By Marlene Seeklander Schools will have to wait a little longer for the NSLDS post-screening functionality. The NSLDS post-screening functionality has been delayed from the end of 2024 to the spring of 2025, meaning that an updated ISIR will not be generated for applicants with new information. Two recent Electronic Announcements, dated January 10 and January […]
By Marlene Seeklander Schools have to wait a little longer before they can process batch corrections, but the functionality may be on the horizon. The Department of Education recently announced that over the next few weeks they will work with a group of institutions and their vendors to test batch corrections. After the beta testing is
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By Marlene Seeklander Colleges need to ensure that not only are they telling the truth about their institution, but also that any organization – such as online program managers – are doing the same, according to a recent reminder from the Department of Education. In a January 16 Dear Colleague Letter (DCL), the Department of Education
By Marlene Seeklander Documentation requirements for American Indians born in Canada trying to establish Title IV eligibility may have become somewhat easier. The Department of Education announced that they have updated the procedures and acceptable documentation in the 2024-25 FSA Handbook. To implement this guidance, formerly known as the Jay Treaty, schools need to look at
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By Marlene Seeklander Severe weather and resulting closures are unpredictable, but the Department of Education does have contingency plans. In a recent Electronic Announcement, the Department provided some information on temporary closures of their Federal Loan Servicing Centers due to hazardous weather conditions. The Federal Loan Servicing Centers will implement contingency plans and remain open as
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By Marlene Seeklander Federal Student Aid is offering more training to help financial aid professionals prepare for and manage the 2025-26 processing cycle. Several new learning tracks are now available in the Federal Student Aid (FSA) Training Center. These include: To enroll in the training: Questions about these learning tracks or other training needs, send an
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By Marlene Seeklander The Department of Education is among the federal offices closed in observance of the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Inauguration Day on Monday, January 20. A recent Electronic Announcement states that the Federal Student Aid (FSA) processors and contact centers will be closed on January 20. All FSA websites will be
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By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals can kick off their 2025-26 planning and processing with some training offered by the Department of Education. The Federal Student Aid Training Center recently announced that they have updated the FAFSA simplification Trending Topic Series with the 2025-26 changes. Topics include: To sign up for the training: Training related questions
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By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals may want to make note of two Wednesdays in January and February 2025 to tune into some upcoming webinars. In a recent Dear Colleague Letter, Federal Student Aid announced a series of live webinars that will cover topics related to the Title IV programs and will include the most recent
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By Marlene Seeklander While new regulations are meant to provide important guidance to schools, the actual implementation of those regulations can create a lot of questions. In a recent Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education stated that to address the policy questions received from the higher education community regarding policy final regulations, the Office of Postsecondary
