Clearinghouse: A Gateway For International Students' Dreams

The National Student Clearinghouse is an organization founded in 1993 by the higher education community. It provides authenticated and secure education data insights to educators, learners, businesses, and policymakers. The Clearinghouse helps educational institutions and organizations make data-driven decisions to improve learner outcomes. It offers services such as enrollment reporting, transcript ordering, and verification of in-school status and graduation information for students and alumni of U.S. colleges and high schools. The Clearinghouse also helps schools comply with federal regulations and facilitates the exchange of data between departments of education, lenders, and schools. While the Clearinghouse primarily serves U.S. institutions, it is not clear if international students studying in the U.S. or U.S. citizens studying abroad are included in their data.

International students can order transcripts and check their status

For international students planning to attend the University of South Florida (USF), it is mandatory to submit transcripts to enroll. They must submit final official transcripts that reflect their graduation date before their first day of classes. If they have attended multiple institutions, separate official transcripts from each institution are required. International transcripts that are not in English must be accompanied by certified English translations.

USF has outlined specific requirements for transcripts based on the country of the student's previous education. For instance, Cambridge Exam results can be verified through direct.cie.org.uk, and if verified, A-Level certificates must be submitted for review. If the Cambridge Exams cannot be verified, official Cambridge certificates must be requested directly from Cambridge. Similarly, EDEXCEL certificates must be requested directly from EDEXCEL.

USF's preferred method of receiving transcripts is by email from an official staff member or guidance counsellor at the student's previous educational institution. The email must include the student's full name and USF ID number. Alternatively, students can opt to submit their transcripts in person when they arrive at USF, but the documents must remain sealed and be delivered directly to the Office of Admissions.

It is important to note that the processing time for transcripts can vary. USF, for example, estimates a processing time of 4-6 weeks. Additionally, the format in which transcripts are received (electronic or paper) is typically decided by the receiving institution. International Baccalaureate (IB) transcripts, for instance, can be sent to institutions via a secure IB website or as a paper transcript.

To check the status of their transcript order, students can refer to the university's applicant portal, where they can view the progress of their transcript evaluation. The status may indicate that the transcript has been received and is under review, or it may show that the transcript is completed, meaning all coursework has been finalised with a final grade and a degree or graduation date has been provided.

The Clearinghouse helps schools save time by responding to verification requests

The National Student Clearinghouse, founded in 1993, provides trusted, secure, and authenticated education data insights. The Clearinghouse helps schools save time by responding to verification requests. It offers unique verification, data exchange, and compliance services to help educational institutions maximize their time, resources, and knowledge.

The Clearinghouse's verification services enable schools to efficiently manage and track verification requests, including adding records, managing pending requests, and viewing transmissions. Schools can access the Verification Services Dashboard to view and prioritize pending verification requests, with the oldest requests displayed at the top. This helps schools respond to requests in a timely manner.

The Clearinghouse also provides immediate verification of enrollment and graduation information for students and alumni of most U.S. colleges and universities, as well as high school diplomas. This service is available 24/7, helping students and graduates get jobs faster and meet graduate school deadlines.

Additionally, the Clearinghouse offers the StudentTracker® 3.0 platform, which simplifies data access and interaction for high schools, districts, consortiums, and state departments of education. This platform enables users to quickly obtain learner insights and make data-driven decisions to improve learner outcomes.

The Clearinghouse is committed to student privacy and compliance, which has earned the trust of institutions, organizations, and learners nationwide. By utilizing the Clearinghouse's verification services, schools can save time, improve efficiency, and provide timely responses to verification requests.

Schools must report the enrollment status of international students

Schools are required to report the enrollment status of international students to ensure compliance with visa requirements and to maintain accurate records for the institution and immigration authorities. This reporting obligation is particularly crucial in countries like Canada, where the International Student Compliance Regime was implemented in 2014 to identify non-compliant students and questionable schools.

In the context of Canadian colleges and universities, for instance, there have been instances where nearly 50,000 international students were listed as "no-shows," indicating their failure to adhere to the terms of their visas and attend classes as required. This highlights the importance of schools actively reporting the enrollment status of international students to relevant authorities.

The designated school official (DSO) plays a pivotal role in this process. The DSO is responsible for various reporting requirements, including authorizing curricular practical training programs, determining full-time course requirements, and granting extensions for students who are unable to complete their studies within the stipulated time. Additionally, the DSO can issue replacement copies of the I-20 ID, which is crucial for F-1 students and their accompanying spouses and minor children seeking admission to the United States.

To maintain their Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification, schools must adhere to federal reporting and record-keeping requirements. This involves complying with regulations governing international students, such as the requirement for F-1 students to maintain their status by making normal progress toward completing their educational objectives. Schools play a vital role in reporting enrollment status, ensuring compliance with visa requirements, and safeguarding the integrity of the international student program.

In summary, schools must report the enrollment status of international students to maintain compliance with visa requirements, support data-driven decision-making, and prevent potential abuses of the system. The DSO serves as a key liaison in this process, facilitating the necessary reporting and authorization procedures. By fulfilling their reporting obligations, schools contribute to the overall effectiveness and integrity of international student programs.

The Clearinghouse helps schools remain in compliance with federal regulations

The National Student Clearinghouse, founded in 1993 by the higher education community, is a trusted source of secure and authenticated education data insights. The Clearinghouse helps schools remain in compliance with federal regulations in several ways. Firstly, it assists schools in automating their federally mandated enrollment reporting, reducing the costs and time spent on compliance reporting. This automation also benefits education finance providers by enabling them to exchange data with a single entity, reducing paperwork and servicing expenses.

The Clearinghouse's Enrollment Reporting service allows schools to easily provide status updates on student financial aid recipients to the Department of Education and the finance industry. Smaller institutions with limited resources can utilize the Clearinghouse Online Reporting Application (CORA) to participate in basic services. The Clearinghouse also helps schools track and respond to changes in their borrowers' enrollment status, reducing loan delinquency and default rates.

Furthermore, the Clearinghouse provides one-on-one support through its Audit Resource Center, where compliance experts assist schools in understanding issues, providing documentation, and reducing negative audit findings. The Clearinghouse Academy offers live events, webinars, and tutorials to educate schools about enrollment reporting and other education services. Compliance Central is another resource that offers a searchable knowledge base and updates on the latest compliance-related information.

The Clearinghouse's commitment to compliance and student privacy has earned the trust of institutions, organizations, and learners nationwide. It respects the policies of participating institutions regarding the release of student data to third parties and facilitates compliance with laws such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Higher Education Act. The Clearinghouse also provides resources like the Gainful Employment (GE) and Financial Value Transparency (FVT) Resource Center, helping schools stay informed about regulatory requirements and offering free reporting solutions to comply with new legislation.

Students can block the Clearinghouse from releasing their name and attendance dates

The National Student Clearinghouse, founded in 1993, is a trusted source of secure and authenticated education data insights. It helps educational institutions and organizations make data-driven decisions to improve learner outcomes. The Clearinghouse collects education records, including directory and non-directory information, under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

While the Clearinghouse provides valuable services, students can choose to block the release of their personal information. FERPA allows for the disclosure of education records without student consent in certain circumstances. However, eligible students (over 18 or attending post-secondary school) and parents of non-eligible students have specific rights regarding their education records. These rights include the ability to inspect and review their records and request amendments.

To block the Clearinghouse from releasing their name and attendance dates, students can utilize the FERPA block feature. When a student has a FERPA block on their records, the requestor must provide the student's signed consent before any information is released. This ensures that the student maintains control over their data and who has access to it.

Additionally, the Clearinghouse's commitment to student privacy and compliance is evident in its DiplomaVerify service. This service verifies an individual's high school graduate status, graduation year, and high school name to employers and other authorized entities. However, this verification is performed only with the consent of the individual or their parent or guardian if they are under 18.

By providing options for students to block the release of their information, the National Student Clearinghouse maintains its commitment to student privacy and empowers students to control their data.

Frequently asked questions