TCSI May Newsletter 2025

Providers reporting data to TCSI via the TCSI Data Entry portal are reminded to take care when updating records via file uploads.

File uploads to the TCSI Data Entry portal allow providers to create, modify, and delete multiple records at once.

File uploads for the University and TEQSA staff data collection
The higher education full time staff files do not require the full history of work classifications to be reported each time the file is uploaded. Instead, provide full information for each staff member and work classification information for the current E415: reporting year in your file.

For example, a staff member working two roles each year will require three rows in the file upload each year. The “full-time staff” information type (row one) and “work classification” information type (rows two and three). One row for each role they perform. The following year, the staff member will also have three rows in the file, with the “full-time staff” information type (row one) and “work classification” information type (rows two and three). One row for each role they perform, but with a later E415: Reporting year value for the following year. Providers are encouraged to reach out to TCSI Support if they experience any issues uploading staff data to TCSI.

Please note that leaving a staff member out of your full-time staff file will not remove that staff member or their work classifications from the database. If you incorrectly reported a staff member in 2025, please contact TCSISupport@education.gov.au for advice on deleting the incorrect record.

File uploads for VET, HEP and PIR student collections
It is important for providers to remember that you must include all information types for all existing records. Leaving out an information type row in a “Student”, “Course”, “Course Admission”, or “Unit Enrolment (AOU)” file will cause that information to be deleted from the TCSI database.

For example, a student may have three rows of citizenship history, and two rows of disability information stored in TCSI. A user attempting to upload a file to update the student’s address, must also include the three rows of citizenship and two rows of disability information even though nothing has changed for those rows. Failing to submit those rows will trigger the deletion of the student’s disability and citizenship information.

This file upload behaviour is detailed in the file template user guide available at the top of the file templates webpage for each provider type:

• Higher education file templates
• VET Student Loans file templates
• Provider information Request (PIR) file templates

A worked example was also provided at the ‘Updating Records in TCSI Data Entry’ segment of the TCSI March 2024 Provider Webinar.

All providers are invited to attend upcoming webinars and drop-in sessions.

These sessions are an excellent opportunity to get up-to-date information and to ask any questions you might have about TCSI.

A list of upcoming TCSI webinars can be found below:

To attend the scheduled 2025 monthly TCSI webinars live, please register via the TCSI News Centre webpage.

Recordings of previous webinars can be found at the following locations:

• For Monthly provider webinars, please see the ‘Published Newsletters, Webinars and other media’ section of the News Centre webpage.

The 2025 staff data collection is now available in TCSI Analytics.

All higher education providers are required to submit and verify staff data by Friday 27 June 2025. When you verify your organisation's data, you are declaring that your staff data is accurate.

For Universities, staff data submission and verification are part of providers’ reporting requirements under the Higher Education Support Act 2023 (HESA). In scope staff need to be reported and verified as part of the staff data verification process.

For all other higher education providers, staff data submission and verification are part of providers’ reporting requirements under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA) and form part of the TEQSA provider information request. In scope, academic staff need to be reported and verified as part of the staff data verification process.

Please visit the 2025 Staff verification webpage for more information.

Two targeted webinars have been developed to help providers to complete the 2025 Staff data collection:

• 27 May 2025 focused on submitting staff data.
• 11 June 2025 will focus on verifying the data in TCSI Analytics.

Providers can register and view past recordings for the webinars via the registration links found on the TCSI News Centre webpage.

Providers are encouraged to access the Data Verification website for comprehensive information and instructions regarding verification, including what to submit, how to submit, how to verify and other useful tips. It is tailored to each provider type, so please use the table on the Data Verification page to select the information that matches your organisation type.

Clarifying information added for RTVs blocking amendments of old loans (10692, 10693 and 10694).

The ‘Error Resolution’ for the following RTV pages has been updated to provide additional information and clarity:

• RTV10692 – Attempt to amend an old HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP loan without a recently verified TFN
• RTV10693 – Attempt to amend an old SA-HELP loan without a recently verified TFN 
• RTV10694 – Attempt to amend an old OS-HELP loan without a recently verified TFN

The error resolution for these validations has been updated to include the following text: “When this validation is triggered, TCSI will automatically reattempt TFN verification, providers do not need to manually trigger TFN verification. If you receive this message, please reattempt to amend the record within 48 hours.”

When triggering any of these RTVs, providers should ensure that the amendment is intended. If intended, please reattempt to amend the record after 2 hours.

These RTVs are designed to prevent unintentional amendments to historic loans that are already committed at the ATO.

If the TFN remains unverified 48 hours after triggering any of these RTVs, please see the TCSI TFN Verification guide for further information on troubleshooting TFN verification issues.

Reporting of RTP stipend amounts has changed from 2025 reporting year onwards.

As previously communicated in the February 2025 Newsletter, the department has simplified the reporting of E623: RTP stipend amount for the 2025 reporting year onwards. Under the new arrangements, the E623: RTP stipend amount reported will be the annual full-time equivalent RTP stipend rate awarded to the student for the full reporting year.

The annual full-time equivalent RTP stipend rate is to be reported, even if the student completed their studies prior to the end of the year, the student's RTP stipend scholarship was suspended for a period during the year or the student studied on a part-time basis.

This change means that providers will not have to calculate the actual amount a student receives in a calendar year.

For more information and examples, please see the February 2025 Newsletter. If you have any questions or concerns about implementing this change, please contact RBGrants@education.gov.au 

Providers are also reminded that the E623: RTP stipend amount must only include the RTP stipend component of a student’s scholarship. RTP fees offsets, RTP allowances, other scholarships including top-up payments not funded through the RTP, industry co-payments, and any other scholarships or payments awarded to a student are not to be reported as part of the E623: RTP stipend amount.

Information on reporting HDR students to TCSI.

HDR RTP Scholarship Report

The HDR RTP Scholarship report will be amended to ensure a unique count of scholarships includes all relevant scholarships, not just those in major courses (based on E331: Major Course Indicators).

The enhancement will ensure every RTP Scholarship awarded to each student is reported in the RTP Scholarship count.

Reporting E487: Scholarship type

The following values are allowable for element E487: Scholarship type:

• 09 – A student receiving a Research Training Program (RTP) Fees Offset
• 10 – A student receiving a Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend
• 11 – A student receiving a Research Training Program (RTP) Allowance

Providers are reminded that other values, including ‘08’ ceased being active from 2021 and should not be reported against E487.

Reporting E560: Credit used value

Research block grants are calculated using 2 years of the most recently available research and development income and higher degree by research (HDR) student completions data. To assist the department in identifying the reasons for shorter than expected completion timeframes, providers are asked to ensure they report the EFTSL value of any credit/recognition of prior learning used towards the requirements of the course under E560: Credit used value, including credit transferred between related courses at your organisation.