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The Department of Education (ED) announced on Wednesday that it would be making temporary changes to the verification process for the 2022-23 award year, as a means of providing relief to students and reducing existing barriers to enrollment for millions of low-income students who need access to financial aid. “We are maintaining verification requirements that strictly focus on identity and fraud for the remainder of the 2022-2023 award year and waiving the remaining verification requirements,” ED wrote in the notice detailing the waiver announcement.

Postsecondary enrollment trends have shown troubling signs since the onset of the pandemic, and a new report is highlighting stark inequities in the system that have the U.S. recording lower rates of educational attainment than other developed nations over a two-decade span.

First, you must review Dear Colleague Letter GEN-22-06, Changes to 2022-2023 Verification Requirements. Beginning May 18, 2022 and for the remainder of the 2022-23 FAFSA processing and verification cycle (including summer periods attached to the 2022-23 award year), ED is waiving verification of all FAFSA and Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) information, except for identity/Statement of Educational Purpose in Verification Tracking Groups V4 and V5. View the full answer to this question to learn more.

NASFAA has added several new resources to our FAFSA Simplification page to help financial aid administrators understand the upcoming changes resulting from the FAFSA Simplification Act and subsequent technical changes. Visit the FAFSA Simplification page for a timeline of effective dates for FAFSA simplification provisions, detailed summaries of all of the changes resulting from the legislation, a flowchart of the new Federal Methodology, plus all of NASFAA's Today's News coverage of FAFSA simplification.

NASFAA is seeking a financial aid expert to join its Business Services team as a Project Manager. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced financial aid professional who is ready for a career change and would enjoy helping NASFAA grow its consulting business, Blue Icon Advisors. The Project Manager oversees client engagements and supports Blue Icon through administrative responsibilities. Remote candidates are welcome and relocation is not expected. Interested candidates should apply online by June 1.

Next Tuesday, May 24, at 2:00 p.m. ET, NASFAA will conduct its Annual Business Meeting virtually, followed by a policy update. The meeting will include updates on NASFAA's financial status, Certified Financial Aid Administrator® (CFAA) program, governance and oversight, and diversity efforts. The policy update will include the latest updates on what’s happening in Washington related to student aid policy. The Policy Team will provide updates on Higher Education Act reauthorization, student aid funding, regulatory action, and close with a question-and-answer session. Register now.

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