By Marlene Seeklander As you start your planning list for the 2025-26 award year, you can add verification requirements to the list. The Department of Education announced the publication of the Federal Register notice outlining the 2025-26 FAFSA information that schools and applicants may be required to verify, including the acceptable documentation.
2025-26 FAFSA information to be verified Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Some schools may be in line to receive some additional funding to help their students pay for their education. The Department of Education announced how they will distribute 2024-25 supplemental award funds for Campus-Based programs. Supplemental funds are based on the information collected on the Campus-Based Reallocation Forms that were due by August
Department outlines process for distributing last year’s unspent campus-based funds Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Although the 2024-25 FAFSA processing cycle has been underway for months, the Department of Education has just released the 2022 IRS Tax Return Transcript Matrix. The August 29 Electronic Announcement includes the 2022 IRS Tax Return Transcript Matrix in Excel format. The matrix is designed to assist financial aid administrators in mapping the
IRS Tax Return Transcript Matrix for 2024-25 Verification now available Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Interested community-based organizations (CBOs) can apply to participate in the first beta testing period of the 2025-26 FAFSA. The Department announced that interested CBOs can submit an interest form to participate in the BETA 1 testing period. Interested CBOs will have until the September 5 deadline to submit the interest form and describe
2025-26 FAFSA Beta 1 Interest Form available Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Federal Student Aid (FSA) recently announced the launch of their 2024-25 Learning Tracks and Training Courses, which have been revised to incorporate changes made through FAFSA Simplification and other guidance. According to an FSA announcement, financial aid professionals should find the training more engaging, interactive, and modern. Whether a comprehensive or a more
New and enhanced training available on the FSA Training Center Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Some reading material that will help you start your 2025-26 planning is now available. FSA announced the availability of the 2025–26 FAFSA Specifications Guide. This guide will assist schools and other FSA partners in incorporating the functionality of the electronic FAFSA into their institutional systems. FSA will post volumes of the guide throughout fall
2025-26 FAFSA Specifications Guide Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander As schools are ramping up for the start of the 2024-25 school year, the COD system is doing the same. In an announcement from the Department, the following peak processing reminders were shared: Questions can be directed to the FSA Partner and School Relations Center at 1-800-848-0978 or via email at CODSupport@ed.gov.
COD system peak processing reminders Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander There’s one item that you may want to have near the top of your financial aid reading list. An August 23 Electronic Announcement from ED announced the availability of the Appendices of the 2024-25 Federal Student Aid Handbook. The Appendices, which includes general interest information that isn’t appropriate for just one volume of
2024-25 FSA Handbook Appendices now available Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander This past academic year has been one of change for the Department of Education and, as a result, for financial aid professionals. To help financial aid professionals with the changes, Federal Student Aid (FSA) has made available a video about making corrections in the FAFSA Partner Portal. To access the video: No-cost technical
FAFSA Partner Portal corrections training resource Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander The long-awaited processing of 2024-25 paper FAFSAs is now underway but won’t be complete until after the fall semester begins for many institutions. The Department of Education (ED) announced on July 30 that they had started processing paper FAFSA forms and an August 19 update stated that they anticipate to complete this processing
Updated timeline for 2024-25 FAFSA paper processing Read More »
