When our system performs matching, it takes the information you entered for each student and looks for matching records in our enrollment database before or after the student’s search begin date (this depends on the search option you choose).
For example, if you perform a subsequent enrollment query on John A Smith, born January 1, 1990, with a search begin date of September 15, 2008, our system will return all term records it can locate for John A Smith, born January 1, 1990, with a term end date of September 15, 2008 or later (for degree records, a degree award date of September 15, 2008 or later).
The system will not return records if the student’s information has a directory (FERPA) block, if the student’s information has not been submitted by the reporting institution, or if the system cannot locate any matching records within your search range.
Data Quality
The information in our enrollment database contains records for 98% of all postsecondary students in the United States. Most institutions provide information to us on a monthly basis. When performing queries, remember to give reporting institutions time to submit and correct their data.
If you perform queries by semester, we recommend performing them during the following times to make sure you capture the most available data:
- Spring Semester: Mid-April
- Summer Semester: Mid-August
- Fall Semester: Mid-November
Updated Matching Students’ Lived Names
The National Student Clearinghouse started allowing the submission of Lived Name data elements in December 2023. A student’s lived (or preferred name) is a self-chosen persona and/or preferred professional name. This name is separate from the legal name and is used as a fundamental component of the student’s identity.
StudentTracker users can now include any version of a student’s name (lived or legal) in their batch query files, and the Clearinghouse system will match that name to our records. The StudentTracker application will return whichever name was initially included on the request file in the student detail report, even if some records were matched under a different name. StudentTracker will not identify if the records returned in a detail report were matched on a lived or legal name.
Users who are searching with a known lived name, or who are unsure if they are using a lived name or legal name, should plan to use the StudentTracker batch query function, as the single student search feature does not accommodate search variables for names other than legal name.
