diff --git a/api/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/educ/api/gradstudent/model/dto/StudentSearchRequest.java b/api/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/educ/api/gradstudent/model/dto/StudentSearchRequest.java
index b983211b..879568a1 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/educ/api/gradstudent/model/dto/StudentSearchRequest.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/educ/api/gradstudent/model/dto/StudentSearchRequest.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import ca.bc.gov.educ.api.gradstudent.util.EducGradStudentApiConstants;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonFormat;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonIgnore;
 import com.google.gson.Gson;
 import lombok.Builder;
 import lombok.Data;
@@ -85,12 +86,12 @@ public String toJson() {
         return new Gson().toJson(this);
     }
 
+    @JsonIgnore
     public boolean isEmpty() {
-        return  schoolOfRecords.isEmpty() &&
-                districts.isEmpty() &&
-                schoolCategoryCodes.isEmpty() &&
-                pens.isEmpty() &&
-                studentIDs.isEmpty() &&
-                programs.isEmpty();
+        return  (schoolOfRecords == null || schoolOfRecords.isEmpty()) &&
+                (districts == null || districts.isEmpty()) &&
+                (schoolCategoryCodes == null || schoolCategoryCodes.isEmpty()) &&
+                (pens == null || pens.isEmpty()) &&
+                (studentIDs == null || studentIDs.isEmpty());
     }
 }