NASFAA Mention: Education Dept. Eases Rules for College Students Affected by Coronavirus

"The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus has left colleges and universities scrambling to keep students safe at home and abroad, but the effort could mean disruptions in attendance and enrollment that jeopardize the completion of students’ degrees," according to The Washington Post.

"With that in mind, the Education Department issued guidance Thursday providing schools with the flexibility to accommodate students whose studies are being upended by the outbreak. It takes into account scenarios playing out at a growing number of colleges, including the cancellation of study-abroad programs and temporary campus closures.

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'It answers a good number of the outstanding questions we had about what institutions should be doing as they’re dealing with new cases of coronavirus popping up,' said Jill Desjean, a policy analyst at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, a trade group. 'There are areas where the department just can’t go any further … and they were specific about what they couldn’t do.'

The Education Department says it has no authority to waive financial aid requirements that federal loans and grants must be returned when students fail to start classes. There are cases in which students traveled overseas but were unable to begin classes because of school closures. That means they will be ineligible to receive student aid for the semester."

NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Articles included under the notable headlines section are not written by NASFAA, but rather by external sources. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.

 

Publication Date: 3/6/2020

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