HESA data collection form
You must complete and return this form with your registration agreement.
Your answers to these questions will be used for reporting purposes by The Open University, the Higher
Educational Statistics Agency (HESA) and the Office for Students (OfS). The information you provide will not
affect your access to OU qualifications and modules or services, but you do need to complete this form in
order to register.
The Open University, like all UK Universities, is required to provide statistics about its students to HESA.
The information also helps us see whether we are achieving our goal of widening access and participation
in higher education.
We also use your data to identify if you need support (in conjunction with other data), inform academic
research, provide you with relevant opportunities, and ensure that views of students with specific
characteristics are represented.
For more information about how The Open University process student data, please see
[Link]
Name Date of birth Postcode
Personal Identifier (if known) Unique Learner Number (ULN) (if known)
Scottish Candidate Number (if you know it from any previous school or college examinations):
Q1. What is your motivation for study?
Employment/career and
Mainly employment/career Mainly personal development personal development
equally important
Don’t know I do not wish to declare
Q2. What type of educational institution did you attend before starting OU study?
UK state school Any non-UK institution UK FE college
UK independent school UK Higher Education institution
Q3. Have you ever attended a higher education course (i.e. above A level or equivalent) in the UK for six months or
more?
Yes No
The following question is about your parents’ level of education. This includes natural parents, adoptive parents,
step-parents or guardians who have brought you up, and should be answered by all students,
not just young people.
Q4. Do any of your parents (as defined above) have any higher educational qualifications, such as a degree,
diploma or certificate of higher education?
I prefer not to answer
Yes No Don’t know this question
Q5. Which of the following best describes your sexual orientation?
Bisexual Gay or lesbian Heterosexual or straight
Other sexual orientation Prefer not to say
Q6. Please describe your religion or belief.
No religion Christian – Other denomination
Buddhist Hindu
Christian Jewish
Christian – Church of Scotland Muslim
Christian – Roman Catholic Sikh
Christian – Presbyterian Church in Ireland Spiritual
Christian – Church of Ireland Other religion or belief – please state (optional)
Christian – Methodist Church in Ireland
I prefer not to say
Q7. If you live in Wales, please tell us what you consider to be your National Identity
(you may select one or two categories):
British English Welsh Scottish
I prefer not to answer
Irish Other
this question
Q8. If you live in Wales, are you a Welsh speaker?
Yes – a fluent Welsh speaker Yes – a Welsh speaker but not fluent No
Q9. If you live in Wales, have you undertaken a Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma?
Yes, I have undertaken the diploma
Yes, I achieved the qualification No
but did not achieve the qualification
Q10. If you live in Scotland, do you have any dependants?
‘Young people or children’ refers to people aged 17 and under who are financially or otherwise dependent on you.
Yes – young people or children No
Yes – other relatives / friends Yes – young people / children and other relatives / friends
SUP 032265