Sarah Austin, NASFAA Policy Staff
NASFAA 2025 conference attendees heard from Federal Student Aid (FSA) staff on Wednesday regarding the institutional eligibility process. The session focused on recent policy updates, FSA’s updated approach to school oversight and eligibility, and upcoming changes to Partner Connect.
David Musser, who serves as the Department of Education’s (ED) acting director, policy implementation division, first provided attendees with an overview of recent policy changes, including regulations effective July 1, 2024, such as new rules on transcript withholding, financial responsibility, administrative capability, and program participation agreements (PPA). Musser also explained recent changes with state licensure requirements, gainful employment/financial value transparency (GE/FVT) reporting, prison education program (PEP) applications, and eligible career pathway programs.
Musser also confirmed that the deadline for GE/FVT reporting for the 2024 cycle remains September 30, 2025. He also noted that the deadline for the 2025 cycle is October 1, 2025, and said that ED will provide more information in the future, particularly related to the department-calculated metrics and situations when prior year data reporting might be required.
While Musser did not go into detail on all school eligibility policy updates, attendees were reminded of past conference sessions and webinars on the topic, as well as directed to review the Certification Procedures Questions & Answers available on the department’s website.
Next, Jeremy Early, ED’s acting branch director, school eligibility and oversight service branch, detailed FSA’s updated approach to school oversight and eligibility, giving an overview of the core functional areas, as well as each area’s current focus and any upcoming changes.
Early explained the new organizational structure for the eligibility team since the closure of several regional offices earlier this year. Attendees were reminded to use the email address [email protected] for any school participation division communication.
Attendees offered a round of applause when Early announced a change coming to the Application to Participate in the Federal Student Financial Aid Programs (e-App) that would no longer require certain personal information be provided, such as addresses and cell phone numbers for an institution’s board members.
Early provided updates on the backlogs for e-App processing, program reviews, financial analysis, and audit resolutions, mentioning the increased focus on catching up in these areas. FSA is making a change to streamline the recertification process, allowing schools to self-certify its policies and procedures meet all requirements, rather than requiring these be reviewed by FSA.
The session wrapped up with an update on changes to Partner Connect, including another moment when attendees offered a round of applause when Early stated the SAIG enrollment process is moving from paper forms to an online process allowing for digital signatures. Early reminded attendees that the enrollment process is currently frozen while the new system is implemented, which, per the department, should be implemented in mid-July.
Publication Date: 6/26/2025
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