Author name: Marlene Seeklander

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Updated reports posted by Federal Student Aid to FSA Data Center

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By Marlene Seeklander Student loans now total more than $1.7 trillion with nearly 14 percent or $234 billion of the federal student loan portfolio in default. The federally managed portfolio—which includes FFEL and Perkins program loans owned by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and Direct Loans—is more than $1.64 trillion, representing more than 95 percent

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Transition to new Perkins Loan servicer to impact schools and borrowers

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By Marlene Seeklander The Department of Education will transfer its Federal Perkins Loan portfolio to a new servicer on December 1, and the move could impact some schools as well as borrowers. In a recent Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education outlined the schedule, which could impact those schools planning to assign their Perkins loans to

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Guidance issued for Prison Education Programs (PEP) – Reporting and Approval Documentation

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By Marlene Seeklander Institutions with a Prison Education Program (PEP) now have federal guidance for post-program approval and reporting documentation. In a September 21 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education (the Department) outlined information addressing “Post Approval Guidance” and “Reporting Guidance” for institutions of higher education. Post Approval Guidance When the Department approves a PEP, the

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FAFSA Specifications Guides updated

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By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals can stay current with any changes to the FAFSA form and financial aid processing by reviewing the recent updates to the FAFSA Specifications Guides for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 award years.   The Department of Education recently announced updates to several volumes of the guides. Updates were made to volumes 1,

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Tip of the Week – September 23, 2026

Newsroom, Financial Literacy, Latest, Mapping Your Future features, Newsletters, Student Loans, Tip of the Week / By

Tip of the Week Mapping Your Future offers FAFSA video presentation in preparation for the 2027-28 FAFSA Although the FAFSA application is much simpler to complete, financial aid remains a complex topic for students and parents. With the release of the 2027-28 FAFSA just around the corner, Mapping Your Future recorded a financial aid presentation

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Mapping Your Future offers FAFSA Presentation video

Newsroom, College preparation, FAFSA resources, Mapping Your Future features, Paying for College / By

By Marlene Seeklander Students and parents preparing to complete the 2027-28 FAFSA will want to watch the latest video from Mapping Your Future. The “2027-28 Financial Aid Event” presentation is available on the Mapping Your Future YouTube channel. In the 2027-28 FAFSA presentation, Cathy Mueller, Executive Director of Mapping Your Future, presents a high-level overview of

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EDExpress changes addressed in latest FSA training offering

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By Catherine Mueller New training sessions in the FSA Training Center offer financial aid professionals an opportunity to learn more recent changes to EDExpress for Windows software. The Department of Education recently announced two training sessions: To access the training, financial aid professionals should log into the FSA Training Center. Questions about the EDExpress training or

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Mapping Your Future Higher Ed News – September 17, 2026

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Higher Ed News Vol. 18 – Issue 19 2027-28 FAFSA Preview Presentation now available Financial aid and college access professionals can now access information and screenshots for the 2027-28 FAFSA to use for planning purposes, communicating changes, and training. 2027-28 FAFSA prototype now available Financial aid and college access professionals now have a tool available

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Workforce Pell online self-paced training course now available

Newsroom, Department of Education / By

By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals wanting more information on the Workforce Pell Grant program can access a new online, self-paced course offered by Federal Student Aid (FSA). FSA recently announced the release of an online, self-paced course on Workforce Pell that provides an overview of the program and the expanded opportunity for eligible students to

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Reminder: FISAP deadline October 1, 2026

Newsroom, Department of Education / By

By Marlene Seeklander The clock is ticking for a critical deadline for financial aid administrators. On September 10, the Department of ED reminded schools that the deadline for submitting the Fiscal Operations Report for 2025-26 and the Application to Participate for 2027-28, also known as the FISAP, is October 1. Schools requesting Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity

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