Table of Contents
For a list of student enrollment status codes and definitions, see Student Enrollment Statuses.
Advanced Registration Files
Advanced registration files are optional files that supply pre-enrollment data for students who are pre-registered for the upcoming term in Myhub and and Student Self-Service, which provide students with enrollment verifications for housing, health insurance, and discounts on things like computers and software. The data is available immediately and until the first day of the term.
Advanced registration files are for Myhub and Student Self-Service data only, not for compliance reporting or lender/loan deferment verification purposes.
We recommend advanced registration files for institutions that participate in Myhub and Student Self-Service.
| When to Transmit Advanced Registration Files |
| Any time before the term begins |
Early Registration Files
See Early Registration vs. Advanced Registration for details about how these two files types differ.
Early registration files are optional files used for compliance reporting for standard, required terms only. These files capture student status changes that occur before the term census date and before you submit your first-of-term file (if you have multiple terms starting on separate dates).
Early registration files only report deferrable statuses (full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time). We do not process less than half-time or withdrawn records in early registration files.
Early registration files make enrollment information available sooner for students who register early in the term and are certified at least half time at the start of the term. Transmitting an early registration file can be beneficial for students who are continuing in the same statuses and programs you reported for the prior term.
We recommend early registration files for:
- Institutions that participate in EnrollmentVerify
- Large institutions with over 5,000 students enrolled
- Institutions with large populations of student loan borrowers
- Institutions that plan to transmit first-of-term files more than 18 days after the start of the term
- Institutions whose add/drop period ends significantly after the beginning of the term
| When to Transmit Early Registration Files |
| After the term begin date AND Before the term census date BUT No later than 10 days after classes begin |
You must transmit the prior term’s data before submitting an early registration file.
We strongly recommend that you transmit early registration files after the first day of the term, as transmitting these files on or before the term begins can cause NSLDS errors due to future status start dates and certification dates.
First-of-Term Files
The first-of-term file is the file that begins the term’s reporting to the Clearinghouse. It reports data for students whose student loans should be deferred for the current term and students who have not returned from the prior term and should be reported as withdrawn.
First-of-term files are crucial to student loan repayment obligations and compliance reporting. They help the NSLDS determine which students returned and/or began enrollment for the new term and the last dates of attendance for students who did not return for the new term.
| When to Transmit First-of-Term Files |
| After the add/drop period ends AND Within 30 days of the term begin date |
You must transmit the prior semester’s data before submitting a first-of-term file.
Subsequent-of-Term Files
Subsequent-of-term files report enrollment for students who registered late and students who have withdrawn or changed status after the registration period ended or during the term.
| When to Transmit Subsequent-of-Term Files |
| Every 30 to 45 days |
End-of-Term Files
End-of-term files report enrollment for students who registered late and students who have withdrawn or changed status during the term.
If possible, include the graduated status at the campus level and/or for the completed program for each graduating student.
| When to Transmit End-of-Term Files |
| No earlier than five days before the term end date AND No later than two weeks after classes end AND No more than 45 days after your last transmission |
Graduates Only Files
Graduates only files are for reporting Graduated (G) and Withdrawn (W) status students that are not reported in your end-of-term file as G or W.
You must report G or W status on the completed/withdrawn program for each student.
| When to Transmit Graduates Only Files |
| After the term ends AND / OR Once your institution has awarded degrees |
Summer Term Files
The NSLDS considers active students with at least half time status who are not withdrawn continuously enrolled during non-standard terms such as summer terms. If your institution offers summer sessions, you should transmit summer term files to the Clearinghouse.
| When to Transmit Summer Term Files |
| At the beginning and end of the summer term |
Non-Standard/Special Term Files
If your institution offers other non-standard terms, you should transmit special term files to the Clearinghouse.
| When to Transmit Special Term Files |
| At the beginning and end of each special term |