As new federal student loan limitations are implemented, financial aid professionals may see more students who have exceeded Federal Direct Loan annual or aggregate loan limits.
The Department of Education recently announced the availability of the updated NSLDS Reaffirmation User Guide (June 2026) for working with students who have exceeded loan limits. The June 2026 update replaces the prior December 2022 version.
Reaffirmation is when a student inadvertently exceeds an annual or aggregate loan limit and must agree, in writing, to repay the excess amount according to the terms and conditions of the promissory note. The student works with the loan servicer to make the arrangements, and the servicer enters the information into the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). The school then uses the information on the Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) and NSLDS, including reaffirmation data, to determine the student’s eligibility for additional Title IV aid.
The updated guide is designed to assist financial aid professionals in understanding the system functionality related to the reaffirmation process, submitting reaffirmation information, and interpreting the data provided.
Questions can be directed to the NSLDS Customer Support Center at 1-800-999-8219 or via email at nslds@ed.gov.
