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a
mistake in the fall?
It is important to report IC Header data correctly the first time, as changes to this component affect all of the other
surveys. If you made an error that impacts your ability to respond appropriately to other components, call the Help
Desk at 877-225-2568, and they will change the necessary data. For example, if you indicated that you do not enroll
any full-time, first-time students (thus no GRS or SFA surveys are generated), you may correct your answer so that
you can complete this survey.
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3)
In what award level category should Teachers Preparation certificates be reported?
Even though Teacher Preparation certificate programs may require a bachelor's degree for admission, they are
considered subbaccalaureate undergraduate programs, and students in these programs are undergraduate students.
Back to top
4)
My institution has a system office. Does the system office need to complete an Institutional
Characteristics - Header survey?
Any system or central office that employs 15 or more full-time staff OR has its own budget (and therefore must report
IPEDS Finance data) must also complete the Institutional Characteristics - Header survey. The administrative
office must indicate all types and levels of instruction and programs offered at all of the institutions in its system. This
will ensure that each institution in the system is represented.
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U.S. Department of Education
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Software Provider Resources
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics for less-than-2-year program tuition reporters
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. This component collects important information about your institution's mission,
student services, and student charges.
Much of the data reported on IC appear on College Navigator, which is updated once after IC data has been reviewed. Thus, errors may stay
on College Navigator for a full year.
Additionally, the cost of attendance data are used to calculate the net price of attendance in the Student Financial Aid component. This has
important implications for what students see about your institution, and also for the College Affordability and Transparency Center's lists.
Revisions or changes to costs can ONLY be made in the Student Financial Aid component and not in the prior year revision
system.
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to submit accurate data about the institution. Please contact the IPEDS Help Desk for
clarifications to make sure that you are reporting correctly.
Changes to This Year’s IC Component
There are no changes for the 2018-19 collection period.
Common Errors
Quality control reviews of past IC data indicate frequently made errors. Please review the common errors below to ensure accurate reporting.
Additional common errors or tips can be found in the New Keyholder Handbook under Resources.
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Part C, question 8 should only be marked 'YES' if your institution is EXCLUSIVELY distance education. Do not mark 'YES' if your
courses/programs are also available in person.
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Do not try to outsmart fatal errors; this is falsifying data. Contact the Help Desk to override, or fix, the data.
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Make sure you understand ALL definitions before responding to questions. For example, make sure that you are reporting for an
'ACADEMIC YEAR' or 'PROGRAM' as defined by IPEDS.
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Mission Statement
1. Provide the institution's mission statement or a web address (URL) where the mission statement can be found. Typed statements
are limited to 2,000 characters or less. The mission statement will be available to the public on College Navigator.
Mission Statement URL:
Mission Statement:
http://
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
1. Which of the following are available to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families?
Yellow Ribbon Program (officially known as Post-9/11 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program)
Credit for military training
Dedicated point of contact for support services for veterans, military servicemembers, and their families
Recognized student veteran organization
Member of Department of Defense Voluntary Educational Partnership Memorandum of Understanding
None of the above
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Special Learning Opportunities
1. Does your institution accept any of the following? [Check all that apply]
Dual credit (college credit earned while in high school)
Credit for life experiences
Advanced placement (AP) credits
None of the above
2. What types of special learning opportunities are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
ROTC
Army
Navy
Air Force
Study abroad
Weekend/evening college
Teacher certification (for the elementary, middle school/junior high, or secondary level)
Do not include certifications to teach at the postsecondary level.
Students can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
Students must complete their preparation at another institution for certain areas of specialization
This institution is approved by the state for the initial certification or licensure of teachers
None of the above
Part C - Student Services: Other Student Services
4. Which of the following selected student services are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
Remedial services
Academic/career counseling services
Employment services for current students
Placement services for program completers
On-campus day care for children of students
None of the above
5. Which of the following academic library resource or service does your institution provide? [Check all that apply]
Physical facilities
An organized collection of printed materials
Access to digital/electronic resources
A staff trained to provide and interpret library materials
Established library hours
Access to library collections that are shared with other institutions
None of the above
6. Indicate whether or not any of the following alternative tuition plans are offered by your institution.
No
Yes
Tuition guarantee
Prepaid tuition plan
Tuition payment plan
Other (specify in box below)
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You may use the space below to provide context for the alternative tuition plans you've reported above. These context notes will
be posted on the College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Distance Education
7. Please indicate at what level(s) your institution does or does not offer distance education courses and/or distance education
programs. Check all that apply.
Distance education courses
Undergraduate level
Distance education programs
Does not offer Distance Education
Graduate level
8. Are all the programs at your institution offered exclusively via distance education programs?
No
Yes
Part C - Student Services: Disability Services
9. Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled during Fall 2017 who were formally registered as students
with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent office).
3 percent or less
More than 3 percent:
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part D - Student Charges Questions
1. Are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students required to live on-campus or in institutionally controlled housing?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will not be asked to report off-campus room and board in the price of attendance (D7).
This is only a screening question, and your response does not show up on College Navigator.
If you make any exceptions to this rule, and have even one full-time, first-time student living off-campus, please answer No so that this does
not cause conflicts with the Student Financial Aid survey. Making changes to the SFA component is very difficult and may lead to inaccurate
reporting for your institution.
No
Yes, and we do not make ANY (even one)
exceptions to this rule
3. Does your institution offer institutionally-controlled housing (either on or off campus)?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to specify a housing capacity, and to report a room charge or a combined room and
board charge (D10).
No
Yes
Specify housing capacity for academic year
2018-19
4. Do you offer board or meal plans to your students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to report a board charge or combined room and board charge (D10).
No
Yes - Enter the number of meals per week in
the maximum meal plan available
Yes - Number of meals per week can vary
(e.g., students charge meals against a meal
card)
Part D - Student Charges - Number of programs
5. How many programs are offered at your institution?
Be sure not to report single courses, report only full programs. If you do not know what a program is, review the definition in the glossary or call
the Help Desk.
Number of programs
Part D - Student Charges - Price of Attendance
7. Cost of attendance for entering students
Please enter ALL amounts requested below. These data will be made available to the public on College Navigator. 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 the correct numbers to use for this report.
Note: The academic year length you report should be the same calculation used for required reporting for your Pell budget. This number will
be used to calculate academic year costs for your institution and will impact your net price calculation. Please discuss this information with your
student aid office to ensure accurate reporting.
LARGEST PROGRAM:
CIP Code
Title
Enter new largest program
How is your program measured?
If your largest program has changed from the one listed above, or if no program appears above, click
the 'enter new largest program' link, choose a program and enter data for all three years. Note: if your
institution participates in Title IV programs, you must complete all cells.
Contact Hours
Credit Hours
Total length of PROGRAM in contact or credit hours
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 contact or credit
hours
Total length of ACADEMIC YEAR (as used to calculate your Pell budget) in WEEKS
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount.
Amount
Prior year
Application fee
The following numbers need to be reported for the entire length of the program. For example, if your program is 18 months long, report 18
months worth of tuition, fees, books and supplies.
If your institution charges differently based on residence, please use in-state charges. The correct numbers should be available from your
financial aid office.
Published student charges for the entire program
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Tuition and required fees for the
entire program
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)
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part D - Student Charges - Price of Attendance - Calculated values
7. Cost of attendance - Calculated values
Please review the numbers below for accuracy. If something looks incorrect, please go to the previous page and make sure all of the numbers
reported on that page are correct. If you still do not think the numbers are correct, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877-225-2568.
CIP CODE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
TITLE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
Published student charges for the entire program
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
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
Published student charges for an academic year
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
Part D - Student Charges - Program Data
8. Please list your second through sixth largest programs and provide the requested information for each program. To enter a CIP
code and program title, click on the select button, and then click on the program from the list provided. Choosing clear will remove
the CIP code and title. Report the tuition and fees and the cost of books and supplies for the TOTAL LENGTH OF THE PROGRAM.
Also report the length of the entire program in terms of contact or credit hours and provide the number of months it takes a full-time
student to complete the entire program.
Note: The largest programs are the programs with the most students, not the programs with the longest lengths.
Please make sure to report all costs for each program. As with the largest program, costs are for the entire length of the program.If your
institution charges differently based on residence, please use in-state charges.
Do not skip lines when reporting programs. Your 2nd largest program should be listed as 2nd, your 3rd as 3rd, etc.
CIP Code
Tuition and
Total length of
Program
Cost of books
required fees
program
Measurement
and supplies
1st
Contact
Credit
hours
hours
Title
2nd select
Contact
Credit
clear
hours
hours
Title
3rd
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
4th
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
5th
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
6th
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.
# of months to
complete
Prepared by
The name of the preparer is being collected so that we can follow up with the appropriate person in the event that there are questions
concerning the data. The Keyholder will be copied on all email correspondence to other preparers.
The time it took to prepare this component is being collected so that we can continue to improve our estimate of the reporting burden
associated with IPEDS. Please include in your estimate the time it took for you to review instructions, query and search data sources, complete
and review the component, and submit the data through the Data Collection System.
Thank you for your assistance.
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Academic Library Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)
How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey
component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member
Collecting Data Needed
Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
Your office
hours
hours
Other offices
U.S. Department of Education
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hours
hours
Software Provider Resources
Browsers Supported
Entering Data
Revising and Locking Data
hours
hours
hours
hours
Use of Cookies
Troubleshooting
Section 508 Compliance
NCES Privacy Policy
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Context Boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Mission Statement and Distance Education
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
Part C - Student Services
Part D - Student Charges
Part E - Athletic Association
Part F - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) component is to collect basic institutional
information including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data
including tuition for different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an
academic year. This includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students
based on living situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the
Winter collection to calculate net price of attendance.
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Changes in Reporting
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General instructions
Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics survey to ensure you are reporting data for the
appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC survey (e.g.,
undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to include
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Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or other recognized
postsecondary credential.
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Students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, including those enrolled in
off-campus centers.
High school students taking regular college courses for credit under their classification as recorded by the
institution.
Full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination.
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses (e.g., online students).
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree.
B. Who NOT to include
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Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential or the
completion of a vocational program.
Students taking Continuing Education Units (CEUs) unless they are also enrolled in courses creditable toward a
degree or other recognized postsecondary credential.
Students exclusively auditing classes.
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice fields, since they have already received their Doctor's
degree.
Any student studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at this institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal.
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country.
Students in Experimental Pell Programs.
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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:
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College Navigator Website
IPEDS Data Center
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
College Affordability and Transparency Center Website
At the aggregate-level, data will appear in:
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IPEDS First Looks
IPEDS Table Library
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
The Digest of Education Statistics
The Condition of Education
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Reporting Directions
Part A – Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Provide your institution's mission statement or a web address (please select http:// or https://) where the statement
can be found. Typed statements are limited to 2,000 characters. The mission statement will be available to the public
on College Navigator.
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Part B - Services for Military Servicemembers, Veterans, and Eligible Family Members
Services and Programs for Military Servicemembers and Veterans
Indicate which of the following are offered to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families.
For the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon program, please choose this only if the Yellow Ribbon program is available at
your institution.
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Part C - Student Services
Special learning opportunities
Special credit
Indicate if your institution accepts credit earned prior to admission through any of the sources listed.
Special learning opportunities
Indicate if the listed special learning opportunities are offered by your institution. Teacher certification refers to pre-K
through 12; if the institution only provides certification for some levels (e.g., elementary only and not secondary), be
sure to indicate that only certain levels are offered.
Years of study required for entry (Not applicable to less-than-4-year institutions)
If the institution limits entrance to students who have completed certain academic requirements, select the years of
study required for entry. For example, upper division only schools may require 2 years (60 credits) of study prior to
admittance, and schools that offer only graduate programs may require bachelor's degrees or 4 years of study for
entrance.
Student services
Student services
Indicate which of the listed services are offered by the institution.
Library
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed resources or services. If none of the listed resources/services
apply, select "None of the above".
Alternative tuition plans
Indicate if your institution offers any alternative tuition plans. Use the context box on the bottom of the page to
provide details about tuition plans for College Navigator. Please provide only factual information, context boxes are
reviewed and inappropriate information (such as marketing information) will be removed.
Distance education
Distance education uses one or more technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the
instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor synchronously or
asynchronously.
Requirements for coming to campus for orientation, testing, or academic support services do not exclude a course
from being classified as distance education. Technologies used for instruction may include the following: Internet; oneway and two-way transmissions through open broadcasts, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber
optics, satellite or wireless communication devices; audio conferencing; and video cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, if
the cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs are used in a course in conjunction with the technologies listed above.
Distance education course
A course in which the instructional content is delivered exclusively via distance education.
Distance education program
A program for which all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance
education courses.
Distance education levels
Indicate whether you offer distance education courses and/or programs at the undergraduate level and/or graduate
level. Please check all that apply. If you do not offer distance education courses and/or programs, please select “Does
not offer distance education" at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.
Exclusively distance education programs
Indicate whether or not ALL programs offered by your institution are delivered exclusively via distance education,
meaning all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance education courses.
Disabilities
Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled in the time period indicated on screen who were
formally registered as students with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent
office). This may include students with physical or learning disabilities, as well as other types of disabilities. If greater
than 3% of students are registered as having a disability, you will need to indicate a percentage.
Please use the context box on the page to provide information, such as the webpage for your disabilities services
website.
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Part D - Student Charges
Screening questions
If you responded to questions regarding full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in the
Institutional Characteristics Header survey, your institution will be required to answer all the questions.
On-campus or institutionally controlled off-campus housing requirement
Indicate if ALL full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students are required to live on campus or in
institutionally controlled off-campus housing. If you make ANY exceptions, you should not select this as a
requirement, as this will cause inconsistencies in your reporting between this section and the Student
Financial Aid survey calculation of net price.
This question is a screening question, and does not appear on College Navigator. Please respond correctly.
Tuition based on residence
Indicate if the institution charges a different price for students from in-district, in-state, or out-of-state.
Institutionally controlled housing
Indicate if the institution provides institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off-campus) and if so, specify the
housing capacity.
Meal plans
Indicate if the institution offers board or meal plans to students. If the institution offers fixed meal plans, provide the
number of meals per week in the maximum plan available. Institutions will be asked to report the board charges or
combined room and board charges on later screens.
Tuition and fees for undergraduate students (academic year reporters)
Undergraduate students include:
•
•
•
Students who have not obtained a bachelor's degree;
Students in bachelor's degree programs that require at least 4 years but fewer than 6 years of college work; or
Students in occupational or general study programs requiring 1, 2, or 3 years of college work that are
designed to prepare students for immediate employment or to provide general education rather than to serve
as the first 1, 2, or 3 years of a bachelor's degree program.
Undergraduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for undergraduate students
This tuition value differs from cost of attendance as it is the average tuition and fees for ALL undergraduate students
and all levels (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, etc.). It is possible that this number will be different from the cost
of attendance that you will report if you have first-time, full-time students.
Since tuition and required fees and room and board charges may be different for varying groups of full-time
undergraduate students at an institution, adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
•
•
•
•
•
Report the average tuition and required fees for the full academic year charged to in-district, in-state, and outof-state students. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for indistrict, in-state, and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the
same, go back to the screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different
tuitions.
If the institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, estimate average tuition based on the average fulltime credit-hour load for an entire academic year.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
If the institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the
amount as a comprehensive fee.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time undergraduate students
Enter the average dollar amount your institution charges to part-time undergraduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Tuition and fees for graduate students
Graduate students include any student who holds a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and is taking courses at the
post-baccalaureate level. These students may or may not be enrolled in graduate programs.
Graduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for graduate students
Since tuition and required fees may be different for varying groups of full-time graduate students at an institution,
adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
•
•
•
•
Do not include doctor’s-professional practice tuition. This will be collected separately.
Report the average tuition and required fees charged to full-time graduate students for the full academic year.
If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state, and
out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time graduate students
Enter the dollar amount the institution most frequently charges to part-time graduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Doctor's - professional practice tuition and fees
Report the tuition and fees (if applicable, for both in- and out-of-state) for students in the selected professional
practice programs.
Number of programs (program reporters only)
Provide the total number of occupational programs offered by your institution. A program is a combination of courses
and related activities organized for the attainment of broad educational objectives as described by the institution.
Please do not count single courses as a program.
Room and Board
Institutions that offer institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off- campus) will be required to answer the
questions in this section.
Report the typical room charge for the full academic year (as indicated on screen) for a full-time student sharing a
room with one other student. Report the board charge based on the maximum meal plan available for the full
academic year (as indicated on screen) to a full-time student. Report a combined room and board charge only if room
and board charges cannot be separated.
•
•
If your institution offers room (housing) but does not offer board, refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on board.
If your institution offers board but does not offer room (housing), refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on room.
Academic year reporters cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate students
If you made errors in the prior year reporting, you will need to make changes in the Student Financial Aid component
in the Winter. There are no changes in the Prior Year Revision System.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
Institutions with standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, or 4-1-4 or hybrid institutions) should
provide cost information for in-district, in-state, and out-of-state students for the FULL ACADEMIC YEAR in the
columns indicated. The numbers reported for tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses
must match the amounts used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance. If
your institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the amount as a
comprehensive fee. You will not be able to lock your submission without these data.
Report BOTH tuition and fees, separately. Please report accurately as these numbers are used in the calculation of net
price during the Student Financial Aid survey. Net price appears to the public in College Navigator, including the
College Affordability and Transparency Center, as mandated in accordance with Sec. 111 of the Higher Education
Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA).
Indicate whether the tuition and/or fees reported are covered by a tuition guarantee plan. If they are, but it is not a
flat rate, please provide the guaranteed maximum rate of increase.
Program reporters cost (price) of attendance
Institutions with no full-time, first-time students will report the six largest programs on one page, and should follow
the directions under ‘Reporting the next 5 largest programs’ to report these data. For public institutions, report the
in-state or in-district costs if applicable.
Reporting the largest program
Errors can be corrected in the Student Financial Aid component in the Winter.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
This section asks questions about the largest program your institution has offered for entering students. Institutions
that provided data for the largest program in the prior year will see pre-loaded data (when CIP code has changed, you
will need to update the CIP with an appropriate CIP). If the largest program has changed, check the box provided and
indicate a different program. You will be required to enter data for all 4 years as indicated on the screen.
To enter or change the largest program
•
•
•
•
•
Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Provide the total length of program in clock or credit hours and in weeks (as completed by a student
attending full-time).
Provide the total length of the academic year, as used to calculate your Pell budget, in clock or credit hours
and in weeks.
Enter an application fee (if applicable).
Provide amounts for tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses FOR THE
TIME PERIOD INDICATED (either for the length of the program, or for 4 weeks). These are the amounts
used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance.
Note: Programs of English as a second language and GED courses are not to be included in IPEDS. Institutions should
report their largest program based on enrollment size, regardless of whether or not that program is Title IV.
Reporting the next 5 largest programs
This section asks questions about the next 5 largest programs your institution offers for entering students (or, if you
have no full-time, first-time students, the 6 largest programs).
•
•
•
•
•
•
Only if reporting 6 largest programs because you do not have full-time, first-time students, enter an
application fee (if applicable).
Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Enter the tuition and required fees charged for the entire length of the program.
Enter the cost of books and supplies for the program.
Report the full length of the program and indicate whether the length of the entire program is measured in
clock or credit hours.
Report the number of months it takes a full-time student to complete the program.
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Part E - Athletic Association
Indicate if the institution is a member of a national athletic association.
For institutions belonging to NCAA or NAIA, select the conference (by sport) from the drop list provided.
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Part F - Campus information
For campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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IPEDS Help Desk
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in the fall?
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for distance
education location reporting?
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses). How should
6)
students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall Enrollment?
Student Charges
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate and/or
1)
married students?
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
2)
3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees charges in Part
D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
4)
Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionally-controlled housing
both on and off campus?
2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
4)
What are “other expenses”?
5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
Answers:
General
1)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) survey is to collect basic institutional information
including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data including tuition for
different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an academic year. This
includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students based on living
situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the spring collection
to calculate net price of attendance.
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2)
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
IPEDS gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in
the federal student financial aid programs. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires that institutions
that participate in federal student aid programs report data on enrollments, program completions, graduation rates,
faculty and staff, finances, institutional prices, and student financial aid.
Back to top
3)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake
in the fall?
No, you cannot change your IC data in the winter or spring, except in rare circumstances. Due to processing and the
size of the database, it is difficult to make changes once a survey is closed. It is the responsibility of the institution's
keyholder to report these data correctly in the fall, as they do impact other surveys (e.g., Student Financial Aid).
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4)
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
The Office of Postsecondary Education(OPE) website: OPE Accreditation database at https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
Back to top
5)
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for
distance education location reporting?
Yes, students located in a U.S. jurisdiction while they are enrolled in distance education courses should be reported as
located in the U.S.
Back to top
6)
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses).
How should students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall
Enrollment?
Hybrid courses are not considered by IPEDS as distance education. Students enrolled in “hybrid” courses should be
reported as “not enrolled in any distance education courses.”
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Student Charges
1)
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate
and/or married students?
Yes, if the institution is providing the housing and the students pay “rent” or “board” to the institution.
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2)
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
You should report the meal plan that offers the maximum number of meals per week. If your institution offers an
unlimited number of meals, enter 99.
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3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees
charges in Part D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
The tuition and fees reported in question 5 are the average amounts charged to all full-time undergraduate students;
the tuition and fees in question 11 represent the average amounts charged to full-time, first-time undergraduate
students. The data in question 13 should be provided by your financial aid office as these are the amounts used to
determine student budgets.
Back to top
4)
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
If your institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, then you should estimate average tuition based on the
average full-time credit hour load for an entire academic year. If you have different charges for different programs at
the undergraduate or graduate levels, calculate the “average” tuition using the amount that a typical student would
expect to pay. BE SURE TO REPORT TUITION FOR THE ENTIRE ACADEMIC YEAR!
Back to top
Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionallycontrolled housing both on and off campus?
Report the room and board amounts used by your financial aid office for determining student budgets. The other
expenses are the amount of money estimated by the financial aid office needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings. Do not include the tuition and required fees with
other expenses.
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2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
You should enter the amount for a typical full-time student living off campus with family or not with family used by the
financial aid office to determine the student budget.
Back to top
3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
Yes, if your institution does not require all of full-time, first-time students to live on campus (or makes ANY exceptions
to this policy).
Back to top
4)
What are “other expenses”?
This is the amount of money, estimated by the financial aid office, that is needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings.
Back to top
5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
The Institutional Characteristics information that is made available on College Navigator includes special learning
opportunities, student services, tuition and required fees, room and board charges, books and supplies, other
expenses and the institution’s mission statement. The best way to see what information is available about your
institution is to look up your institution on College Navigator.
Back to top
If my institution offers room or board, but not both, how should I report this on the Cost of Attendance page?
6)
In this case, the “room and board” value must include both the known value and an estimate for the unknown value.
Inclusion of both meal cost and housing cost is necessary to generate a total cost of attendance, which is subsequently
needed for Net Price calculations. For example, if the institution offers meals but no housing, in the “on-campus room and
board” field they would need to enter a total that includes the cost of the meal plan plus as estimate of housing (such as a
housing cost similar to that of off-campus housing).
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Institutional Characteristics for 4-year program tuition reporters
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. This component collects important information about your institution's mission,
student services, and student charges.
Much of the data reported on IC appear on College Navigator, which is updated once after IC data has been reviewed. Thus, errors may stay
on College Navigator for a full year.
Additionally, the cost of attendance data are used to calculate the net price of attendance in the Student Financial Aid component. This has
important implications for what students see about your institution, and also for the College Affordability and Transparency Center's lists.
Revisions or changes to costs can ONLY be made in the Student Financial Aid component and not in the prior year revision
system.
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to submit accurate data about the institution. Please contact the IPEDS Help Desk for
clarifications to make sure that you are reporting correctly.
Changes to This Year’s IC Component
There are no changes for the 2018-19 collection period.
Common Errors
Quality control reviews of past IC data indicate frequently made errors. Please review the common errors below to ensure accurate reporting.
Additional common errors or tips can be found in the New Keyholder Handbook under Resources.
•
Part C, question 8 should only be marked 'YES' if your institution is EXCLUSIVELY distance education. Do not mark 'YES' if your
courses/programs are also available in person.
•
Do not try to outsmart fatal errors; this is falsifying data. Contact the Help Desk to override, or fix, the data.
•
Make sure you understand ALL definitions before responding to questions. For example, make sure that you are reporting for an
'ACADEMIC YEAR' or 'PROGRAM' as defined by IPEDS.
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Mission Statement
1. Provide the institution's mission statement or a web address (URL) where the mission statement can be found. Typed statements
are limited to 2,000 characters or less. The mission statement will be available to the public on College Navigator.
Mission Statement URL:
Mission Statement:
http://
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
1. Which of the following are available to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families?
Yellow Ribbon Program (officially known as Post-9/11 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program)
Credit for military training
Dedicated point of contact for support services for veterans, military servicemembers, and their families
Recognized student veteran organization
Member of Department of Defense Voluntary Educational Partnership Memorandum of Understanding
None of the above
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College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Special Learning Opportunities
1. Does your institution accept any of the following? [Check all that apply]
Dual credit (college credit earned while in high school)
Credit for life experiences
Advanced placement (AP) credits
None of the above
2. What types of special learning opportunities are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
ROTC
Army
Navy
Air Force
Study abroad
Weekend/evening college
Teacher certification (for the elementary, middle school/junior high, or secondary level)
Do not include certifications to teach at the postsecondary level.
Students can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
Students must complete their preparation at another institution for certain areas of specialization
This institution is approved by the state for the initial certification or licensure of teachers
None of the above
3. If your institution grants a bachelor's degree or higher but does not offer a full 4-year program of study at the undergraduate level,
how many years of completed college-level work are required for entrance?
Number of years
Select One
Part C - Student Services: Other Student Services
4. Which of the following selected student services are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
Remedial services
Academic/career counseling services
Employment services for current students
Placement services for program completers
On-campus day care for children of students
None of the above
5. Which of the following academic library resource or service does your institution provide? [Check all that apply]
Physical facilities
An organized collection of printed materials
Access to digital/electronic resources
A staff trained to provide and interpret library materials
Established library hours
Access to library collections that are shared with other institutions
None of the above
6. Indicate whether or not any of the following alternative tuition plans are offered by your institution.
No
Yes
Tuition guarantee
Prepaid tuition plan
Tuition payment plan
Other (specify in box below)
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Part C - Student Services - Distance Education
7. Please indicate at what level(s) your institution does or does not offer distance education courses and/or distance education
programs. Check all that apply.
Distance education courses
Undergraduate level
Distance education programs
Does not offer Distance Education
Graduate level
8. Are all the programs at your institution offered exclusively via distance education programs?
No
Yes
Part C - Student Services: Disability Services
9. Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled during Fall 2017 who were formally registered as students
with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent office).
3 percent or less
More than 3 percent:
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part D - Student Charges Questions
1. Are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students required to live on-campus or in institutionally controlled housing?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will not be asked to report off-campus room and board in the price of attendance (D7).
This is only a screening question, and your response does not show up on College Navigator.
If you make any exceptions to this rule, and have even one full-time, first-time student living off-campus, please answer No so that this does
not cause conflicts with the Student Financial Aid survey. Making changes to the SFA component is very difficult and may lead to inaccurate
reporting for your institution.
No
Yes, and we do not make ANY (even one)
exceptions to this rule
3. Does your institution offer institutionally-controlled housing (either on or off campus)?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to specify a housing capacity, and to report a room charge or a combined room and
board charge (D10).
No
Yes
Specify housing capacity for academic year
2018-19
4. Do you offer board or meal plans to your students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to report a board charge or combined room and board charge (D10).
No
Yes - Enter the number of meals per week in
the maximum meal plan available
Yes - Number of meals per week can vary
(e.g., students charge meals against a meal
card)
Part D - Student Charges - Number of programs
5. How many programs are offered at your institution?
Be sure not to report single courses, report only full programs. If you do not know what a program is, review the definition in the glossary or call
the Help Desk.
Number of programs
Part D - Student Charges - Price of Attendance
7. Cost of attendance for entering students
Please enter ALL amounts requested below. These data will be made available to the public on College Navigator. 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 the correct numbers to use for this report.
Note: The academic year length you report should be the same calculation used for required reporting for your Pell budget. This number will
be used to calculate academic year costs for your institution and will impact your net price calculation. Please discuss this information with your
student aid office to ensure accurate reporting.
LARGEST PROGRAM:
CIP Code
Title
Enter new largest program
How is your program measured?
If your largest program has changed from the one listed above, or if no program appears above, click
the 'enter new largest program' link, choose a program and enter data for all three years. Note: if your
institution participates in Title IV programs, you must complete all cells.
Contact Hours
Credit Hours
Total length of PROGRAM in contact or credit hours
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 contact or credit
hours
Total length of ACADEMIC YEAR (as used to calculate your Pell budget) in WEEKS
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount.
Amount
Prior year
Undergraduate application fee
The following numbers need to be reported for the entire length of the program. For example, if your program is 18 months long, report 18
months worth of tuition, fees, books and supplies.
If your institution charges differently based on residence, please use in-state charges. The correct numbers should be available from your
financial aid office.
Published student charges for the entire program
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Tuition and required fees for the
entire program
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)
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part D - Student Charges - Price of Attendance - Calculated values
7. Cost of attendance - Calculated values
Please review the numbers below for accuracy. If something looks incorrect, please go to the previous page and make sure all of the numbers
reported on that page are correct. If you still do not think the numbers are correct, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877-225-2568.
CIP CODE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
TITLE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
Published student charges for the entire program
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
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
Published student charges for an academic year
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
Part D - Student Charges - Program Data
8. Please list your second through sixth largest programs and provide the requested information for each program. To enter a CIP
code and program title, click on the select button, and then click on the program from the list provided. Choosing clear will remove
the CIP code and title. Report the tuition and fees and the cost of books and supplies for the TOTAL LENGTH OF THE PROGRAM.
Also report the length of the entire program in terms of contact or credit hours and provide the number of months it takes a full-time
student to complete the entire program.
Note: The largest programs are the programs with the most students, not the programs with the longest lengths.
Please make sure to report all costs for each program. As with the largest program, costs are for the entire length of the program.If your
institution charges differently based on residence, please use in-state charges.
Do not skip lines when reporting programs. Your 2nd largest program should be listed as 2nd, your 3rd as 3rd, etc.
CIP Code
Tuition and
Total length of
Program
Cost of books
required fees
program
Measurement
and supplies
1st
Contact
Credit
hours
hours
Title
2nd select
Contact
Credit
clear
hours
hours
Title
3rd
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
4th
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
5th
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
6th
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.
# of months to
complete
Part D - Student Charges - Room and Board
10. What are the typical room and board charges for a student for the full academic year 2018-19?
If your institution offers room or board at no charge to students, enter zero.
If you report room and board separately, leave the combined charge blank. If you report a combined charge, leave the room and board
charges blank.
Room and board charges
Amount
Prior year
Room charge (Double occupancy)
Board charge (Maximum plan)
Combined room and board charge
(Answer only if you CANNOT separate room and board charges.)
Part E - Athletic Association
1. Is this institution a member of a national athletic association?
No
Yes - Check all that apply
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)
United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA)
National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA)
Other
2. If this institution is a member of the NCAA or NAIA, specify the conference FOR EACH SPORT using the pull down menu.
Sport
Football
No
NCAA or NAIA member
Yes-Specify
Basketball
No
Yes-Specify
Baseball
No
Yes-Specify
Cross country and/or track
No
Yes-Specify
Conference
Select One
Select One
Select One
Select One
Prepared by
The name of the preparer is being collected so that we can follow up with the appropriate person in the event that there are questions
concerning the data. The Keyholder will be copied on all email correspondence to other preparers.
The time it took to prepare this component is being collected so that we can continue to improve our estimate of the reporting burden
associated with IPEDS. Please include in your estimate the time it took for you to review instructions, query and search data sources, complete
and review the component, and submit the data through the Data Collection System.
Thank you for your assistance.
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Academic Library Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)
How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey
component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member
Collecting Data Needed
Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
Your office
hours
hours
Other offices
U.S. Department of Education
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hours
hours
Software Provider Resources
Browsers Supported
Entering Data
Revising and Locking Data
hours
hours
hours
hours
Use of Cookies
Troubleshooting
Section 508 Compliance
NCES Privacy Policy
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Context Boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Mission Statement and Distance Education
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
Part C - Student Services
Part D - Student Charges
Part E - Athletic Association
Part F - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) component is to collect basic institutional
information including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data
including tuition for different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an
academic year. This includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students
based on living situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the
Winter collection to calculate net price of attendance.
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Changes in Reporting
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General instructions
Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics survey to ensure you are reporting data for the
appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC survey (e.g.,
undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to include
•
Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or other recognized
postsecondary credential.
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, including those enrolled in
off-campus centers.
High school students taking regular college courses for credit under their classification as recorded by the
institution.
Full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination.
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses (e.g., online students).
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree.
B. Who NOT to include
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential or the
completion of a vocational program.
Students taking Continuing Education Units (CEUs) unless they are also enrolled in courses creditable toward a
degree or other recognized postsecondary credential.
Students exclusively auditing classes.
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice fields, since they have already received their Doctor's
degree.
Any student studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at this institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal.
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country.
Students in Experimental Pell Programs.
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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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Reporting Directions
Part A – Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Provide your institution's mission statement or a web address (please select http:// or https://) where the statement
can be found. Typed statements are limited to 2,000 characters. The mission statement will be available to the public
on College Navigator.
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Part B - Services for Military Servicemembers, Veterans, and Eligible Family Members
Services and Programs for Military Servicemembers and Veterans
Indicate which of the following are offered to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families.
For the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon program, please choose this only if the Yellow Ribbon program is available at
your institution.
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Part C - Student Services
Special learning opportunities
Special credit
Indicate if your institution accepts credit earned prior to admission through any of the sources listed.
Special learning opportunities
Indicate if the listed special learning opportunities are offered by your institution. Teacher certification refers to pre-K
through 12; if the institution only provides certification for some levels (e.g., elementary only and not secondary), be
sure to indicate that only certain levels are offered.
Years of study required for entry (Not applicable to less-than-4-year institutions)
If the institution limits entrance to students who have completed certain academic requirements, select the years of
study required for entry. For example, upper division only schools may require 2 years (60 credits) of study prior to
admittance, and schools that offer only graduate programs may require bachelor's degrees or 4 years of study for
entrance.
Student services
Student services
Indicate which of the listed services are offered by the institution.
Library
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed resources or services. If none of the listed resources/services
apply, select "None of the above".
Alternative tuition plans
Indicate if your institution offers any alternative tuition plans. Use the context box on the bottom of the page to
provide details about tuition plans for College Navigator. Please provide only factual information, context boxes are
reviewed and inappropriate information (such as marketing information) will be removed.
Distance education
Distance education uses one or more technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the
instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor synchronously or
asynchronously.
Requirements for coming to campus for orientation, testing, or academic support services do not exclude a course
from being classified as distance education. Technologies used for instruction may include the following: Internet; oneway and two-way transmissions through open broadcasts, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber
optics, satellite or wireless communication devices; audio conferencing; and video cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, if
the cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs are used in a course in conjunction with the technologies listed above.
Distance education course
A course in which the instructional content is delivered exclusively via distance education.
Distance education program
A program for which all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance
education courses.
Distance education levels
Indicate whether you offer distance education courses and/or programs at the undergraduate level and/or graduate
level. Please check all that apply. If you do not offer distance education courses and/or programs, please select “Does
not offer distance education" at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.
Exclusively distance education programs
Indicate whether or not ALL programs offered by your institution are delivered exclusively via distance education,
meaning all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance education courses.
Disabilities
Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled in the time period indicated on screen who were
formally registered as students with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent
office). This may include students with physical or learning disabilities, as well as other types of disabilities. If greater
than 3% of students are registered as having a disability, you will need to indicate a percentage.
Please use the context box on the page to provide information, such as the webpage for your disabilities services
website.
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Part D - Student Charges
Screening questions
If you responded to questions regarding full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in the
Institutional Characteristics Header survey, your institution will be required to answer all the questions.
On-campus or institutionally controlled off-campus housing requirement
Indicate if ALL full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students are required to live on campus or in
institutionally controlled off-campus housing. If you make ANY exceptions, you should not select this as a
requirement, as this will cause inconsistencies in your reporting between this section and the Student
Financial Aid survey calculation of net price.
This question is a screening question, and does not appear on College Navigator. Please respond correctly.
Tuition based on residence
Indicate if the institution charges a different price for students from in-district, in-state, or out-of-state.
Institutionally controlled housing
Indicate if the institution provides institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off-campus) and if so, specify the
housing capacity.
Meal plans
Indicate if the institution offers board or meal plans to students. If the institution offers fixed meal plans, provide the
number of meals per week in the maximum plan available. Institutions will be asked to report the board charges or
combined room and board charges on later screens.
Tuition and fees for undergraduate students (academic year reporters)
Undergraduate students include:
•
•
•
Students who have not obtained a bachelor's degree;
Students in bachelor's degree programs that require at least 4 years but fewer than 6 years of college work; or
Students in occupational or general study programs requiring 1, 2, or 3 years of college work that are
designed to prepare students for immediate employment or to provide general education rather than to serve
as the first 1, 2, or 3 years of a bachelor's degree program.
Undergraduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for undergraduate students
This tuition value differs from cost of attendance as it is the average tuition and fees for ALL undergraduate students
and all levels (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, etc.). It is possible that this number will be different from the cost
of attendance that you will report if you have first-time, full-time students.
Since tuition and required fees and room and board charges may be different for varying groups of full-time
undergraduate students at an institution, adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
•
•
•
•
•
Report the average tuition and required fees for the full academic year charged to in-district, in-state, and outof-state students. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for indistrict, in-state, and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the
same, go back to the screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different
tuitions.
If the institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, estimate average tuition based on the average fulltime credit-hour load for an entire academic year.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
If the institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the
amount as a comprehensive fee.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time undergraduate students
Enter the average dollar amount your institution charges to part-time undergraduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Tuition and fees for graduate students
Graduate students include any student who holds a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and is taking courses at the
post-baccalaureate level. These students may or may not be enrolled in graduate programs.
Graduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for graduate students
Since tuition and required fees may be different for varying groups of full-time graduate students at an institution,
adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
•
•
•
•
Do not include doctor’s-professional practice tuition. This will be collected separately.
Report the average tuition and required fees charged to full-time graduate students for the full academic year.
If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state, and
out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time graduate students
Enter the dollar amount the institution most frequently charges to part-time graduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Doctor's - professional practice tuition and fees
Report the tuition and fees (if applicable, for both in- and out-of-state) for students in the selected professional
practice programs.
Number of programs (program reporters only)
Provide the total number of occupational programs offered by your institution. A program is a combination of courses
and related activities organized for the attainment of broad educational objectives as described by the institution.
Please do not count single courses as a program.
Room and Board
Institutions that offer institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off- campus) will be required to answer the
questions in this section.
Report the typical room charge for the full academic year (as indicated on screen) for a full-time student sharing a
room with one other student. Report the board charge based on the maximum meal plan available for the full
academic year (as indicated on screen) to a full-time student. Report a combined room and board charge only if room
and board charges cannot be separated.
•
•
If your institution offers room (housing) but does not offer board, refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on board.
If your institution offers board but does not offer room (housing), refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on room.
Academic year reporters cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate students
If you made errors in the prior year reporting, you will need to make changes in the Student Financial Aid component
in the Winter. There are no changes in the Prior Year Revision System.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
Institutions with standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, or 4-1-4 or hybrid institutions) should
provide cost information for in-district, in-state, and out-of-state students for the FULL ACADEMIC YEAR in the
columns indicated. The numbers reported for tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses
must match the amounts used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance. If
your institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the amount as a
comprehensive fee. You will not be able to lock your submission without these data.
Report BOTH tuition and fees, separately. Please report accurately as these numbers are used in the calculation of net
price during the Student Financial Aid survey. Net price appears to the public in College Navigator, including the
College Affordability and Transparency Center, as mandated in accordance with Sec. 111 of the Higher Education
Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA).
Indicate whether the tuition and/or fees reported are covered by a tuition guarantee plan. If they are, but it is not a
flat rate, please provide the guaranteed maximum rate of increase.
Program reporters cost (price) of attendance
Institutions with no full-time, first-time students will report the six largest programs on one page, and should follow
the directions under ‘Reporting the next 5 largest programs’ to report these data. For public institutions, report the
in-state or in-district costs if applicable.
Reporting the largest program
Errors can be corrected in the Student Financial Aid component in the Winter.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
This section asks questions about the largest program your institution has offered for entering students. Institutions
that provided data for the largest program in the prior year will see pre-loaded data (when CIP code has changed, you
will need to update the CIP with an appropriate CIP). If the largest program has changed, check the box provided and
indicate a different program. You will be required to enter data for all 4 years as indicated on the screen.
To enter or change the largest program
•
•
•
•
•
Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Provide the total length of program in clock or credit hours and in weeks (as completed by a student
attending full-time).
Provide the total length of the academic year, as used to calculate your Pell budget, in clock or credit hours
and in weeks.
Enter an application fee (if applicable).
Provide amounts for tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses FOR THE
TIME PERIOD INDICATED (either for the length of the program, or for 4 weeks). These are the amounts
used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance.
Note: Programs of English as a second language and GED courses are not to be included in IPEDS. Institutions should
report their largest program based on enrollment size, regardless of whether or not that program is Title IV.
Reporting the next 5 largest programs
This section asks questions about the next 5 largest programs your institution offers for entering students (or, if you
have no full-time, first-time students, the 6 largest programs).
•
•
•
•
•
•
Only if reporting 6 largest programs because you do not have full-time, first-time students, enter an
application fee (if applicable).
Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Enter the tuition and required fees charged for the entire length of the program.
Enter the cost of books and supplies for the program.
Report the full length of the program and indicate whether the length of the entire program is measured in
clock or credit hours.
Report the number of months it takes a full-time student to complete the program.
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Part E - Athletic Association
Indicate if the institution is a member of a national athletic association.
For institutions belonging to NCAA or NAIA, select the conference (by sport) from the drop list provided.
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Part F - Campus information
For campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in the fall?
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for distance
education location reporting?
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses). How should
6)
students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall Enrollment?
Student Charges
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate and/or
1)
married students?
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
2)
3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees charges in Part
D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
4)
Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionally-controlled housing
both on and off campus?
2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
4)
What are “other expenses”?
5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
Answers:
General
1)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) survey is to collect basic institutional information
including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data including tuition for
different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an academic year. This
includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students based on living
situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the spring collection
to calculate net price of attendance.
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2)
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
IPEDS gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in
the federal student financial aid programs. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires that institutions
that participate in federal student aid programs report data on enrollments, program completions, graduation rates,
faculty and staff, finances, institutional prices, and student financial aid.
Back to top
3)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake
in the fall?
No, you cannot change your IC data in the winter or spring, except in rare circumstances. Due to processing and the
size of the database, it is difficult to make changes once a survey is closed. It is the responsibility of the institution's
keyholder to report these data correctly in the fall, as they do impact other surveys (e.g., Student Financial Aid).
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4)
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
The Office of Postsecondary Education(OPE) website: OPE Accreditation database at https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
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5)
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for
distance education location reporting?
Yes, students located in a U.S. jurisdiction while they are enrolled in distance education courses should be reported as
located in the U.S.
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6)
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses).
How should students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall
Enrollment?
Hybrid courses are not considered by IPEDS as distance education. Students enrolled in “hybrid” courses should be
reported as “not enrolled in any distance education courses.”
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Student Charges
1)
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate
and/or married students?
Yes, if the institution is providing the housing and the students pay “rent” or “board” to the institution.
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2)
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
You should report the meal plan that offers the maximum number of meals per week. If your institution offers an
unlimited number of meals, enter 99.
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3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees
charges in Part D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
The tuition and fees reported in question 5 are the average amounts charged to all full-time undergraduate students;
the tuition and fees in question 11 represent the average amounts charged to full-time, first-time undergraduate
students. The data in question 13 should be provided by your financial aid office as these are the amounts used to
determine student budgets.
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4)
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
If your institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, then you should estimate average tuition based on the
average full-time credit hour load for an entire academic year. If you have different charges for different programs at
the undergraduate or graduate levels, calculate the “average” tuition using the amount that a typical student would
expect to pay. BE SURE TO REPORT TUITION FOR THE ENTIRE ACADEMIC YEAR!
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Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionallycontrolled housing both on and off campus?
Report the room and board amounts used by your financial aid office for determining student budgets. The other
expenses are the amount of money estimated by the financial aid office needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings. Do not include the tuition and required fees with
other expenses.
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2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
You should enter the amount for a typical full-time student living off campus with family or not with family used by the
financial aid office to determine the student budget.
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3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
Yes, if your institution does not require all of full-time, first-time students to live on campus (or makes ANY exceptions
to this policy).
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4)
What are “other expenses”?
This is the amount of money, estimated by the financial aid office, that is needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings.
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5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
The Institutional Characteristics information that is made available on College Navigator includes special learning
opportunities, student services, tuition and required fees, room and board charges, books and supplies, other
expenses and the institution’s mission statement. The best way to see what information is available about your
institution is to look up your institution on College Navigator.
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6)
If my institution offers room or board, but not both, how should I report this on the Cost of Attendance page?
In this case, the “room and board” value must include both the known value and an estimate for the unknown value. Inclusion
of both meal cost and housing cost is necessary to generate a total cost of attendance, which is subsequently needed for Net
Price calculations. For example, if the institution offers meals but no housing, in the “on-campus room and board” field they
would need to enter a total that includes the cost of the meal plan plus as estimate of housing (such as a housing cost similar to
that of off-campus housing).
U.S. Department of Education
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Institutional Characteristics for degree-granting 2-year academic year tuition reporters
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. This component collects important information about your institution's mission,
student services, and student charges.
Much of the data reported on IC appear on College Navigator, which is updated once after IC data has been reviewed. Thus, errors may stay
on College Navigator for a full year.
Additionally, the cost of attendance data are used to calculate the net price of attendance in the Student Financial Aid component. This has
important implications for what students see about your institution, and also for the College Affordability and Transparency Center's lists.
Revisions or changes to costs can ONLY be made in the Student Financial Aid component and not in the prior year revision
system.
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to submit accurate data about the institution. Please contact the IPEDS Help Desk for
clarifications to make sure that you are reporting correctly.
Changes to This Year’s IC Component
There are no changes for the 2018-19 collection period.
Common Errors
Quality control reviews of past IC data indicate frequently made errors. Please review the common errors below to ensure accurate reporting.
Additional common errors or tips can be found in the New Keyholder Handbook under Resources.
•
Part C, question 8 should only be marked 'YES' if your institution is EXCLUSIVELY distance education. Do not mark 'YES' if your
courses/programs are also available in person.
•
Do not try to outsmart fatal errors; this is falsifying data. Contact the Help Desk to override, or fix, the data.
•
Make sure you understand ALL definitions before responding to questions. For example, make sure that you are reporting for an
'ACADEMIC YEAR' or 'PROGRAM' as defined by IPEDS.
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Mission Statement
1. Provide the institution's mission statement or a web address (URL) where the mission statement can be found. Typed statements
are limited to 2,000 characters or less. The mission statement will be available to the public on College Navigator.
Mission Statement URL:
Mission Statement:
http://
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
1. Which of the following are available to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families?
Yellow Ribbon Program (officially known as Post-9/11 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program)
Credit for military training
Dedicated point of contact for support services for veterans, military servicemembers, and their families
Recognized student veteran organization
Member of Department of Defense Voluntary Educational Partnership Memorandum of Understanding
None of the above
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Special Learning Opportunities
1. Does your institution accept any of the following? [Check all that apply]
Dual credit (college credit earned while in high school)
Credit for life experiences
Advanced placement (AP) credits
None of the above
2. What types of special learning opportunities are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
ROTC
Army
Navy
Air Force
Study abroad
Weekend/evening college
Teacher certification (for the elementary, middle school/junior high, or secondary level)
Do not include certifications to teach at the postsecondary level.
Students can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
Students must complete their preparation at another institution for certain areas of specialization
This institution is approved by the state for the initial certification or licensure of teachers
None of the above
Part C - Student Services: Other Student Services
4. Which of the following selected student services are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
Remedial services
Academic/career counseling services
Employment services for current students
Placement services for program completers
On-campus day care for children of students
None of the above
5. Which of the following academic library resource or service does your institution provide? [Check all that apply]
Physical facilities
An organized collection of printed materials
Access to digital/electronic resources
A staff trained to provide and interpret library materials
Established library hours
Access to library collections that are shared with other institutions
None of the above
6. Indicate whether or not any of the following alternative tuition plans are offered by your institution.
No
Yes
Tuition guarantee
Prepaid tuition plan
Tuition payment plan
Other (specify in box below)
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You may use the space below to provide context for the alternative tuition plans you've reported above. These context notes will
be posted on the College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Distance Education
7. Please indicate at what level(s) your institution does or does not offer distance education courses and/or distance education
programs. Check all that apply.
Distance education courses
Undergraduate level
Distance education programs
Does not offer Distance Education
Graduate level
8. Are all the programs at your institution offered exclusively via distance education programs?
No
Yes
Part C - Student Services: Disability Services
9. Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled during Fall 2017 who were formally registered as students
with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent office).
3 percent or less
More than 3 percent:
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part D - Student Charges Questions
1. Are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students required to live on campus or in institutionally controlled housing?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will not be asked to report off-campus room and board in the price of attendance (D11).
This is only a screening question, and your response does not show up on College Navigator.
If you make any exceptions to this rule, and have even one full-time, first-time student living off-campus, please answer No so that this does
not cause conflicts with the Student Financial Aid survey. Making changes to the SFA component is very difficult and may lead to inaccurate
reporting for your institution.
No
Yes, and we do not make ANY (even one)
exceptions to this rule
2. Does your institution charge different tuition for in-district, in-state, or out-of-state students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to report tuition amounts for in-district, in-state, and out-of-state students.
Please only select Yes if you really charge different tuition rates, or you will be reporting the same numbers 3 times.
No
Yes
3. Does your institution offer institutionally-controlled housing (either on or off campus)?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to specify a housing capacity, and to report a room charge or a combined room and
board charge (D10).
No
Yes
Specify housing capacity for academic year
2018-19
4. Do you offer board or meal plans to your students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to report a board charge or combined room and board charge (D10).
No
Yes - Enter the number of meals per week in
the maximum meal plan available
Yes - Number of meals per week can vary
(e.g., students charge meals against a meal
card)
Part D - Undergraduate Student Charges
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount.
Prior year
Amount
Application fee
5. Charges to full-time students for the full academic year 2018-19
Please be sure to report an average tuition that includes all students at all levels (freshman, sophomore, etc.).
In-district
Prior year
In-state
Prior year
Out-of-state
Prior year
All full-time students
Average tuition
Required fees
6. Per credit hour charge for part-time students
Please be sure to report an average per credit tuition that includes all students at all levels (freshman, sophomore, etc.).
In-district
Per credit hour charge
Prior year
In-state
Prior year
Out-of-state
Prior year
Part D - Student Charges - Room and Board
10. What are the typical room and board charges for a student for the full academic year 2018-19?
If your institution offers room or board at no charge to students, enter zero.
If you report room and board separately, leave the combined charge blank. If you report a combined charge, leave the room and board
charges blank.
Room and board charges
Amount
Prior year
Room charge (Double occupancy)
Board charge (Maximum plan)
Combined room and board charge
(Answer only if you CANNOT separate room and board charges.)
Part D - Student Charges - Price of Attendance
11. 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.
If the 2018-19 tuition and/or fees as reported on this page for full-time, first-time students are covered by a tuition guarantee program,
check the applicable box(es) under 'Tuition Guarantee'. Additionally, please indicate the maximum % increase that is guaranteed. These
numbers are expected to be fairly small. Please contact the Help Desk if you are confused about these values and how to report them.
Charges for full
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
academic year
Published tuition and required fees:
Guaranteed increase
Tuition Guarantee
%
(check only if applicable to entering
students in 2018-19)
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
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part E - Athletic Association
1. Is this institution a member of a national athletic association?
No
Yes - Check all that apply
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)
United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA)
National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA)
Other
2. If this institution is a member of the NCAA or NAIA, specify the conference FOR EACH SPORT using the pull down menu.
Sport
Football
No
NCAA or NAIA member
Yes-Specify
Basketball
No
Yes-Specify
Baseball
No
Yes-Specify
Cross country and/or track
No
Yes-Specify
Conference
Select One
Select One
Select One
Select One
Prepared by
The name of the preparer is being collected so that we can follow up with the appropriate person in the event that there are questions
concerning the data. The Keyholder will be copied on all email correspondence to other preparers.
The time it took to prepare this component is being collected so that we can continue to improve our estimate of the reporting burden
associated with IPEDS. Please include in your estimate the time it took for you to review instructions, query and search data sources, complete
and review the component, and submit the data through the Data Collection System.
Thank you for your assistance.
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Academic Library Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)
How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey
component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member
Collecting Data Needed
Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
Your office
hours
hours
Other offices
U.S. Department of Education
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hours
hours
Software Provider Resources
Browsers Supported
Entering Data
Revising and Locking Data
hours
hours
hours
hours
Use of Cookies
Troubleshooting
Section 508 Compliance
NCES Privacy Policy
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Context Boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Mission Statement and Distance Education
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
Part C - Student Services
Part D - Student Charges
Part E - Athletic Association
Part F - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) component is to collect basic institutional
information including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data
including tuition for different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an
academic year. This includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students
based on living situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the
Winter collection to calculate net price of attendance.
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Changes in Reporting
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General instructions
Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics survey to ensure you are reporting data for the
appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC survey (e.g.,
undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to include
•
Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or other recognized
postsecondary credential.
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, including those enrolled in
off-campus centers.
High school students taking regular college courses for credit under their classification as recorded by the
institution.
Full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination.
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses (e.g., online students).
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree.
B. Who NOT to include
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential or the
completion of a vocational program.
Students taking Continuing Education Units (CEUs) unless they are also enrolled in courses creditable toward a
degree or other recognized postsecondary credential.
Students exclusively auditing classes.
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice fields, since they have already received their Doctor's
degree.
Any student studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at this institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal.
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country.
Students in Experimental Pell Programs.
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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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Reporting Directions
Part A – Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Provide your institution's mission statement or a web address (please select http:// or https://) where the statement
can be found. Typed statements are limited to 2,000 characters. The mission statement will be available to the public
on College Navigator.
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Part B - Services for Military Servicemembers, Veterans, and Eligible Family Members
Services and Programs for Military Servicemembers and Veterans
Indicate which of the following are offered to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families.
For the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon program, please choose this only if the Yellow Ribbon program is available at
your institution.
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Part C - Student Services
Special learning opportunities
Special credit
Indicate if your institution accepts credit earned prior to admission through any of the sources listed.
Special learning opportunities
Indicate if the listed special learning opportunities are offered by your institution. Teacher certification refers to pre-K
through 12; if the institution only provides certification for some levels (e.g., elementary only and not secondary), be
sure to indicate that only certain levels are offered.
Years of study required for entry (Not applicable to less-than-4-year institutions)
If the institution limits entrance to students who have completed certain academic requirements, select the years of
study required for entry. For example, upper division only schools may require 2 years (60 credits) of study prior to
admittance, and schools that offer only graduate programs may require bachelor's degrees or 4 years of study for
entrance.
Student services
Student services
Indicate which of the listed services are offered by the institution.
Library
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed resources or services. If none of the listed resources/services
apply, select "None of the above".
Alternative tuition plans
Indicate if your institution offers any alternative tuition plans. Use the context box on the bottom of the page to
provide details about tuition plans for College Navigator. Please provide only factual information, context boxes are
reviewed and inappropriate information (such as marketing information) will be removed.
Distance education
Distance education uses one or more technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the
instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor synchronously or
asynchronously.
Requirements for coming to campus for orientation, testing, or academic support services do not exclude a course
from being classified as distance education. Technologies used for instruction may include the following: Internet; oneway and two-way transmissions through open broadcasts, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber
optics, satellite or wireless communication devices; audio conferencing; and video cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, if
the cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs are used in a course in conjunction with the technologies listed above.
Distance education course
A course in which the instructional content is delivered exclusively via distance education.
Distance education program
A program for which all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance
education courses.
Distance education levels
Indicate whether you offer distance education courses and/or programs at the undergraduate level and/or graduate
level. Please check all that apply. If you do not offer distance education courses and/or programs, please select “Does
not offer distance education" at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.
Exclusively distance education programs
Indicate whether or not ALL programs offered by your institution are delivered exclusively via distance education,
meaning all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance education courses.
Disabilities
Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled in the time period indicated on screen who were
formally registered as students with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent
office). This may include students with physical or learning disabilities, as well as other types of disabilities. If greater
than 3% of students are registered as having a disability, you will need to indicate a percentage.
Please use the context box on the page to provide information, such as the webpage for your disabilities services
website.
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Part D - Student Charges
Screening questions
If you responded to questions regarding full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in the
Institutional Characteristics Header survey, your institution will be required to answer all the questions.
On-campus or institutionally controlled off-campus housing requirement
Indicate if ALL full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students are required to live on campus or in
institutionally controlled off-campus housing. If you make ANY exceptions, you should not select this as a
requirement, as this will cause inconsistencies in your reporting between this section and the Student
Financial Aid survey calculation of net price.
This question is a screening question, and does not appear on College Navigator. Please respond correctly.
Tuition based on residence
Indicate if the institution charges a different price for students from in-district, in-state, or out-of-state.
Institutionally controlled housing
Indicate if the institution provides institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off-campus) and if so, specify the
housing capacity.
Meal plans
Indicate if the institution offers board or meal plans to students. If the institution offers fixed meal plans, provide the
number of meals per week in the maximum plan available. Institutions will be asked to report the board charges or
combined room and board charges on later screens.
Tuition and fees for undergraduate students (academic year reporters)
Undergraduate students include:
•
•
•
Students who have not obtained a bachelor's degree;
Students in bachelor's degree programs that require at least 4 years but fewer than 6 years of college work; or
Students in occupational or general study programs requiring 1, 2, or 3 years of college work that are
designed to prepare students for immediate employment or to provide general education rather than to serve
as the first 1, 2, or 3 years of a bachelor's degree program.
Undergraduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for undergraduate students
This tuition value differs from cost of attendance as it is the average tuition and fees for ALL undergraduate students
and all levels (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, etc.). It is possible that this number will be different from the cost
of attendance that you will report if you have first-time, full-time students.
Since tuition and required fees and room and board charges may be different for varying groups of full-time
undergraduate students at an institution, adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
•
•
•
•
•
Report the average tuition and required fees for the full academic year charged to in-district, in-state, and outof-state students. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for indistrict, in-state, and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the
same, go back to the screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different
tuitions.
If the institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, estimate average tuition based on the average fulltime credit-hour load for an entire academic year.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
If the institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the
amount as a comprehensive fee.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time undergraduate students
Enter the average dollar amount your institution charges to part-time undergraduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Tuition and fees for graduate students
Graduate students include any student who holds a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and is taking courses at the
post-baccalaureate level. These students may or may not be enrolled in graduate programs.
Graduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for graduate students
Since tuition and required fees may be different for varying groups of full-time graduate students at an institution,
adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
•
•
•
•
Do not include doctor’s-professional practice tuition. This will be collected separately.
Report the average tuition and required fees charged to full-time graduate students for the full academic year.
If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state, and
out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time graduate students
Enter the dollar amount the institution most frequently charges to part-time graduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Doctor's - professional practice tuition and fees
Report the tuition and fees (if applicable, for both in- and out-of-state) for students in the selected professional
practice programs.
Number of programs (program reporters only)
Provide the total number of occupational programs offered by your institution. A program is a combination of courses
and related activities organized for the attainment of broad educational objectives as described by the institution.
Please do not count single courses as a program.
Room and Board
Institutions that offer institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off- campus) will be required to answer the
questions in this section.
Report the typical room charge for the full academic year (as indicated on screen) for a full-time student sharing a
room with one other student. Report the board charge based on the maximum meal plan available for the full
academic year (as indicated on screen) to a full-time student. Report a combined room and board charge only if room
and board charges cannot be separated.
•
•
If your institution offers room (housing) but does not offer board, refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on board.
If your institution offers board but does not offer room (housing), refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on room.
Academic year reporters cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate students
If you made errors in the prior year reporting, you will need to make changes in the Student Financial Aid component
in the Winter. There are no changes in the Prior Year Revision System.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
Institutions with standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, or 4-1-4 or hybrid institutions) should
provide cost information for in-district, in-state, and out-of-state students for the FULL ACADEMIC YEAR in the
columns indicated. The numbers reported for tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses
must match the amounts used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance. If
your institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the amount as a
comprehensive fee. You will not be able to lock your submission without these data.
Report BOTH tuition and fees, separately. Please report accurately as these numbers are used in the calculation of net
price during the Student Financial Aid survey. Net price appears to the public in College Navigator, including the
College Affordability and Transparency Center, as mandated in accordance with Sec. 111 of the Higher Education
Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA).
Indicate whether the tuition and/or fees reported are covered by a tuition guarantee plan. If they are, but it is not a
flat rate, please provide the guaranteed maximum rate of increase.
Program reporters cost (price) of attendance
Institutions with no full-time, first-time students will report the six largest programs on one page, and should follow
the directions under ‘Reporting the next 5 largest programs’ to report these data. For public institutions, report the
in-state or in-district costs if applicable.
Reporting the largest program
Errors can be corrected in the Student Financial Aid component in the Winter.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
This section asks questions about the largest program your institution has offered for entering students. Institutions
that provided data for the largest program in the prior year will see pre-loaded data (when CIP code has changed, you
will need to update the CIP with an appropriate CIP). If the largest program has changed, check the box provided and
indicate a different program. You will be required to enter data for all 4 years as indicated on the screen.
To enter or change the largest program
•
•
•
•
•
Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Provide the total length of program in clock or credit hours and in weeks (as completed by a student
attending full-time).
Provide the total length of the academic year, as used to calculate your Pell budget, in clock or credit hours
and in weeks.
Enter an application fee (if applicable).
Provide amounts for tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses FOR THE
TIME PERIOD INDICATED (either for the length of the program, or for 4 weeks). These are the amounts
used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance.
Note: Programs of English as a second language and GED courses are not to be included in IPEDS. Institutions should
report their largest program based on enrollment size, regardless of whether or not that program is Title IV.
Reporting the next 5 largest programs
This section asks questions about the next 5 largest programs your institution offers for entering students (or, if you
have no full-time, first-time students, the 6 largest programs).
•
•
•
•
•
•
Only if reporting 6 largest programs because you do not have full-time, first-time students, enter an
application fee (if applicable).
Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Enter the tuition and required fees charged for the entire length of the program.
Enter the cost of books and supplies for the program.
Report the full length of the program and indicate whether the length of the entire program is measured in
clock or credit hours.
Report the number of months it takes a full-time student to complete the program.
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Part E - Athletic Association
Indicate if the institution is a member of a national athletic association.
For institutions belonging to NCAA or NAIA, select the conference (by sport) from the drop list provided.
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Part F - Campus information
For campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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IPEDS Help Desk
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in the fall?
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for distance
education location reporting?
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses). How should
6)
students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall Enrollment?
Student Charges
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate and/or
1)
married students?
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
2)
3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees charges in Part
D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
4)
Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionally-controlled housing
both on and off campus?
2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
4)
What are “other expenses”?
5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
Answers:
General
1)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) survey is to collect basic institutional information
including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data including tuition for
different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an academic year. This
includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students based on living
situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the spring collection
to calculate net price of attendance.
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2)
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
IPEDS gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in
the federal student financial aid programs. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires that institutions
that participate in federal student aid programs report data on enrollments, program completions, graduation rates,
faculty and staff, finances, institutional prices, and student financial aid.
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3)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake
in the fall?
No, you cannot change your IC data in the winter or spring, except in rare circumstances. Due to processing and the
size of the database, it is difficult to make changes once a survey is closed. It is the responsibility of the institution's
keyholder to report these data correctly in the fall, as they do impact other surveys (e.g., Student Financial Aid).
Back to top
4)
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
The Office of Postsecondary Education(OPE) website: OPE Accreditation database at https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
Back to top
5)
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for
distance education location reporting?
Yes, students located in a U.S. jurisdiction while they are enrolled in distance education courses should be reported as
located in the U.S.
Back to top
6)
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses).
How should students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall
Enrollment?
Hybrid courses are not considered by IPEDS as distance education. Students enrolled in “hybrid” courses should be
reported as “not enrolled in any distance education courses.”
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Student Charges
1)
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate
and/or married students?
Yes, if the institution is providing the housing and the students pay “rent” or “board” to the institution.
Back to top
2)
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
You should report the meal plan that offers the maximum number of meals per week. If your institution offers an
unlimited number of meals, enter 99.
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3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees
charges in Part D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
The tuition and fees reported in question 5 are the average amounts charged to all full-time undergraduate students;
the tuition and fees in question 11 represent the average amounts charged to full-time, first-time undergraduate
students. The data in question 13 should be provided by your financial aid office as these are the amounts used to
determine student budgets.
Back to top
4)
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
If your institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, then you should estimate average tuition based on the
average full-time credit hour load for an entire academic year. If you have different charges for different programs at
the undergraduate or graduate levels, calculate the “average” tuition using the amount that a typical student would
expect to pay. BE SURE TO REPORT TUITION FOR THE ENTIRE ACADEMIC YEAR!
Back to top
Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionallycontrolled housing both on and off campus?
Report the room and board amounts used by your financial aid office for determining student budgets. The other
expenses are the amount of money estimated by the financial aid office needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings. Do not include the tuition and required fees with
other expenses.
Back to top
2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
You should enter the amount for a typical full-time student living off campus with family or not with family used by the
financial aid office to determine the student budget.
Back to top
3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
Yes, if your institution does not require all of full-time, first-time students to live on campus (or makes ANY exceptions
to this policy).
Back to top
4)
What are “other expenses”?
This is the amount of money, estimated by the financial aid office, that is needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings.
Back to top
5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
The Institutional Characteristics information that is made available on College Navigator includes special learning
opportunities, student services, tuition and required fees, room and board charges, books and supplies, other
expenses and the institution’s mission statement. The best way to see what information is available about your
institution is to look up your institution on College Navigator.
Back to top
6)
If my institution offers room or board, but not both, how should I report this on the Cost of Attendance page?
In this case, the “room and board” value must include both the known value and an estimate for the unknown value. Inclusion
of both meal cost and housing cost is necessary to generate a total cost of attendance, which is subsequently needed for Net
Price calculations. For example, if the institution offers meals but no housing, in the “on-campus room and board” field they
would need to enter a total that includes the cost of the meal plan plus as estimate of housing (such as a housing cost similar to
that of off-campus housing).
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Institutional Characteristics for degree-granting 2-year program tuition reporters
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. This component collects important information about your institution's mission,
student services, and student charges.
Much of the data reported on IC appear on College Navigator, which is updated once after IC data has been reviewed. Thus, errors may stay
on College Navigator for a full year.
Additionally, the cost of attendance data are used to calculate the net price of attendance in the Student Financial Aid component. This has
important implications for what students see about your institution, and also for the College Affordability and Transparency Center's lists.
Revisions or changes to costs can ONLY be made in the Student Financial Aid component and not in the prior year revision
system.
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to submit accurate data about the institution. Please contact the IPEDS Help Desk for
clarifications to make sure that you are reporting correctly.
Changes to This Year’s IC Component
There are no changes for the 2018-19 collection period.
Common Errors
Quality control reviews of past IC data indicate frequently made errors. Please review the common errors below to ensure accurate reporting.
Additional common errors or tips can be found in the New Keyholder Handbook under Resources.
•
Part C, question 8 should only be marked 'YES' if your institution is EXCLUSIVELY distance education. Do not mark 'YES' if your
courses/programs are also available in person.
•
Do not try to outsmart fatal errors; this is falsifying data. Contact the Help Desk to override, or fix, the data.
•
Make sure you understand ALL definitions before responding to questions. For example, make sure that you are reporting for an
'ACADEMIC YEAR' or 'PROGRAM' as defined by IPEDS.
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Mission Statement
1. Provide the institution's mission statement or a web address (URL) where the mission statement can be found. Typed statements
are limited to 2,000 characters or less. The mission statement will be available to the public on College Navigator.
Mission Statement URL:
Mission Statement:
http://
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
1. Which of the following are available to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families?
Yellow Ribbon Program (officially known as Post-9/11 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program)
Credit for military training
Dedicated point of contact for support services for veterans, military servicemembers, and their families
Recognized student veteran organization
Member of Department of Defense Voluntary Educational Partnership Memorandum of Understanding
None of the above
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Special Learning Opportunities
1. Does your institution accept any of the following? [Check all that apply]
Dual credit (college credit earned while in high school)
Credit for life experiences
Advanced placement (AP) credits
None of the above
2. What types of special learning opportunities are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
ROTC
Army
Navy
Air Force
Study abroad
Weekend/evening college
Teacher certification (for the elementary, middle school/junior high, or secondary level)
Do not include certifications to teach at the postsecondary level.
Students can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
Students must complete their preparation at another institution for certain areas of specialization
This institution is approved by the state for the initial certification or licensure of teachers
None of the above
Part C - Student Services: Other Student Services
4. Which of the following selected student services are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
Remedial services
Academic/career counseling services
Employment services for current students
Placement services for program completers
On-campus day care for children of students
None of the above
5. Which of the following academic library resource or service does your institution provide? [Check all that apply]
Physical facilities
An organized collection of printed materials
Access to digital/electronic resources
A staff trained to provide and interpret library materials
Established library hours
Access to library collections that are shared with other institutions
None of the above
6. Indicate whether or not any of the following alternative tuition plans are offered by your institution.
No
Yes
Tuition guarantee
Prepaid tuition plan
Tuition payment plan
Other (specify in box below)
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You may use the space below to provide context for the alternative tuition plans you've reported above. These context notes will
be posted on the College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Distance Education
7. Please indicate at what level(s) your institution does or does not offer distance education courses and/or distance education
programs. Check all that apply.
Distance education courses
Undergraduate level
Distance education programs
Does not offer Distance Education
Graduate level
8. Are all the programs at your institution offered exclusively via distance education programs?
No
Yes
Part C - Student Services: Disability Services
9. Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled during Fall 2017 who were formally registered as students
with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent office).
3 percent or less
More than 3 percent:
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part D - Student Charges Questions
1. Are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students required to live on-campus or in institutionally controlled housing?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will not be asked to report off-campus room and board in the price of attendance (D7).
This is only a screening question, and your response does not show up on College Navigator.
If you make any exceptions to this rule, and have even one full-time, first-time student living off-campus, please answer No so that this does
not cause conflicts with the Student Financial Aid survey. Making changes to the SFA component is very difficult and may lead to inaccurate
reporting for your institution.
No
Yes, and we do not make ANY (even one)
exceptions to this rule
3. Does your institution offer institutionally-controlled housing (either on or off campus)?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to specify a housing capacity, and to report a room charge or a combined room and
board charge (D10).
No
Yes
Specify housing capacity for academic year
2018-19
4. Do you offer board or meal plans to your students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to report a board charge or combined room and board charge (D10).
No
Yes - Enter the number of meals per week in
the maximum meal plan available
Yes - Number of meals per week can vary
(e.g., students charge meals against a meal
card)
Part D - Student Charges - Number of programs
5. How many programs are offered at your institution?
Be sure not to report single courses, report only full programs. If you do not know what a program is, review the definition in the glossary or call
the Help Desk.
Number of programs
Part D - Student Charges - Price of Attendance
7. Cost of attendance for entering students
Please enter ALL amounts requested below. These data will be made available to the public on College Navigator. 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 the correct numbers to use for this report.
Note: The academic year length you report should be the same calculation used for required reporting for your Pell budget. This number will
be used to calculate academic year costs for your institution and will impact your net price calculation. Please discuss this information with your
student aid office to ensure accurate reporting.
LARGEST PROGRAM:
CIP Code
Title
Enter new largest program
How is your program measured?
If your largest program has changed from the one listed above, or if no program appears above, click
the 'enter new largest program' link, choose a program and enter data for all three years. Note: if your
institution participates in Title IV programs, you must complete all cells.
Contact Hours
Credit Hours
Total length of PROGRAM in contact or credit hours
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 contact or credit
hours
Total length of ACADEMIC YEAR (as used to calculate your Pell budget) in WEEKS
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount.
Amount
Prior year
Application fee
The following numbers need to be reported for the entire length of the program. For example, if your program is 18 months long, report 18
months worth of tuition, fees, books and supplies.
If your institution charges differently based on residence, please use in-state charges. The correct numbers should be available from your
financial aid office.
Published student charges for the entire program
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Tuition and required fees for the
entire program
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)
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part D - Student Charges - Price of Attendance - Calculated values
7. Cost of attendance - Calculated values
Please review the numbers below for accuracy. If something looks incorrect, please go to the previous page and make sure all of the numbers
reported on that page are correct. If you still do not think the numbers are correct, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877-225-2568.
CIP CODE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
TITLE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
Published student charges for the entire program
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
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
Published student charges for an academic year
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
Part D - Student Charges - Program Data
8. Please list your second through sixth largest programs and provide the requested information for each program. To enter a CIP
code and program title, click on the select button, and then click on the program from the list provided. Choosing clear will remove
the CIP code and title. Report the tuition and fees and the cost of books and supplies for the TOTAL LENGTH OF THE PROGRAM.
Also report the length of the entire program in terms of contact or credit hours and provide the number of months it takes a full-time
student to complete the entire program.
Note: The largest programs are the programs with the most students, not the programs with the longest lengths.
Please make sure to report all costs for each program. As with the largest program, costs are for the entire length of the program.If your
institution charges differently based on residence, please use in-state charges.
Do not skip lines when reporting programs. Your 2nd largest program should be listed as 2nd, your 3rd as 3rd, etc.
CIP Code
Tuition and
Total length of
Program
Cost of books
required fees
program
Measurement
and supplies
1st
Contact
Credit
hours
hours
Title
2nd select
Contact
Credit
clear
hours
hours
Title
3rd
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
4th
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
5th
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
6th
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.
# of months to
complete
Part D - Student Charges - Room and Board
10. What are the typical room and board charges for a student for the full academic year 2018-19?
If your institution offers room or board at no charge to students, enter zero.
If you report room and board separately, leave the combined charge blank. If you report a combined charge, leave the room and board
charges blank.
Room and board charges
Amount
Prior year
Room charge (Double occupancy)
Board charge (Maximum plan)
Combined room and board charge
(Answer only if you CANNOT separate room and board charges.)
Part E - Athletic Association
1. Is this institution a member of a national athletic association?
No
Yes - Check all that apply
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)
United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA)
National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA)
Other
2. If this institution is a member of the NCAA or NAIA, specify the conference FOR EACH SPORT using the pull down menu.
Sport
Football
No
NCAA or NAIA member
Yes-Specify
Basketball
No
Yes-Specify
Baseball
No
Yes-Specify
Cross country and/or track
No
Yes-Specify
Conference
Select One
Select One
Select One
Select One
Prepared by
The name of the preparer is being collected so that we can follow up with the appropriate person in the event that there are questions
concerning the data. The Keyholder will be copied on all email correspondence to other preparers.
The time it took to prepare this component is being collected so that we can continue to improve our estimate of the reporting burden
associated with IPEDS. Please include in your estimate the time it took for you to review instructions, query and search data sources, complete
and review the component, and submit the data through the Data Collection System.
Thank you for your assistance.
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Academic Library Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)
How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey
component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member
Collecting Data Needed
Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
Your office
hours
hours
Other offices
U.S. Department of Education
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Context Boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Mission Statement and Distance Education
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
Part C - Student Services
Part D - Student Charges
Part E - Athletic Association
Part F - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) component is to collect basic institutional
information including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data
including tuition for different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an
academic year. This includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students
based on living situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the
Winter collection to calculate net price of attendance.
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Changes in Reporting
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General instructions
Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics survey to ensure you are reporting data for the
appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC survey (e.g.,
undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to include
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Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or other recognized
postsecondary credential.
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Students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, including those enrolled in
off-campus centers.
High school students taking regular college courses for credit under their classification as recorded by the
institution.
Full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination.
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses (e.g., online students).
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree.
B. Who NOT to include
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Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential or the
completion of a vocational program.
Students taking Continuing Education Units (CEUs) unless they are also enrolled in courses creditable toward a
degree or other recognized postsecondary credential.
Students exclusively auditing classes.
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice fields, since they have already received their Doctor's
degree.
Any student studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at this institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal.
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country.
Students in Experimental Pell Programs.
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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:
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College Navigator Website
IPEDS Data Center
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
College Affordability and Transparency Center Website
At the aggregate-level, data will appear in:
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IPEDS First Looks
IPEDS Table Library
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
The Digest of Education Statistics
The Condition of Education
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Reporting Directions
Part A – Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Provide your institution's mission statement or a web address (please select http:// or https://) where the statement
can be found. Typed statements are limited to 2,000 characters. The mission statement will be available to the public
on College Navigator.
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Part B - Services for Military Servicemembers, Veterans, and Eligible Family Members
Services and Programs for Military Servicemembers and Veterans
Indicate which of the following are offered to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families.
For the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon program, please choose this only if the Yellow Ribbon program is available at
your institution.
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Part C - Student Services
Special learning opportunities
Special credit
Indicate if your institution accepts credit earned prior to admission through any of the sources listed.
Special learning opportunities
Indicate if the listed special learning opportunities are offered by your institution. Teacher certification refers to pre-K
through 12; if the institution only provides certification for some levels (e.g., elementary only and not secondary), be
sure to indicate that only certain levels are offered.
Years of study required for entry (Not applicable to less-than-4-year institutions)
If the institution limits entrance to students who have completed certain academic requirements, select the years of
study required for entry. For example, upper division only schools may require 2 years (60 credits) of study prior to
admittance, and schools that offer only graduate programs may require bachelor's degrees or 4 years of study for
entrance.
Student services
Student services
Indicate which of the listed services are offered by the institution.
Library
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed resources or services. If none of the listed resources/services
apply, select "None of the above".
Alternative tuition plans
Indicate if your institution offers any alternative tuition plans. Use the context box on the bottom of the page to
provide details about tuition plans for College Navigator. Please provide only factual information, context boxes are
reviewed and inappropriate information (such as marketing information) will be removed.
Distance education
Distance education uses one or more technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the
instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor synchronously or
asynchronously.
Requirements for coming to campus for orientation, testing, or academic support services do not exclude a course
from being classified as distance education. Technologies used for instruction may include the following: Internet; oneway and two-way transmissions through open broadcasts, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber
optics, satellite or wireless communication devices; audio conferencing; and video cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, if
the cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs are used in a course in conjunction with the technologies listed above.
Distance education course
A course in which the instructional content is delivered exclusively via distance education.
Distance education program
A program for which all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance
education courses.
Distance education levels
Indicate whether you offer distance education courses and/or programs at the undergraduate level and/or graduate
level. Please check all that apply. If you do not offer distance education courses and/or programs, please select “Does
not offer distance education" at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.
Exclusively distance education programs
Indicate whether or not ALL programs offered by your institution are delivered exclusively via distance education,
meaning all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance education courses.
Disabilities
Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled in the time period indicated on screen who were
formally registered as students with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent
office). This may include students with physical or learning disabilities, as well as other types of disabilities. If greater
than 3% of students are registered as having a disability, you will need to indicate a percentage.
Please use the context box on the page to provide information, such as the webpage for your disabilities services
website.
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Part D - Student Charges
Screening questions
If you responded to questions regarding full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in the
Institutional Characteristics Header survey, your institution will be required to answer all the questions.
On-campus or institutionally controlled off-campus housing requirement
Indicate if ALL full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students are required to live on campus or in
institutionally controlled off-campus housing. If you make ANY exceptions, you should not select this as a
requirement, as this will cause inconsistencies in your reporting between this section and the Student
Financial Aid survey calculation of net price.
This question is a screening question, and does not appear on College Navigator. Please respond correctly.
Tuition based on residence
Indicate if the institution charges a different price for students from in-district, in-state, or out-of-state.
Institutionally controlled housing
Indicate if the institution provides institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off-campus) and if so, specify the
housing capacity.
Meal plans
Indicate if the institution offers board or meal plans to students. If the institution offers fixed meal plans, provide the
number of meals per week in the maximum plan available. Institutions will be asked to report the board charges or
combined room and board charges on later screens.
Tuition and fees for undergraduate students (academic year reporters)
Undergraduate students include:
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Students who have not obtained a bachelor's degree;
Students in bachelor's degree programs that require at least 4 years but fewer than 6 years of college work; or
Students in occupational or general study programs requiring 1, 2, or 3 years of college work that are
designed to prepare students for immediate employment or to provide general education rather than to serve
as the first 1, 2, or 3 years of a bachelor's degree program.
Undergraduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for undergraduate students
This tuition value differs from cost of attendance as it is the average tuition and fees for ALL undergraduate students
and all levels (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, etc.). It is possible that this number will be different from the cost
of attendance that you will report if you have first-time, full-time students.
Since tuition and required fees and room and board charges may be different for varying groups of full-time
undergraduate students at an institution, adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
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Report the average tuition and required fees for the full academic year charged to in-district, in-state, and outof-state students. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for indistrict, in-state, and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the
same, go back to the screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different
tuitions.
If the institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, estimate average tuition based on the average fulltime credit-hour load for an entire academic year.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
If the institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the
amount as a comprehensive fee.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time undergraduate students
Enter the average dollar amount your institution charges to part-time undergraduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Tuition and fees for graduate students
Graduate students include any student who holds a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and is taking courses at the
post-baccalaureate level. These students may or may not be enrolled in graduate programs.
Graduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for graduate students
Since tuition and required fees may be different for varying groups of full-time graduate students at an institution,
adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
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Do not include doctor’s-professional practice tuition. This will be collected separately.
Report the average tuition and required fees charged to full-time graduate students for the full academic year.
If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state, and
out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time graduate students
Enter the dollar amount the institution most frequently charges to part-time graduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Doctor's - professional practice tuition and fees
Report the tuition and fees (if applicable, for both in- and out-of-state) for students in the selected professional
practice programs.
Number of programs (program reporters only)
Provide the total number of occupational programs offered by your institution. A program is a combination of courses
and related activities organized for the attainment of broad educational objectives as described by the institution.
Please do not count single courses as a program.
Room and Board
Institutions that offer institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off- campus) will be required to answer the
questions in this section.
Report the typical room charge for the full academic year (as indicated on screen) for a full-time student sharing a
room with one other student. Report the board charge based on the maximum meal plan available for the full
academic year (as indicated on screen) to a full-time student. Report a combined room and board charge only if room
and board charges cannot be separated.
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If your institution offers room (housing) but does not offer board, refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on board.
If your institution offers board but does not offer room (housing), refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on room.
Academic year reporters cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate students
If you made errors in the prior year reporting, you will need to make changes in the Student Financial Aid component
in the Winter. There are no changes in the Prior Year Revision System.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
Institutions with standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, or 4-1-4 or hybrid institutions) should
provide cost information for in-district, in-state, and out-of-state students for the FULL ACADEMIC YEAR in the
columns indicated. The numbers reported for tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses
must match the amounts used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance. If
your institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the amount as a
comprehensive fee. You will not be able to lock your submission without these data.
Report BOTH tuition and fees, separately. Please report accurately as these numbers are used in the calculation of net
price during the Student Financial Aid survey. Net price appears to the public in College Navigator, including the
College Affordability and Transparency Center, as mandated in accordance with Sec. 111 of the Higher Education
Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA).
Indicate whether the tuition and/or fees reported are covered by a tuition guarantee plan. If they are, but it is not a
flat rate, please provide the guaranteed maximum rate of increase.
Program reporters cost (price) of attendance
Institutions with no full-time, first-time students will report the six largest programs on one page, and should follow
the directions under ‘Reporting the next 5 largest programs’ to report these data. For public institutions, report the
in-state or in-district costs if applicable.
Reporting the largest program
Errors can be corrected in the Student Financial Aid component in the Winter.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
This section asks questions about the largest program your institution has offered for entering students. Institutions
that provided data for the largest program in the prior year will see pre-loaded data (when CIP code has changed, you
will need to update the CIP with an appropriate CIP). If the largest program has changed, check the box provided and
indicate a different program. You will be required to enter data for all 4 years as indicated on the screen.
To enter or change the largest program
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Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Provide the total length of program in clock or credit hours and in weeks (as completed by a student
attending full-time).
Provide the total length of the academic year, as used to calculate your Pell budget, in clock or credit hours
and in weeks.
Enter an application fee (if applicable).
Provide amounts for tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses FOR THE
TIME PERIOD INDICATED (either for the length of the program, or for 4 weeks). These are the amounts
used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance.
Note: Programs of English as a second language and GED courses are not to be included in IPEDS. Institutions should
report their largest program based on enrollment size, regardless of whether or not that program is Title IV.
Reporting the next 5 largest programs
This section asks questions about the next 5 largest programs your institution offers for entering students (or, if you
have no full-time, first-time students, the 6 largest programs).
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Only if reporting 6 largest programs because you do not have full-time, first-time students, enter an
application fee (if applicable).
Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Enter the tuition and required fees charged for the entire length of the program.
Enter the cost of books and supplies for the program.
Report the full length of the program and indicate whether the length of the entire program is measured in
clock or credit hours.
Report the number of months it takes a full-time student to complete the program.
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Part E - Athletic Association
Indicate if the institution is a member of a national athletic association.
For institutions belonging to NCAA or NAIA, select the conference (by sport) from the drop list provided.
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Part F - Campus information
For campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in the fall?
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for distance
education location reporting?
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses). How should
6)
students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall Enrollment?
Student Charges
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate and/or
1)
married students?
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
2)
3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees charges in Part
D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
4)
Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionally-controlled housing
both on and off campus?
2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
4)
What are “other expenses”?
5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
Answers:
General
1)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) survey is to collect basic institutional information
including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data including tuition for
different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an academic year. This
includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students based on living
situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the spring collection
to calculate net price of attendance.
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2)
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
IPEDS gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in
the federal student financial aid programs. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires that institutions
that participate in federal student aid programs report data on enrollments, program completions, graduation rates,
faculty and staff, finances, institutional prices, and student financial aid.
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3)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake
in the fall?
No, you cannot change your IC data in the winter or spring, except in rare circumstances. Due to processing and the
size of the database, it is difficult to make changes once a survey is closed. It is the responsibility of the institution's
keyholder to report these data correctly in the fall, as they do impact other surveys (e.g., Student Financial Aid).
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4)
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
The Office of Postsecondary Education(OPE) website: OPE Accreditation database at https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
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5)
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for
distance education location reporting?
Yes, students located in a U.S. jurisdiction while they are enrolled in distance education courses should be reported as
located in the U.S.
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6)
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses).
How should students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall
Enrollment?
Hybrid courses are not considered by IPEDS as distance education. Students enrolled in “hybrid” courses should be
reported as “not enrolled in any distance education courses.”
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Student Charges
1)
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate
and/or married students?
Yes, if the institution is providing the housing and the students pay “rent” or “board” to the institution.
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2)
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
You should report the meal plan that offers the maximum number of meals per week. If your institution offers an
unlimited number of meals, enter 99.
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3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees
charges in Part D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
The tuition and fees reported in question 5 are the average amounts charged to all full-time undergraduate students;
the tuition and fees in question 11 represent the average amounts charged to full-time, first-time undergraduate
students. The data in question 13 should be provided by your financial aid office as these are the amounts used to
determine student budgets.
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4)
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
If your institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, then you should estimate average tuition based on the
average full-time credit hour load for an entire academic year. If you have different charges for different programs at
the undergraduate or graduate levels, calculate the “average” tuition using the amount that a typical student would
expect to pay. BE SURE TO REPORT TUITION FOR THE ENTIRE ACADEMIC YEAR!
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Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionallycontrolled housing both on and off campus?
Report the room and board amounts used by your financial aid office for determining student budgets. The other
expenses are the amount of money estimated by the financial aid office needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings. Do not include the tuition and required fees with
other expenses.
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2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
You should enter the amount for a typical full-time student living off campus with family or not with family used by the
financial aid office to determine the student budget.
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3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
Yes, if your institution does not require all of full-time, first-time students to live on campus (or makes ANY exceptions
to this policy).
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4)
What are “other expenses”?
This is the amount of money, estimated by the financial aid office, that is needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings.
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5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
The Institutional Characteristics information that is made available on College Navigator includes special learning
opportunities, student services, tuition and required fees, room and board charges, books and supplies, other
expenses and the institution’s mission statement. The best way to see what information is available about your
institution is to look up your institution on College Navigator.
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6)
If my institution offers room or board, but not both, how should I report this on the Cost of Attendance page?
In this case, the “room and board” value must include both the known value and an estimate for the unknown value.
Inclusion of both meal cost and housing cost is necessary to generate a total cost of attendance, which is subsequently
needed for Net Price calculations. For example, if the institution offers meals but no housing, in the “on-campus room and
board” field they would need to enter a total that includes the cost of the meal plan plus as estimate of housing (such as a
housing cost similar to that of off-campus housing).
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics for non-degree-granting 2-year academic year tuition reporters
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. This component collects important information about your institution's mission,
student services, and student charges.
Much of the data reported on IC appear on College Navigator, which is updated once after IC data has been reviewed. Thus, errors may stay
on College Navigator for a full year.
Additionally, the cost of attendance data are used to calculate the net price of attendance in the Student Financial Aid component. This has
important implications for what students see about your institution, and also for the College Affordability and Transparency Center's lists.
Revisions or changes to costs can ONLY be made in the Student Financial Aid component and not in the prior year revision
system.
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to submit accurate data about the institution. Please contact the IPEDS Help Desk for
clarifications to make sure that you are reporting correctly.
Changes to This Year’s IC Component
There are no changes for the 2018-19 collection period.
Common Errors
Quality control reviews of past IC data indicate frequently made errors. Please review the common errors below to ensure accurate reporting.
Additional common errors or tips can be found in the New Keyholder Handbook under Resources.
•
Part C, question 8 should only be marked 'YES' if your institution is EXCLUSIVELY distance education. Do not mark 'YES' if your
courses/programs are also available in person.
•
Do not try to outsmart fatal errors; this is falsifying data. Contact the Help Desk to override, or fix, the data.
•
Make sure you understand ALL definitions before responding to questions. For example, make sure that you are reporting for an
'ACADEMIC YEAR' or 'PROGRAM' as defined by IPEDS.
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Mission Statement
1. Provide the institution's mission statement or a web address (URL) where the mission statement can be found. Typed statements
are limited to 2,000 characters or less. The mission statement will be available to the public on College Navigator.
Mission Statement URL:
Mission Statement:
http://
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
1. Which of the following are available to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families?
Yellow Ribbon Program (officially known as Post-9/11 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program)
Credit for military training
Dedicated point of contact for support services for veterans, military servicemembers, and their families
Recognized student veteran organization
Member of Department of Defense Voluntary Educational Partnership Memorandum of Understanding
None of the above
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Special Learning Opportunities
1. Does your institution accept any of the following? [Check all that apply]
Dual credit (college credit earned while in high school)
Credit for life experiences
Advanced placement (AP) credits
None of the above
2. What types of special learning opportunities are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
ROTC
Army
Navy
Air Force
Study abroad
Weekend/evening college
Teacher certification (for the elementary, middle school/junior high, or secondary level)
Do not include certifications to teach at the postsecondary level.
Students can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
Students must complete their preparation at another institution for certain areas of specialization
This institution is approved by the state for the initial certification or licensure of teachers
None of the above
Part C - Student Services: Other Student Services
4. Which of the following selected student services are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
Remedial services
Academic/career counseling services
Employment services for current students
Placement services for program completers
On-campus day care for children of students
None of the above
5. Which of the following academic library resource or service does your institution provide? [Check all that apply]
Physical facilities
An organized collection of printed materials
Access to digital/electronic resources
A staff trained to provide and interpret library materials
Established library hours
Access to library collections that are shared with other institutions
None of the above
6. Indicate whether or not any of the following alternative tuition plans are offered by your institution.
No
Yes
Tuition guarantee
Prepaid tuition plan
Tuition payment plan
Other (specify in box below)
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You may use the space below to provide context for the alternative tuition plans you've reported above. These context notes will
be posted on the College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Distance Education
7. Please indicate at what level(s) your institution does or does not offer distance education courses and/or distance education
programs. Check all that apply.
Distance education courses
Undergraduate level
Distance education programs
Does not offer Distance Education
Graduate level
8. Are all the programs at your institution offered exclusively via distance education programs?
No
Yes
Part C - Student Services: Disability Services
9. Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled during Fall 2017 who were formally registered as students
with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent office).
3 percent or less
More than 3 percent:
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part D - Student Charges Questions
1. Are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students required to live on campus or in institutionally controlled housing?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will not be asked to report off-campus room and board in the price of attendance (D11).
This is only a screening question, and your response does not show up on College Navigator.
If you make any exceptions to this rule, and have even one full-time, first-time student living off-campus, please answer No so that this does
not cause conflicts with the Student Financial Aid survey. Making changes to the SFA component is very difficult and may lead to inaccurate
reporting for your institution.
No
Yes, and we do not make ANY (even one)
exceptions to this rule
2. Does your institution charge different tuition for in-district, in-state, or out-of-state students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to report tuition amounts for in-district, in-state, and out-of-state students.
Please only select Yes if you really charge different tuition rates, or you will be reporting the same numbers 3 times.
No
Yes
3. Does your institution offer institutionally-controlled housing (either on or off campus)?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to specify a housing capacity, and to report a room charge or a combined room and
board charge (D10).
No
Yes
Specify housing capacity for academic year
2018-19
4. Do you offer board or meal plans to your students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to report a board charge or combined room and board charge (D10).
No
Yes - Enter the number of meals per week in
the maximum meal plan available
Yes - Number of meals per week can vary
(e.g., students charge meals against a meal
card)
Part D - Undergraduate Student Charges
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount.
Prior year
Amount
Application fee
5. Charges to full-time students for the full academic year 2018-19
Please be sure to report an average tuition that includes all students at all levels (freshman, sophomore, etc.).
In-district
Prior year
In-state
Prior year
Out-of-state
Prior year
All full-time students
Average tuition
Required fees
6. Per credit hour charge for part-time students
Please be sure to report an average per credit tuition that includes all students at all levels (freshman, sophomore, etc.).
In-district
Per credit hour charge
Prior year
In-state
Prior year
Out-of-state
Prior year
Part D - Student Charges - Price of Attendance
11. 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.
If the 2018-19 tuition and/or fees as reported on this page for full-time, first-time students are covered by a tuition guarantee program,
check the applicable box(es) under 'Tuition Guarantee'. Additionally, please indicate the maximum % increase that is guaranteed. These
numbers are expected to be fairly small. Please contact the Help Desk if you are confused about these values and how to report them.
Charges for full
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
academic year
Published tuition and required fees:
Guaranteed increase
Tuition Guarantee
%
(check only if applicable to entering
students in 2018-19)
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
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Prepared by
The name of the preparer is being collected so that we can follow up with the appropriate person in the event that there are questions
concerning the data. The Keyholder will be copied on all email correspondence to other preparers.
The time it took to prepare this component is being collected so that we can continue to improve our estimate of the reporting burden
associated with IPEDS. Please include in your estimate the time it took for you to review instructions, query and search data sources, complete
and review the component, and submit the data through the Data Collection System.
Thank you for your assistance.
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Academic Library Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)
How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey
component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member
Collecting Data Needed
Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
Your office
hours
hours
Other offices
U.S. Department of Education
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hours
hours
Software Provider Resources
Browsers Supported
Entering Data
Revising and Locking Data
hours
hours
hours
hours
Use of Cookies
Troubleshooting
Section 508 Compliance
NCES Privacy Policy
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Context Boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Mission Statement and Distance Education
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
Part C - Student Services
Part D - Student Charges
Part E - Athletic Association
Part F - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) component is to collect basic institutional
information including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data
including tuition for different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an
academic year. This includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students
based on living situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the
Winter collection to calculate net price of attendance.
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Changes in Reporting
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General instructions
Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics survey to ensure you are reporting data for the
appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC survey (e.g.,
undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to include
•
Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or other recognized
postsecondary credential.
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, including those enrolled in
off-campus centers.
High school students taking regular college courses for credit under their classification as recorded by the
institution.
Full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination.
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses (e.g., online students).
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree.
B. Who NOT to include
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential or the
completion of a vocational program.
Students taking Continuing Education Units (CEUs) unless they are also enrolled in courses creditable toward a
degree or other recognized postsecondary credential.
Students exclusively auditing classes.
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice fields, since they have already received their Doctor's
degree.
Any student studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at this institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal.
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country.
Students in Experimental Pell Programs.
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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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Reporting Directions
Part A – Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Provide your institution's mission statement or a web address (please select http:// or https://) where the statement
can be found. Typed statements are limited to 2,000 characters. The mission statement will be available to the public
on College Navigator.
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Part B - Services for Military Servicemembers, Veterans, and Eligible Family Members
Services and Programs for Military Servicemembers and Veterans
Indicate which of the following are offered to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families.
For the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon program, please choose this only if the Yellow Ribbon program is available at
your institution.
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Part C - Student Services
Special learning opportunities
Special credit
Indicate if your institution accepts credit earned prior to admission through any of the sources listed.
Special learning opportunities
Indicate if the listed special learning opportunities are offered by your institution. Teacher certification refers to pre-K
through 12; if the institution only provides certification for some levels (e.g., elementary only and not secondary), be
sure to indicate that only certain levels are offered.
Years of study required for entry (Not applicable to less-than-4-year institutions)
If the institution limits entrance to students who have completed certain academic requirements, select the years of
study required for entry. For example, upper division only schools may require 2 years (60 credits) of study prior to
admittance, and schools that offer only graduate programs may require bachelor's degrees or 4 years of study for
entrance.
Student services
Student services
Indicate which of the listed services are offered by the institution.
Library
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed resources or services. If none of the listed resources/services
apply, select "None of the above".
Alternative tuition plans
Indicate if your institution offers any alternative tuition plans. Use the context box on the bottom of the page to
provide details about tuition plans for College Navigator. Please provide only factual information, context boxes are
reviewed and inappropriate information (such as marketing information) will be removed.
Distance education
Distance education uses one or more technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the
instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor synchronously or
asynchronously.
Requirements for coming to campus for orientation, testing, or academic support services do not exclude a course
from being classified as distance education. Technologies used for instruction may include the following: Internet; oneway and two-way transmissions through open broadcasts, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber
optics, satellite or wireless communication devices; audio conferencing; and video cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, if
the cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs are used in a course in conjunction with the technologies listed above.
Distance education course
A course in which the instructional content is delivered exclusively via distance education.
Distance education program
A program for which all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance
education courses.
Distance education levels
Indicate whether you offer distance education courses and/or programs at the undergraduate level and/or graduate
level. Please check all that apply. If you do not offer distance education courses and/or programs, please select “Does
not offer distance education" at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.
Exclusively distance education programs
Indicate whether or not ALL programs offered by your institution are delivered exclusively via distance education,
meaning all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance education courses.
Disabilities
Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled in the time period indicated on screen who were
formally registered as students with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent
office). This may include students with physical or learning disabilities, as well as other types of disabilities. If greater
than 3% of students are registered as having a disability, you will need to indicate a percentage.
Please use the context box on the page to provide information, such as the webpage for your disabilities services
website.
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Part D - Student Charges
Screening questions
If you responded to questions regarding full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in the
Institutional Characteristics Header survey, your institution will be required to answer all the questions.
On-campus or institutionally controlled off-campus housing requirement
Indicate if ALL full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students are required to live on campus or in
institutionally controlled off-campus housing. If you make ANY exceptions, you should not select this as a
requirement, as this will cause inconsistencies in your reporting between this section and the Student
Financial Aid survey calculation of net price.
This question is a screening question, and does not appear on College Navigator. Please respond correctly.
Tuition based on residence
Indicate if the institution charges a different price for students from in-district, in-state, or out-of-state.
Institutionally controlled housing
Indicate if the institution provides institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off-campus) and if so, specify the
housing capacity.
Meal plans
Indicate if the institution offers board or meal plans to students. If the institution offers fixed meal plans, provide the
number of meals per week in the maximum plan available. Institutions will be asked to report the board charges or
combined room and board charges on later screens.
Tuition and fees for undergraduate students (academic year reporters)
Undergraduate students include:
•
•
•
Students who have not obtained a bachelor's degree;
Students in bachelor's degree programs that require at least 4 years but fewer than 6 years of college work; or
Students in occupational or general study programs requiring 1, 2, or 3 years of college work that are
designed to prepare students for immediate employment or to provide general education rather than to serve
as the first 1, 2, or 3 years of a bachelor's degree program.
Undergraduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for undergraduate students
This tuition value differs from cost of attendance as it is the average tuition and fees for ALL undergraduate students
and all levels (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, etc.). It is possible that this number will be different from the cost
of attendance that you will report if you have first-time, full-time students.
Since tuition and required fees and room and board charges may be different for varying groups of full-time
undergraduate students at an institution, adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
•
•
•
•
•
Report the average tuition and required fees for the full academic year charged to in-district, in-state, and outof-state students. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for indistrict, in-state, and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the
same, go back to the screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different
tuitions.
If the institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, estimate average tuition based on the average fulltime credit-hour load for an entire academic year.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
If the institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the
amount as a comprehensive fee.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time undergraduate students
Enter the average dollar amount your institution charges to part-time undergraduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Tuition and fees for graduate students
Graduate students include any student who holds a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and is taking courses at the
post-baccalaureate level. These students may or may not be enrolled in graduate programs.
Graduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for graduate students
Since tuition and required fees may be different for varying groups of full-time graduate students at an institution,
adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
•
•
•
•
Do not include doctor’s-professional practice tuition. This will be collected separately.
Report the average tuition and required fees charged to full-time graduate students for the full academic year.
If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state, and
out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time graduate students
Enter the dollar amount the institution most frequently charges to part-time graduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Doctor's - professional practice tuition and fees
Report the tuition and fees (if applicable, for both in- and out-of-state) for students in the selected professional
practice programs.
Number of programs (program reporters only)
Provide the total number of occupational programs offered by your institution. A program is a combination of courses
and related activities organized for the attainment of broad educational objectives as described by the institution.
Please do not count single courses as a program.
Room and Board
Institutions that offer institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off- campus) will be required to answer the
questions in this section.
Report the typical room charge for the full academic year (as indicated on screen) for a full-time student sharing a
room with one other student. Report the board charge based on the maximum meal plan available for the full
academic year (as indicated on screen) to a full-time student. Report a combined room and board charge only if room
and board charges cannot be separated.
•
•
If your institution offers room (housing) but does not offer board, refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on board.
If your institution offers board but does not offer room (housing), refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on room.
Academic year reporters cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate students
If you made errors in the prior year reporting, you will need to make changes in the Student Financial Aid component
in the Winter. There are no changes in the Prior Year Revision System.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
Institutions with standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, or 4-1-4 or hybrid institutions) should
provide cost information for in-district, in-state, and out-of-state students for the FULL ACADEMIC YEAR in the
columns indicated. The numbers reported for tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses
must match the amounts used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance. If
your institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the amount as a
comprehensive fee. You will not be able to lock your submission without these data.
Report BOTH tuition and fees, separately. Please report accurately as these numbers are used in the calculation of net
price during the Student Financial Aid survey. Net price appears to the public in College Navigator, including the
College Affordability and Transparency Center, as mandated in accordance with Sec. 111 of the Higher Education
Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA).
Indicate whether the tuition and/or fees reported are covered by a tuition guarantee plan. If they are, but it is not a
flat rate, please provide the guaranteed maximum rate of increase.
Program reporters cost (price) of attendance
Institutions with no full-time, first-time students will report the six largest programs on one page, and should follow
the directions under ‘Reporting the next 5 largest programs’ to report these data. For public institutions, report the
in-state or in-district costs if applicable.
Reporting the largest program
Errors can be corrected in the Student Financial Aid component in the Winter.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
This section asks questions about the largest program your institution has offered for entering students. Institutions
that provided data for the largest program in the prior year will see pre-loaded data (when CIP code has changed, you
will need to update the CIP with an appropriate CIP). If the largest program has changed, check the box provided and
indicate a different program. You will be required to enter data for all 4 years as indicated on the screen.
To enter or change the largest program
•
•
•
•
•
Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Provide the total length of program in clock or credit hours and in weeks (as completed by a student
attending full-time).
Provide the total length of the academic year, as used to calculate your Pell budget, in clock or credit hours
and in weeks.
Enter an application fee (if applicable).
Provide amounts for tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses FOR THE
TIME PERIOD INDICATED (either for the length of the program, or for 4 weeks). These are the amounts
used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance.
Note: Programs of English as a second language and GED courses are not to be included in IPEDS. Institutions should
report their largest program based on enrollment size, regardless of whether or not that program is Title IV.
Reporting the next 5 largest programs
This section asks questions about the next 5 largest programs your institution offers for entering students (or, if you
have no full-time, first-time students, the 6 largest programs).
•
•
•
•
•
•
Only if reporting 6 largest programs because you do not have full-time, first-time students, enter an
application fee (if applicable).
Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Enter the tuition and required fees charged for the entire length of the program.
Enter the cost of books and supplies for the program.
Report the full length of the program and indicate whether the length of the entire program is measured in
clock or credit hours.
Report the number of months it takes a full-time student to complete the program.
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Part E - Athletic Association
Indicate if the institution is a member of a national athletic association.
For institutions belonging to NCAA or NAIA, select the conference (by sport) from the drop list provided.
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Part F - Campus information
For campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in the fall?
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for distance
education location reporting?
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses). How should
6)
students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall Enrollment?
Student Charges
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate and/or
1)
married students?
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
2)
3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees charges in Part
D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
4)
Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionally-controlled housing
both on and off campus?
2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
4)
What are “other expenses”?
5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
Answers:
General
1)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) survey is to collect basic institutional information
including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data including tuition for
different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an academic year. This
includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students based on living
situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the spring collection
to calculate net price of attendance.
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2)
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
IPEDS gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in
the federal student financial aid programs. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires that institutions
that participate in federal student aid programs report data on enrollments, program completions, graduation rates,
faculty and staff, finances, institutional prices, and student financial aid.
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3)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake
in the fall?
No, you cannot change your IC data in the winter or spring, except in rare circumstances. Due to processing and the
size of the database, it is difficult to make changes once a survey is closed. It is the responsibility of the institution's
keyholder to report these data correctly in the fall, as they do impact other surveys (e.g., Student Financial Aid).
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4)
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
The Office of Postsecondary Education(OPE) website: OPE Accreditation database at https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
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5)
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for
distance education location reporting?
Yes, students located in a U.S. jurisdiction while they are enrolled in distance education courses should be reported as
located in the U.S.
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6)
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses).
How should students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall
Enrollment?
Hybrid courses are not considered by IPEDS as distance education. Students enrolled in “hybrid” courses should be
reported as “not enrolled in any distance education courses.”
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Student Charges
1)
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate
and/or married students?
Yes, if the institution is providing the housing and the students pay “rent” or “board” to the institution.
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2)
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
You should report the meal plan that offers the maximum number of meals per week. If your institution offers an
unlimited number of meals, enter 99.
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3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees
charges in Part D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
The tuition and fees reported in question 5 are the average amounts charged to all full-time undergraduate students;
the tuition and fees in question 11 represent the average amounts charged to full-time, first-time undergraduate
students. The data in question 13 should be provided by your financial aid office as these are the amounts used to
determine student budgets.
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4)
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
If your institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, then you should estimate average tuition based on the
average full-time credit hour load for an entire academic year. If you have different charges for different programs at
the undergraduate or graduate levels, calculate the “average” tuition using the amount that a typical student would
expect to pay. BE SURE TO REPORT TUITION FOR THE ENTIRE ACADEMIC YEAR!
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Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionallycontrolled housing both on and off campus?
Report the room and board amounts used by your financial aid office for determining student budgets. The other
expenses are the amount of money estimated by the financial aid office needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings. Do not include the tuition and required fees with
other expenses.
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2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
You should enter the amount for a typical full-time student living off campus with family or not with family used by the
financial aid office to determine the student budget.
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3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
Yes, if your institution does not require all of full-time, first-time students to live on campus (or makes ANY exceptions
to this policy).
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4)
What are “other expenses”?
This is the amount of money, estimated by the financial aid office, that is needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings.
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5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
The Institutional Characteristics information that is made available on College Navigator includes special learning
opportunities, student services, tuition and required fees, room and board charges, books and supplies, other
expenses and the institution’s mission statement. The best way to see what information is available about your
institution is to look up your institution on College Navigator.
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6)
If my institution offers room or board, but not both, how should I report this on the Cost of Attendance page?
In this case, the “room and board” value must include both the known value and an estimate for the unknown value. Inclusion
of both meal cost and housing cost is necessary to generate a total cost of attendance, which is subsequently needed for Net
Price calculations. For example, if the institution offers meals but no housing, in the “on-campus room and board” field they
would need to enter a total that includes the cost of the meal plan plus as estimate of housing (such as a housing cost similar to
that of off-campus housing).
U.S. Department of Education
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Institutional Characteristics for non-degree-granting 2-year program tuition reporters
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. This component collects important information about your institution's mission,
student services, and student charges.
Much of the data reported on IC appear on College Navigator, which is updated once after IC data has been reviewed. Thus, errors may stay
on College Navigator for a full year.
Additionally, the cost of attendance data are used to calculate the net price of attendance in the Student Financial Aid component. This has
important implications for what students see about your institution, and also for the College Affordability and Transparency Center's lists.
Revisions or changes to costs can ONLY be made in the Student Financial Aid component and not in the prior year revision
system.
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to submit accurate data about the institution. Please contact the IPEDS Help Desk for
clarifications to make sure that you are reporting correctly.
Changes to This Year’s IC Component
There are no changes for the 2018-19 collection period.
Common Errors
Quality control reviews of past IC data indicate frequently made errors. Please review the common errors below to ensure accurate reporting.
Additional common errors or tips can be found in the New Keyholder Handbook under Resources.
•
Part C, question 8 should only be marked 'YES' if your institution is EXCLUSIVELY distance education. Do not mark 'YES' if your
courses/programs are also available in person.
•
Do not try to outsmart fatal errors; this is falsifying data. Contact the Help Desk to override, or fix, the data.
•
Make sure you understand ALL definitions before responding to questions. For example, make sure that you are reporting for an
'ACADEMIC YEAR' or 'PROGRAM' as defined by IPEDS.
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Mission Statement
1. Provide the institution's mission statement or a web address (URL) where the mission statement can be found. Typed statements
are limited to 2,000 characters or less. The mission statement will be available to the public on College Navigator.
Mission Statement URL:
Mission Statement:
http://
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
1. Which of the following are available to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families?
Yellow Ribbon Program (officially known as Post-9/11 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program)
Credit for military training
Dedicated point of contact for support services for veterans, military servicemembers, and their families
Recognized student veteran organization
Member of Department of Defense Voluntary Educational Partnership Memorandum of Understanding
None of the above
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Special Learning Opportunities
1. Does your institution accept any of the following? [Check all that apply]
Dual credit (college credit earned while in high school)
Credit for life experiences
Advanced placement (AP) credits
None of the above
2. What types of special learning opportunities are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
ROTC
Army
Navy
Air Force
Study abroad
Weekend/evening college
Teacher certification (for the elementary, middle school/junior high, or secondary level)
Do not include certifications to teach at the postsecondary level.
Students can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
Students must complete their preparation at another institution for certain areas of specialization
This institution is approved by the state for the initial certification or licensure of teachers
None of the above
Part C - Student Services: Other Student Services
4. Which of the following selected student services are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
Remedial services
Academic/career counseling services
Employment services for current students
Placement services for program completers
On-campus day care for children of students
None of the above
5. Which of the following academic library resource or service does your institution provide? [Check all that apply]
Physical facilities
An organized collection of printed materials
Access to digital/electronic resources
A staff trained to provide and interpret library materials
Established library hours
Access to library collections that are shared with other institutions
None of the above
6. Indicate whether or not any of the following alternative tuition plans are offered by your institution.
No
Yes
Tuition guarantee
Prepaid tuition plan
Tuition payment plan
Other (specify in box below)
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You may use the space below to provide context for the alternative tuition plans you've reported above. These context notes will
be posted on the College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Distance Education
7. Please indicate at what level(s) your institution does or does not offer distance education courses and/or distance education
programs. Check all that apply.
Distance education courses
Undergraduate level
Distance education programs
Does not offer Distance Education
Graduate level
8. Are all the programs at your institution offered exclusively via distance education programs?
No
Yes
Part C - Student Services: Disability Services
9. Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled during Fall 2017 who were formally registered as students
with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent office).
3 percent or less
More than 3 percent:
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part D - Student Charges Questions
1. Are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students required to live on-campus or in institutionally controlled housing?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will not be asked to report off-campus room and board in the price of attendance (D7).
This is only a screening question, and your response does not show up on College Navigator.
If you make any exceptions to this rule, and have even one full-time, first-time student living off-campus, please answer No so that this does
not cause conflicts with the Student Financial Aid survey. Making changes to the SFA component is very difficult and may lead to inaccurate
reporting for your institution.
No
Yes, and we do not make ANY (even one)
exceptions to this rule
3. Does your institution offer institutionally-controlled housing (either on or off campus)?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to specify a housing capacity, and to report a room charge or a combined room and
board charge (D10).
No
Yes
Specify housing capacity for academic year
2018-19
4. Do you offer board or meal plans to your students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to report a board charge or combined room and board charge (D10).
No
Yes - Enter the number of meals per week in
the maximum meal plan available
Yes - Number of meals per week can vary
(e.g., students charge meals against a meal
card)
Part D - Student Charges - Number of programs
5. How many programs are offered at your institution?
Be sure not to report single courses, report only full programs. If you do not know what a program is, review the definition in the glossary or call
the Help Desk.
Number of programs
Part D - Student Charges - Price of Attendance
7. Cost of attendance for entering students
Please enter ALL amounts requested below. These data will be made available to the public on College Navigator. 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 the correct numbers to use for this report.
Note: The academic year length you report should be the same calculation used for required reporting for your Pell budget. This number will
be used to calculate academic year costs for your institution and will impact your net price calculation. Please discuss this information with your
student aid office to ensure accurate reporting.
LARGEST PROGRAM:
CIP Code
Title
Enter new largest program
How is your program measured?
If your largest program has changed from the one listed above, or if no program appears above, click
the 'enter new largest program' link, choose a program and enter data for all three years. Note: if your
institution participates in Title IV programs, you must complete all cells.
Contact Hours
Credit Hours
Total length of PROGRAM in contact or credit hours
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 contact or credit
hours
Total length of ACADEMIC YEAR (as used to calculate your Pell budget) in WEEKS
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount.
Amount
Prior year
Application fee
The following numbers need to be reported for the entire length of the program. For example, if your program is 18 months long, report 18
months worth of tuition, fees, books and supplies.
If your institution charges differently based on residence, please use in-state charges. The correct numbers should be available from your
financial aid office.
Published student charges for the entire program
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Tuition and required fees for the
entire program
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)
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part D - Student Charges - Price of Attendance - Calculated values
7. Cost of attendance - Calculated values
Please review the numbers below for accuracy. If something looks incorrect, please go to the previous page and make sure all of the numbers
reported on that page are correct. If you still do not think the numbers are correct, please contact the IPEDS Help Desk at 877-225-2568.
CIP CODE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
TITLE OF LARGEST PROGRAM
Published student charges for the entire program
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
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
Published student charges for an academic year
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
Part D - Student Charges - Program Data
8. Please list your second through sixth largest programs and provide the requested information for each program. To enter a CIP
code and program title, click on the select button, and then click on the program from the list provided. Choosing clear will remove
the CIP code and title. Report the tuition and fees and the cost of books and supplies for the TOTAL LENGTH OF THE PROGRAM.
Also report the length of the entire program in terms of contact or credit hours and provide the number of months it takes a full-time
student to complete the entire program.
Note: The largest programs are the programs with the most students, not the programs with the longest lengths.
Please make sure to report all costs for each program. As with the largest program, costs are for the entire length of the program.If your
institution charges differently based on residence, please use in-state charges.
Do not skip lines when reporting programs. Your 2nd largest program should be listed as 2nd, your 3rd as 3rd, etc.
CIP Code
Tuition and
Total length of
Program
Cost of books
required fees
program
Measurement
and supplies
1st
Contact
Credit
hours
hours
Title
2nd select
Contact
Credit
clear
hours
hours
Title
3rd
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
4th
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
5th
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
6th
select
clear
Title
Contact
hours
Credit
hours
You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above.
# of months to
complete
Prepared by
The name of the preparer is being collected so that we can follow up with the appropriate person in the event that there are questions
concerning the data. The Keyholder will be copied on all email correspondence to other preparers.
The time it took to prepare this component is being collected so that we can continue to improve our estimate of the reporting burden
associated with IPEDS. Please include in your estimate the time it took for you to review instructions, query and search data sources, complete
and review the component, and submit the data through the Data Collection System.
Thank you for your assistance.
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Academic Library Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)
How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey
component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member
Collecting Data Needed
Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
Your office
hours
hours
Other offices
U.S. Department of Education
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hours
Software Provider Resources
Browsers Supported
Entering Data
Revising and Locking Data
hours
hours
hours
hours
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Troubleshooting
Section 508 Compliance
NCES Privacy Policy
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Context Boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Mission Statement and Distance Education
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
Part C - Student Services
Part D - Student Charges
Part E - Athletic Association
Part F - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) component is to collect basic institutional
information including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data
including tuition for different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an
academic year. This includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students
based on living situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the
Winter collection to calculate net price of attendance.
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Changes in Reporting
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General instructions
Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics survey to ensure you are reporting data for the
appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC survey (e.g.,
undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to include
•
Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or other recognized
postsecondary credential.
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, including those enrolled in
off-campus centers.
High school students taking regular college courses for credit under their classification as recorded by the
institution.
Full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination.
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses (e.g., online students).
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree.
B. Who NOT to include
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential or the
completion of a vocational program.
Students taking Continuing Education Units (CEUs) unless they are also enrolled in courses creditable toward a
degree or other recognized postsecondary credential.
Students exclusively auditing classes.
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice fields, since they have already received their Doctor's
degree.
Any student studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at this institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal.
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country.
Students in Experimental Pell Programs.
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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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Reporting Directions
Part A – Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Provide your institution's mission statement or a web address (please select http:// or https://) where the statement
can be found. Typed statements are limited to 2,000 characters. The mission statement will be available to the public
on College Navigator.
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Part B - Services for Military Servicemembers, Veterans, and Eligible Family Members
Services and Programs for Military Servicemembers and Veterans
Indicate which of the following are offered to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families.
For the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon program, please choose this only if the Yellow Ribbon program is available at
your institution.
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Part C - Student Services
Special learning opportunities
Special credit
Indicate if your institution accepts credit earned prior to admission through any of the sources listed.
Special learning opportunities
Indicate if the listed special learning opportunities are offered by your institution. Teacher certification refers to pre-K
through 12; if the institution only provides certification for some levels (e.g., elementary only and not secondary), be
sure to indicate that only certain levels are offered.
Years of study required for entry (Not applicable to less-than-4-year institutions)
If the institution limits entrance to students who have completed certain academic requirements, select the years of
study required for entry. For example, upper division only schools may require 2 years (60 credits) of study prior to
admittance, and schools that offer only graduate programs may require bachelor's degrees or 4 years of study for
entrance.
Student services
Student services
Indicate which of the listed services are offered by the institution.
Library
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed resources or services. If none of the listed resources/services
apply, select "None of the above".
Alternative tuition plans
Indicate if your institution offers any alternative tuition plans. Use the context box on the bottom of the page to
provide details about tuition plans for College Navigator. Please provide only factual information, context boxes are
reviewed and inappropriate information (such as marketing information) will be removed.
Distance education
Distance education uses one or more technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the
instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor synchronously or
asynchronously.
Requirements for coming to campus for orientation, testing, or academic support services do not exclude a course
from being classified as distance education. Technologies used for instruction may include the following: Internet; oneway and two-way transmissions through open broadcasts, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber
optics, satellite or wireless communication devices; audio conferencing; and video cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, if
the cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs are used in a course in conjunction with the technologies listed above.
Distance education course
A course in which the instructional content is delivered exclusively via distance education.
Distance education program
A program for which all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance
education courses.
Distance education levels
Indicate whether you offer distance education courses and/or programs at the undergraduate level and/or graduate
level. Please check all that apply. If you do not offer distance education courses and/or programs, please select “Does
not offer distance education" at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.
Exclusively distance education programs
Indicate whether or not ALL programs offered by your institution are delivered exclusively via distance education,
meaning all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance education courses.
Disabilities
Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled in the time period indicated on screen who were
formally registered as students with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent
office). This may include students with physical or learning disabilities, as well as other types of disabilities. If greater
than 3% of students are registered as having a disability, you will need to indicate a percentage.
Please use the context box on the page to provide information, such as the webpage for your disabilities services
website.
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Part D - Student Charges
Screening questions
If you responded to questions regarding full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in the
Institutional Characteristics Header survey, your institution will be required to answer all the questions.
On-campus or institutionally controlled off-campus housing requirement
Indicate if ALL full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students are required to live on campus or in
institutionally controlled off-campus housing. If you make ANY exceptions, you should not select this as a
requirement, as this will cause inconsistencies in your reporting between this section and the Student
Financial Aid survey calculation of net price.
This question is a screening question, and does not appear on College Navigator. Please respond correctly.
Tuition based on residence
Indicate if the institution charges a different price for students from in-district, in-state, or out-of-state.
Institutionally controlled housing
Indicate if the institution provides institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off-campus) and if so, specify the
housing capacity.
Meal plans
Indicate if the institution offers board or meal plans to students. If the institution offers fixed meal plans, provide the
number of meals per week in the maximum plan available. Institutions will be asked to report the board charges or
combined room and board charges on later screens.
Tuition and fees for undergraduate students (academic year reporters)
Undergraduate students include:
•
•
•
Students who have not obtained a bachelor's degree;
Students in bachelor's degree programs that require at least 4 years but fewer than 6 years of college work; or
Students in occupational or general study programs requiring 1, 2, or 3 years of college work that are
designed to prepare students for immediate employment or to provide general education rather than to serve
as the first 1, 2, or 3 years of a bachelor's degree program.
Undergraduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for undergraduate students
This tuition value differs from cost of attendance as it is the average tuition and fees for ALL undergraduate students
and all levels (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, etc.). It is possible that this number will be different from the cost
of attendance that you will report if you have first-time, full-time students.
Since tuition and required fees and room and board charges may be different for varying groups of full-time
undergraduate students at an institution, adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
•
•
•
•
•
Report the average tuition and required fees for the full academic year charged to in-district, in-state, and outof-state students. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for indistrict, in-state, and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the
same, go back to the screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different
tuitions.
If the institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, estimate average tuition based on the average fulltime credit-hour load for an entire academic year.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
If the institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the
amount as a comprehensive fee.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time undergraduate students
Enter the average dollar amount your institution charges to part-time undergraduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Tuition and fees for graduate students
Graduate students include any student who holds a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and is taking courses at the
post-baccalaureate level. These students may or may not be enrolled in graduate programs.
Graduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for graduate students
Since tuition and required fees may be different for varying groups of full-time graduate students at an institution,
adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
•
•
•
•
Do not include doctor’s-professional practice tuition. This will be collected separately.
Report the average tuition and required fees charged to full-time graduate students for the full academic year.
If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state, and
out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time graduate students
Enter the dollar amount the institution most frequently charges to part-time graduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Doctor's - professional practice tuition and fees
Report the tuition and fees (if applicable, for both in- and out-of-state) for students in the selected professional
practice programs.
Number of programs (program reporters only)
Provide the total number of occupational programs offered by your institution. A program is a combination of courses
and related activities organized for the attainment of broad educational objectives as described by the institution.
Please do not count single courses as a program.
Room and Board
Institutions that offer institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off- campus) will be required to answer the
questions in this section.
Report the typical room charge for the full academic year (as indicated on screen) for a full-time student sharing a
room with one other student. Report the board charge based on the maximum meal plan available for the full
academic year (as indicated on screen) to a full-time student. Report a combined room and board charge only if room
and board charges cannot be separated.
•
•
If your institution offers room (housing) but does not offer board, refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on board.
If your institution offers board but does not offer room (housing), refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on room.
Academic year reporters cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate students
If you made errors in the prior year reporting, you will need to make changes in the Student Financial Aid component
in the Winter. There are no changes in the Prior Year Revision System.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
Institutions with standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, or 4-1-4 or hybrid institutions) should
provide cost information for in-district, in-state, and out-of-state students for the FULL ACADEMIC YEAR in the
columns indicated. The numbers reported for tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses
must match the amounts used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance. If
your institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the amount as a
comprehensive fee. You will not be able to lock your submission without these data.
Report BOTH tuition and fees, separately. Please report accurately as these numbers are used in the calculation of net
price during the Student Financial Aid survey. Net price appears to the public in College Navigator, including the
College Affordability and Transparency Center, as mandated in accordance with Sec. 111 of the Higher Education
Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA).
Indicate whether the tuition and/or fees reported are covered by a tuition guarantee plan. If they are, but it is not a
flat rate, please provide the guaranteed maximum rate of increase.
Program reporters cost (price) of attendance
Institutions with no full-time, first-time students will report the six largest programs on one page, and should follow
the directions under ‘Reporting the next 5 largest programs’ to report these data. For public institutions, report the
in-state or in-district costs if applicable.
Reporting the largest program
Errors can be corrected in the Student Financial Aid component in the Winter.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
This section asks questions about the largest program your institution has offered for entering students. Institutions
that provided data for the largest program in the prior year will see pre-loaded data (when CIP code has changed, you
will need to update the CIP with an appropriate CIP). If the largest program has changed, check the box provided and
indicate a different program. You will be required to enter data for all 4 years as indicated on the screen.
To enter or change the largest program
•
•
•
•
•
Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Provide the total length of program in clock or credit hours and in weeks (as completed by a student
attending full-time).
Provide the total length of the academic year, as used to calculate your Pell budget, in clock or credit hours
and in weeks.
Enter an application fee (if applicable).
Provide amounts for tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses FOR THE
TIME PERIOD INDICATED (either for the length of the program, or for 4 weeks). These are the amounts
used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance.
Note: Programs of English as a second language and GED courses are not to be included in IPEDS. Institutions should
report their largest program based on enrollment size, regardless of whether or not that program is Title IV.
Reporting the next 5 largest programs
This section asks questions about the next 5 largest programs your institution offers for entering students (or, if you
have no full-time, first-time students, the 6 largest programs).
•
•
•
•
•
•
Only if reporting 6 largest programs because you do not have full-time, first-time students, enter an
application fee (if applicable).
Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Enter the tuition and required fees charged for the entire length of the program.
Enter the cost of books and supplies for the program.
Report the full length of the program and indicate whether the length of the entire program is measured in
clock or credit hours.
Report the number of months it takes a full-time student to complete the program.
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Part E - Athletic Association
Indicate if the institution is a member of a national athletic association.
For institutions belonging to NCAA or NAIA, select the conference (by sport) from the drop list provided.
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Part F - Campus information
For campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in the fall?
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for distance
education location reporting?
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses). How should
6)
students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall Enrollment?
Student Charges
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate and/or
1)
married students?
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
2)
3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees charges in Part
D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
4)
Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionally-controlled housing
both on and off campus?
2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
4)
What are “other expenses”?
5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
Answers:
General
1)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) survey is to collect basic institutional information
including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data including tuition for
different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an academic year. This
includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students based on living
situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the spring collection
to calculate net price of attendance.
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2)
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
IPEDS gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in
the federal student financial aid programs. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires that institutions
that participate in federal student aid programs report data on enrollments, program completions, graduation rates,
faculty and staff, finances, institutional prices, and student financial aid.
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3)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake
in the fall?
No, you cannot change your IC data in the winter or spring, except in rare circumstances. Due to processing and the
size of the database, it is difficult to make changes once a survey is closed. It is the responsibility of the institution's
keyholder to report these data correctly in the fall, as they do impact other surveys (e.g., Student Financial Aid).
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4)
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
The Office of Postsecondary Education(OPE) website: OPE Accreditation database at https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
Back to top
5)
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for
distance education location reporting?
Yes, students located in a U.S. jurisdiction while they are enrolled in distance education courses should be reported as
located in the U.S.
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6)
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses).
How should students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall
Enrollment?
Hybrid courses are not considered by IPEDS as distance education. Students enrolled in “hybrid” courses should be
reported as “not enrolled in any distance education courses.”
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Student Charges
1)
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate
and/or married students?
Yes, if the institution is providing the housing and the students pay “rent” or “board” to the institution.
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2)
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
You should report the meal plan that offers the maximum number of meals per week. If your institution offers an
unlimited number of meals, enter 99.
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3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees
charges in Part D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
The tuition and fees reported in question 5 are the average amounts charged to all full-time undergraduate students;
the tuition and fees in question 11 represent the average amounts charged to full-time, first-time undergraduate
students. The data in question 13 should be provided by your financial aid office as these are the amounts used to
determine student budgets.
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4)
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
If your institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, then you should estimate average tuition based on the
average full-time credit hour load for an entire academic year. If you have different charges for different programs at
the undergraduate or graduate levels, calculate the “average” tuition using the amount that a typical student would
expect to pay. BE SURE TO REPORT TUITION FOR THE ENTIRE ACADEMIC YEAR!
Back to top
Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionallycontrolled housing both on and off campus?
Report the room and board amounts used by your financial aid office for determining student budgets. The other
expenses are the amount of money estimated by the financial aid office needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings. Do not include the tuition and required fees with
other expenses.
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2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
You should enter the amount for a typical full-time student living off campus with family or not with family used by the
financial aid office to determine the student budget.
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3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
Yes, if your institution does not require all of full-time, first-time students to live on campus (or makes ANY exceptions
to this policy).
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4)
What are “other expenses”?
This is the amount of money, estimated by the financial aid office, that is needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings.
Back to top
5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
The Institutional Characteristics information that is made available on College Navigator includes special learning
opportunities, student services, tuition and required fees, room and board charges, books and supplies, other
expenses and the institution’s mission statement. The best way to see what information is available about your
institution is to look up your institution on College Navigator.
Back to top
6)
If my institution offers room or board, but not both, how should I report this on the Cost of Attendance page?
In this case, the “room and board” value must include both the known value and an estimate for the unknown value. Inclusion
of both meal cost and housing cost is necessary to generate a total cost of attendance, which is subsequently needed for Net
Price calculations. For example, if the institution offers meals but no housing, in the “on-campus room and board” field they
would need to enter a total that includes the cost of the meal plan plus as estimate of housing (such as a housing cost similar to
that of off-campus housing).
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Institutional Characteristics for less-than-2-year academic year tuition reporters
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. This component collects important information about your institution's mission,
student services, and student charges.
Much of the data reported on IC appear on College Navigator, which is updated once after IC data has been reviewed. Thus, errors may stay
on College Navigator for a full year.
Additionally, the cost of attendance data are used to calculate the net price of attendance in the Student Financial Aid component. This has
important implications for what students see about your institution, and also for the College Affordability and Transparency Center's lists.
Revisions or changes to costs can ONLY be made in the Student Financial Aid component and not in the prior year revision
system.
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to submit accurate data about the institution. Please contact the IPEDS Help Desk for
clarifications to make sure that you are reporting correctly.
Changes to This Year’s IC Component
There are no changes for the 2018-19 collection period.
Common Errors
Quality control reviews of past IC data indicate frequently made errors. Please review the common errors below to ensure accurate reporting.
Additional common errors or tips can be found in the New Keyholder Handbook under Resources.
•
Part C, question 8 should only be marked 'YES' if your institution is EXCLUSIVELY distance education. Do not mark 'YES' if your
courses/programs are also available in person.
•
Do not try to outsmart fatal errors; this is falsifying data. Contact the Help Desk to override, or fix, the data.
•
Make sure you understand ALL definitions before responding to questions. For example, make sure that you are reporting for an
'ACADEMIC YEAR' or 'PROGRAM' as defined by IPEDS.
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Mission Statement
1. Provide the institution's mission statement or a web address (URL) where the mission statement can be found. Typed statements
are limited to 2,000 characters or less. The mission statement will be available to the public on College Navigator.
Mission Statement URL:
Mission Statement:
http://
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
1. Which of the following are available to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families?
Yellow Ribbon Program (officially known as Post-9/11 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program)
Credit for military training
Dedicated point of contact for support services for veterans, military servicemembers, and their families
Recognized student veteran organization
Member of Department of Defense Voluntary Educational Partnership Memorandum of Understanding
None of the above
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College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Special Learning Opportunities
1. Does your institution accept any of the following? [Check all that apply]
Dual credit (college credit earned while in high school)
Credit for life experiences
Advanced placement (AP) credits
None of the above
2. What types of special learning opportunities are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
ROTC
Army
Navy
Air Force
Study abroad
Weekend/evening college
Teacher certification (for the elementary, middle school/junior high, or secondary level)
Do not include certifications to teach at the postsecondary level.
Students can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
Students must complete their preparation at another institution for certain areas of specialization
This institution is approved by the state for the initial certification or licensure of teachers
None of the above
Part C - Student Services: Other Student Services
4. Which of the following selected student services are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
Remedial services
Academic/career counseling services
Employment services for current students
Placement services for program completers
On-campus day care for children of students
None of the above
5. Which of the following academic library resource or service does your institution provide? [Check all that apply]
Physical facilities
An organized collection of printed materials
Access to digital/electronic resources
A staff trained to provide and interpret library materials
Established library hours
Access to library collections that are shared with other institutions
None of the above
6. Indicate whether or not any of the following alternative tuition plans are offered by your institution.
No
Yes
Tuition guarantee
Prepaid tuition plan
Tuition payment plan
Other (specify in box below)
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You may use the space below to provide context for the alternative tuition plans you've reported above. These context notes will
be posted on the College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Distance Education
7. Please indicate at what level(s) your institution does or does not offer distance education courses and/or distance education
programs. Check all that apply.
Distance education courses
Undergraduate level
Distance education programs
Does not offer Distance Education
Graduate level
8. Are all the programs at your institution offered exclusively via distance education programs?
No
Yes
Part C - Student Services: Disability Services
9. Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled during Fall 2017 who were formally registered as students
with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent office).
3 percent or less
More than 3 percent:
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part D - Student Charges Questions
1. Are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students required to live on campus or in institutionally controlled housing?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will not be asked to report off-campus room and board in the price of attendance (D11).
This is only a screening question, and your response does not show up on College Navigator.
If you make any exceptions to this rule, and have even one full-time, first-time student living off-campus, please answer No so that this does
not cause conflicts with the Student Financial Aid survey. Making changes to the SFA component is very difficult and may lead to inaccurate
reporting for your institution.
No
Yes, and we do not make ANY (even one)
exceptions to this rule
2. Does your institution charge different tuition for in-district, in-state, or out-of-state students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to report tuition amounts for in-district, in-state, and out-of-state students.
Please only select Yes if you really charge different tuition rates, or you will be reporting the same numbers 3 times.
No
Yes
3. Does your institution offer institutionally-controlled housing (either on or off campus)?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to specify a housing capacity, and to report a room charge or a combined room and
board charge (D10).
No
Yes
Specify housing capacity for academic year
2018-19
4. Do you offer board or meal plans to your students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to report a board charge or combined room and board charge (D10).
No
Yes - Enter the number of meals per week in
the maximum meal plan available
Yes - Number of meals per week can vary
(e.g., students charge meals against a meal
card)
Part D - Undergraduate Student Charges
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount.
Prior year
Amount
Application fee
5. Charges to full-time students for the full academic year 2018-19
Please be sure to report an average tuition that includes all students at all levels (freshman, sophomore, etc.).
In-district
Prior year
In-state
Prior year
Out-of-state
Prior year
All full-time students
Average tuition
Required fees
6. Per credit hour charge for part-time students
Please be sure to report an average per credit tuition that includes all students at all levels (freshman, sophomore, etc.).
In-district
Per credit hour charge
Prior year
In-state
Prior year
Out-of-state
Prior year
Part D - Student Charges - Price of Attendance
11. 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.
If the 2018-19 tuition and/or fees as reported on this page for full-time, first-time students are covered by a tuition guarantee program,
check the applicable box(es) under 'Tuition Guarantee'. Additionally, please indicate the maximum % increase that is guaranteed. These
numbers are expected to be fairly small. Please contact the Help Desk if you are confused about these values and how to report them.
Charges for full
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
academic year
Published tuition and required fees:
Guaranteed increase
Tuition Guarantee
%
(check only if applicable to entering
students in 2018-19)
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
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College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Prepared by
The name of the preparer is being collected so that we can follow up with the appropriate person in the event that there are questions
concerning the data. The Keyholder will be copied on all email correspondence to other preparers.
The time it took to prepare this component is being collected so that we can continue to improve our estimate of the reporting burden
associated with IPEDS. Please include in your estimate the time it took for you to review instructions, query and search data sources, complete
and review the component, and submit the data through the Data Collection System.
Thank you for your assistance.
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Academic Library Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)
How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey
component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member
Collecting Data Needed
Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
Your office
hours
hours
Other offices
U.S. Department of Education
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hours
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Entering Data
Revising and Locking Data
hours
hours
hours
hours
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Context Boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Mission Statement and Distance Education
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
Part C - Student Services
Part D - Student Charges
Part E - Athletic Association
Part F - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) component is to collect basic institutional
information including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data
including tuition for different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an
academic year. This includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students
based on living situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the
Winter collection to calculate net price of attendance.
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General instructions
Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics survey to ensure you are reporting data for the
appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC survey (e.g.,
undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to include
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Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or other recognized
postsecondary credential.
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Students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, including those enrolled in
off-campus centers.
High school students taking regular college courses for credit under their classification as recorded by the
institution.
Full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination.
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses (e.g., online students).
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree.
B. Who NOT to include
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Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential or the
completion of a vocational program.
Students taking Continuing Education Units (CEUs) unless they are also enrolled in courses creditable toward a
degree or other recognized postsecondary credential.
Students exclusively auditing classes.
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice fields, since they have already received their Doctor's
degree.
Any student studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at this institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal.
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country.
Students in Experimental Pell Programs.
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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:
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College Navigator Website
IPEDS Data Center
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
College Affordability and Transparency Center Website
At the aggregate-level, data will appear in:
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IPEDS First Looks
IPEDS Table Library
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports
The Digest of Education Statistics
The Condition of Education
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Reporting Directions
Part A – Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Provide your institution's mission statement or a web address (please select http:// or https://) where the statement
can be found. Typed statements are limited to 2,000 characters. The mission statement will be available to the public
on College Navigator.
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Part B - Services for Military Servicemembers, Veterans, and Eligible Family Members
Services and Programs for Military Servicemembers and Veterans
Indicate which of the following are offered to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families.
For the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon program, please choose this only if the Yellow Ribbon program is available at
your institution.
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Part C - Student Services
Special learning opportunities
Special credit
Indicate if your institution accepts credit earned prior to admission through any of the sources listed.
Special learning opportunities
Indicate if the listed special learning opportunities are offered by your institution. Teacher certification refers to pre-K
through 12; if the institution only provides certification for some levels (e.g., elementary only and not secondary), be
sure to indicate that only certain levels are offered.
Years of study required for entry (Not applicable to less-than-4-year institutions)
If the institution limits entrance to students who have completed certain academic requirements, select the years of
study required for entry. For example, upper division only schools may require 2 years (60 credits) of study prior to
admittance, and schools that offer only graduate programs may require bachelor's degrees or 4 years of study for
entrance.
Student services
Student services
Indicate which of the listed services are offered by the institution.
Library
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed resources or services. If none of the listed resources/services
apply, select "None of the above".
Alternative tuition plans
Indicate if your institution offers any alternative tuition plans. Use the context box on the bottom of the page to
provide details about tuition plans for College Navigator. Please provide only factual information, context boxes are
reviewed and inappropriate information (such as marketing information) will be removed.
Distance education
Distance education uses one or more technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the
instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor synchronously or
asynchronously.
Requirements for coming to campus for orientation, testing, or academic support services do not exclude a course
from being classified as distance education. Technologies used for instruction may include the following: Internet; oneway and two-way transmissions through open broadcasts, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber
optics, satellite or wireless communication devices; audio conferencing; and video cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, if
the cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs are used in a course in conjunction with the technologies listed above.
Distance education course
A course in which the instructional content is delivered exclusively via distance education.
Distance education program
A program for which all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance
education courses.
Distance education levels
Indicate whether you offer distance education courses and/or programs at the undergraduate level and/or graduate
level. Please check all that apply. If you do not offer distance education courses and/or programs, please select “Does
not offer distance education" at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.
Exclusively distance education programs
Indicate whether or not ALL programs offered by your institution are delivered exclusively via distance education,
meaning all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance education courses.
Disabilities
Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled in the time period indicated on screen who were
formally registered as students with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent
office). This may include students with physical or learning disabilities, as well as other types of disabilities. If greater
than 3% of students are registered as having a disability, you will need to indicate a percentage.
Please use the context box on the page to provide information, such as the webpage for your disabilities services
website.
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Part D - Student Charges
Screening questions
If you responded to questions regarding full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in the
Institutional Characteristics Header survey, your institution will be required to answer all the questions.
On-campus or institutionally controlled off-campus housing requirement
Indicate if ALL full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students are required to live on campus or in
institutionally controlled off-campus housing. If you make ANY exceptions, you should not select this as a
requirement, as this will cause inconsistencies in your reporting between this section and the Student
Financial Aid survey calculation of net price.
This question is a screening question, and does not appear on College Navigator. Please respond correctly.
Tuition based on residence
Indicate if the institution charges a different price for students from in-district, in-state, or out-of-state.
Institutionally controlled housing
Indicate if the institution provides institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off-campus) and if so, specify the
housing capacity.
Meal plans
Indicate if the institution offers board or meal plans to students. If the institution offers fixed meal plans, provide the
number of meals per week in the maximum plan available. Institutions will be asked to report the board charges or
combined room and board charges on later screens.
Tuition and fees for undergraduate students (academic year reporters)
Undergraduate students include:
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Students who have not obtained a bachelor's degree;
Students in bachelor's degree programs that require at least 4 years but fewer than 6 years of college work; or
Students in occupational or general study programs requiring 1, 2, or 3 years of college work that are
designed to prepare students for immediate employment or to provide general education rather than to serve
as the first 1, 2, or 3 years of a bachelor's degree program.
Undergraduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for undergraduate students
This tuition value differs from cost of attendance as it is the average tuition and fees for ALL undergraduate students
and all levels (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, etc.). It is possible that this number will be different from the cost
of attendance that you will report if you have first-time, full-time students.
Since tuition and required fees and room and board charges may be different for varying groups of full-time
undergraduate students at an institution, adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
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Report the average tuition and required fees for the full academic year charged to in-district, in-state, and outof-state students. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for indistrict, in-state, and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the
same, go back to the screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different
tuitions.
If the institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, estimate average tuition based on the average fulltime credit-hour load for an entire academic year.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
If the institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the
amount as a comprehensive fee.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time undergraduate students
Enter the average dollar amount your institution charges to part-time undergraduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Tuition and fees for graduate students
Graduate students include any student who holds a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and is taking courses at the
post-baccalaureate level. These students may or may not be enrolled in graduate programs.
Graduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for graduate students
Since tuition and required fees may be different for varying groups of full-time graduate students at an institution,
adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
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Do not include doctor’s-professional practice tuition. This will be collected separately.
Report the average tuition and required fees charged to full-time graduate students for the full academic year.
If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state, and
out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time graduate students
Enter the dollar amount the institution most frequently charges to part-time graduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Doctor's - professional practice tuition and fees
Report the tuition and fees (if applicable, for both in- and out-of-state) for students in the selected professional
practice programs.
Number of programs (program reporters only)
Provide the total number of occupational programs offered by your institution. A program is a combination of courses
and related activities organized for the attainment of broad educational objectives as described by the institution.
Please do not count single courses as a program.
Room and Board
Institutions that offer institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off- campus) will be required to answer the
questions in this section.
Report the typical room charge for the full academic year (as indicated on screen) for a full-time student sharing a
room with one other student. Report the board charge based on the maximum meal plan available for the full
academic year (as indicated on screen) to a full-time student. Report a combined room and board charge only if room
and board charges cannot be separated.
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If your institution offers room (housing) but does not offer board, refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on board.
If your institution offers board but does not offer room (housing), refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on room.
Academic year reporters cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate students
If you made errors in the prior year reporting, you will need to make changes in the Student Financial Aid component
in the Winter. There are no changes in the Prior Year Revision System.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
Institutions with standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, or 4-1-4 or hybrid institutions) should
provide cost information for in-district, in-state, and out-of-state students for the FULL ACADEMIC YEAR in the
columns indicated. The numbers reported for tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses
must match the amounts used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance. If
your institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the amount as a
comprehensive fee. You will not be able to lock your submission without these data.
Report BOTH tuition and fees, separately. Please report accurately as these numbers are used in the calculation of net
price during the Student Financial Aid survey. Net price appears to the public in College Navigator, including the
College Affordability and Transparency Center, as mandated in accordance with Sec. 111 of the Higher Education
Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA).
Indicate whether the tuition and/or fees reported are covered by a tuition guarantee plan. If they are, but it is not a
flat rate, please provide the guaranteed maximum rate of increase.
Program reporters cost (price) of attendance
Institutions with no full-time, first-time students will report the six largest programs on one page, and should follow
the directions under ‘Reporting the next 5 largest programs’ to report these data. For public institutions, report the
in-state or in-district costs if applicable.
Reporting the largest program
Errors can be corrected in the Student Financial Aid component in the Winter.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
This section asks questions about the largest program your institution has offered for entering students. Institutions
that provided data for the largest program in the prior year will see pre-loaded data (when CIP code has changed, you
will need to update the CIP with an appropriate CIP). If the largest program has changed, check the box provided and
indicate a different program. You will be required to enter data for all 4 years as indicated on the screen.
To enter or change the largest program
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Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Provide the total length of program in clock or credit hours and in weeks (as completed by a student
attending full-time).
Provide the total length of the academic year, as used to calculate your Pell budget, in clock or credit hours
and in weeks.
Enter an application fee (if applicable).
Provide amounts for tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses FOR THE
TIME PERIOD INDICATED (either for the length of the program, or for 4 weeks). These are the amounts
used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance.
Note: Programs of English as a second language and GED courses are not to be included in IPEDS. Institutions should
report their largest program based on enrollment size, regardless of whether or not that program is Title IV.
Reporting the next 5 largest programs
This section asks questions about the next 5 largest programs your institution offers for entering students (or, if you
have no full-time, first-time students, the 6 largest programs).
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Only if reporting 6 largest programs because you do not have full-time, first-time students, enter an
application fee (if applicable).
Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Enter the tuition and required fees charged for the entire length of the program.
Enter the cost of books and supplies for the program.
Report the full length of the program and indicate whether the length of the entire program is measured in
clock or credit hours.
Report the number of months it takes a full-time student to complete the program.
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Part E - Athletic Association
Indicate if the institution is a member of a national athletic association.
For institutions belonging to NCAA or NAIA, select the conference (by sport) from the drop list provided.
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Part F - Campus information
For campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in the fall?
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for distance
education location reporting?
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses). How should
6)
students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall Enrollment?
Student Charges
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate and/or
1)
married students?
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
2)
3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees charges in Part
D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
4)
Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionally-controlled housing
both on and off campus?
2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
4)
What are “other expenses”?
5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
Answers:
General
1)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) survey is to collect basic institutional information
including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data including tuition for
different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an academic year. This
includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students based on living
situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the spring collection
to calculate net price of attendance.
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2)
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
IPEDS gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in
the federal student financial aid programs. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires that institutions
that participate in federal student aid programs report data on enrollments, program completions, graduation rates,
faculty and staff, finances, institutional prices, and student financial aid.
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3)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake
in the fall?
No, you cannot change your IC data in the winter or spring, except in rare circumstances. Due to processing and the
size of the database, it is difficult to make changes once a survey is closed. It is the responsibility of the institution's
keyholder to report these data correctly in the fall, as they do impact other surveys (e.g., Student Financial Aid).
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4)
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
The Office of Postsecondary Education(OPE) website: OPE Accreditation database at https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
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5)
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for
distance education location reporting?
Yes, students located in a U.S. jurisdiction while they are enrolled in distance education courses should be reported as
located in the U.S.
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6)
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses).
How should students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall
Enrollment?
Hybrid courses are not considered by IPEDS as distance education. Students enrolled in “hybrid” courses should be
reported as “not enrolled in any distance education courses.”
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Student Charges
1)
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate
and/or married students?
Yes, if the institution is providing the housing and the students pay “rent” or “board” to the institution.
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2)
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
You should report the meal plan that offers the maximum number of meals per week. If your institution offers an
unlimited number of meals, enter 99.
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3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees
charges in Part D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
The tuition and fees reported in question 5 are the average amounts charged to all full-time undergraduate students;
the tuition and fees in question 11 represent the average amounts charged to full-time, first-time undergraduate
students. The data in question 13 should be provided by your financial aid office as these are the amounts used to
determine student budgets.
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4)
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
If your institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, then you should estimate average tuition based on the
average full-time credit hour load for an entire academic year. If you have different charges for different programs at
the undergraduate or graduate levels, calculate the “average” tuition using the amount that a typical student would
expect to pay. BE SURE TO REPORT TUITION FOR THE ENTIRE ACADEMIC YEAR!
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Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionallycontrolled housing both on and off campus?
Report the room and board amounts used by your financial aid office for determining student budgets. The other
expenses are the amount of money estimated by the financial aid office needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings. Do not include the tuition and required fees with
other expenses.
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2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
You should enter the amount for a typical full-time student living off campus with family or not with family used by the
financial aid office to determine the student budget.
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3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
Yes, if your institution does not require all of full-time, first-time students to live on campus (or makes ANY exceptions
to this policy).
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4)
What are “other expenses”?
This is the amount of money, estimated by the financial aid office, that is needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings.
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5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
The Institutional Characteristics information that is made available on College Navigator includes special learning
opportunities, student services, tuition and required fees, room and board charges, books and supplies, other
expenses and the institution’s mission statement. The best way to see what information is available about your
institution is to look up your institution on College Navigator.
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6)
If my institution offers room or board, but not both, how should I report this on the Cost of Attendance page?
In this case, the “room and board” value must include both the known value and an estimate for the unknown value. Inclusion
of both meal cost and housing cost is necessary to generate a total cost of attendance, which is subsequently needed for Net
Price calculations. For example, if the institution offers meals but no housing, in the “on-campus room and board” field they
would need to enter a total that includes the cost of the meal plan plus as estimate of housing (such as a housing cost similar
to that of off-campus housing).
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NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics for 4-year academic year tuition reporters
Overview
Institutional Characteristics Overview
Welcome to the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. This component collects important information about your institution's mission,
student services, and student charges.
Much of the data reported on IC appear on College Navigator, which is updated once after IC data has been reviewed. Thus, errors may stay
on College Navigator for a full year.
Additionally, the cost of attendance data are used to calculate the net price of attendance in the Student Financial Aid component. This has
important implications for what students see about your institution, and also for the College Affordability and Transparency Center's lists.
Revisions or changes to costs can ONLY be made in the Student Financial Aid component and not in the prior year revision
system.
Remember, it is the responsibility of the keyholder to submit accurate data about the institution. Please contact the IPEDS Help Desk for
clarifications to make sure that you are reporting correctly.
Changes to This Year’s IC Component
There are no changes for the 2018-19 collection period.
Common Errors
Quality control reviews of past IC data indicate frequently made errors. Please review the common errors below to ensure accurate reporting.
Additional common errors or tips can be found in the New Keyholder Handbook under Resources.
•
Part C, question 8 should only be marked 'YES' if your institution is EXCLUSIVELY distance education. Do not mark 'YES' if your
courses/programs are also available in person.
•
Do not try to outsmart fatal errors; this is falsifying data. Contact the Help Desk to override, or fix, the data.
•
Make sure you understand ALL definitions before responding to questions. For example, make sure that you are reporting for an
'ACADEMIC YEAR' or 'PROGRAM' as defined by IPEDS.
To download the survey materials for this component: Survey Materials
Part A - Mission Statement
1. Provide the institution's mission statement or a web address (URL) where the mission statement can be found. Typed statements
are limited to 2,000 characters or less. The mission statement will be available to the public on College Navigator.
Mission Statement URL:
Mission Statement:
http://
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
1. Which of the following are available to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families?
Yellow Ribbon Program (officially known as Post-9/11 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program)
Credit for military training
Dedicated point of contact for support services for veterans, military servicemembers, and their families
Recognized student veteran organization
Member of Department of Defense Voluntary Educational Partnership Memorandum of Understanding
None of the above
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Special Learning Opportunities
1. Does your institution accept any of the following? [Check all that apply]
Dual credit (college credit earned while in high school)
Credit for life experiences
Advanced placement (AP) credits
None of the above
2. What types of special learning opportunities are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
ROTC
Army
Navy
Air Force
Study abroad
Weekend/evening college
Teacher certification (for the elementary, middle school/junior high, or secondary level)
Do not include certifications to teach at the postsecondary level.
Students can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
Students must complete their preparation at another institution for certain areas of specialization
This institution is approved by the state for the initial certification or licensure of teachers
None of the above
3. If your institution grants a bachelor's degree or higher but does not offer a full 4-year program of study at the undergraduate level,
how many years of completed college-level work are required for entrance?
Number of years
Select One
Part C - Student Services: Other Student Services
4. Which of the following selected student services are offered by your institution? [Check all that apply]
Remedial services
Academic/career counseling services
Employment services for current students
Placement services for program completers
On-campus day care for children of students
None of the above
5. Which of the following academic library resource or service does your institution provide? [Check all that apply]
Physical facilities
An organized collection of printed materials
Access to digital/electronic resources
A staff trained to provide and interpret library materials
Established library hours
Access to library collections that are shared with other institutions
None of the above
6. Indicate whether or not any of the following alternative tuition plans are offered by your institution.
No
Yes
Tuition guarantee
Prepaid tuition plan
Tuition payment plan
Other (specify in box below)
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You may use the space below to provide context for the alternative tuition plans you've reported above. These context notes will
be posted on the College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part C - Student Services - Distance Education
7. Please indicate at what level(s) your institution does or does not offer distance education courses and/or distance education
programs. Check all that apply.
Distance education courses
Undergraduate level
Distance education programs
Does not offer Distance Education
Graduate level
8. Are all the programs at your institution offered exclusively via distance education programs?
No
Yes
Part C - Student Services: Disability Services
9. Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled during Fall 2017 who were formally registered as students
with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent office).
3 percent or less
More than 3 percent:
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part D - Student Charges Questions
1. Are all full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students required to live on campus or in institutionally controlled housing?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will not be asked to report off-campus room and board in the price of attendance (D11).
This is only a screening question, and your response does not show up on College Navigator.
If you make any exceptions to this rule, and have even one full-time, first-time student living off-campus, please answer No so that this does
not cause conflicts with the Student Financial Aid survey. Making changes to the SFA component is very difficult and may lead to inaccurate
reporting for your institution.
No
Yes, and we do not make ANY (even one)
exceptions to this rule
2. Does your institution charge different tuition for in-district, in-state, or out-of-state students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to report tuition amounts for in-district, in-state, and out-of-state students.
Please only select Yes if you really charge different tuition rates, or you will be reporting the same numbers 3 times.
No
Yes
3. Does your institution offer institutionally-controlled housing (either on or off campus)?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to specify a housing capacity, and to report a room charge or a combined room and
board charge (D10).
No
Yes
Specify housing capacity for academic year
2018-19
4. Do you offer board or meal plans to your students?
If you answer Yes to this question, you will be expected to report a board charge or combined room and board charge (D10).
No
Yes - Enter the number of meals per week in
the maximum meal plan available
Yes - Number of meals per week can vary
(e.g., students charge meals against a meal
card)
Part D - Undergraduate Student Charges
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount.
Prior year
Amount
Undergraduate application fee
5. Charges to full-time undergraduate students for the full academic year 2018-19
Please be sure to report an average tuition that includes all students at all levels (freshman, sophomore, etc.).
In-district
Prior year
In-state
Prior year
Out-of-state
Prior year
All full-time undergraduates
Average tuition
Required fees
6. Per credit hour charge for part-time undergraduate students
Please be sure to report an average per credit tuition that includes all students at all levels (freshman, sophomore, etc.).
In-district
Per credit hour charge
Prior year
In-state
Prior year
Out-of-state
Prior year
Part D - Graduate Student Charges
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount.
Amount
Prior year
Graduate application fee
Please do not include tuition for Doctor’s Degree – Professional Practice programs.
Data for those programs are collected separately.
7. Charges to full-time graduate students for the full academic year 2018-19
In-district
Prior year
In-state
Prior year
Out-of-state
Prior year
In-state
Prior year
Out-of-state
Prior year
Average tuition
Required fees
8. Per credit hour charge for part-time graduate students
In-district
Per credit hour charge
Prior year
Part D - Student Charges - Graduate, Doctor's Professional Practice Tuition
9. List the typical tuition and required fees for a full-time doctor's-professional practice student in any of the selected programs for
the full academic year 2018-19.
DO NOT include room and board charges
Doctor's degree-professional practice
1. Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.):
Tuition amount
Required fees
2. Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.):
Tuition amount
Required fees
3. Medicine (M.D.):
Tuition amount
Required fees
4. Optometry (O.D.):
Tuition amount
Required fees
5. Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.):
Tuition amount
Required fees
6. Pharmacy (Pharm.D.):
Tuition amount
Required fees
7. Podiatry (Pod.D., D.P., or D.P.M.):
Tuition amount
Required fees
8. Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.):
Tuition amount
Required fees
9. Law (J.D.):
Tuition amount
Required fees
In-state
Out-of-state
Part D - Student Charges - Room and Board
10. What are the typical room and board charges for a student for the full academic year 2018-19?
If your institution offers room or board at no charge to students, enter zero.
If you report room and board separately, leave the combined charge blank. If you report a combined charge, leave the room and board
charges blank.
Room and board charges
Amount
Prior year
Room charge (Double occupancy)
Board charge (Maximum plan)
Combined room and board charge
(Answer only if you CANNOT separate room and board charges.)
Part D - Student Charges - Price of Attendance
11. Cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate 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.
If the 2018-19 tuition and/or fees as reported on this page for full-time, first-time students are covered by a tuition guarantee program,
check the applicable box(es) under 'Tuition Guarantee'. Additionally, please indicate the maximum % increase that is guaranteed. These
numbers are expected to be fairly small. Please contact the Help Desk if you are confused about these values and how to report them.
Charges for full
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
academic year
Published tuition and required fees:
Guaranteed increase
Tuition Guarantee
%
(check only if applicable to entering
students in 2018-19)
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
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You may use the space below to provide context for the data you've reported above. These context notes will be posted on the
College Navigator website, and should be written to be understood by students and parents.
Part E - Athletic Association
1. Is this institution a member of a national athletic association?
No
Yes - Check all that apply
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)
United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA)
National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA)
Other
2. If this institution is a member of the NCAA or NAIA, specify the conference FOR EACH SPORT using the pull down menu.
Sport
Football
No
NCAA or NAIA member
Yes-Specify
Basketball
No
Yes-Specify
Baseball
No
Yes-Specify
Cross country and/or track
No
Yes-Specify
Conference
Select One
Select One
Select One
Select One
Prepared by
The name of the preparer is being collected so that we can follow up with the appropriate person in the event that there are questions
concerning the data. The Keyholder will be copied on all email correspondence to other preparers.
The time it took to prepare this component is being collected so that we can continue to improve our estimate of the reporting burden
associated with IPEDS. Please include in your estimate the time it took for you to review instructions, query and search data sources, complete
and review the component, and submit the data through the Data Collection System.
Thank you for your assistance.
This survey component was prepared by:
Keyholder
Finance Contact
SFA Contact
HR Contact
Academic Library Contact
Other
Name:
Email:
How many staff from your institution only were involved in the data collection and reporting process of this survey component?
Number of Staff (including yourself)
How many hours did you and others from your institution only spend on each of the steps below when responding to this survey
component?
Exclude the hours spent collecting data for state and other reporting purposes.
Staff member
Collecting Data Needed
Revising Data to Match
IPEDS Requirements
Your office
hours
hours
Other offices
U.S. Department of Education
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hours
hours
Software Provider Resources
Browsers Supported
Entering Data
Revising and Locking Data
hours
hours
hours
hours
Use of Cookies
Troubleshooting
Section 508 Compliance
NCES Privacy Policy
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
Institutional Characteristics
Purpose of Institutional Characteristics Survey
Changes in Reporting
General Instructions
Context Boxes
Coverage
Where to Get Help
Where the Data Will Appear
Reporting Directions
Part A - Mission Statement and Distance Education
Part B - Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans
Part C - Student Services
Part D - Student Charges
Part E - Athletic Association
Part F - Branch Campus
Purpose of Survey
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) component is to collect basic institutional
information including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data
including tuition for different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an
academic year. This includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students
based on living situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the
Winter collection to calculate net price of attendance.
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Changes in Reporting
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General instructions
Context Boxes
Context boxes are provided to allow institutions to provide more information regarding survey component items. Note
that some context boxes are posted on the College Navigator Website, which is the college search tool offered by
NCES. NCES will review entries in these context boxes for applicability and appropriateness before posting them on the
College Navigator Website; institutions should check grammar and spelling of their entries.
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Coverage
Carefully read each question in the Institutional Characteristics survey to ensure you are reporting data for the
appropriate students. The student groups for which data are collected vary throughout the IC survey (e.g.,
undergraduate and graduate). In general, for each group, ensure that the guidelines below are met.
A. Who to include
•
Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a diploma, certificate, degree, or other recognized
postsecondary credential.
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, including those enrolled in
off-campus centers.
High school students taking regular college courses for credit under their classification as recorded by the
institution.
Full-time students taking remedial courses if the student is considered degree-seeking for the purpose of
student financial aid determination.
Students from overseas enrolled in U.S. courses (e.g., online students).
Graduate students enrolled for thesis credits, even when zero credits are awarded, as these students are still
enrolled and seeking their degree.
B. Who NOT to include
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a recognized postsecondary credential or the
completion of a vocational program.
Students taking Continuing Education Units (CEUs) unless they are also enrolled in courses creditable toward a
degree or other recognized postsecondary credential.
Students exclusively auditing classes.
Residents or interns in Doctor's - professional practice fields, since they have already received their Doctor's
degree.
Any student studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at this institution is only an
administrative record and the fee is nominal.
Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country.
Students in Experimental Pell Programs.
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Where to Get Help with Reporting
IPEDS Help Desk
Phone: (877) 225-2568
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Tutorials
You can consult the IPEDS Website's 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's 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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Reporting Directions
Part A – Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Provide your institution's mission statement or a web address (please select http:// or https://) where the statement
can be found. Typed statements are limited to 2,000 characters. The mission statement will be available to the public
on College Navigator.
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Part B - Services for Military Servicemembers, Veterans, and Eligible Family Members
Services and Programs for Military Servicemembers and Veterans
Indicate which of the following are offered to veterans, military servicemembers, or their families.
For the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon program, please choose this only if the Yellow Ribbon program is available at
your institution.
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Part C - Student Services
Special learning opportunities
Special credit
Indicate if your institution accepts credit earned prior to admission through any of the sources listed.
Special learning opportunities
Indicate if the listed special learning opportunities are offered by your institution. Teacher certification refers to pre-K
through 12; if the institution only provides certification for some levels (e.g., elementary only and not secondary), be
sure to indicate that only certain levels are offered.
Years of study required for entry (Not applicable to less-than-4-year institutions)
If the institution limits entrance to students who have completed certain academic requirements, select the years of
study required for entry. For example, upper division only schools may require 2 years (60 credits) of study prior to
admittance, and schools that offer only graduate programs may require bachelor's degrees or 4 years of study for
entrance.
Student services
Student services
Indicate which of the listed services are offered by the institution.
Library
Indicate whether your institution offers any of the listed resources or services. If none of the listed resources/services
apply, select "None of the above".
Alternative tuition plans
Indicate if your institution offers any alternative tuition plans. Use the context box on the bottom of the page to
provide details about tuition plans for College Navigator. Please provide only factual information, context boxes are
reviewed and inappropriate information (such as marketing information) will be removed.
Distance education
Distance education uses one or more technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the
instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor synchronously or
asynchronously.
Requirements for coming to campus for orientation, testing, or academic support services do not exclude a course
from being classified as distance education. Technologies used for instruction may include the following: Internet; oneway and two-way transmissions through open broadcasts, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber
optics, satellite or wireless communication devices; audio conferencing; and video cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, if
the cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs are used in a course in conjunction with the technologies listed above.
Distance education course
A course in which the instructional content is delivered exclusively via distance education.
Distance education program
A program for which all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance
education courses.
Distance education levels
Indicate whether you offer distance education courses and/or programs at the undergraduate level and/or graduate
level. Please check all that apply. If you do not offer distance education courses and/or programs, please select “Does
not offer distance education" at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.
Exclusively distance education programs
Indicate whether or not ALL programs offered by your institution are delivered exclusively via distance education,
meaning all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance education courses.
Disabilities
Please indicate the percentage of all undergraduate students enrolled in the time period indicated on screen who were
formally registered as students with disabilities with the institution's office of disability services (or the equivalent
office). This may include students with physical or learning disabilities, as well as other types of disabilities. If greater
than 3% of students are registered as having a disability, you will need to indicate a percentage.
Please use the context box on the page to provide information, such as the webpage for your disabilities services
website.
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Part D - Student Charges
Screening questions
If you responded to questions regarding full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students in the
Institutional Characteristics Header survey, your institution will be required to answer all the questions.
On-campus or institutionally controlled off-campus housing requirement
Indicate if ALL full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students are required to live on campus or in
institutionally controlled off-campus housing. If you make ANY exceptions, you should not select this as a
requirement, as this will cause inconsistencies in your reporting between this section and the Student
Financial Aid survey calculation of net price.
This question is a screening question, and does not appear on College Navigator. Please respond correctly.
Tuition based on residence
Indicate if the institution charges a different price for students from in-district, in-state, or out-of-state.
Institutionally controlled housing
Indicate if the institution provides institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off-campus) and if so, specify the
housing capacity.
Meal plans
Indicate if the institution offers board or meal plans to students. If the institution offers fixed meal plans, provide the
number of meals per week in the maximum plan available. Institutions will be asked to report the board charges or
combined room and board charges on later screens.
Tuition and fees for undergraduate students (academic year reporters)
Undergraduate students include:
•
•
•
Students who have not obtained a bachelor's degree;
Students in bachelor's degree programs that require at least 4 years but fewer than 6 years of college work; or
Students in occupational or general study programs requiring 1, 2, or 3 years of college work that are
designed to prepare students for immediate employment or to provide general education rather than to serve
as the first 1, 2, or 3 years of a bachelor's degree program.
Undergraduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for undergraduate students
This tuition value differs from cost of attendance as it is the average tuition and fees for ALL undergraduate students
and all levels (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, etc.). It is possible that this number will be different from the cost
of attendance that you will report if you have first-time, full-time students.
Since tuition and required fees and room and board charges may be different for varying groups of full-time
undergraduate students at an institution, adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
•
•
•
•
•
Report the average tuition and required fees for the full academic year charged to in-district, in-state, and outof-state students. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for indistrict, in-state, and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the
same, go back to the screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different
tuitions.
If the institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, estimate average tuition based on the average fulltime credit-hour load for an entire academic year.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
If the institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the
amount as a comprehensive fee.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time undergraduate students
Enter the average dollar amount your institution charges to part-time undergraduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Tuition and fees for graduate students
Graduate students include any student who holds a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and is taking courses at the
post-baccalaureate level. These students may or may not be enrolled in graduate programs.
Graduate application fee
If the institution charges an application fee, indicate the amount. An application fee is the amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student's application for admittance to the institution. This amount is not creditable
toward tuition or required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Tuition and required fees for graduate students
Since tuition and required fees may be different for varying groups of full-time graduate students at an institution,
adhere to the following rules regarding reporting:
•
•
•
•
Do not include doctor’s-professional practice tuition. This will be collected separately.
Report the average tuition and required fees charged to full-time graduate students for the full academic year.
If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state, and
out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
When reporting required fees, include all fixed sum charges that are REQUIRED of a majority of students.
Do not include any charges that are clearly optional.
Per-credit-hour charges for part-time graduate students
Enter the dollar amount the institution most frequently charges to part-time graduate students per credit hour of
instruction. If you selected ‘yes’ for the screening question that you charge different tuitions for in-district, in-state,
and out-of-state, provide amounts in all columns even if two are the same. If they are all the same, go back to the
screening question that asks about this and indicate that you do not charge different tuitions.
Doctor's - professional practice tuition and fees
Report the tuition and fees (if applicable, for both in- and out-of-state) for students in the selected professional
practice programs.
Number of programs (program reporters only)
Provide the total number of occupational programs offered by your institution. A program is a combination of courses
and related activities organized for the attainment of broad educational objectives as described by the institution.
Please do not count single courses as a program.
Room and Board
Institutions that offer institutionally controlled housing (either on- or off- campus) will be required to answer the
questions in this section.
Report the typical room charge for the full academic year (as indicated on screen) for a full-time student sharing a
room with one other student. Report the board charge based on the maximum meal plan available for the full
academic year (as indicated on screen) to a full-time student. Report a combined room and board charge only if room
and board charges cannot be separated.
•
•
If your institution offers room (housing) but does not offer board, refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on board.
If your institution offers board but does not offer room (housing), refer to your institution’s cost of attendance
budgets from your financial aid office to report an estimate of how much students would spend on room.
Academic year reporters cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate students
If you made errors in the prior year reporting, you will need to make changes in the Student Financial Aid component
in the Winter. There are no changes in the Prior Year Revision System.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
Institutions with standard academic terms (semesters, quarters, trimesters, or 4-1-4 or hybrid institutions) should
provide cost information for in-district, in-state, and out-of-state students for the FULL ACADEMIC YEAR in the
columns indicated. The numbers reported for tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses
must match the amounts used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance. If
your institution has a single lump sum charge for tuition, required fees, and room and board, enter the amount as a
comprehensive fee. You will not be able to lock your submission without these data.
Report BOTH tuition and fees, separately. Please report accurately as these numbers are used in the calculation of net
price during the Student Financial Aid survey. Net price appears to the public in College Navigator, including the
College Affordability and Transparency Center, as mandated in accordance with Sec. 111 of the Higher Education
Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA).
Indicate whether the tuition and/or fees reported are covered by a tuition guarantee plan. If they are, but it is not a
flat rate, please provide the guaranteed maximum rate of increase.
Program reporters cost (price) of attendance
Institutions with no full-time, first-time students will report the six largest programs on one page, and should follow
the directions under ‘Reporting the next 5 largest programs’ to report these data. For public institutions, report the
in-state or in-district costs if applicable.
Reporting the largest program
Errors can be corrected in the Student Financial Aid component in the Winter.
This question requires working with your student financial aid office.
This section asks questions about the largest program your institution has offered for entering students. Institutions
that provided data for the largest program in the prior year will see pre-loaded data (when CIP code has changed, you
will need to update the CIP with an appropriate CIP). If the largest program has changed, check the box provided and
indicate a different program. You will be required to enter data for all 4 years as indicated on the screen.
To enter or change the largest program
•
•
•
•
•
Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Provide the total length of program in clock or credit hours and in weeks (as completed by a student
attending full-time).
Provide the total length of the academic year, as used to calculate your Pell budget, in clock or credit hours
and in weeks.
Enter an application fee (if applicable).
Provide amounts for tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses FOR THE
TIME PERIOD INDICATED (either for the length of the program, or for 4 weeks). These are the amounts
used by your financial aid office for determining eligibility for student financial assistance.
Note: Programs of English as a second language and GED courses are not to be included in IPEDS. Institutions should
report their largest program based on enrollment size, regardless of whether or not that program is Title IV.
Reporting the next 5 largest programs
This section asks questions about the next 5 largest programs your institution offers for entering students (or, if you
have no full-time, first-time students, the 6 largest programs).
•
•
•
•
•
•
Only if reporting 6 largest programs because you do not have full-time, first-time students, enter an
application fee (if applicable).
Select the CIP category code from the first drop-down box and title from the second drop-down box. If you
need to restore the pre-loaded information, click the reset button at bottom of the screen.
Enter the tuition and required fees charged for the entire length of the program.
Enter the cost of books and supplies for the program.
Report the full length of the program and indicate whether the length of the entire program is measured in
clock or credit hours.
Report the number of months it takes a full-time student to complete the program.
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Part E - Athletic Association
Indicate if the institution is a member of a national athletic association.
For institutions belonging to NCAA or NAIA, select the conference (by sport) from the drop list provided.
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Part F - Campus information
For campuses, refer to the instructions on the appropriate screen.
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IPEDS Help Desk
(877) 225-2568 or [email protected]
NCES National Center for Education Statistics
2018-19 Survey Materials > FAQ
date: 8/6/2018
Institutional Characteristics
Click one of the following questions to view the answer.
General
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake in the fall?
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for distance
education location reporting?
6)
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses). How should
students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall Enrollment?
Student Charges
1)
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate and/or
married students?
2)
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees charges in Part
D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
4)
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionally-controlled housing
both on and off campus?
2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
4)
What are “other expenses”?
5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
Answers:
General
1)
What is the purpose of the Institutional Characteristics survey?
The primary purpose of the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (IC) survey is to collect basic institutional information
including mission, student services, and athletic association. IC also collects student charges data including tuition for
different levels and cost data for first-time, full-time students either for programs or for an academic year. This
includes tuition and fee data as well as information on the estimated student budgets for students based on living
situations (on-campus or off-campus). The cost numbers are also used in the SFA survey during the spring collection
to calculate net price of attendance.
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2)
What institutions are included in IPEDS?
IPEDS gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in
the federal student financial aid programs. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires that institutions
that participate in federal student aid programs report data on enrollments, program completions, graduation rates,
faculty and staff, finances, institutional prices, and student financial aid.
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3)
Can I change my Institutional Characteristics data during the winter or spring surveys if I made a mistake
in the fall?
No, you cannot change your IC data in the winter or spring, except in rare circumstances. Due to processing and the
size of the database, it is difficult to make changes once a survey is closed. It is the responsibility of the institution's
keyholder to report these data correctly in the fall, as they do impact other surveys (e.g., Student Financial Aid).
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4)
Where can I find my accrediting agency information since it is no longer collected in IPEDS?
The Office of Postsecondary Education(OPE) website: OPE Accreditation database at https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
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5)
Are U.S. jurisdictions or territories (like Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.) considered in the U.S. for
distance education location reporting?
Yes, students located in a U.S. jurisdiction while they are enrolled in distance education courses should be reported as
located in the U.S.
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6)
We offer courses that combine distance education and traditional teaching methods (“hybrid” courses).
How should students enrolled in these courses be counted in the distance education portion of Fall
Enrollment?
Hybrid courses are not considered by IPEDS as distance education. Students enrolled in “hybrid” courses should be
reported as “not enrolled in any distance education courses.”
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Student Charges
1)
When determining the dormitory capacity, should we include off campus housing reserved for graduate
and/or married students?
Yes, if the institution is providing the housing and the students pay “rent” or “board” to the institution.
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2)
Our institution offers several meal plans. Which plan should I report?
You should report the meal plan that offers the maximum number of meals per week. If your institution offers an
unlimited number of meals, enter 99.
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3)
For academic year tuition reporters, what is the difference between the undergraduate tuition and fees
charges in Part D question 5, and the tuition and fees charges in Part D question 11?
The tuition and fees reported in question 5 are the average amounts charged to all full-time undergraduate students;
the tuition and fees in question 11 represent the average amounts charged to full-time, first-time undergraduate
students. The data in question 13 should be provided by your financial aid office as these are the amounts used to
determine student budgets.
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4)
How do I calculate or determine “average tuition”?
If your institution charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, then you should estimate average tuition based on the
average full-time credit hour load for an entire academic year. If you have different charges for different programs at
the undergraduate or graduate levels, calculate the “average” tuition using the amount that a typical student would
expect to pay. BE SURE TO REPORT TUITION FOR THE ENTIRE ACADEMIC YEAR!
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Price of Attendance
1)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for institutionallycontrolled housing both on and off campus?
Report the room and board amounts used by your financial aid office for determining student budgets. The other
expenses are the amount of money estimated by the financial aid office needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings. Do not include the tuition and required fees with
other expenses.
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2)
How do I know what amounts to report for room and board and other expenses for off campus?
You should enter the amount for a typical full-time student living off campus with family or not with family used by the
financial aid office to determine the student budget.
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3)
Do I have to report off campus living expenses?
Yes, if your institution does not require all of full-time, first-time students to live on campus (or makes ANY exceptions
to this policy).
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4)
What are “other expenses”?
This is the amount of money, estimated by the financial aid office, that is needed by a student to cover expenses such
as laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings.
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5)
What IC data are included on the College Navigator website?
The Institutional Characteristics information that is made available on College Navigator includes special learning
opportunities, student services, tuition and required fees, room and board charges, books and supplies, other
expenses and the institution’s mission statement. The best way to see what information is available about your
institution is to look up your institution on College Navigator.
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6)
If my institution offers room or board, but not both, how should I report this on the Cost of Attendance page?
In this case, the “room and board” value must include both the known value and an estimate for the unknown value. Inclusion
of both meal cost and housing cost is necessary to generate a total cost of attendance, which is subsequently needed for Net
Price calculations. For example, if the institution offers meals but no housing, in the “on-campus room and board” field they
would need to enter a total that includes the cost of the meal plan plus as estimate of housing (such as a housing cost similar to
that of off-campus housing).
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| File Type | application/pdf |
| Author | Lawley, Tara |
| File Modified | 2019-06-21 |
| File Created | 2019-01-22 |