Nonprofit Resources

Top Six April 2024 Announcements for Higher Education Institutions

Here is a summary of the top April 2024 U.S. Department of Education (ED) announcements that apply to higher education institutions, along with an updated guide and webinar information:

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Simplification Announcements

1. 2024-2025 FAFSA Fast News – This new Federal Student Aid (FSA) blog, started on April 1, 2024, is dedicated to the implementation of the new FAFSA form. The blog will publish content from across ED and FSA to provide the most up-to-date FASFA information. Also, see the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) FAFSA Simplification Web Center, which shares news related to FAFSA Simplification updates.
2. FSA Electronic Announcement GENERAL-24-39, Guidance on Aid Awards Using ISIRs Affected by Errors – This announcement provides information on how to treat Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) affected by errors when making financial aid offers and disbursing funds during the 2024-25 award year. Additional resources include:
   • FSA Electronic Announcement GENERAL 24-38, 2024-25 FAFSA Data Update: Detailed List of FAFSA Records to Schools and State Agencies with Reprocessing Indicators
   • FSA Electronic Announcement GENERAL 24-37, Updates on Timelines for Corrections and Reprocessing and What it Means for Partners
   • FSA Electronic Announcement GENERAL-24-42, Student Corrections Availability, FPS Reprocessing, and Promoting FAFSA Completion with #FAFSAFastBreak
   • FSA Electronic Announcement GENERAL-24-45, Reprocessing of FPS Known Issues and Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) Implementation
   • FSA Electronic Announcement GENERAL-24-48, NSLDS Professional Access – Aggregate Loan Total Calculation Issue Resolved and Corrected 2023–24 ISIRs Sent During NSLDS Postscreening
3. Dear Colleague Letter GEN-24-05, Use of Negative Student Aid Index (SAI) in Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) Selection Criteria – This letter discusses the two valid options institutions may use when selecting a student for a FSEOG award. ED said it does not have a preference on which option is selected, and the option selected will not result in a compliance finding if it is applied correctly and consistently to all students.
4. New Cumulative Service Release Available for EDExpress for Windows 2024–25, Release 1.0 – This updated service release resolves all import and printing issues reported to date for the ISIR and Federal Tax Information (FTI) reports.

Other Upcoming Title IV Requirements

1. FSA Electronic Announcement GE-24-04, NSLDS Professional Access – NSLDS Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment Reports (Updated April 22, 2024) – Three new reports will be added to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Professional Access website to assist institutions with their Financial Value Transparency Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) reporting requirements.
2. Electronic Announcement GE-24-03, Updates on New Regulatory Provisions Related to Certification Procedures and Ability-to-Benefit – This announcement provides clarification on how ED’s enforcement discretion specifically relates to two provisions in the Certification Procedures regulations that were published on October 31, 2023, and are scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2024. In addition, the Dear Colleague Letter GEN-24-06, Implementation of Program Length Restrictions for Gainful Employment (GE) Programs, discusses guidance and targeted flexibilities related to upcoming changes to program length restrictions for non-degree GE programs.

Updated Guide, Webinars, and Recordings of Past Webinars

1. FSA Electronic Announcement GENERAL-24-44, Volume 3: Academic Calendars, Cost of Attendance, and Packaging and an Errata to the Application and Verification Guide Now Available [2024-25 Federal Student Aid Handbook]
   
2. FSA Electronic Announcement ANN-24-09, Live Internet Webinar – Preparing for FVT/GE Reporting – New NSLDS Reports – A new webinar has been added for May 1, 2024.
3. FSA Electronic Announcement ANN-24-07, Live Internet Webinar – Title IV Recertification – New webinars have been added on May 23, 2024, and July 25, 2024. These webinars are for institutions that are due to submit a recertification application by June 30, 2024, or September 30, 2024.
4. FSA Electronic Announcement ANN-24-05, Live Internet Webinar – 2024–25 ISIR Highlights – A recording of this March 29 webinar is now available.
5. FSA Electronic Announcement ANN-24-06, Live Internet Webinars – 2024-25 FAFSA: Tax Data Discrepancy and School Support and Answers to Most Common Technical Questions – Recordings of these April webinars are now available.
6. FSA Electronic Announcement ANN-24-01, Live Internet Webinars – Better FAFSA Better Future Webinar Series – A recording of the April 18 webinar is now available.

Please contact us if you have questions or would like to discuss how these announcements apply to your institution.

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