The August 2025 Single Data Return (SDR) introduces significant enhancements to streamline course management and support the transition to final-year Fees Free funding. These changes aim to reduce administrative burden for Tertiary Education Organisations (TEOs) while supporting new government initiatives.
Course Register Enhancements
Learning Hours and Volume Research Factor
Previously, TEOs using CSV files to upload new courses into DXP faced a cumbersome two-step process. Learning Hours and Volume Research Factor could only be entered manually in DXP’s Course Register after the initial CSV upload, as these fields were not included in the SDR Course Register CSV file.
The August 2025 update addresses this inefficiency by adding both Learning Hours and Volume Research Factor fields directly to the SDR course register file. This enhancement will expedite course setup for TEOs who utilise these fields, eliminating the need for manual data entry after CSV uploads.
* You can find these two fields under the component level in SELMA SIS.
Course Enrolment Updates
Apprenticeship Field Reinstatement
The Managed Apprenticeship field has undergone significant changes. Initially removed from the data specification to align with Unified Funding System (UFS) requirements, the field has now been reinstated following a policy decision. However, it will be renamed simply to “Apprenticeship” for the August 2025 SDR submission.
Final-Year Fees Free Implementation
Policy Shift
A major policy change to transition from first-year to final-year Fees Free funding. Starting in 2025, learners beginning their final year of study may claim fees for their final year from the government after completing their first eligible qualification.
Administrative Framework
The new system establishes a clear division of responsibilities:
- Inland Revenue (IR) will administer payments directly to learners
- TEC remains responsible for checking qualification eligibility, calculating learner entitlements, and providing data to IR for eligibility verification and payment facilitation
- TEOs must provide additional data through SDR, replacing the previous Workspace2 system used for first-year Fees Free
New Data Requirements
The final-year Fees Free implementation requires TEOs to capture and submit several new data fields:
| Field | Purpose | File | Mandatory | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRD Number | Learner identification and enhanced learner experience with IR | Learner/Qualification Completion | No | Can be captured on qualification completion file if unknown at enrolment |
| Secondary School Programme Indicator | Identifies courses undertaken as part of school learning programmes or secondary-tertiary programmes | Course Enrolment | Yes | These course enrolments are excluded from Fees Free eligibility |
| Actual Course Fee Amount | Captures course tuition and compulsory course costs charged to learners | Course Enrolment | Yes | Critical for establishing Fees Free entitlement calculations. This is the sum of the course tuition fee and course compulsory fee |
| Qualification Completion Date | Records when learners meet all requirements for qualification award | Qualification Completion | Yes | |
| Linked Qualification for Fees Free | Handles exit qualifications or expired qualifications where course enrolments were reported under different qualification codes | Qualification Completion | No | Links to the original qualification code for accurate entitlement calculations |
Implementation Impact
These changes represent a significant modernisation of the SDR system, addressing long-standing workflow inefficiencies while supporting major policy shifts in tertiary education funding. TEOs should prepare for these changes by:
- Updating their course registration processes to include Learning Hours and Volume Research Factor data
- Preparing systems to capture the renamed Apprenticeship field from August 2025
- Implementing data collection processes for final-year Fees Free requirements
- Ensuring staff training on new field requirements and their implications for learner funding.
The August 2025 SDR submission will mark a pivotal transition toward more streamlined course management and the implementation of final-year Fees Free, ultimately benefiting both educational institutions and learners through improved administrative efficiency and funding accessibility.
Join our AUG SDR Webinar on 1st August!
The SELMA SIS team will walk you through all the changes in the system to get you ready for the new SDR. To join, fill in the form below