Policies & Procedures

Policies & Procedures: First Things First

Your college’s Policies and Procedures manual gives your team a day-to-day guide for compliance, operations and processes. A lot has changed recently that affects your manual, and it’s time to update.

Return to Title IV

R2T4 Modules: Examining Mind-Bending Scenarios

Several factors will determine the 49 percent exemption for R2T4 and the R2T4 denominator, such as when modules take place.

Student Aid Index

The New Student Aid Index

Financial aid teams are moving toward implementation of SAI, which replaces EFC. SAI will be used in the determination of a student’s eligibility and was a featured topic at NASFAA’s recent conference closing session.

FAFSA Simplification & NASFAA

FAFSA Top 10

FAFSA Simplification was one of the most popular topics at NASFAA this year. Here’s the news to know as financial aid teams head into 2024-2025.

FAFSA Simplification & NASFAA

Highlights for FAFSA Simplification

In 2024-2025, there will be no substantial changes to verification, some data will start to pre-populate and Unusual Circumstances PJs will carry forward.

Dates to Know

Financial Aid Dates to Know This Summer

Essential topics in financial aid this summer: Ongoing major changes to the FAFSA, conferences, a HEERF deadline and Institutional Eligibility.

FAFSA Simplification

Learning About FAFSA Changes

FSA-led webinars will cover important topics about revisions for the student financial aid application.

Federal Work Study

Part II: Federal Work-Study Reporting

Reminders about job descriptions, federal share, community service and other requirements of Federal Work-Study are detailed in the second of two FWS blogs.

Federal Work Study

Part I: Reminders for Reporting Work-Study Earnings

Federal Work-Study students have previously reported their earnings on the FAFSA, but the question will be removed in 2024-2025. Starting this summer, aid administrators will report FWS earnings to COD instead.

COVID Waivers

COVID Waivers Expiring

With the end of the national pandemic, COVID-19 waivers affecting financial aid will also come to an end or phase out.

FTC Safeguard Rules & GLBA

A Reminder: Deadline for FTC Safeguard Rules is June 9

Written risk assessment and encryption of sensitive information are among data security provisions due next month.

Dates to Know

A Big Year Ahead: Dates to Know

Changes in 2023 bolster student data security, expand Pell eligibility and completely revise the FAFSA. Student debt relief and the end of the COVID-19 emergency will also affect financial aid administrators this year.

Pell Eligibility

How Final Rules Affect Pell & PEPs

In July, Pell Grant eligibility will be restored to PEPs. Higher education public and private nonprofits plus vocational institutions will be able to offer programs under new final rules.

FAFSA Simplification

Ready, Set, Launch: FAFSA Simplification This Year

Full implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act will be completed in the 2024-2025 award year. Behind the scenes, administrators are tackling form and policy rollouts as part of the effort to make the FAFSA easier to complete.

The Seattle School Success Story

Solution Alleviates Workload, Allows More Time with Students

After a long-term Financial Aid colleague retired, the graduate school and seminary sought a Work in Your System solution to meet their needs.

Institutional Eligibility & 90/10

Final Rules: Institutional Eligibility & 90/10

The road ahead: percentage calculations, a disbursement deadline, modified criteria for non-federal revenue and other provisional changes.

Institutional Eligibility

Institutional Eligibility & Oversight

Colleges will need SAP, Admission and Return to Title IV policies for recertification.

FAFSA Simplification

New Systems & Integrations Ahead for 2024-2025

Some existing FSA systems used by financial aid administrators will change as colleges get ready to work with a simplified FAFSA for 2024-2025.

studentaid.gov

A Walk-through for studentaid.gov

After almost a year of planning and updates, studentaid.gov now includes all functions in the lifecycle of a student's financial aid.

FAFSA Simplification

A Major Change for the FAFSA

Parent support information will be different for the 2024-2025 award year. So will defining household size.

FSA Federal Update

Federal Updates at a Glance

Federal Update sessions at FSA's recent conference covered a range of topics of interest for financial aid administrators.

FSA Federal Update

FSA's Federal Update in Summary

The IRS data transfer, PSLF credit adjustment, Negotiated Rulemaking and other items were discussed at FSA's Federal Update session.

FSA Partner Connect

FSA Partner Connect: What's Happening in 2023

Updates for FSA Partner Connect include an improved E-App for Title IV eligibility and a new intake form for reporting a data breach.

Data Security

Protecting Student Data

The average cost of a data breach is $3.79 million for a college or university.

Cohort Default Rates

Cohort Default Rates & Eligibility

By Rick Cox Institutions with Cohort Default Rates over 40 percent will lose eligibility for Direct Loans for the remainder of the year in which the institution is notified of the sanction, plus the next two fiscal years. If your institution has a CDR equal to or greater than 30