By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals now have an updated guide to help them better understand the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) reports that are available. On June 4, the Department of Education announced that an updated NSLDS Reports for Schools Guide is now available. The June 2026 guide replaces the July 2024 version. Questions […]
Updated NSLDS Reports for Schools Guide now available Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Student loan borrowers will see slightly lower interest rates starting July 1 for Direct Loans borrowed on or after July 1, 2026. The new interest rates were announced by the Department of Education in a June 4 Electronic Announcement. The interest rate is a fixed rate for the life of the loan. For Direct
Interest rates on federal student loans to increase Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals don’t always get what they ask for, but the Department of Education has responded to a request for clarification on Pell provisions. In a June 4 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education stated that some institutions have asked for further clarification of the provisions for the Workforce Pell and Federal
Effective dates for Pell provisions clarified Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander With everything on their plate right now, most financial aid professionals are probably not thinking about the 2027-28 award year – yet. For those who like to plan ahead, the updates to the Federal Needs Analysis Methodology have been published for 2027-28. In a June 2 Federal Register Notice, the Secretary of
Federal Need Analysis Methodology for the 2027-28 award year now available Read More »
Selecting a student loan repayment plan It seems that everyone should know by now. For months, we’ve been hearing about the end of the SAVE Plan and the need for borrowers to choose a new repayment plan. But even many of us working in financial aid have to check the details when someone asks about
Tip of the Week – June 3, 2026 Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals and others on the campus can look to the proven practices of other institutions to help prevent FAFSA fraud and protect federal student aid funds. In a May 29 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education provided a comprehensive list of best practices that institutions may want to consider as they
Best Practices for preventing FAFSA fraud and protecting Title IV funds Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Students completing the FASA will no longer have to wait to view their FAFSA Submission Summary. In a June 1 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education announced that they have launched a processing enhancement that allows students to immediately view their FAFSA Submission Summary when signing and submitting an initial application or correction
Real-Time FAFSA results now available Read More »
Early Awareness E-News June 2026Vol. 18 – Issue 6 Class of 2026 sets FAFSA completion record The class of 2026 has already done great things by setting an all-time high completion rate for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 2026-2027 ACT test dates now available Even though summer break just started for many
Early Awareness E-News – June 2026 Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Congratulations on your graduation from high school! For most people, it’s one of the big milestones in life. Like most high school graduates, you may be just now catching your breath after all the activity surrounding the end of the senior year. It’s a good time for you to relax and reflect on
June checklist for high school seniors Read More »
Higher Ed News Vol. 18 – Issue 11 Hundreds of thousands of FAFSAs selected for identity verification Financial aid professionals will be busy checking student identity after a few hundred thousand FAFSAs were selected for additional verification. Final regulations on Workforce Pell and other Pell Grant student eligibility published Financial aid administrators now have access
Mapping Your Future Higher Ed News – May 28, 2026 Read More »
