This information provides answers to some of the more frequently asked questions we receive from organizations and individuals interested in NASFAA Membership. A Membership kit includes detailed information about NASFAA's publications and services and is available upon request from membership@NASFAA.org or call 202-785-0453, ext. 1.

Who We Are

The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) supports financial aid professionals at colleges, universities, and career schools. NASFAA is the only national association with a primary focus on student aid legislation, regulatory analysis, and professional development for financial aid administrators.

What We Do

NASFAA is a valued source of accurate, unbiased, and timely information on the federal student aid process for its member institutions. The Association also represents the interests of students and financial aid administrators to the Congress, the Department of Education, and other regulatory agencies, working to improve financial aid administration and the delivery of aid to students.

Who Our Members Are

NASFAA represents financial aid professionals at nearly 3,000 institutions of postsecondary education, as well as others with an interest in the advancement of student aid. No Washington-based higher education association represents more campus members than NASFAA. There are four main classes of membership, each with its own dues and entitlement structure.

Institutional membership is open to institutions of postsecondary education having an interest in promoting the effective administration of student financial aid and that meet certain criteria.

Affiliate membership is only open to practicing student financial aid administrators employed full-time by an institution of postsecondary education that is not an institutional member of the association, or who are employed full-time in an institutional system office that is an institutional member of the association.

Constituent membership is open to educational associations, governing agencies, or other organizations involved in providing services and products to postsecondary institutions, and individuals having an interest in promoting the effective administration of student financial aid.

Student membership is open to individuals enrolled full-time in institutions of postsecondary education who have an interest in promoting the effective administration of student financial aid.

Benefits of Membership

Membership in NASFAA consists of a far-reaching range of direct and indirect benefits. Many of these are presented in the booklet NASFAA Membership Benefits. A print copy is available from NASFAA Membership Services at Membership@NASFAA.org.

Have a Question?

Ask a membership representative via e-mail (Membership@NASFAA.org) or call us at 202-785-0453, ext. 1.

Applying for Membership

Membership application forms are available on-line. NOTE: If you are joining NASFAA for the first time and have any questions, please contact Membership Services at 202-785-0453, ext 1, or by e-mail at Membership@NASFAA.org before you complete the form. You may also request that a membership kit be mailed to you.

Membership Type, Dues, and Entitlements

Institutional Membership: Institutional membership in the association is open to institutions of postsecondary education having an interest in promoting the effective administration of student financial aid, which meet the following criteria:

a) Institutions must normally maintain a regular faculty and curriculum and normally have a regularly enrolled body of students in attendance at the place where the educational activities are regularly carried on;

b) Institutions must normally have a full-time employee on campus with primary responsibility for the administration of student aid;

c) Institutions may fit one of the following organizational structures: 1) A single campus institution under the control of a single administration. 2) A single institution with branch campuses. Each campus may join separately or you may combine the institutional FTEs, pay one base fee, and join under one membership. This is only available if all branches are included, and entitles the institution to only one vote. 3) A separate institution that is part of a system. Institutions that are part of a system may join separately, or may combine FTEs, pay individual base fees, and then reduce the total bill by 5 percent. This is only available if all system members are included, and entitles the system to only one vote.

The Institutional Membership Form is available on-line. Please contact us if you need further information on institutional membership policies.

Affiliate Membership: Affiliate membership in the association is only open to individuals who are employed full-time by a postsecondary institution.

Affiliate members shall have all privileges and benefits of membership in the association other than the right to vote on matters before the institutional membership. They may be elected to the Board of Directors of the association and, as such, have voting rights in that body.

Constituent Membership: Constituent membership in the association is open to educational associations, governing agencies, or other organizations involved in providing educational services, and individuals having an interest in promoting the effective administration of student financial aid. An association, agency or organization holding such membership in the association shall designate an individual to serve as a liaison between such member entity and the association. Constituent members of the association may not vote in association matters nor hold office in the association, but may serve on association committees.

The Constituent Membership Form is available on-line.

Student Membership: Student membership is open to individuals enrolled full-time in institutions of postsecondary education who have an interest in promoting the effective administration of student financial aid. Student members may not vote on matters before the association or hold office, but may serve on association committees. Please enclose a statement from your registrar, advisor, or a faculty member attesting to your full--time student status.

Dues: Dues cover your membership services for a full twelve months.

Entitlement Publications

Entitlement publications include the NASFAA Membership Directory, Journal of Student Financial Aid, Student Aid Transcript, and Monograph Series. Entitlements are earned on the basis of one per every 2,500 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) enrollment. Each member receives at least one entitlement. In addition, each Institutional and Consitutent member is allowed a base of five Web IDs plus one additional ID for each NASFAA entitlement. Therefore, no institution will have fewer than six IDs.

In compliance with U.S. postal regulations, we have designated $50 of your annual dues for each entitlement subscription to the Student Aid Transcript. Institutional and Constituent members who wish to order additional entitlements should complete the calculation under section B of the Membership Form and increase their annual dues assessment accordingly. Additional entitlements are not automatically billed (They will be automatically billede as of August 03). Since additional entitlements have the same anniversary as annual membership, we suggest that you purchase them each year at the time of membership renewal. Subscriptions to individual publications, with the exception of the Journal, are not available. Affiliate and student members are not eligible to purchase additional entitlements.

Entitlement Distribution and Directory Listing

The Institutional Voting Representative or Primary Contact listed will receive the first entitlement and is listed first in the Membership Directory. Check boxes to indicate whether the listed staff are to be listed in the Membership Directory and/or to receive entitlements. Constituent members may have a directory listing for any additional entitlements purchased. Affiliate and Student members may have only one Directory listing (based on their tier). If any individual is to receive more than one set of entitlement publications, indicate the quantity in the space provided.