By Marlene Seeklander You can make a note on your 2025-26 planning list to check out the recent additions to the 2025-26 FAFSA Specifications Guide. The Department of Education recently announced the addition of two volumes to the 2025-26 FAFSA Specifications Guide. These volumes include: Throughout the 2025-26 cycle, the Knowledge Center website will be updated
Updates to 2025-26 FAFSA Specifications Guide Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander For those financial aid professionals affected by the recent weather-related disasters, the Department of Education has provided some relief to their offices and for their students. The Department of Education (ED) has announced guidance about regulatory relief to institutions located in federally declared disaster areas due to Tropical Storm Helene or Hurricane Helene.
Tropical Storm Helene and Hurricane Helene Title IV guidance Read More »
Tip of the Week Hurricane Relief The phone call was both a relief and gut-wrenching at the same time. The year was 2005 and, due to his work, my brother was one of the last to evacuate the Houston area as Hurricane Rita was set to hit landfall in a matter of hours. When the
Tip of the Week – October 9, 2024 Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Navigating the important recertification process can be daunting for financial aid administrators. The Department of Education announced the availability of a recorded webinar, presentation slides, and transcript to assist schools with the completion and submission of the recertification application. A school must submit a completed recertification application no later than 90 days
Title IV Recertification training webinar available Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Borrowers with a joint consolidation loan with another individual can separate their joint debts into an individual Direct Consolidation loan. The Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act (JCLSA) was signed into law on October 11, 2022, and allows borrowers with either Direct Loans (DL) or Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) to separate their joint
By Marlene Seeklander Of all the tasks on your to-do list, registering for the annual virtual Federal Student Aid (FSA) Training Conference is an easy one to check off. FSA announced that the registration for their free annual training conference on December 3-6 is now open. Registration can be completed at the FSA Training Conference Home on
2024 Virtual FSA Training Conference registration now open Read More »
Higher Ed News Vol. 16 – Issue 21 Students can complete the 2025-26 FAFSA in December Students seeking financial aid for the 2025-26 academic year should plan to complete the FAFSA after December 1, 2024. Secretary of Education letter on improving the FAFSA experience In an effort to improve communication with schools and colleges, the
Mapping Your Future Higher Ed News – October 3, 2024 Read More »
Early Awareness E-News October 2024Vol. 16 – Issue 10 Students can complete the 2025-26 FAFSA in December Students seeking financial aid for the 2025-26 academic year should plan to complete the FAFSA after December 1, 2024. Five tips to complete this important FAFSA first step Although students and parents won’t be able to apply for
Early Awareness E-News – October 2024 Read More »
By Catherine Mueller The U.S. Department of Education invites school districts to join the Student Attendance and Engagement Solutions Network. According to an announcement from the Department of Education, the network (also known as the Attendance Solutions Network) has been created to support districts to reduce chronic absence, increase student engagement, and build on prevention
National network formed to support student attendance and engagement strategies Read More »
By Catherine Mueller Hardly anyone gets through college without help from someone else. That help often comes in the form of money to pay for college. And if it’s not money from parents or other relatives, it’s often scholarships that help students persist and graduate from college. There are a lot of scholarships available for students
