Appendix J v40 tracked

Appendix J Student Materials v40_Tracked.pdf

2023-24 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:24) Full-Scale Study - Student Data Collection and Student Records

Appendix J v40 tracked

OMB: 1850-0666

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2023–24 NATIONAL POSTSECONDARY
STUDENT AID STUDY (NPSAS:24)
FULL-SCALE STUDY
STUDENT DATA COLLECTION AND STUDENT RECORDS

Appendix J
Student Data Collection Materials

OMB # 1850-0666 v. 40

Submitted by
National Center for Education Statistics
U.S. Department of Education

September 2023
revised December 2023
revised July 2024
revised October 2024

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This appendix includes the contacting materials that are planned to be sent to sample members to request their
participation in the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:24). The NPSAS:24 contact materials
include a brochure, website text, letters, e-mails, postcards, text messages, interesting facts and trend data, video
scripts, and merge fields. Within each grouping by contact type, the materials are listed in the tentative order they
will be sent to sample members, from the initial data collection announcement to a final thank you. We will send
materials to students at varying times throughout data collection. Beyond the initial data collection
announcement contact, the order of the reminder contacts in this document is not necessarily the set order in
which they will be sent. We have included more contacts than we will need during data collection to allow for
flexibility. Any of these templates may be sent in addition to scheduled contacts, in place of scheduled contacts,
or may not be sent at all. We will review the response rates to contact materials that have been sent and
determine which contact we believe will be the most effective at a given point in data collection. Once a sample
member’s case has been finalized (either as a final refusal, other final status, or completed survey), we will stop
sending reminders via mail, e-mail, text, and phone.
The tentative schedule for sample member contacts varies based on data collection wave. Therefore, each wave
will receive certain contacting materials at different times. Additionally, where applicable and available, select
Spanish materials will be substituted for English materials for sample members who have requested Spanish
contact materials.
We have inserted fills and merge fields into each contact to indicate where language may differ depending on
sample type or phase (such as boost and abbreviated survey interventions).. Merge fields within the contact
materials include the incentive payment options and other details specific to the case. The merge fields also
account for Office of Foreign Assets Controls cases that must either be paid via check or not be paid at all.
ControlID, addressID, and emailID are fills that we will use to track undeliverable contacts. For example, a
unique e-mail id is assigned to each e-mail address that we have for a particular case. The e-mail id is included at
the bottom of each e-mail as a way of tracking any undeliverable or bounced e-mails, ControlID is used for QC
purposes, and AddressIDs are used to track undeliverable physical mail.
We will send reminders, as needed, that reference the ‘Interesting Facts’ section. Not all the data will be used at
one time, but rather selected facts will be pulled from this section to create graphics and statements to be
included in contact materials.
<>
Once language is approved by OMB, we will adjust the formatting and graphics of the postcards containing QR
codes and the infographics mailings. We will assign each sample member a unique QR code to be included in the
letters and postcards for direct access to the survey.

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Tentative Schedule for Sample Member Contacts (dates are subject to change)
Contact
Data Collection Announcement Letter*
Data Collection Announcement E-mail*
Reminder E-mail 1*
Data Collection Announcement Text*
Reminder Postcard 1 (To the point)*
Reminder E-mail 2*
Text Message Reminder 1*
Reminder E-mail 3
Reminder Letter 1*
Reminder E-mail 4*
Text Message Reminder 2*
Reminder E-mail 5*
Text Message Reminder 3*
Reminder Postcard 2 (Sent only to sample members who are incentive eligible)*
Reminder E-mail 6
Reminder E-mail 7
Text Message Reminder 4
Reminder E-mail 8*
Reminder Postcard 3 (Policy Impact)*
Text Message Reminder 5
Reminder E-mail 9*
Reminder E-mail 10
Text Message Reminder 6*
Reminder Letter 2*
Reminder E-mail 11*
Text Message Reminder 7*
Reminder E-mail 12*
Reminder Postcard 4 (Desire to Help)*
Reminder E-mail 13
Text Message Reminder 8*
Reminder E-mail 14
Reminder Postcard 5 (Sent only to sample members who are incentive eligible)
Text Message Reminder 9*
Reminder E-mail 15
Reminder E-mail 16
Text Message Reminder 10
Reminder Letter 3
Reminder E-mail 17*
Text Message Reminder 11
Reminder E-mail 18
Reminder Postcard 6 (Interesting Facts)
Reminder E-mail 19*
Text Message Reminder 12
Reminder E-mail 20
Text Message Reminder 13*
Reminder Letter 4
Reminder E-mail 21*
Reminder E-mail 22*
Text Message Reminder 14
Reminder Postcard 7 (To the point)*
Reminder E-mail 23

I-3

Type
Mailing
E-mail
E-mail
Text
Mailing
E-mail
Text
E-mail
Mailing
E-mail
Text
E-mail
Text
Mailing
E-mail
E-mail
Text
E-mail
Mailing
Text
E-mail
E-mail
Text
Mailing
E-mail
Text
E-mail
Mailing
E-mail
Text
E-mail
Mailing
Text
E-mail
E-mail
Text
Mailing
E-mail
Text
E-mail
Mailing
E-mail
Text
E-mail
Text
Mailing
E-mail
E-mail
Text
Mailing
E-mail

Approximate Date
for Wave 1
2/19/2024
2/19/2024
2/28/2024
3/1/2024
3/9/2024
3/12/2024
3/17/2024
3/21/2024
3/29/2024
3/31/2024
4/3/2024
4/12/2024
4/18/2024
4/20/2024
4/23/2024
5/2/2024
5/5/2024
5/12/2024
5/13/2024
5/18/2024
5/22/2024
5/31/2024
6/3/2024
6/7/2024
6/12/2024
6/17/2024
6/21/2024
6/26/2024
7/3/2024
7/6/2024
7/15/2024
7/16/2024
7/19/2024
7/23/2024
8/1/2024
8/4/2024
8/7/2024
8/12/2024
8/17/2024
8/21/2024
8/26/2024
8/30/2024
9/4/2024
9/13/2024
9/18/2024
9/19/2024
9/20/2024
9/29/2024
10/3/2024
10/8/2024
10/9/2024

Contact
Text Message Reminder 15
Reminder E-mail 24
Reminder Letter 5
Reminder E-mail 25
Text Message Reminder 16*
Reminder E-mail 26
Abbreviated Survey Invitation Letter*
Abbreviated Announcement E-mail*
Text Message Reminder (Abbreviated)*
Thank You Letter – sent with check*
Thank You E-mail*
Additional Letter and Postcard Templates (Reminder templates) may be used in
addition to or in replacement of tentatively scheduled contacts. Non-reminder mailings
may be used as needed)

Type
Text
E-mail
Mailing
E-mail
Text
E-mail
Mailing
E-mail
Text
Mailing
E-mail

Approximate Date
for Wave 1
10/12/2024
10/16/2024
10/17/2024
10/21/2024
10/24/2024
10/26/2024
TBD
TBD
TBD
Rolling
Rolling

Incentive Boost Letter*
Incentive Boost Letter Reminder
Initial Contact Letter (Only Needed if survey…)
Infographics Mailing
Institution Support Letter
Holiday Greeting Card
Reminder Postcard 8 (Interesting Facts)
Reminder Postcard 9 (Desire to Help)
Reminder Postcard 10 (To the point)*
Reminder Postcard 11 (Policy Impact)*
Reminder Postcard 12 (Sent only to sample members who are incentive eligible)
Reminder Postcard 13 (Graphic of article from NPSAS:20 findings)
Incentive Boost Announcement Postcard*
Additional E-mail Templates (Reminder templates may be used in addition to or in
replacement of tentatively scheduled contacts. Non-reminder e-mails may be used as
needed)
Reminder E-mail 27
Reminder E-mail 28*
Reminder E-mail 29
Reminder E-mail 30
Reminder E-mail 31*
Reminder E-mail 32
Reminder E-mail 33*
Reminder E-mail 34*
Reminder E-mail 35*
Reminder E-mail 36*
Reminder E-mail 37*
Reminder E-mail 38*
Reminder E-mail 39*
Reminder E-mail 40*
Incentive Boost E-mail*
Initial Contact E-mail (Only Need if Survey...)
Institution Support E-mail
Contacting Reminder E-mail
General Holiday Themed E-mail
Thanksgiving Themed E-mail
Winter Holidays Themed E-mail
NPSAS Video E-mail (Theme: Inform Education)

Mailing
Mailing
Mailing
Mailing
Mailing
Mailing
Mailing
Mailing
Mailing
Mailing
Mailing
Mailing
Mailing

TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD

E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail

TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD

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Contact
NPSAS Video E-mail (Theme: Let Your Voice Be Heard)
NPSAS Video E-mail (Theme: What Should You Know)
NPSAS Newsletter E-mail 1
NPSAS Newsletter E-mail 2
NPSAS Newsletter E-mail 3
NPSAS Newsletter E-mail 4
NPSAS Newsletter E-mail 5
Partial Complete E-mail 1
Partial Complete E-mail 2
Paired Contact E-mail
Recent Voicemail Message E-mail
Interruption in Data Collection - Notice/Warning E-mail
Interruption in Data Collection - Resume E-mail
Pending Ineligible E-mail*
Reviewed Pending Ineligible E-mail*
Refusal E-mail
No Good Address for Check E-mail
Canceled PayPal E-mail
Missing incentive Data E-mail
No Contact E-mail
Outstanding Check E-mail
Expired Check E-mail
Preferred to Complete Online E-mail
Data Collection Extension E-mail
Data Collection Staff Prompt E-mail
Missing PayPal E-mail
Needs Incentive Selection E-mail (Didn’t Select Incentive)
Failed PayPal Payment E-mail*
Returned PayPal E-mail*
Unclaimed PayPal E-mail*
Bad Address E-mail for Check Incentives*
Undeliverable Check E-mail*
Auto Reply E-mail
Non-FAFSA Filer E-mail 1
Non-FAFSA Filer E-mail 2
Non-FAFSA Filer E-mail 3
Unable to Contact E-mail
Request an Extension E-mail
Extension E-mail
Soft Prompt (Data Collection Continues) E-mail
Additional Text Message Templates (Reminder templates may be used in addition to or
in replacement of tentatively scheduled contacts. Non-reminder text messages may be
used as needed)
Text Message Reminder 17
Text Message Reminder 18
Text Message Reminder 19*
Text Message Reminder 20 (Last Week)*
Text Message Reminder 21 (Last Day)*
Data Collection Extension Text
Infographic Text Reminder
4th of July Text Reminder
General Holiday Text
End of Year Holiday Text

I-5

Type
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail
E-mail

Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text

Approximate Date
for Wave 1
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD

TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD

Contact
Interruption in Data Collection - Notice
Interruption in Data Collection - Resume
Refusal (Not a Stop Text Refusal)
No Good Address for Payment (for those who completed using text password)
Canceled PayPal Text (for those who completed using text password and selected PayPal for
Incentive)
Missing Incentive Data Text (for those who completed using text password)
Opted into Receiving Texts During Data Collection (Via CATI, E-mail, or Website)
Auto-Reply*
Incentive Boost Text Announcement
Meet the NPSAS Expert Text*
Recent Voicemail Message Text
Non-FAFSA Filer Text 1
Non-FAFSA Filer Text 2
Non-FAFSA Filer Text 3
Non-FAFSA Filer Text 4
Text Message Reminder to International Students
Thanksgiving Themed Text
Reply Requested Text (to help verify we have the right person)
Soft Prompt (Data Collection Continues) SMS

Type
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text

Approximate Date
for Wave 1
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD

Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text

TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD

Specific contact materials that have been translated into Spanish are denoted by a * in the tentative schedule,
within the below Table of Contents, and on the individual contact materials.

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Contents
Brochure Text* ............................................................................................................................................................... I-8
Website Text* ............................................................................................................................................................... I-11
Home Page English | Español .................................................................................................................................... I-11
NPSAS 2023–24 CATI Consent Text* ........................................................................................................................ I-16
Letters ........................................................................................................................................................................... I-18
As Needed Letters ....................................................................................................................................................... I-31
E-mails .................................................................................................................................................................... I-39I-37
As Needed E-mails ................................................................................................................................................ I-82I-78
Postcards ........................................................................................................................................................... I-125I-112
Text Message Reminders ................................................................................................................................. I-133I-120
As Needed Texts ................................................................................................................................................ I-136I-123
Intervention Announcements ........................................................................................................................... I-138I-125
Interesting Facts – Trend Data ......................................................................................................................... I-145I-130
Video Scripts – Meet the NPSAS Expert ......................................................................................................... I-152I-137
Letter Merge Fields ............................................................................................................................................ I-155I-140
Postcard Merge Fields ...................................................................................................................................... I-157I-142
E-mail Merge Fields ........................................................................................................................................... I-160I-145
Communication Materials Translated into Spanish* ..................................................................................... I-165I-150

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Brochure Text*
FRONT COVER
2023–24 NATIONAL POSTSECONDARY STUDENT AID STUDY (NPSAS:24)
PANEL 1, FLAP
Who is conducting NPSAS?
The 2023–24 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:24) is conducted by the National Center for
Education Statistics (NCES), in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, with data
collection being carried out under contract by RTI International, a U.S.-based nonprofit research organization.
NCES is authorized to conduct NPSAS by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA, 20 U.S.C.
§9543) and to collect students’ education records from educational agencies or institutions for the purposes of
evaluating federally supported education programs under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974
(FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35).
How will my information be protected?
NCES is required to follow strict procedures to protect personal information in the collection, reporting, and
publication of data. All of the information provided by individuals or institutions may be used only for statistical
purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law
(20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C §151).
NPSAS data security procedures are reviewed and approved by NCES data security staff. Your survey answers
are secured behind firewalls and are encrypted during internet transmission using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
protocol. All surveys are password protected and require the user to log in to access the survey. NCES
employees and contractors are subject to large fines or imprisonment if individual responses are disclosed.
INSIDE PANELS
What is NPSAS?
The 2023–24 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:24) is a national study of approximately
162,000 students enrolled in postsecondary education. The study collects information on how students and their
families pay for postsecondary education and includes students from all types of postsecondary institutions,
regardless of whether they receive any type of financial assistance (e.g., grants or loans). In addition to students
completing a survey, information is collected from sources such as enrollment and federal student loan
databases. No other national study informs U.S. educational policymakers about financial support for
postsecondary education like NPSAS.
Why am I being asked to participate?
As a student enrolled in postsecondary education during the 2023–24 academic year, your participation is crucial
for helping educators, researchers, and policymakers better understand the student financial aid landscape.
NPSAS is the primary source of information used to analyze federal student aid and to inform public policy on
the effectiveness of these aid programs.
Students like you represent a wide variety of backgrounds and academic institutions. Strong student participation
is what makes it possible to have a complete picture of the costs and benefits of postsecondary education. Your
survey responses will represent other students enrolled at your institution who were not selected to participate in
NPSAS. If you choose not to participate, no one can be substituted for you.
Make your experience count by participating in the U.S. Department of Education’s 2023–24 National
Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:24)!
What happens to the results?
As with results from previous NPSAS rounds, the results will be posted on the NCES website as soon as they
are available. Individual responses are combined and presented in summary form only. We do not publish
individually identifying information. You can learn more at https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/npsas/.
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Researchers will use NPSAS and other NCES data to explore a wide variety of topics, including student loan
debt and persistence in postsecondary education.
How do I participate?
Participation is easy! You can complete the NPSAS survey (available in English or Spanish) online or over the
phone.
During survey data collection you may receive reminder communications in any of the following ways:




Mail on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics / U.S. Department of Education
E-mails from <//<>
Text messages and phone calls on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education

Online
Log onto the study website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/npsas using the Study ID and password provided to
you in your survey invitations.
The survey is mobile-optimized, so it can be easily completed on a mobile device.
Phone
Call our Help Desk at 877-677-2766 to speak to one of our professional interviewers who are happy to assist
you.
Did you know?

BACK COVER
Contact Us to Participate
For assistance with the survey, please contact the study Help Desk or visit the website:
877-677-2766
<> or <>
https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/npsas
If you have questions or concerns about NPSAS, contact:
RTI International
Jennifer Wine, Ph.D.
NPSAS Project Director (RTI)
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jennifer@rti.org
800-723-8942
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
Tracy Hunt-White, Ph.D.
NPSAS Study Director (NCES)
tracy.hunt-white@ed.gov
202-245-6507
Conducted by: U.S. Department of Education; Institute of Education Sciences; National Center for Education
Statistics
https://nces.ed.gov
OMB Control Number: 1850-0666 Learn more about our confidentiality procedures at:
https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/npsas/confidentiality
NCES 2023-401

I-10

Website Text*
Home Page English | Español
Welcome to the 2023–24 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:24)
Please enter your NPSAS survey Study ID and password:
Study ID
Password
□ Show me what I’ve typed
You can find your Study ID and password in a NPSAS mailing or e-mail sent to you. Need your Study ID
number or password? (hyperlink to Login Help page)
Have you lost your Study ID or password?
Fill out this request form and we will e-mail your Study ID and password to you. Providing as much information
as possible will help us respond to your request more quickly.
Study ID number (if known):
First Name (required):
Last Name (required):
Date of Birth (MM/YYYY):
Postsecondary Institution Name (2023–24 academic year):
E-mail Address (required):
Cell Phone (XXX-XXX-XXXX):
Other Phone (XXX-XXX-XXXX):
Update Contact Info
English | Español
Click on the fields below to enter the information:
Study ID
First Name
Middle Name
Last Name
Suffix (drop-down)
Former Name (if applicable)
Cell Phone (XXXXXXXXXX)
Phone (XXXXXXXXXX)
E-mail Address
Other E-mail address
Address
Address Line 2
City
Select State (drop-down)

Home Phone (XXXXXXXXXX)

Work

Zip

<>[ONCE CONTACT INFO PAGE SUBMITTED, REDIRECT TO HOME PAGE]

I-11

Contact Us English | Español
If you need assistance with completing the survey online, have questions regarding the 2023–24 National
Postsecondary Student Aid Study, or prefer to complete the survey by phone, please contact us using the
information below.
E-mail

<>//<>

Telephone

877-NPSAS-NOW (877-677-2766)

Help Desk staff are available at the following times to assist you:
Monday-Thursday
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Friday
9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Saturday
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday
1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
All times are Eastern Time (ET).
Who should I contact if I have additional questions or concerns?
If you have additional questions or concerns, NPSAS project staff are available to respond to your questions
Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET.
NPSAS Staff
RTI Project Director

NCES Study Director

What to Expect

Jennifer Wine, Ph.D.
jennifer@rti.org
800-723-8942
Tracy Hunt-White, Ph.D.
Tracy.Hunt-White@ed.gov
202-245-6507
English | Español

How can I complete the NPSAS survey?
You may complete the NPSAS survey on the Web – simply log in  by entering your
Study ID number and password, which are provided in the NPSAS letter or e-mail you received. You can even
complete it on your mobile device. If you need assistance accessing the survey on the website, or if you want to
complete the survey by telephone, contact the NPSAS Help Desk by calling 877-677-2766 or sending an e-mail
to <>//<>.
Will I receive reminders to take the survey?
During data collection, you could receive reminder communications in any of the following ways:




Mailings on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics
E-mails from NPSAS@ed.gov (or NPSAS@rti.org)
Text messages and phone calls on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education or from a 202 area code

How long will the survey take?
For most people, we expect the survey will take about 30 minutes, depending on your answers. You do not have
to complete the survey in one session. You can get started and, if you choose, you can easily log out and resume
at a later time.
Do I have to participate?
Participation in this study is voluntary; however, your involvement is very important to the success of this study.
By participating, you have the opportunity to help policymakers, researchers, and others better understand how
students and their families pay for postsecondary education.

I-12

Can I refuse to answer a question?
You may refuse to answer any question at any time. If you choose not to answer or are unable to answer a
particular question, you may still continue with the rest of the survey. Just leave the question blank and click the
‘next’ button to move on to the next question.
How do I know your website is secure?
The NPSAS website is protected by Secure Sockets Layer technology. Your survey responses are collected over a
secure server and connection also protected by SSL. SSL encrypts the communication between your browser and
the NPSAS web server so your data will be kept secure.
Should I use a particular web browser to take the web survey?
The survey will work on any popular modern browser such as Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, or Safari
which provide consistent support for well-established web standards such as CSS and ECMAScript (JavaScript).
If you are having any trouble completing the survey, please call our Help Desk at 877-677-2766 and we will be
happy to assist you.

Previous Results English | Español
Why is your participation so important?
 NPSAS is the primary source of information used by the federal government (and others, such as
researchers and higher education associations) since 1987 to analyze student financial aid and to inform
public policy on student financial aid programs such as Pell Grants and Direct/Stafford loans.
 You are part of an exclusive group of students selected to represent other students enrolled at your
institution.
 Your personal circumstances are unique, and you cannot be replaced in this study.
 Your participation is critical to understanding and helping to meet the financial needs of postsecondary
students in the United States now and in the future.
As with all prior NPSAS surveys, results will be presented in summary form only; no individual results will be
published.
Here’s what we’ve learned from previous NPSAS surveys…
NPSAS was last conducted during the 2019–2020 academic year and included about 276,000 undergraduate and
20,000 graduate students enrolled in approximately 2,200 postsecondary institutions. Students with a variety of
financial situations were surveyed, including those who received financial assistance (grants, scholarships, loans,
awards, and stipends) as well as those who did not receive financial assistance. Selected findings from previous
NPSAS surveys are presented below.
[INSERT SELECTED TREND DATA FROM INTERESTING FACTS – TREND DATA, PAGE I-145I130]
Confidentiality
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is required to follow strict procedures to protect personal
information in the collection, reporting, and publication of data. All of the information provided by individuals
or institutions may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form
for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C §151).
Data security procedures for NPSAS are reviewed and approved by NCES data security staff. Your answers are
secured behind firewalls and are encrypted during internet transmission using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
protocol. All data entry modules are password protected and require the user to log in before accessing
confidential data. Project staff are subject to large fines and/or imprisonment if they knowingly publish or
communicate any individually identifiable information.

I-13

Congress has authorized the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of
Education’s Institute of Education Sciences to collect data about the costs of postsecondary education because
policymakers at all levels need reliable and current national data in order to make decisions about postsecondary
education.
NCES is authorized to conduct the 2023–24 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study by the Education
Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA, 20 U.S.C. §9543) and to collect students’ education records from
educational agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under
the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35).
The study has been approved by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The valid OMB control
number for this information collection is 1850-0666. The expiration date is 02/28/2026.
Important note regarding text message communications for federal studies and the TCPA
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), under 47 U.S. Code §227, is a federal statute enacted in 1991
to safeguard consumer privacy. This legislation restricts telemarketing communications via voice calls, SMS texts,
and fax without explicit prior consent. TCPA does not restrict NPSAS:24 research survey communications,
provided those communications are made with the explicit consent of the participant or the contact is not made
using an auto dialer.
During the course of data collection, you may receive text message reminders regarding survey participation. You
have the option to opt out of text message reminders at any time. Neither text messaging contact nor consent
information will be shared with any third parties unless required by law.
You can learn more about TCPA by clicking here https://www.fcc.gov/general/telemarketing-and-robocalls. If
you have any questions regarding our use of text message reminders, you can reach us by e-mail at
<>//<> or by phone at 877-677-2766.
About NPSAS English | Español
The 2023–24 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:24) collects data from a nationally
representative sample of about 162,000 students enrolled in postsecondary education. Students from all types of
Title IV postsecondary institutions—less-than-2-year institutions, community colleges, and 4-year colleges—are
selected to participate, whether or not they receive any type of financial assistance (grants, scholarships, loans,
awards, and stipends). NPSAS results will help policymakers and researchers better understand how students and
their families pay for higher education.
Congress has authorized the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of
Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES) [hyperlink to: https://ies.ed.gov] to collect data about the
costs of postsecondary education because policymakers at all levels need reliable and current national data in
order to make decisions about postsecondary education. In addition to a student survey, NPSAS collects
financial aid, student record, and related information from sources such as student loan databases and
admissions testing agencies. Previous rounds of NPSAS were conducted in 1987, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2000, 2004,
2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020.
NPSAS is being administered for NCES by RTI International, a U.S.-based nonprofit research firm
(www.rti.org).
To learn more about the data from previous NPSAS cycles, visit NCES’s NPSAS website
https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/npsas/.
NPSAS Informational Materials
Please click on any of the below for more information about NPSAS and why your participation is so important.
[INSERT VIDEO(S) FROM TABLE -– VIDEO SCRIPTS, PAGE I-152I-137][NCES TWEETS, BLOG
POSTS, INFOGRAPHICS, OR NCES DATA RELEASES]
I-14

Footer (Included on all pages of the student website, including login and welcome page. Not
included on the student survey pages.) English | Español
National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences
OMB Clearance No: 1850-0666 Expiration Date: 02/28/2026
NCES is authorized to conduct the 2023–24 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study by the Education
Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA, 20 U.S.C. §9543) and to collect students’ education records from
educational agencies or institutions for the purpose of evaluating federally supported education programs under
the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The data
are being collected for NCES by RTI International, a U.S.-based nonprofit research organization.
All of the information you provide may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used,
in identifiable form, for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151).
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of
information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this voluntary
information collection is 1850-0666. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to
average approximately 30 minutes per survey response, including the time to review instructions, gather the data
needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy
of the time estimate, suggestions for improving this survey, or any comments or concerns regarding the status of
your individual submission of this survey, please write directly to: The 2023–24 National Postsecondary Student
Aid Study (NPSAS:24), National Center for Education Statistics, Potomac Center Plaza, 550 12th St., SW, Room
4007, Washington, DC 20202. OMB Clearance No: 1850-0666 Expiration Date: 02/28/2026.

I-15

NPSAS 2023–24 CATI Consent Text*
Study members see the Web Consent Text when they log in to complete the self-administered survey. When study members agree to
complete the survey via CATI, the CATI Consent Text is read to sample members over the telephone by an interviewer. PLEASE
NOTE: CATI screen labels may be different in the final CATI programming, but the consent text will be the same as noted below.
CATI Consent Text:
LTR_S - (THIS SCREEN IS READ TO ALL SAMPLE MEMBERS INTERVIEWED VIA PHONE). (read to
all sample members who opted for CATI):
Recently, we sent you material about the U.S. Department of Education's National Postsecondary Student Aid
Study (NPSAS:24). The survey is being conducted to determine how students and their families pay for
education beyond high school. Some students, such as those who completed their bachelor’s degree
requirements between July 1, 2023 and April June 30, 2024, and other special groups, may be selected for a
follow-up study.
The survey is expected to take about <
File Typeapplication/pdf
File TitleMicrosoft Word - Appendix_J_Student_Materials_v40_TRACKED
AuthorCarrie.Clarady
File Modified2024-10-23
File Created2024-10-23
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