Provider EXACT Record Supplies (PERS)

The Provider EXACT Record Supplies (or PERS) is a service available exclusively to provider customers of the undergraduate or conservatoire schemes at UCAS. We will provide you with your underlying data from EXACT (our commissioned analytical data service) as a computer readable data file, under an Internal Use EXACT licence.

By opting-in to receive PERS, you will receive self-serve datasets enabling you to analyse your own performance throughout and/or at the end of the application cycle. PERS is provided as part of the UCAS capitation fee, and so there is no additional charge to opt-in to receive the data.

For both customers of the undergraduate and conservatoires scheme:

• Files will be provided in CSV format and will contain one record for each of your applications and acceptances.
• Files will contain all fields available through the EXACT data service for the scheme and cycle point of delivery. This will include applicant ID and all fields will have the EXACT technical definitions. A file listing these definitions will also be provided.

For customers of the undergraduate scheme, PERS is available at five cycle points throughout the year. The reference points for these cycle points are as follows:

• January deadline (typically available in February).
• June deadline (typically available in July).
• A level results day (typically available in September).
• Day 28 (typically available in October).
• End of Cycle (typically available in December).

For customers of the conservatoires scheme, PERS is available following the End of Cycle (typically available in December).

You must complete a request form (125 KB) (agreeing to the EXACT terms and conditions) and return it to EXACT@ucas.ac.uk to opt-in to receive PERS. If you are a customer of the undergraduate scheme, you only need to return a request form once per cycle.

So, for example, if you opt-in ahead of the January deadline PERS, you will remain opted-in for the rest of that cycle and will receive the June deadline, A level results day, Day 28, and End of Cycle supplies automatically.

We also provide PERS data retrospectively, and so if you sign up later in the cycle, you will receive all previous deliveries for the cycle. For example, if you opt-in at the Day 28 delivery, you will also receive your files for the January deadline, June deadline, and A level results day as well. You can request a re-issue of PERS by contacting EXACT@ucas.ac.uk.

Opt-ins do not carry over from one cycle to the next, so you should remember to opt-in at the beginning of each new application cycle should you wish to continue receiving PERS.

Reminders about opting in to receive PERS are sent in advance of each supply in the weekly provider bulletin. If you do not currently receive the weekly provider bulletin but would like to, you can sign up to receive it here.

PERS is available through MOVEit (the secure file transfer service) from the date that the data becomes available. Your UCAS primary correspondent will have access to MOVEit, and can set up new users. Files will be available on MOVEit to download for a period of four weeks only – then the files will be cleared from MOVEit, and you will no longer be able to access or download them.

When a new data supply is available, you will receive an email from the EXACT team (provided you are listed as a named contact for PERS), and an automated email from MOVEit (provided you are a MOVEit account holder) to alert you to the availability of the files, and advise you of the deadline to download them.

• PERS allows unprecedented access to your data, providing you with up-to-date information about your position, and enabling you to replicate analysis you could commission through EXACT.
• UCAS has worked closely with the Office for Students (OfS) to ensure the PERS datasets are exactly what you need to plug into their data collection tool in order to complete the annual transparency return, saving you time and effort in providing the OfS with aggregated data in the format required for submission.
• PERS data is a great way to explore and understand the variables available through EXACT and can help you to discover what data and reporting you can order about the sector and your competitors.
• PERS will help you to understand exactly where you are in terms of numbers at key points throughout the cycle, and benchmark and analyse your year-on-year trends.
• PERS enables you to pre-empt areas that need investigation and possible intervention, without being too late in the cycle to make a difference.