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Online training on the Budget Reconciliation Bill now available

By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid administrators and staff now have an opportunity to learn more about the impact of the Budget Reconciliation Bill on federal student aid programs through an online training course. The Department of Education announced that an online, self-paced training course is available, providing an overview of the Budget Reconciliation Bill (P.L. 119-21 […]

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New Section 117 Portal now live – Reminder of January 31 reporting deadline

By Marlene Seeklander Institutions that need to submit foreign gifts and contract information can now use the new Section 117 reporting portal. In a recent Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education is reminding institutions that the new Section 117 reporting portal located at ForeignFundingHigherEd.gov is now live. Institutions need to use the portal to submit foreign

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COD school testing for the 2026-27 award year available soon

By Marlene Seeklander Schools and other organizations will soon be able to test the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) system for the 2026-27 award year. In a January 7 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education announced that the FSA Partner and School Relations Center will allow school testing of the COD system for the 2026-27 award

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Early Awareness E-News – January 2026

Early Awareness E-News January 2026Vol. 18 – Issue 1 Historic milestone reached in FAFSA completions More students completed the 2026-27 FAFSA as of late December – at a rate more than double the previous year, according to the Department of Education. Five steps to obtain proof of federal tax return non-filing At first the request

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Historic milestone reached in FAFSA completions

By Marlene Seeklander More students completed the 2026-27 FAFSA as of late December – at a rate more than double the previous year, according to the Department of Education. In a recent press release, the Department announced that more than 5 million 2026-27 FAFSA forms have been successfully submitted by students and families, an increase of

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Five steps to obtain proof of federal tax return non-filing         

By Marlene Seeklander At first the request seems like a paradox – you didn’t file a tax return, and the college financial aid office is asking you to prove something you didn’t do. While it may seem unusual to prove that you didn’t file a tax return, you may need to do just that and depending

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POET offers “Never Satisfied Scholarships”

By Marlene Seeklander POET is offering scholarships to help students take that big step to pursuing their aspirations. POET, a South Dakota based company that has expanded across the Midwest, is awarding up to $75,000 in scholarships to students who are never satisfied with “good enough” and share POET’s mission to create a brighter future. The

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FSA offers “Mid-year Transfer Students” learning track

By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid administrators often face a complex process for determining eligibility for mid-year transfer students. Mid-year transfer students – those who transfer from one school to another during the award year – understandably want to transfer their financial aid to their new school. However, the process of determining eligibility and packaging Title IV

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