Tip of the Week Beta testing plan announced for 2027-28 FAFSA In preparation for the upcoming launch of the 2027-28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form by October 1, the Department of Education (the Department) has announced its plans for beta testing. In a July 21 Electronic Announcement, the Department released its plan […]
Tip of the Week – July 22, 2026 Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Among the many new job responsibilities this year, financial aid professionals must now follow new procedures in managing student FAFSA records that could be fraudulent. To assist schools in managing FAFSA information flagged as potentially fraudulent, the Department of Education (the Department) has issued a Frequently Asked Questions document. In a July 17
Department of Education issues FAFSA Fraud Detection FAQs for institutions Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Schools with approved campus-based awards for the 2026-27 award year can now check their award amounts via a report available from the Department of Education. In a July 15 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education provided information on the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) and Federal Work-Study (FWS) programs for the 2026–27
2026-27 Campus-Based Funding notification report available Read More »
Tip of the Week New resources for those seeking guidance in implementing Working Families Tax Cuts Act regulations Just when you have the new regulations all figured out, a new situation arises – making you question all you thought you knew. That’s the circumstance for many financial aid professionals who are working hard to implement
Tip of the Week – July 15, 2026 Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals now have Learning Tracks available to them that include updated 2026-27 content. In a July 9 Dear Colleague Letter, Federal Student Aid (FSA) announced that the Learning Tracks in the FSA Training Center are updated with 2026–27 content as of July 3, 2026. Learning Tracks, which are award year specific, consist
Updated Learning Tracks available in FSA Training Center Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals have more training opportunities available for the 2026-27 award year. In a July 9 announcement, Federal Student Aid announced the launch of the 2026-27 FSA Fundamentals Training series which includes the FSA Fundamentals Online self-paced course and the FSA Fundamentals Virtual Workshop, which is an instructor-led four and one-half day
2026-27 FSA Fundamentals Training Series announced Read More »
Higher Ed News Vol. 18 – Issue 14 Schools can set lower, program specific student loan limits As of July 1, schools can establish lower annual loan limits for specific programs, beginning with the 2026-27 award year. National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) updates as a result of new provisions When it comes to NSLDS
Mapping Your Future Higher Ed News – July 9, 2026 Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Students in some professional degree programs will find that they are – at least for now – eligible to borrow the higher federal student loan limits, while others will find that their program is no longer on the approved list. A recent June 24 court case preliminarily stayed part of the Department
List of professional degree programs updated due to recent Court Order Read More »
Tip of the Week Tax Transcript Matrix for 2026-27 Verification now available Although the number of FAFSAs selected for verification is down, financial aid professionals will, no doubt, appreciate any tool to assist with verification – particularly tax information. In a July 8 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education released the 2024 IRS Tax Return
Tip of the Week – July 8, 2026 Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Institutions with foreign ownership, gifts or contracts must submit disclosure reports with the federal government by the end of July. In a July 6 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education reminded institutions of higher education (IHEs) the next date for submitting Section 117 disclosure reports is Friday, July 31, 2026. In the announcement, the
