National Student Number - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the National Student Number?

The National Student Number (NSN) is a unique identifier that can be used by authorised users for the following approved purposes:

• monitoring and ensuring a student's enrolment and attendance; 
• ensuring education providers and students receive appropriate resourcing; 
• statistical purposes; 
• research purposes; and 
• ensuring that students' educational records are accurately maintained.

All other uses are prohibited.

How is the National Student Number authorised?

The NSN is now authorised under Part 30 of the Education Act 1989.  Previously, the NSN was granted an exemption from Information Privacy Principle 12(2) of the Privacy Act 1993 by the Privacy Commissioner, by issuing the Post-Compulsory Education Unique Identifier Code 2001.  This code will be revoked by the Privacy Commissioner.

Why does the education sector need a unique identifier?

The National Student Number (NSN) is a contributing factor to the education sector's ability to maximise the potential of available technology to improve administrative processes. It facilitates the collection and management of core identity information about a student in a central location and for the NSN to be accurately linked to information about a student for approved purposes.

The ability to collect data at student level for longitudinal analysis provides a valuable resource for research, analysis and policy development. The use of the NSN removes the need for personal names to be retained in research data, which enhances the privacy of individuals. The alternative means of collecting student level data over time requires periodic surveys of the same children, along with maintaining current contact information.

Will the National Student Number help raise the student achievement?

The National Student Number (NSN) on its own will not help raise student achievement.  Including the NSN in applications and processes such as student enrolment and in the collection of data at a student level will have an indirect link to raising student achievement.

For example, the ability to identify the long-term educational achievements of students who have received support services, such as reading recovery, behavioural support, will add to the evaluation of the effectiveness of the programmes at improving the educational outcomes of those students requiring support services.

Who does it affect?

All students enrolled in a New Zealand school or tertiary education provider. 

NCEA students and tertiary students already have a National Student Number (NSN).  From mid-2008 students in ENROL: the School Student Enrolment Register will be assigned an NSN.  All new students enrolling in a New Zealand school for the first time will also be assigned an NSN. 

Students enrolling in tertiary education for the first time will also be assigned an NSN, if they do not already have one.  Children in early childhood education services may also receive an NSN in the future.

What are the initiatives that could use the National Student Number?

Authorised users can only use the National Student Number (NSN) for initiatives that fit within the approved purposes in the Act.  New purposes can only be added through a change to the Act.

Current processes and initiatives that use the NSN include:

• Enrolment processes: the NSN is recorded in ENROL: the School Student Enrolment Register, and also in a school’s student management system.
• e-asTTle: this is an online assessment tool for school students 
• Single data return: tertiary education organisations include the NSN in the data return for statistical and funding purposes
• Roll returns: the NSN is included in this twice-yearly return from schools
• Record of Achievement: the NSN is the identifier in a student’s record of learning, which is maintained by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority

What information will be collected to assign the National Student Number?

The following information is collected when a National Student Number (NSN) is assigned to a student: 

• full name, as shown on identity documents like a birth certificate or passport as well as official name changes and preferred names 
• date of birth 
• gender 
• residential status

Who has access to this information?

The student can request the information held on the National Student Index that relates to them.  Only authorised users are able to access the National Student Index, which manages the National Student Number (NSN).  Authorised users of the NSN include education providers (schools, tertiary education organisations and at a later stage, early childhood education services) and the Ministry of Education, NZ Qualifications Authority, Tertiary Education Commission, Careers Services and Statistics NZ.

Can other authorised users be added in the future?

Additional authorised users can be added by regulation, following consultation with the Privacy Commissioner.  This process was followed when Statistics NZ was approved as an authorised user in 2008. 

How will you prevent misuse of the National Student Number?

The Education Act 1989 includes an offence provision, with a penalty up to a maximum of $15,000, for a conviction of misuse of the National Student Number (NSN). 

The Ministry of Education will highlight the permitted uses for each authorised user and the penalties for misuse as the system is implemented.  Appropriate audit records and procedures will be established to enable the Ministry to monitor use of the systems which use the NSN.

Privacy impact assessments will be completed for future uses of the NSN to identify and mitigate any privacy risks. The Ministry's Code of Conduct states that misuse or disclosure of official information, which includes all personal information, could result in disciplinary action, including dismissal. The Ministry and all authorised users must comply with the obligations of the Privacy Act 1993.

What did the Privacy Commissioner say about the proposal to extend the National Student Number?

The Privacy Commissioner provided feedback on the proposal to extend the use of the NSN via legislation rather than a privacy code.  The Privacy Commissioner noted that it was appropriate for such a proposal to be done by specific statutory provision following Parliamentary scrutiny, and that it would be desirable for the Ministry of Education to revisit its privacy impact assessment, in consultation with the Commissioner, once the National Student Number begins to be used in other initiatives.

Where can I access the Privacy Impact Assessment?

The Privacy Impact Assessment is available here (link to PIA heading on the NSN page – Information for school students and parents)

Will this number be linked to records held by other agencies, e.g. Health, Justice, IRD?

No.  Any additional users, including government agencies, must be authorised via regulations following consultation with the Privacy Commissioner.

Will this number become a de facto national identifier?

The Education Act 1989 specifies the purposes that the National Student Number (NSN) can be used for, and the agencies permitted to use the number.  These provisions and the Privacy Act 1993 prevent the NSN, or other identifiers such as the National Health Index number, tax number, becoming a de facto national identifier.