Records retention tables
Student administration and progress
Activity | Record group | Retention period | Citations and notes |
---|---|---|---|
Student administration policy development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's student administration policies: key records. | Superseded + 10 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student administration policy and procedures development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's student administration policies and procedures: working papers. | Issue of document + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Student administration procedure development | Master copies of procedures relating to student administration. | Superseded + 10 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student administration and support | Records containing personal data on individual students. | Minimum requirement varies for different types of personal data Recommended maximum retention: End of 'registered student' relationship with institution + 6 years. | Limitation Act, 1980. If the information forms part of the core record/transcript the retention may be longer (see below). Please note that this RRS applies to records from 01/08/2019 onwards, we advise users to observe any separate funding rules handed down by ESFA/appropriate funding bodies or any separate contract providers. More stringent safeguards are needed for special category data which includes information about an individual’s: race; ethnic origin; politics; religion; trade union membership; genetics; biometrics (where used for ID purposes); health; sex life; or sexual orientation See the ICO website for more information. |
Student administration and support | The core record of a student as a learner | This is the minimal record kept to provide references for former students and may be retained for the lifetime of the student (80 years). A core (minimal) transcript may be retained indefinitely after this time and transferred to the archive if the institution has one. This depends on the requirements of the individual institution and their archival facilities/policies. The core record may vary according to the policy of each institution but is likely to contain name and dates of study, modules studied, and the qualifications conferred. | Sector norms/Institutional business requirements/Institutional charter/Institutional memory and archival requirements. For details on what may constitute the core student record see: The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) User Guide 2015 What Is a Student Record? A Case Study by King’s College London, Appendix IV For more details on the HEAR, see the HEAR website and ‘Beyond the Honours Degree – the Burgess Group Final Report’ (October 2007) Guidelines for HE Progress Files, QAA (2001) Guide to the Diploma Supplement, UK HE Europe Unit (2006) |
Student administration and support | Records documenting the initial assessment of students including: 1. Student Qualifications on Entry 2. Key Skills Assessments 3. Care Student Assessments | Termination of student relationship + 6 years | Limitation Act 1980 c.58 1973 Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 |
Student progress administration | Individualised Student Record (ISRS). Individualised Learner Records. | Termination of student relationship + 6 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student progress administration | Records containing standard analyses of data from individual students' records. | Current academic year + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student progress administration | Records documenting the handling of requests for ad hoc analyses of data from individual students' records. | Last action on request + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Student progress administration | Records documenting the handling of individual students'/employers’ requests for statements of results/transcripts and requests for confirmation of individual students' awards, attendance or conduct from employers and other educational institutions. | Last action on request + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Student progress administration | Records documenting the design and conduct of Graduate Outcomes Surveys and (anonymised) summaries and analyses of the results of First Destination Surveys. | Current academic year + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student progress administration | Graduate Outcomes Surveys: individual responses | Completion of analysis of responses | These should not be kept longer than necessary, and this should be stated in the privacy notice when the data was collected. After this period, responses can be anonymised for the purposes of analysis to ensure compliance with GDPR. |
Student progress administration | Records documenting the academic progress of individual students and formal action taken by the institution to deal with unsatisfactory progress, the transfer of individual students to new programmes or to new courses within programmes, the withdrawal of individual students from the institution, and the termination of individual students' programmes | Termination of relationship with student + 6 years | Limitation Act 1980 c. 58 s 5 |
Student disciplinary and appeals case handling | Records documenting the conduct and results of disciplinary proceedings against individual students and academic appeals. | Last action on case + 6 years | Limitation Act 1980 c. 58 s 5 |
Student complaint handling | Records documenting the handling of complaints by individual students where the formal complaints procedure is not initiated. | Last action on complaint + 3 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student complaint handling | Records documenting the handling of formal complaints made by individual students against the institution. | Last action on case + 6 years | Limitation Act 1980, c.58 |
Student services strategy, policy and procedures development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's student services strategy and policies: key records. | Superseded + 3 years | Institutional business requirements. The institution may wish to transfer these records to the archive once they are no longer in active use. |
Student services strategy, policy and procedures | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's student services strategy, policies and procedures: working papers. | Issue of document + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Student support and welfare management
Activity | Record group | Retention period | Citations and notes |
---|---|---|---|
Student support and welfare management | Student counselling services: case notes, letters to doctors etc. | Varies Sector Overview 003, University and College Counselling Services (BACP) says: In making decisions as to how long to retain client records, services should take account of the sometimes conflicting considerations listed below:
| Limitation Act, 1980. British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) recommendations. The BACP Ethical Framework 2018 does not mandate the keeping of records but advises “keeping accurate and appropriate records”, you should balance this against the requirements of data protection legislation which state that personal information should be kept no longer than necessary. Counselling files contain Sensitive Information and are confidential. |
Student support and welfare management | Records relating to the provision of sports and recreational facilities. | Current year +3 | Institutional business requirements. |
Student support and welfare management | Records relating to careers advice. | Duration of enrolment +3 years | The Equality Act 2010. |
Student support and welfare management | Safeguarding and support records (including Prevent records) | Suggested maximum recommended: 6 years from last action | There is not explicit retention guidance from DfE for Prevent records though there is guidance on the Prevent duty generally:
|
Student recruitment
Activity | Record group | Retention period | Citations and notes |
---|---|---|---|
Student recruitment schemes and campaigns | Records documenting the design, operation and summary results of student recruitment schemes and campaigns. | Current academic year + 5 years OR Termination of scheme/campaign + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student recruitment | Records documenting the design, organisation and summary results of student recruitment events. | Completion of event + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. If any personal data is involved, this should not be kept longer than needed to administer the event. Data can be anonymised afterwards in order to provide summaries. |
Student recruitment | Records documenting the issue of student recruitment materials in bulk to schools and other organisations. | Current academic year | Institutional business requirements. |
Student recruitment | Records documenting the handling of enquiries from prospective students (subsequently registered as student). | Current academic year + 5 years Where students did not subsequently enrol at the institutional, the records can be retained current academic year + 1 year. | Competitive Market Authority |
Student recruitment | Summaries and analyses of enquiry, recruitment and retention data. | Current academic year + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student admission, registration and induction
Activity | Record group | Retention period | Citations and notes |
---|---|---|---|
Student admission | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's admission criteria and policies. | Superseded + 10 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student admission | Records documenting the handling of applications for admission: successful applications. | End of student relationship + 6 years | Limitation Act 1980 c. 58 s 5 |
Student admission | Records documenting the handling of applications for admission: unsuccessful applications. | Recommended: Current academic year + 1 year. | The Equality Act 2010 Minimum: Actions under discrimination legislation must usually be brought within 6 months. Reporting requirements for Office for Students. |
Student admission | Records documenting the administration of the clearing process. | Current academic year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Student admission | Records containing data on overall student numbers. | Current academic year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Immigration advice and compliance | Records documenting immigration casework/compliance for students, including the retention of immigration permission from students. | 6 years from last interaction relating to casework or 6 years after permanent withdrawal relating to immigration permission. | OISC Code of Standards: 2016 |
Student registration | Records documenting the registration of individual students on programmes. | Termination of student relationship + 6 years | Limitation Act 1980 c. 58 s 5 |
Student registration | Records containing summaries and analyses of data on registration of students on programmes | Current academic year + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student induction | Records documenting the design, conduct and review of induction programmes for new students. | Completion of induction programme + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student induction | Records documenting the administration of induction programmes and events for new students. | Current academic year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Teaching
Activity | Record group | Retention period | Citations and notes |
---|---|---|---|
Teaching strategy and policy development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's teaching strategy and policies: key records. | Superseded + 10 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Teaching strategy, policy, and procedures development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's teaching strategy, policies, and procedures: working papers. | Issue of document + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Teaching procedure development | Master copies of procedures relating to teaching. | Superseded + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Teaching quality and standards management | Records documenting the development of the institution's internal quality assurance processes. | While current | Institutional business requirements. |
Teaching quality and standards management | Records documenting the conduct and results of formal internal and external reviews of teaching quality and standards, and responses to the results. | Current academic year + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Taught programme development | Records documenting the design and development of (modules of) taught programmes. | Life of programme + 10 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Taught programme development | Records documenting the process of obtaining approval and/or accreditation for (modules of) taught programmes from professional, statutory or other accreditation bodies. | Life of programme | Institutional business requirements. |
Taught programme review | Data on, and analyses of, student numbers and other taught programme statistics. | Current academic year + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Taught programme review | Routine solicited feedback on taught programmes from staff and examiners: individual feedback. | Current academic year + 5 years OR Life of course + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Taught programme review | Routine solicited feedback on taught programmes from students: individual feedback | Completion of analysis of feedback | Institutional business requirements |
Taught programme review | (Anonymised) summaries and analyses of routine solicited feedback on taught programmes from staff, examiners and students. | Current academic year + 5 years OR Life of course + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Taught programme review | Reports of routine internal reviews of taught programmes and documentation of formal independent reviews of taught programmes, and the responses to the results. | Current academic year + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Taught programme delivery | Records documenting the preparation of teaching and learning materials, the planning and conduct of teaching and learning events. | Current academic year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Taught student assessment | Records documenting the design and development of assessments. | Life of programme | Institutional business requirements. |
Taught student assessment | Submitted/completed assessments (formative and summative assessments) and marks/grades given to submitted/completed summative assessments and, where appropriate, awards and classifications. | Current academic year + 6 years | Limitation Act 1980 c. 58 s 5 |
Taught student monitoring and support | Feedback on academic progress, and general academic guidance and support, given to individual taught students. | Completion of student's programme + 6 years | Limitation Act 1980 c. 58 s 5 |
Learning support
Activity | Record group | Retention period | Citations and notes |
---|---|---|---|
Learning support strategy, policy and procedures development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's learning support strategy, policies and procedures: key records. | Superseded + 10 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Learning support strategy, policy and procedures development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's learning support strategy, policies, and procedures: working papers. | Issue of document + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Learning support procedure development | Master copies of procedures relating to learning support. | Superseded + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Learning support resource development | The types of records produced will depend on the type of resource being developed. | Life of resource + 2 years OR Current year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Learning support administration | Records relating to Learning Support for Students with specific needs. | Current year + 7 years | The Equality Act 2010 |
Student relations
Activity | Record group | Retention period | Citations and notes |
---|---|---|---|
Student relations strategy and policy development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's student relations strategy and policies: key records. | Superseded + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student relations strategy development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's student relations strategy, policies and procedures: working papers. | Issue of document + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Student relations procedure development | Master copies of procedures relating to student relations. | Superseded + 3 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student communications management | Records documenting the establishment and operation of staff-student liaison committees. | Life of committee + 3 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student communications management | Records documenting the operation of staff-student liaison committees. | Current academic year + 3 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student communications management | Records documenting the design and conduct of student surveys. | Completion of survey + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student communications management | Results of student surveys: individual responses | Completion of analysis of survey responses | The retention period will depend on what was stated in the privacy notice when the data was collected. After this period, responses can be anonymised for the purposes of analysis to ensure compliance with GDPR. |
Student communications management | Results of student surveys: summaries and analyses of responses | Completion of survey + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student communications management | Records documenting the design of, and overall response to, student suggestion schemes. | Closure of scheme + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student communications management | Records documenting the handling of suggestions from individual students. | Last action on suggestion + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Academic programme administration and awards
Activity | Record group | Retention period | Citations and notes |
---|---|---|---|
Academic programme administration policy and procedure development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's academic programme administration policies, policies and procedures: key records. | Superseded + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Academic programme administration policy and procedure development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's academic programme administration policies and procedures: working papers. | Issue of document + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Academic programme co-ordination | Records documenting the administration of academic programmes. | Current academic year + 3 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Academic award administration policy and procedures development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's academic award administration policies and procedures (and master copies): key records. | Superseded + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Academic award administration policy and procedures development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's academic award administration policies and procedures: working papers. | Issue of document + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Academic award conferment | Records documenting the notification of awards to students and the issue of awards certificates. | Conferment of award + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Academic award conferment | Records documenting the process of inviting, receiving and considering nominations for honorary awards. | Conferment of award + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Academic award conferment | Records documenting offers of honorary awards and responses received. | Conferment of award + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Award ceremony administration | Records documenting the organisation of award ceremonies. | Completion of ceremony + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Award ceremony administration | Records documenting the production of award certificates. | Completion of ceremony + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Award ceremony administration | Records documenting the mailing of award certificates to students who do not attend ceremonies. | Completion of ceremony + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Prizes administration | Records documenting nominations for prizes, the consideration of nominations and notifications to recipients of prizes. | Current academic year + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Prizes administration | List of prize winners | While prize is awarded | Institutional business requirements. |
Assessment and examination
Activity | Record group | Retention period | Citations and notes |
---|---|---|---|
Academic assessment administration policy development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's academic assessment administration policies: key records. | Superseded + 10 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Academic assessment administration policy development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's academic assessment administration policies: working papers. | Issue of policy + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Academic assessment administration procedure development | Records documenting the development of the institution's procedures relating to academic assessment administration. | Issue of procedures + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Academic assessment administration procedure development | Master copies of procedures relating to academic assessment administration. | Superseded + 10 years | Institutional business requirements. |
External examiner administration | Records documenting the selection and appointment of external examiners. | Termination of appointment + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
External examiner administration | Records documenting liaison with external examiners on administrative matters. | Current academic year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Assessment administration | Records documenting the selection and appointment of examination invigilators. | Current academic year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Assessment administration | Records documenting the design and delivery of training for examination invigilators. | Current academic year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Assessment administration | Records documenting the control of examination papers and examination scripts. | Current academic year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Assessment administration | Records documenting the timetabling of examinations. | Current academic year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Assessment administration | Records documenting the organisation of examination facilities, including special arrangements for students with special needs. | Current academic year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Assessment administration | Records documenting individual students' attendance at examinations, and the handling of reports of mitigating circumstances. | Current academic year + 1 year (minimum) | Institutional business requirements. |
Assessment administration | Records documenting the collation of examination results and compilation of pass lists and individual notifications of results. | Current academic year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Assessment administration | Records documenting individual students' submission of assessed work and handling of reports of mitigating circumstances. | Current academic year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Assessment administration | Records documenting the issue of awards lists and individual notifications of awards. | Current academic year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Assessment administration | Qualification Lists/Pass Lists/Awards lists. | Issue of list + 10 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Dissertations | Certain specified examples of past dissertations made available as examples to students of an excellent display of academic rigor. | Preserve in relevant University department once student consent for ongoing storage and access by third parties is received | Institutional business requirements. |
Examination board administration | Records documenting the arrangements for meetings of a Board. | Current year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Examination board administration | Records documenting the conduct of the business of a committee: agenda, minutes and papers. | Current academic year + 6 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Examination board administration | Records documenting the conduct of the business of a committee: correspondence and other records relating to the preparation of committee business or to actions to be taken (or not taken) as a result of committee decisions. | Current academic year + 6 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Tuition fees
Activity | Record group | Retention period | Citations and notes |
---|---|---|---|
Tuition fees administration policy development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's tuition fees policies: key records. | Superseded + 10 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Tuition fees administration policy and procedures development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's tuition fees policies and procedures: working papers. | Issue of document + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Tuition fees administration procedure development | Master copies of procedures relating to tuition fees administration. | Superseded + 10 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Tuition fee remission | Records documenting the handling of applications for remission of tuition fees: successful applications. | Determination of application + 6 years | Limitation Act 1980 c. 58 s 5 |
Tuition fee remission | Records documenting the handling of applications for remission of tuition fees: unsuccessful applications. | Determination of application + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Tuition fee collection | Records documenting the collection of tuition fees. | Current academic year + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Student financial support
Activity | Record group | Retention period | Citations and notes |
---|---|---|---|
Student financial support administration policy development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's student financial support policies: key records. | Superseded + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Student financial support administration policy development | Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's student financial support policies: working papers. | Issue of policy + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Student financial support administration procedure development | Records documenting the development of the institution's procedures relating to student financial support. | Issue of procedures + 1 year | Institutional business requirements. |
Student financial support administration procedure development | Master copies of procedures relating to student financial support. | Superseded + 5 years | Institutional business requirements. |
Financial aid funds administration | Records documenting the provision of financial aid funds to individual students. | Current financial year + 6 years | Limitation Act 1980 c. 58 s 5 |
Crisis/hardship funds administration | Records documenting the provision of crisis/hardship payments to individual students. | Current financial year + 6 years | Limitation Act 1980 c. 58 s 5 |
Bursaries administration | Records documenting the award of bursaries to individual students. | Current financial year + 6 years | Limitation Act 1980 c. 58 s 5 |
Scholarships and fellowships administration | Records documenting the award of scholarships and fellowships to individual students. | Current financial year + 6 years | Limitation Act 1980 c. 58 s 5 |
Student financial and employment support | Records of administration of Student Financial and employment support such as: -New Deal Records -Modern Apprenticeship Records -Access Fund Applications. | Current year + 6 years | Institutional business requirements. |