Department of Education

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EDExpress for Windows 2025-26, Release 2.0 Service Release now available

By Marlene Seeklander EDExpress for Windows users have a new service release available for their use. In a June 27 Electronic Announcement, Federal Student Aid announced a new service release for EDExpress for Windows 2025–26, Release 2.0 in the Software and Other Tools area of the Knowledge Center. This release added the functionality for schools to report student Federal […]

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Financial Aid Processing Feedback Survey available

By Marlene Seeklander If you’ve always wanted to provide feedback to the Department of Education on how the FAFSA processing system and services can be improved, you now have that opportunity. The Department of Education recently announced that they are gathering feedback from financial aid administrators and state agencies on the FAFSA processing systems and services

Financial Aid Processing Feedback Survey available Read More »

Computer keyboard with FAFSA button

More steps toward simplification planned for the 2026-27 FAFSA

By Catherine Mueller Although many of the major stumbling blocks with the simplified FAFSA have been overcome, there have been a few remaining issues for students and parents. The Department of Education has now announced plans to fix two of those issues involving the identity verification and the contributor invite processes. Real-time identity verification – Starting

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Independence Day holiday closings

By Marlene Seeklander The Department of Education is among the federal offices that will be closed for the Independence Day federal holiday on Friday, July 4. The June 24 Electronic Announcement states that the Federal Student Aid (FSA) processors and contact centers will be closed on July 4. All FSA websites will be operational on the holiday. The FAFSA

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Computer keyboard with FAFSA button

Improvements planned for 2026-27 FAFSA; testing to begin in August

By Marlene Seeklander With the upcoming launch of the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, the Department of Education is now planning further steps to simplify the process. In a recent Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education shared some updates for the 2026-27 FAFSA, including two major changes: Starting August 4, the Department

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2025-26 Award Year additional COD System implementation coming soon

By Marlene Seeklander Schools will soon see additional Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) functionality for the 2025-26 award year. The Department of Education announced that on June 29, 2025 additional COD System functionality will be implemented. The additional functionality will support the Campus-Based programs, along with the processing of Pell Grant, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant,

2025-26 Award Year additional COD System implementation coming soon Read More »

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2026-27 Student Aid Index (SAI) and Pell Grant Eligibility Guide now available

By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals now have access to financial aid eligibility calculations for the 2026-27 award year with the release of a new guide from the Department of Education. In a recent Electronic Announcement, Federal Student Aid said that the 2026–27 Student Aid Index (SAI) and Pell Grant Eligibility Guide is available for download.

2026-27 Student Aid Index (SAI) and Pell Grant Eligibility Guide now available Read More »

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Federal Student Aid closures due to June 19 federal holiday

By Marlene Seeklander The Department of Education is among the federal offices closed for the Juneteenth federal holiday on Thursday, June 19, 2025. The June 12 announcement states that the Federal Student Aid (FSA) processors and contact centers will be closed on June 19. All FSA websites will be operational on the holiday. The following additional information was

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Federal Student Aid announces webinars and additional resources for FSA Partner Connect

By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals will soon have some training resources available to help them understand and transition to FSA Partner Connect for enrollment and user management services. The transition comes with the retirement this month of the Student Aid Information Gateway website. In a June 12 Electronic Announcement, Federal Student Aid (FSA) announced that

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