API features

College discovery

Find institutions by name, alias, city, or state.

Education filters

Narrow results by ownership and degree level.

Cost comparisons

Review available tuition and net-price reference values.

Admissions context

Compare reported admission and completion rates where available.

Paginated records

Browse sorted institution records with matching totals.

Source dates

Check source years and update timestamps when interpreting records.

API Document

HTTP Protocol:HTTPS

HTTP Method:GET

HTTP Endpoint:https://api.gugudata.io/v1/education/us/institutions/search

Response Type:application/json; charset=utf-8

DEMO Endpoint:https://api.gugudata.io/v1/education/us/institutions/demo

Live Demo:Try Interactive Demo

Postman Collection:Run in Postman

API Request Parameters

Name	Type	Is Required	Default Value	Remark
appkey	string	true	YOUR_APPKEY	API key used to authenticate the request.
name	string	false		Institution name keyword.
state	string	false		US state abbreviation, such as CA or MA.
city	string	false		City name keyword.
ownership	string	false		Ownership filter, such as public or private.
degreeLevel	string	false		Degree level keyword.
minAdmissionRate	number	false		Minimum admission rate.
maxTuition	number	false		Maximum in-state tuition.
sort	string	false	institutionName\|asc	Sort field and direction. Supported fields: institutionName, tuition, admissionRate, graduationRate.
pageIndex	integer	false	1	Page number for pagination.
pageSize	integer	false	10	Number of records per page.

API Response Parameters

Name	Type	Remark
dataStatus.dataTotalCount	integer	Number of matching or returned records for this request.
data[].unitId	integer	IPEDS UNITID.
data[].institutionName	string	Institution name.
data[].state	string	US state.
data[].website	string	Institution website.
data[].admissionRate	number	Admission rate when available.
data[].tuitionInState	number	In-state tuition when available.
data[].sourceYear	integer	Source data year.
data[].sourceUpdatedAt	string	Source update timestamp.

API Response Status Codes

Status Code	Explanation of Status Code	Remarks
200	Request processed successfully.	Some endpoints expose a separate application-level status field in the response body, such as `dataStatus.statusCode`.
400	Invalid request parameters or request format.	Check required fields, data types, and request body format.
401	Missing or unknown application key.	Provide a valid `appkey` with the request.
403	The application key is recognized but access is not allowed.	The key may be expired, inactive, or not permitted for the requested API.
429	Request rate or trial usage limit exceeded.	Reduce request frequency and retry with backoff. If a trial allowance is exhausted, check Trial Keys for remaining requests and subscribe to continue.
500	Internal service error.	Retry later or contact support if the error persists.
503	Upstream service unavailable.	Retry later; the requested upstream dependency is temporarily unavailable.

Remote MCP

AI client access

Use this API through GuGuData Remote MCP

Connect your AI client once, authorize in the browser, and the client can use the GuGuData API tools available to your account. You do not need to paste an appkey into the MCP client.

Endpoint https://mcp.gugudata.io/mcp

Open MCP Guide

Generic MCP configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gugudata": {
      "url": "https://mcp.gugudata.io/mcp",
      "transportType": "streamable-http"
    }
  }
}

Code Snippets

Run in Postman Open LLM Page

Frequently asked questions

Which filters can I use to search US colleges?

The search accepts name, state, city, ownership, degree level, admission-rate, and tuition filters. Combine them with the documented sorting and pagination options to build institution discovery views.

What is UNITID used for?

unitId is the IPEDS institution identifier. Use it to correlate institution records and call the documented institution-detail operation rather than matching colleges by name alone.

Does the API provide current tuition and admissions figures?

Treat the values as reference data. Inspect sourceYear and sourceUpdatedAt, and allow for missing fields. A returned admission rate or tuition figure is not a live admissions decision or a current price guarantee.

Can I sort colleges by tuition or admission rate?

Yes. Supported sort fields include institutionName, tuition, admissionRate, and graduationRate. Use the documented direction syntax and pagination parameters for stable result browsing.

How is this different from the US College Programs API?

This endpoint describes institutions. The Programs API describes fields of study and credentials with available earnings and debt figures. Use unitId to connect programme records to an institution when your workflow needs that relationship.

What does the 5 requests per second limit mean?

It is a request-rate limit, not a concurrency allowance. Keep your request rate at or below 5 per second. If the service returns a rate-limit response, reduce the frequency and retry with backoff.

Is total paid usage limited?

There is no total request cap during an active paid subscription and no usage-based overage charge.

How does the free trial work?

Each account can receive a limited trial key. Requests are shared across APIs in the same category. Check Trial Keys for the exact allowance and remaining requests.

How do renewal and cancellation work?

The plan renews annually until canceled. Manage or cancel the renewal from Dashboard → Orders & Billing. Access continues through the paid period after cancellation. See the Terms of Service for the current refund policy. If the billing portal is unavailable, contact support.

Technical support

Need help choosing an API or getting started?

support@gugudata.io

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