1. How do I structure a SAFI message?
  2. Term Periods Element

10Term Periods Element

Breaks down individual terms, specifying dates and student statuses such as enrolled or withdrawn.

Required Element? No

Can Repeat? Yes

Field: Description

Description: Description of the term

Impact on Financial Aid Processing: Students will be packaged based on the terms present in the Student Academic and Financial Information (SAFI).

Example Data Type Required XML Schema Validation Accessible via Configuration? Display Locations
Fall Term String No No Yes getDescription()
  • Program Information
  • Packaging
  • Disbursing

Field: Start Date

Description: Date that represents the student's term start date

Impact on Financial Aid Processing: The start date is used to define the terms within a students academic year.

Example Data Type Required XML Schema Validation Accessible via Configuration? Display Locations
2025-09-01 Date Yes Term Start Date can't be after Term End Date Yes getStartDate()
  • Program Information
  • Packaging
  • Disbursing

Field: End Date

Description: Date that represents the student's term end date

Impact on Financial Aid Processing: The end date is used to define the terms within a students academic year.

Example Data Type Required XML Schema Validation Accessible via Configuration? Display Locations
2025-12-01 Date Yes Term End Date should be after Term Start Date Yes getEndDate()
  • Program Information
  • Packaging
  • Disbursing

Field: Students Term Status

Description: Used to determine a term withdrawal

Sample values:
  • Withdrawn
  • Reentering Withdrawn Term
Impact on Financial Aid Processing: Term level enrollment status that's used to identify when an Return to Title IV (R2T4) calculation for a specific term is required.
Example Data Type Required XML Schema Validation Accessible via Configuration? Display Locations
Withdrawn Enum No No Yes getStudentsTermStatus()
  • Program Information
  • Packaging
  • R2T4 Information

Field: Students Term Sub Type

Description: Used to identify the type of term withdrawal

Impact on Financial Aid Processing: Will be leveraged by the R2T4 configuration to decide when to perform the R2T4 calculation based on the value.

Example Data Type Required XML Schema Validation Accessible via Configuration? Display Locations
UW - Unofficial Withdrawal Enum No Field MUST be populated when the Students Term Status = “W” Yes getEnrollmentStatusSubType()
  • Program Information
  • Packaging
  • R2T4 Information

Field: Students Term Status Effective Date

Description: Date for which the term status is effective

Impact on Financial Aid Processing: This should be updated whenever the student's term status changes.

Example Data Type Required XML Schema Validation Accessible via Configuration? Display Location(s)
2025-01-01 Date No Field MUST be populated when the Students Term Status = “W” Yes getEnrollmentStatusEffectiveDate()
  • Student Summary
  • Program Information
  • Packaging

Field: Official Last Date of Attendance

Description: The last date the student attended before leaving or completing their term

Impact on Financial Aid Processing: Date field that describes the student's official last date of attendance. This is used during the R2T4 calculation for term withdrawals, late disbursements, and Post Withdrawal Disbursements (PWD).

Example Data Type Required XML Schema Validation Accessible via Configuration? Display Locations
2025-01-01 Date No Field MUST be populated when the Students Term Status = “W” Yes getOfficialLastDateOfAttendance()
  • Program Information
  • Packaging
  • R2T4 Information

Field: Date of Determination

Description: Date school identifies the student withdrew from school for the term.

Impact on Financial Aid Processing: Date field that's used during the R2T4 calculation, ensure that the R2T4 calculation is completed within 30 days of the Date of Determination (DOD) and the post withdrawal process identifies an inadvertent payment (checked in PWD disbursement criteria).

Example Data Type Required XML Schema Validation Accessible via Configuration? Display Locations
2025-01-01 Date No Field MUST be populated when the Students Term Status = “W” Yes getDateOfDetermination()
  • Program Information
  • Packaging
  • R2T4 Information

Field: Return to Title IV SAFI Indicator

Description: Used to indicate that the R2T4 should be calculated for the term using this SAFI.

Impact on Financial Aid Processing: Once this value is set to "True" on a withdrawn SAFI the R2T4 will be triggered for this student using the provided SAFI data.

If the student is withdrawn and a SAFI isn't received with the R2T4 indicator set to true by day 29, the R2T4 calculation will be calculated based on the most recent W SAFI received.

Example Data Type Required XML Schema Validation Accessible via Configuration? Display Locations
True Boolean No Return To Title IV SAFI Indicator must be set only when the Student is Withdrawn for the term. No Not viewable from UI