The 2023 Virtual Federal Student Aid Training Conference occurred between November 28 and December 1. The was a record 22,400 registered participants for the four-day training conference.
If you were unable to attend a session or would like to review a session, the opportunity to continue learning is available with on-demand access to the conference programming. Visit the 2023 Virtual FSA Training Conference Event Platform (https://2023fsatc.us.chime.live) and navigate to the “On-Demand” page from the main menu. All sessions will be available for on-demand viewing until March 4, 2024.
If you did not register for the conference but would like to access the on-demand presentations, you will need to register first. After completing the simple registration process, you will receive an email from mobilesolutions@chime.live. This email contains the information you need to access the on-demand sessions on the conference platform.
Additional tricks and tips to navigate the on demand platform can be found in announcement GENERAL-23-110.
There are a total of 29 sessions. College Aid Services would like to highlight its list of important sessions that all financial aid professionals should attend. Below are the top six sessions that we recommend, along with a summary of its content and the key highlights:
#1. GS4 – Federal Update: The Federal Update session is highly recommended for anyone who wants a general overview of FAFSA Simplification and how its new procedures will impact the industry moving forward. This session focuses on the major changes that FAFSA Simplification will bring, what administrators should expect for the 24-25 academic year, and discusses updates to negotiated rulemaking as well as regulatory issues with loans.
Session Highlights:
- FAFSA Simplification recap and updates
- DCL GEN-23-09 about Distance Education
- Updates on Negotiated Rulemaking on Institutional Eligibility and Accountability that go into effect on 7/1/2024.
- Important reminders and resources available to administrators.
#2. GS5 – FAFSA Update: For those who want a more detailed look at FAFSA Simplification, the FAFSA Update session provides an in-depth look at the changes to the application portal and how the federal system will process them. The presentation is great for understanding the back-end portions of FAFSA processing and gives numerous examples that administrators may encounter as families complete their applications.
Session Highlights:
- Additional changes for the upcoming 24-25 FAFSA
- Previously unreleased FAFSA Simplification policies from the Department of Education
- Supplemental information on regulations such as providing consent
- Important reminders from past webinars and presentations
#3. BO6 – Gainful Employment: Like the Federal Update, Breakout Session #6 speaks broadly about what Gainful Employment is and the factors that the Department of Education uses to evaluate an academic program’s eligibility. The presentation dives into the more logistical aspects of Gainful Employment such as reporting requirements, notice of determination, and program eligibility standards.
Session Highlights:
- Breakdowns for new and amended calculation methods
- How both calculation will impact eligibility metrics for student aid
- Information about the mandatory reporting process for the amended regulation
#4. BO7 – Regulatory Landscape: The Regulatory Landscape session is essential for understanding what lies ahead in terms of regulations within four areas: Financial Responsibility, Certification Procedures, Administrative Capability, and Ability to Benefit. The presenters not only provide very detailed information on what institutions must adhere to in relation to the topics and is important for administrators responsible for maintaining federal compliance.
Session Highlights:
- Detailed review of upcoming regulatory changes across the industry
- In-depth look at non-Ge based regulations that were releases in October 2023
- Information for regulations that will go into effect in July 2024
#5. BO13 – FAFSA Simplification: Application and Need Analysis: Breakout Session #13 shifts the FAFSA Simplification discussion away from what financial aid professionals can expect, to how it will impact students during the upcoming application process. While this session is beneficial to any administrator, it is highly recommended for those who directly interact with families so that they can anticipate, troubleshoot, and resolve issues proactively.
Session Highlights:
- Addresses multiple unanswered questions that the Department of Education did not previously release
- Provides solutions to a variety of common scenarios that administrators may encounter
- Clarifies several misconceptions about future policies changes
- Extremely beneficial for those who attended the FAFSA Update session
#6. BO15 – Calculating Pell Grant: The Calculating Pell Grant session is highly recommended because it contains an informative look at how the Department of Education will determine the award amount for each student. Participants will receive step-by-step instructions on the significant changes to the Pell Grant calculation process including formulas, enrollment density, and rounding rules.
Session Highlights:
- Overview of larger changes to Pell grant calculations
- Reviews specific adjustments to current Pell formulas that the Department of Education will utilize
- Discusses how updates will impact student eligibility for Pell grants
- Visually demonstrates what Pell grant calculations will look like with examples