Graduation Rates for 4-year institutions reporting on a fall cohort

The following changes were implemented for the 2022-23 data collection period:

The "Nonresident alien" category has been changed to 'U.S. Nonresident’ but should include the same students.
A gender question has been added at the end of the collection to collect information about students for whom gender does not fit the binary gender (Men/Women) categories provided. Institutions should still allocate those students to the Men/Women category throughout the rest of the survey component at this time.
An FAQ (#7) has been added to clarify where to report undocumented and DACA students in race/ethnicity categories.
Change the term ‘summer term’ to ‘summer session’ throughout the instructions and FAQs. 

Changed the existing instructions for r/e reporting in student surveys to include information on reporting Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and undocumented students

Method of reporting aggregate data - Institutions must report aggregate data to the U.S. Department of Education using the NINE categories below. Racial/ethnic designations are requested only for United States citizens, residents, and other eligible non-citizens. Eligible noncitizens include all students who completed high school or a GED equivalency within the United States (including DACA and undocumented students) and who were not on an F-1 non-immigrant student visa at the time of high school graduation. More information about other eligible (for financial aid purposes) non-citizens is available at https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility/requirements/non-us-citizens.

• Hispanic or Latino, regardless of race

For Non-Hispanic/Latino individuals:

• American Indian or Alaska Native
• Asian
• Black or African American
• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
• White
• Two or more races

In addition, the following categories may be used:

• S. Nonresident
• Race and ethnicity unknown

Racial/ethnic descriptions - Racial/ethnic designations as used in this survey do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological origins. The categories are:

• Hispanic or Latino- A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
• American Indian or Alaska Native- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.
• Asian- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
• Black or African American- A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
• White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

Other descriptive categories

• S. Nonresident - A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely. Do not include DACA, undocumented, or other eligible noncitizens in this category. NOTE – U.S. Nonresidents are to be reported separately, in the boxes provided, rather than included in any of the seven racial/ethnic categories.
• Race and ethnicity unknown - This category is used only if the person did not select EITHER a racial or ethnic designation.

New FAQ on reporting DACA/undocumented students

In which race/ethnicity category do I report undocumented and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students? Undocumented and DACA students who completed high school or a GED equivalency within the United States and who were not on an F-1 non-immigrant student visa at the time of high school graduation are considered eligible non-citizens and their race/ethnicity should be reported using the seven race/ethnicity categories provided:

• Hispanic or Latino, regardless of race

For Non-Hispanic/Latino individuals:

• American Indian or Alaska Native
• Asian
• Black or African American
• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
• White
• Two or more races

If a student’s race/ethnicity is unknown, you can include them in the race/ethnicity unknown category.

Report data to accurately reflect the time period corresponding with the IPEDS survey component, even if such reporting is seemingly inconsistent with prior- year reporting.

Once a student is in the cohort, they remain in the cohort, even if their status changes to part-time or they drop out or transfer out of the institution. However, adjustments can be made to the cohort for allowable exclusions, which include the death of a student, permanent disability, military deployment, or service on an official church mission or with a foreign aid service of the Federal government.

When reporting award levels for sub-baccalaureate certificates, 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.