Sex identifier(SEXID)

All students

Providers should not use *J data to complete this field due to the UCAS definitions not aligning to the HESA SEXID field. It is expected that providers survey their students to gather this information.

Continuing students should be asked this question every year, and the data must be updated throughout a student's Engagement where applicable.

Recommended question: ‘What is your sex?’

This question is vital for equality monitoring in Higher Education. The SEXID field records the sex of the data subject. Respondents considering how to answer should use the sex recorded on one of their legal documents such as birth certificate, Gender Recognition Certificate, or passport. If there is any conflict, the newest document should be referenced. 

Providers are not expected to verify the sex of every student although they must make reasonable efforts to ensure that in aggregate the data for the provider is accurate.

It is recommended that the question regarding sex is asked alongside those relating to gender identity (see GENDERID) and transgender status (see TRANS).

Data protection considerations behind the design of this field can be found here

Guidance on valid entries

12 Other: this code should only be used only for a third sex that is legally recognised by another country - this will recognise the scenarios where, for example, an international student/staff member has a legal sex other than male or female.

96 Information refused: this code should be used where the data subject explicitly states that they do not want to provide the information. As data on sex is fundamental to use of the data it is expected that the “Information Refused” option is not presented to the data subject by default.

99 Not available: this code should be used in cases where it is not possible to supply the information (such as a cyber-attack). This option should not be presented to data subjects.