USI (Unique Student Identifier) Integration

Owned by Andrew Aylesbury
Last updated: Jul 16, 2024
4 min read

Introduction

USI (Unique Student Identifier)

The USI is a reference number assigned to each student in Australia who is enrolled in nationally recognised training or studying at a tertiary institution. International students studying in Australia and planning to graduate in 2023 or beyond need a USI. International students must land in Australia and go through customs before they can obtain a USI.

The USI is a unique identifier that allows for tracking of students' progress and achievement in courses across multiple education providers and systems.  A USI stays with the student for life, and must be recorded with any nationally recognised course they undertake. Students can use their USI to enrol in courses, access their training records, and share their information with other education providers or employers.

The USI was introduced in 2015 as part of the Australian government's reforms to the VET sector. It is designed to streamline the administration of VET courses and provide students with access to their training records and achievements in a central location.  From 1 January 2023, all higher education students, including those who commenced prior to 2021, must have a USI.

The key factors for a USI are as follows:

  • Personal information: To obtain a USI, students must provide their personal information, including their full name, date of birth, and contact details. This information is used to create a unique identifier for the student.

  • Verification: The USI system requires that a student's identity be verified before a USI can be issued. This is usually done through the use of official identity documents such as a passport or driver's license.

  • Access to training records: The USI is designed to give students access to their training records and achievements across multiple education providers and systems. This means that education providers must report a student's enrolment, progress, and completion data so that it can be accessed by the student through their USI account.

  • Privacy and security: The USI system is subject to strict privacy and security standards to protect the personal information of students. Education providers and other organisations that use the USI must comply with these standards to ensure that student data is kept confidential and secure.

Compliance

In terms of compliance reporting, the USI is an important tool for education providers to maintain accurate and up-to-date records of their students' enrolment, completion, and achievement data. The Australian government requires education providers to report this data. This data is used to monitor the quality of courses and to inform policy decisions.

As part of the compliance reporting requirements, education providers must ensure that each student has a valid USI before they can be enrolled in a course. The USI must be verified by the education provider at the time of enrolment.

The USI allows for accurate and consistent reporting of student data, which is essential for monitoring the quality of courses and ensuring compliance with government regulations.

Meshed Platform

The USI Registry System is an online platform that allows registered training organisations (RTOs), education providers, and other authorised parties to access and verify a student's USI via web services.

The USI Registry System can be integrated (real-time) with the Meshed Platform to streamline the USI processes. This helps to reduce administrative burden and improve the accuracy and completeness of student records. 

To access the USI Registry System using the Meshed Platform integration an education provider must first register with the USI Registry System. This involves completing an online registration form, agreeing to the terms and conditions of use, and the configuration of authentication details in the Meshed Platform.

Once the integration is enabled the following functions are available:

  • USI creation and retrieval: The USI Registry System can be used to create and retrieve USIs for students. The Meshed Platform can send requests along with the student's personal and identifying information, to create or retrieve a USI.

  • USI authentication: The USI Registry System can be used to authenticate a student's USI. The Meshed Platform can send requests along with the student's USI and other relevant details, to verify the USI and ensure that it belongs to the correct student.

USI Integration Setup

The Meshed USI Integration allows for a two-way, real-time integration with the USI Registry System, by using a web services connection.


AUSkey, the government authentication and authorisation service, has been replaced by the government digital identity service – myGovID and Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM). Together, these services offer an easy, secure and more flexible authentication and authorisation solution. Standard and Admin AUSkeys have been replaced by myGovID and RAM, whereas, Device AUSkeys have been replaced by a new Machine-to-Machine (M2M) authentication solution.


The USI Registry System is a government online service that requires Student Management System (SMS) users to use the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) credential for interaction. Machine credentials are used for system-to-system web services and is installed on the server hosting the training organisation’s system. A Machine credential identifies a business rather than a person. This means users of a USI web service-enabled Student Management System (SMS) do not need their own individual credentials.


The document below provides more information about the process and steps required to enable USI Integration with the Meshed Platform.