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Fed-Updates Financial Aid Newsletter – July 20, 2021

Feel free to forward this newsletter to a colleague. They can subscribe to it on our brand new  FA Solutions  website .   If you have any questions about FA Solutions Services, feel free to give us a call. Thank you!

Rob Wright – (813) 435-6227

Note:  Fed-Updates newsletter updates are excerpts from original announcements posted on the  Knowledge Center page on the FSAPartners.ed.gov website. The Knowledge Center has replaced the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) website. Please review the entire update by clicking the link included with each posting. We are not able to include all Federal updates and deadlines, but you’ll find additional information at the Knowledge Center – including earlier Electronic Announcements and  Dear Colleague Letters . Important Reminder: Deadlines and event dates noted in our newsletters are subject to change as determined by the Department of Education.

2021–22 COD System Peak Processing Reminders (EA ID: COD-21-04): Now through August 2021, we will be in a peak processing period for the 2021–22 award year. Please review the June 24, 2021, electronic announcement for additional information.

Final Form, Instructions, Desk Reference, and Technical Reference for 2022–23 FISAP (EA ID: CB-21-06): The Fiscal Operations Report for 2020–21 and Application to Participate for 2022–23 (FISAP) has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). We have posted the FISAP Form, Instructions, and Desk Reference to the Knowledge Center. The online FISAP will be made available on the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) website by Aug. 1, 2021.

We have also posted the 2022–23 FISAP Technical Reference that provides the technical specifications and record layouts for schools or other organizations who wish to design custom software systems. Please review the June 1, 2021, electronic announcement for additional information.

Distance Education and Innovation Regulatory Webinars – Recordings and Transcripts (DCL ID: ANN-21-07):  This Dear Colleague letter notifies institutions that the Office of Postsecondary Education and Federal Student Aid have made available slides, recordings, and transcripts for three live webinars providing an overview of the Distance Education and Innovation regulations, which were published on September 2, 2020, and will be effective July 1, 2021 (unless early implemented by institutions). Please review the June 9, 2021, electronic announcement for additional information.

FSA Partner Connect – Helpful Information About Help Center and FSA Handbook (EA ID: GENERAL-21-35): The overarching goals for FSA Partner Connect include providing improved experiences for customers in accessing data pertinent to their school or organization, information contained in the Federal Student Aid (FSA) Handbook, and guidance published and maintained in the Knowledge Center. To assist in meeting those goals and supporting increased website use, FSA will periodically publish “Helpful Information About” announcements that provide bite-sized nuggets of information about different features of the FSA Partner Connect website. This is our first “Helpful Information About” announcement and focuses on the FSA Partner Connect Help Center and the FSA Handbook. Please review the May 26, 2021, electronic announcement for additional information.

150% Direct Subsidized Loan Limit: Electronic Announcement #25 – Guidance and Operational Information for the Repeal of 150% Subsidized Usage Limit (EA ID: DL-21-04): The FAFSA Simplification Act, part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, provides for a repeal of the 150% Subsidized Usage Limit Applies (SULA) requirements.

To address the change in requirements, we will be making changes to the Central Processing System (CPS), the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System, and the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS ® ), and we have begun the work needed to modify our systems, web and software products, technical documents, training materials, and publications.

In this Electronic Announcement we inform schools about some of the immediate operational impacts starting July 1, 2021. We also provide schools with information about those system, web, and software modifications as well as the anticipated implementation date for each update. Please review the June 11, 2021, electronic announcement for additional information.

Beginning Phased Implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act (EA ID: GENERAL-21-39): B eginning Phased Implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act (EA ID: GENERAL-21-39): Today, Federal Student Aid (FSA) announced that there will be a phased approach to implementation of the  FAFSA Simplification Act , which passed on Dec. 27, 2020, as part of the  Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. The  FAFSA Simplification Act  represents a significant overhaul of federal student aid, including the  Free Application for Federal Student  Aid (FAFSA ® ) form, need analysis, and many policies and procedures for schools that participate in the  Title IV  programs.

The  FAFSA Simplification Act  requires changes to most aspects of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid, including replacing the Central Processing System (CPS) and acquiring a new interface to directly receive federal tax information from the IRS. But FSA is not the only entity that has to adapt; the law will also affect every state that uses FAFSA data to award state grant aid and every school that participates in the  Title IV  programs. Please review the June 11, 2021, electronic announcement for additional information.

Early Implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act’s Removal of Selective Service and Drug Conviction Requirements for Title IV Eligibility (DCL ID – GEN-21-04): This Dear Colleague letter provides information about the early implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act’s removal of Selective Service and drug conviction requirements for Title IV eligibility, as well as actions that institutions must take as these changes are implemented in phases across award years 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024. Certain other aspects of the law being implemented are discussed in separate communications. Please review the June 11, 2021, electronic announcement for additional information.

TEACH Grant Closeout Information for 2020–21 Award Year (EA ID: GRANTS-21-05):   The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant data submission deadline for the 2020–21 Award Year is  Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. This is the last processing day of the award year. All school data must be received and accepted by this date to be included in a school’s final Ending Cash Balance for the year. Please review the June 14, 2021, electronic announcement for additional information.

Guidance and Operational Information for TEACH Grant Regulatory Changes Effective July 1, 2021 (EA ID: GRANTS-21-06): On Aug. 14, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) published final regulations in the Federal Register to amend the TEACH Grant Program. The regulations are effective July 1, 2021.

To implement the final regulations, we have made changes to the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System and StudentAid.gov website. In this Electronic Announcement, we provide some school-related operational impacts to consider as well as information about the system and web that are now in place as of July 1, 2021. Please review the July 1, 2021, electronic announcement for additional information.

Notification of Campus-Based Funding for the 2021–22 Award Year (EA ID: CB-21-07): We have posted a report that notifies the community of the approved awards for the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) and Federal Work-Study (FWS) programs for the 2021–22 award year. To access this report, refer to the document titled, “Notification of Campus-Based Funding for the 2021–22 Award Year,” posted on the Campus-Based Awards page of the Knowledge Center. Please review the June 28, 2021, electronic announcement for additional information.

FEDERAL REGISTERS:

PUBLICATION DATE

June 24, 2021

POSTED DATE

June 24, 2021

SUBJECT

2021-2022 Award Year Deadline Dates Notice

FR TYPE

Notice

PUBLICATION DATE

June 24, 2021

POSTED DATE

June 24, 2021

The Knowledge Center on the FSAPartners.ed.gov website provides guidance, resources, deadlines, and information related to the administration and processing of Title IV federal student aid. Here is a sampling of some helpful Knowledge Center information pages: Grant and Direct Loan (COD) Processing Information Training Resources Library , Federal Registers , Software and Other Tools , and  NSLDS Resources .

Thank you for taking the time to review our newsletter!

Rob Wright

Disclaimer of Liability: Every effort is made to provide accurate and complete information in FA Solutions, LLC’s’ newsletters. However, FA Solutions makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the newsletters and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents of its newsletters. Although FA Solutions may include links providing direct access to other Internet resources, including Websites, FA Solutions is not responsible for the accuracy or content of information contained in these sites.

fasolutions • Jul 20, 2021
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