Starting Cohort 8 — Data and Citation
Scientific Use File, Version 1.0.0
The data from the new NEPS Starting Cohort 8 - Grade 5 (current version: 1.0.0) is available, free of charge, to individuals with a valid NEPS data usage contract via three modes of access – download, RemoteNEPS and on-site. Further information on obtaining the data as well as the application forms are available on the Data Access site. After successfully logging in with your nu-number and password, you will be able to download the current data version here:
Download (ZIP)
Citation
Researchers working with data from the National Educational Panel Study are obliged to indicate the use of the data in their publications by citing the data version (DOI) as follows:
NEPS Network. (2025). National Educational Panel Study, Scientific Use File of Starting Cohort 8 - Grade 5 (2022). Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi), Bamberg. https://doi.org/10.5157/NEPS:SC8:1.0.0
In addition, the NEPS study is to be referred to at an appropriate place and the reference article to be listed in the bibliography:
This paper uses data from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS; see Blossfeld & Roßbach, 2019). The NEPS is carried out by the Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi, Germany) in cooperation with a nationwide network.
Blossfeld, H.-P. & Roßbach, H.-G. (Eds.). (2019). Education as a lifelong process: The German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS). Edition ZfE (2nd ed.). Springer VS.
According to the NEPS data usage contract (§9), an immediate, unsolicited notification regarding every type of publication based on NEPS data is required to be sent to LIfBi via e-mail at fdz@lifbi.de. If possible, a link to or an electronic version of the publication is to be provided as part of this notification.
Data Versions
Every time a new version is issued, the data from the NEPS starting cohorts are extended and updated. All data versions are clearly labeled with a Digital Object Identifier (DOI). The version number of a data publication found in the DOI provides information about the amount of waves integrated, survey timeframes and the amount of larger and smaller updates.
It is recommended to use the most current data version. Outdated data versions are archived and available on the respective landing page along with the corresponding document material.