National Student Number - Information for tertiary students

The Ministry of Education is responsible for developing education policy and providing advice to government on education matters.  To do this we need to have an accurate picture of what’s happening in education at any given time.  Building that picture is a challenge, particularly as there are hundreds of education providers and a range of statistical databases involved in the process. 

To simplify the task the Ministry, in collaboration with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) introduced National Student Numbers (NSN).  The NSN has been used for tertiary students and senior secondary school students sitting the National Certificate of Educational Achievement since 2001.  In 2006, a change to the Education Act 1989 gave the Ministry of Education authority to extend the NSN to all parts of the education sector.

The National Student Number

This number identifies students from each other and, when linked with information on each student, provides us with the basic data we need to assess trends and develop initiatives.  The numbers allow us to work with the information in a way that protects your privacy.

Your unique number stays with you for life—it remains the same even if you change education providers or change your name.  It is also used by NZQA to record credits and qualifications gained by learners on the National Qualifications Framework.  That means that if you have a Record of Learning number this will also be the NSN that your tertiary education provider uses.

From mid-2008 an NSN will be assigned to all school students in ENROL: the School Student Enrolment Register. 

The information we collect

We collect only basic information about students to be stored alongside the NSN.  The database containing this information is called the National Student Index (NSI).  It contains:

• official names shown on identity documents
• preferred or alternative names
• date of birth
• residential status
• gender
• NSN

The NSI does not include details about academic results.

Who has access to the NSI?

Any tertiary education provider that receives government funding or whose students are eligible for student loans and allowances has access to the NSI.  This is so they can assign the NSN for their students or update existing NSI records.

What you need to do

Basically, you don’t have to do a thing!  You will be assigned your NSN automatically when you enrol at a tertiary education provider.

An online form is available for individuals to request a copy of the personal details held on their NSI record.  The form can be accessed at:

http://nsi.education.govt.nz/survey/moe2.asp

Safety in numbers

Like any other database, the National Student Index is subject to New Zealand privacy laws.  Part 30 in the Education Act 1989 sets out that the NSN can only be used for the following purposes:

• Monitoring and ensuring student enrolment and attendance
• Ensuring education providers and students receive appropriate resourcing
• Statistical purposes
• Research purposes
• Ensuring that students’ educational records are accurately maintained.

Access to the database is very tightly controlled. 

While the Act provides the legal framework for use of the NSN, all agencies using the NSN and NSI must also comply with the Privacy Act. 

The information store for tertiary data

The Ministry uses the NSN in the Tertiary Data Warehouse, which is where it stores statistical information collected from tertiary education providers.  The warehouse allows for the different information to be combined for statistical and analytical purposes.  The Education Act and Privacy Act limits the ways in which identification numbers can be used to access or disclose the information held in the warehouse.

Finding out more

For more information about the National Student Index visit:
www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/nsi or e-mail on: sector.servicedesk@minedu.govt.nz