Managing USIs in higher education

Learn about USI verification, student name formatting, and provider responsibilities.

Higher education providers need to encourage students to:

  • create their USI as soon as possible
  • use identification stating their legal name
  • use the same verifiable identification document (ID) to create their USI and tax file number (TFN) to ensure Tertiary Collection of Student Information (TCSI) system verification and qualification issuance. 

It is important that the same verifiable ID is used to create both a USI and TFN as these 2 elements are used by TCSI to verify a student.

Higher education training provider responsibilities

Higher education providers need to:

  • request and record the USIs of commencing students on enrolment (unless the student is an international student who has not yet entered Australia)
  • ensure any student commencing in a CSP has provided a USI prior to census date
  • ensure the Commonwealth Assistance Form (CAF) or eCAF includes the student’s USI
  • report the USI as part of the Department of Education reporting cycle.

Student names and USI verification

When a student creates a USI, their name must exactly match their verifiable identification to allow Document Verification Service (DVS).

If a student’s name is recorded differently by a higher education provider, it will not verify, creating a discrepancy with the Tertiary Collection of Student Information (TCSI) system and the USI.

If the USI cannot be verified, students may not be able to:

  • access Commonwealth financial assistance
  • enrol in their course
  • view their results
  • graduate.

Correct name recording

As a provider, you must record student names exactly as they appear on their USI account. Advising students to change their name on their USI account to match your system may cause verification failure.

  • If the student’s verifiable ID includes a first, middle, and last name, the USI must be created exactly as displayed.
  • If the student has only a single name, the USI will be created with a single name. The USI Student Portal allows students to select this option

Example of name formatting

First name, middle name 
and family/last name		First name and family/last nameSingle name

John = first name

James = middle name

Smith = last name

John James = first name

Smith = last name

Cher = single name

Student Management System (SMS) users should contact their system developers if the name field options shown above are not available.

Confirming a student’s USI name

To confirm a student’s name, there are 2 options for students to share their USI details.

  1. Log in to the USI Student Portal
  2. Select Provide your USI 
  3. Select 'Print USI’ to provide a hard copy or
  4. 'Email your USI' by entering the email address then selecting 'Send' 

Shared details will include:

  • USI number
  • First name
  • Middle name (if applicable)
  • Last name
  • Date of birth
  1. Log in to the USI Student Portal
  2. Select ‘Provide Your USI’
  3. Scroll to ‘Set up access to your USI account / Permissions’ then select 'Add Organisation'
  4. Enter the organisation code or name (this must match the details on training.gov.au or the TEQSA National Register)
  5. Set the permission type
  6. Choose an expiry date between 3 months and 2 years
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