In fall 2024, the National Student Clearinghouse will deploy an enhancement to assist schools with non-required standalone academic terms. This is a significant change that applies to academic calendars where the non-required term is not part of a regular standard term, and will introduce the following:
- New warning codes: 292 and series 1901-1906 and 1861-1866
- Computed backdated campus-level Status Start Dates (SSD) and Program Status Effective Dates (PSED) in the Error Resolution Report on the Web (ERW) template for certain enrollment scenarios
This enhancement will ensure your school’s SSD and PSED reporting meet Federal Student Aid (FSA) requirements, enable proper loan servicing, and help your school avoid audit findings due to failure to adhere to FSA continuous enrollment guidance (e.g., non-required terms, like summer).
Which Enrollment Submission Types Will the Warning Codes Flag?
The flag can occur on incoming Early Registration, First-of-Term, Subsequent-of-Term, Summer First, Summer Subsequent, Non-Compulsory Non-Summer, and Graduates Only enrollment file submissions. It is limited to students who are reported with at least a half-time status during a required term (e.g., spring and fall) and less than half-time during the non-required term (e.g., summer).
What are the New Warning Codes?
- Warning Code 292: SSD defaulted due to a previously suppressed status
- Warning Code 1901-1906 series: Program PSED defaulted due to previously suppressed status
- Warning Code 1861-1866 series: PSED previously defaulted due to suppressed status
NOTE: “Suppressed status” refers to a non-required term (e.g., summer) Less than half-time status.
The warning codes, which are in red, must be accepted or changed. If you assess the SSD and PSED computed by the Clearinghouse are accurate, you can accept the computed dates. If you want to change the SSD and/or PSED for a record flagged with one or more of the new warning codes, you can update it manually or mass correct the ERW with assistance from the Data Operations Analyst assigned to your enrollment file. You must replace the defaulted computed date with the effective date you determine is accurate.
Examples of Different Enrollment Scenarios
In this first example, the student had at least half-time status during the spring and fall terms and was less than half-time during the summer term. On the ERW, the incoming fall First-of-Term enrollment file has WC292 and WC1901 flags and a computed date of January 8, 2024, for the SSD and PSED.
| Spring Term: 1/8/24-5/15/24 |
Summer Term: 5/20/24-7/15/24 |
Incoming Fall First-of-Term file: 9/2/24-12/13/24 |
| STUDENT A Status: Full-time SSD: 1/8/24 |
STUDENT A Status: Less than half-time SSD: 5/20/24 |
STUDENT A Status: Full-time SSD: 9/2/24 |
| Program 1 CIP: 240101 Status: Full-time PSED: 1/8/24 |
Program 1 CIP: 240101 Status: Less than half-time PSED: 5/20/24 |
Program 1 CIP: 240101 Status: Full-time PSED: 9/2/24 |
Here, the student was at least half-time during the spring term and less than half-time during both the summer and fall terms. On the ERW, the incoming fall First-of-Term enrollment file has WC292 and WC1901 flags and a computed date of September 2, 2024, for the SSD and PSED.
| Spring Term: 1/8/24-5/15/24 |
Summer Term: 5/20/24-7/15/24 |
Incoming Fall First-of-Term file: 9/2/24-12/13/24 |
| STUDENT B Status: Full-time SSD: 1/8/24 |
STUDENT B Status: Less than half-time SSD: 5/20/24 |
STUDENT B Status: Less than half-time SSD: 5/20/24 |
| Program 1 CIP: 240101 Status: Fulltime PSED: 1/8/24 |
Program 1 CIP: 240101 Status: Less than half-time PSED: 5/20/24 |
Program 1 CIP: 240101 Status: Less than half-Time PSED: 5/20/24 |
For students less than half-time during a non-required term, when both the spring and fall terms have at least half-time enrollment status that match, National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) compliance advises the fall term SSD and PSED reflect the same continuous SSD and PSED as the spring term. In Scenario 1, the federally compliant fall term SSD and PSED is January 8, 2024. In Scenario 2, the federally compliant fall term SSD and PSED is September 2, 2024.
Where Can I Learn More About Enrollment Reporting Error and Warning Flags?
Our Error Resolution Report Guide provides detailed descriptions and images for each error and warning code, the reasons they occurred, step-by-step resolution instructions, and information on how to prevent recurrence. You can also watch our tutorial on the new 292 and series 1861-1866 and 1901-1906 warning codes.
If I Have a Question, Who Should I Contact?
Please contact the Data Operations Analyst assigned to your enrollment file. Your Data Operations Analyst’s direct contact information is available on the summary screen within the Clearinghouse Error Resolution on the Web application.
Maintaining Enrollment Status Effective Date Compliance for SSD and PSED
For enrollment reporting to the Clearinghouse, we advise you include non-required (non-compulsory) term(s) on your transmission schedule and report students who are:
- At least less than half-time on the non-compulsory Summer First and Summer Subsequent enrollment files or
- Have a withdrawn or graduated status for the non-required term
There are some enrollment scenarios that may warrant a backdated SSD and/or PSED for the required term that immediately follows the non-required term to ensure compliance with federal guidance.
Per FSA and NSLDS, students who are expected to return for the next consecutive required academic term are considered continuously enrolled during any non-required term (e.g., summer).
Warning Codes 292, 1861-1866, and 1901-1906 will assist schools in reporting compliant enrollment status effective dates (SSD and PSED) for the term (e.g., fall) that immediately follows the non-required term (e.g., summer).
Resources:
- Watch our Warning Code 292 and series 1861-1866 and 1901-1906 tutorial
- Access all our Enrollment Reporting tutorials on the Clearinghouse Academy