Extended Deadline: Refresh of HESA Student and Ambassador Data for the 2023 HESA Track cycle in September 2025

Following the release of the delayed 2022 HESA Track cycle data, we will be undertaking a refresh of our HESA snapshot and extract of Student and Ambassador data for the 2023 HESA cycle. As part of this cycle, Students and Ambassadors expected to enter higher education (HE) between 2015 and 2023 (inclusive) will be sent to Jisc for tracking into the HE population.

The new deadline for members to check the Student and Ambassador records to be included in the refreshed HESA extract for the 2023 HESA Track cycle is Tuesday 30^th September 2025.

Why are we extending the deadline?

We are refreshing the Student and Ambassador data extract to ensure that we provide the most up-to-date data to Jisc for linking. For GDPR compliance, it is not only important to ensure that the records we send for tracking are as accurate as possible but also that all records sent for tracking meet the eligibility criteria, which might have changed since the last extract had been taken.

Additionally, by allowing additional time to check tracking eligible Students and Ambassadors, we can include any records eligible for the HESA Track that were added to the database by new members who joined HEAT after the annual fixed data entry and cleaning deadline had passed at the end of November 2024.

What do members need to do before the new deadline?

For the majority of members, it is likely that Student records included in the 2023 cycle will remain unchanged since the November 2024 extract, unless changes were made to your Students’ ‘Expected HE Entry Year’, or other eligibility criteria, on the system.

The following search filter link (members only) can be used to export your Student records and review those you expect to be included in the 2023 cycle meet the criteria:

• 2023 HESA Track cycle Student search

If you’d like to limit your data to those Students who have not already been tracked in a previous HESA Track cycle, you can also apply the additional ‘Tracked by HESA’ = No filter to your search:

• Tracked by HESA = No

Student and Ambassador Eligibility Criteria

As a reminder, here are the criteria Students must meet to be included in the 2023 HESA Track cycle:

• Student record is ‘Complete’ (General tab)
• Permission to Track is ‘Yes’ (Privacy tab)
• Record State is ‘Current’ (Audit tab)
• ‘Expected HE Entry Year’ is between 2015 and 2023 (General tab)

The following is the criteria Ambassadors must meet to be included in the 2023 HESA Track cycle:

• Ambassador record is ‘Complete’ (General tab)
• Permission to Track is ‘Yes’ (Privacy tab)
• Record State is ‘Current’ (Audit tab)

Please rest assured that this refresh will not result in any loss of data, and that we will follow our normal process of tracking records tracked in the previous cycle for updates on their entry and post-entry status (for example, their HE progression, continuation, degree attainment). This refresh will only have the effect of capturing the most up-to-date version of the existing Student and Ambassador records being sent to Jisc, and any additional records added since the end of November 2024.

Why do we use the term ‘cycle’ rather than ‘cohort’ when it comes to the HESA Track?

In each HESA Track cycle, multiple cohorts of Students and Ambassadors are tracked within the HE population to access HE progression data for those who have just entered, continuation data for those who entered in the previous year, and qualification, further study, and graduate outcome data for those who entered HE earlier. This why we use the term ‘cycle’ rather than referring to a specific cohort being tracked.

Upcoming 2024 HESA Track cycle

It is important to note that the refresh of the 2023 HESA Track extract will not replace the planned HESA Track data extract for the 2024 HESA Track cycle, which will include Students and Ambassadors up to 2024 expected HE entry.

At this point, we are not aware of any delays to the 2024 HESA Track cycle and anticipate for the snapshot and Student and Ambassador data extract to be taken according to the usual annual timeline. The scheduled fixed and final deadline for preparing, entering and cleaning all Student and Ambassador data on the system for the 2024 HESA Track cycle is Friday 28^th November 2025.