By Marlene Seeklander If your school is open on Monday, February 16, don’t forget that federal offices will be closed to observe Washington’s Birthday. The Department of Education recently announced the processing schedule and customer service hours for the various Federal Student Aid centers. The FAFSA Processing System (FPS) will accept data on February 16 but
Federal holiday processing and hours for February 16, 2026 Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Some nonprofit organizations could soon be excluded from the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program if it is determined the organization has a substantial illegal purpose. Although the final regulations were published October 31, 2025, the Department of Education just recently posted the information on the What’s New area of the Knowledge Center
Public Service Loan Forgiveness program changes happening this summer Read More »
Tip of the Week The power of financial aid Without love in our lives, where would we be? As humans we rely on one another – to care, to help, and to understand. As we celebrate both Financial Aid Awareness Month this February along with Valentine’s Day in a few days, it’s a reminder of
Tip of the Week – February 11, 2026 Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Anyone with an interest in financial literacy and education now has the opportunity to comment on the country’s future direction on the issue. In a February 3 Federal Register Notice, the Treasury published a Request for Information (RFI) seeking input to support the annual review of the National Strategy for Financial Literacy. Commenters
U.S. Treasury seeking input on the future of financial literacy Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Scholarships are not just for incoming freshmen. Current college students should also be seeking scholarships, looking for funding opportunities throughout their entire college career. Current students are often eligible for scholarships, which may be based on their field of study and may be contingent on maintaining a minimum GPA or demonstrating financial need.
What current college students need to know about scholarships Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander State higher education agencies and membership & advocacy organizations interested in attending the upcoming Federal Student Aid (FSA) Conference need to complete the lottery submission form prior to the February 13 notification date. The Department of Education previously announced that due to the limited number of seats at the conference site, they would
By Marlene Seeklander The Department of Education recently released an updated 2026-27 Federal School Code List, which plays a key role in the FAFSA. The Department announced the availability of the updated 2026–27 Federal School Code (FSC) List of Participating Schools. Although it’s usually not necessary, students can enter these codes on the FAFSA in order
Updated 2026-27 Federal School Code List now available Read More »
Higher Ed News Vol. 18 – Issue 3 A month that could change a life Financial aid awareness really needs a year-long celebration. Department publishes information to assist schools with reconciling financial aid programs Financial aid professionals looking for a little more guidance on reconciling federal financial aid programs have now received some from the
Mapping Your Future Higher Ed News – February 5, 2026 Read More »
Tip of the Week A month that could change a life Financial aid awareness really needs a year-long celebration. Even though February is the only official recognition of financial aid awareness, financial aid professionals and many others are observing it every day. In reality, there shouldn’t be only one month dedicated to financial aid awareness
Tip of the Week – February 4, 2026 Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals can stay current with how to handle federal financial aid data with updated training modules now available. Federal Student Aid recently announced that they have updated the “Aid Application Process” training track with the latest information and guidance that was published in the September 30 Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) GEN-25-08.
Federal Student Aid updates “Aid Application Process” training track Read More »
