60-hour countdown until the first event of the #NASFAA2026 National Conference. 🎊 We can't wait to celebrate 60 years of NASFAA with you! 🥳 If you're joining us in National Harbor, here are a few important reminders to know before you go: https://ow.ly/up6L50ZhEPv

With July 1 just under a week away, a lawsuit challenging the Department of Education’s new PSLF employer eligibility rule has gained urgency, with ED seeking emergency clearance to revise the PSLF certification form before the July 1 effective date. Learn more: https://ow.ly/GWif50ZhBsk

ICYMI | A federal judge has tossed out the Education Department’s rule that strictly limited graduate students’ access to higher federal student loan borrowing limits. The ruling says the Education Department violated Congress’s instructions by adding criteria. Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/3T4r6Kr

On Thursday, Suzanne Bonamici introduced a resolution to impeach Education Secretary Linda McMahon, stating that McMahon violated her oath of office, illegally transferred operations to other federal agencies, and made false statements before Congress. Learn more: https://ow.ly/Temk50ZhyX7

Federal Student Aid released newly updated data from 70 quarterly application, disbursement, and loan portfolio reports, showing a 1.3 million uptick in the number of borrowers in default since the last quarter in 2025. Learn more: https://ow.ly/pneX50Zhkzu

ED Announces Higher Education Fraud Summit The one-day summit will feature staff from ED and FSA, Inspectors General, institutions of higher education, and industry partners for sessions focused on combating fraud across higher education. Register by July 3: https://ow.ly/H7Pq50ZgRLK

A bipartisan House bill would cap federal student loan interest at 2% and apply it retroactively to existing loans. Rates today run as high as 9%. Supporters just filed a discharge petition to force a vote — it needs 218 signatures. #studentloans #personalfinance

🚨 Court Temporarily Pauses Key Parts of Professional Student Definition Days Before July 1 Effective Date Uncertainty remains as the ruling is only a day old. For now, institutions should consult their own legal counsel before deciding how to proceed. Learn more: https://ow.ly/vCyQ50Zh3ze

Duration-of-Status Rule Change Clears White House Review https://bit.ly/4vmEbwZ

The Department of Education unveiled a new initiative to help student loan borrowers return to repayment. Borrowers who enroll in auto pay by Sept. 30, 2026, or who are already enrolled in auto pay, will receive this 1% interest rate reduction benefit through June 30, 2028: https://ow.ly/SQmz50ZfUIF

Ghost students in Utah’s higher education institutions fraudulently received over $800,000 in college aid during the 2025-2026 school year.

Review some of the questions and answers from our recent NASFAA Quiz Show Webinar on the new episode of "Off The Cuff," now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and on our website: https://ow.ly/tIHJ50ZfoR7

ED Backs Out of Some Sessions at NASFAA Conference The conference will still include a fireside chat with Education Under Secretary Nicholas Kent, plus three other ED-related sessions. https://bit.ly/4exR1BB #EDUSky #HigherEd #AcademicSky

NASFAA signed onto a letter with the American Council on Education expressing concern for the Department of Education's proposed changes to the foreign gifts and contracts reporting process, such as the public disclosure of donor names and the new certification requirement: https://ow.ly/jk7H50ZecsE

The Trump administration plans to transfer several core Education Department responsibilities, including its civil rights and special education programs, to other federal agencies as part of its efforts to dismantle the department.

NASFAA submitted comments to the Department of Education supporting many of the proposed updates to the Fixed Payment Repayment Plan Request form and offered recommendations to further improve the form’s clarity and usability for borrowers. Learn more: https://ow.ly/xy4o50ZcM4I

As a hostile political environment drives immigrant students into the shadows, institutions like Northern Essex Community College in Massachusetts are fighting to keep open the fragile pathways to the American middle class.

NASFAA's Policy Team has put together a new issue brief that walks through several frequently asked questions about a funding shortfall in the Pell Grant program: https://ow.ly/4qoa50Zcklv

#NASFAAinTheNews: "'How will borrowers fill that gap?' says Karen McCarthy, vice president of public policy and federal relations at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators..."

#NASFAAinTheNews: ..."In the meantime, Jill Desjean, director of policy analysis at [NASFAA], said she is thinking through what any of the changes to the loan limits would mean practically for advisers and students. She anticipates any potential change will occur after July 1."...

🎙️Melanie, Karen, and Nalia discuss the House's fiscal year 2027 budget proposal and what that means for the Pell Grant Program shortfall and more policy issues from this week on today's new episode of "Off the Cuff." 🎧Listen now: https://ow.ly/5lg350Zb7kM

The House on Wednesday passed the No Aid for Ghost Students Act, in a 249-172 vote, which aims to codify the Department of Education’s recent fraud prevention measures on the FAFSA form. Here's what financial aid offices need to know: https://ow.ly/1lTM50ZbbTX

Tens of Millions of Adults Want to Go to College https://bit.ly/4eCH5rx

The House Appropriations Committee advanced its fiscal year 2027 funding bill for the Department of Education and other government agencies, adopting a bipartisan amendment that would reclassify nursing programs as a professional degree. Learn more: https://ow.ly/OVzq50Zav8l

A popular (and generous) repayment plan ends, two new plans begin and many borrowers will see new loan limits.

We are pleased to share NASFAA's responses to the Department of Education's request for comments on its proposed changes to the Master Promissory Forms as well as the Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Application. Read our comments: https://ow.ly/BPhM50Z9TLW

How Do Community Colleges Produce More Credentials of Value? https://bit.ly/4xohGcI

Over 60 members of Congress, led by Elizabeth Warren, sent a letter to the Department of Education (ED) expressing concerns about rising student loan default and delinquency rates, and asked ED for details on its plan to help struggling borrowers. Learn more: https://ow.ly/cjlB50Z9sro

Just in from the Department of Education: Effective immediately, institutions should disregard the FPS C Flag associated with Comment Code 352 while ED updates its logic to ensure the FPS no longer sets a C flag for postscreening Reason Code 34/Comment Code 352. Learn more: https://ow.ly/1Nx750Z9vWi

The Cornell Prison Education Program has announced a new national consortium and data-tracking initiative aimed at analyzing how higher education in correctional facilities impacts communities.

“The FAFSA exists to help students access financial aid and achieve their educational goals — not to serve as a tool for immigration enforcement...” Learn more about the Protecting Student Privacy Act: https://ow.ly/ECNI50Z8RZ0

$50M TRIO Grants? ED Gives States a Leg Up in College Access Program www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

The House Appropriations Committee released its fiscal year 2027 budget proposal, which would cut funding for the Federal Work-Study and FSEOG programs, increase the maximum Pell Grant award by $50, and eliminate funding for subsidized federal student loans. Learn more: https://ow.ly/iQjb50Z87FS

If your financial aid office has run into any reprocessed ISIRs with comment code 352 and a corresponding C-Flag, then today's new episode of "Off The Cuff" is for you: https://ow.ly/RzK450Z80GN

#NASFAAinTheNews: "We're seeing the repercussions of the short timelines to implement the rules from OBBBA," said Karen McCarthy, VP for public policy and federal relations at NASFAA. "Usually we have eight months...But this year was May 19, six weeks before July."

While adults continue to link college degrees to career success, cost remains a key factor when selecting an institution, and many adults don’t believe students have access to quality, affordable higher education, a new report from Gallup and Lumina Foundation found: https://ow.ly/NPuF50Z7ISj

Some Federal Funds Restored to Community College Research Center https://bit.ly/4uoVoVy

Are community colleges being treated as a public good or are they being quietly repackaged as workforce pipelines, patched together through employer partnerships, competitive grants, and the ingenuity of presidents who have learned to do more with less?

The Department of Education issued an electronic announcement on Friday with several best practices institutions should consider to prevent fraud in federal student assistance programs: https://ow.ly/yIJT50Z6J07

#NASFAAinTheNews: "'These are the most changes we have seen at this scale in a very long time,' said Sarah Austin, a policy analyst at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, a nonprofit membership organization."

This week on “Off the Cuff,” Allie is joined by Rachel and Sheila Meiman, NASFAA’s prison education specialist, to discuss the landscape of prison education programs (PEP). Sheila, who is retiring this month, shares her perspective on the past and future of PEP: https://ow.ly/hHKM50Z6kuc

Why Advocates Want a $200 Increase to the Pell Grant Higher ed groups say the grant has lost purchasing power amid inflation. But getting any increase through Congress will be a hard sell as lawmakers grapple with the program’s $17 million shortfall. https://bit.ly/4dKtpZP #EDUSky #AcademicSky

What the Education Department Projects for Workforce Pell The Education Department estimates Workforce Pell could benefit over 100,000 students in the second year of the program. Experts say implementation will start slow but ramp up. https://bit.ly/4uvIbLg #EDUSky #AcademicSky #HigherEd

The Department of Education released a FAQ document addressing the new loan limits established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which take effect July 1, 2026. We summarized what financial aid professionals need to know: https://ow.ly/4BHH50Z2UXw

This week on "Off The Cuff,"🎙️Hugh is joined by Norma, David Tolman, and David Futrell to discuss the schedule of reductions (SOR). 🎧 Listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and on our website: https://ow.ly/QoWV50Z2SSY

A group of three senators on Tuesday introduced companion legislation aimed at preventing federal student aid fraud by targeting “ghost students,” dubbed the Student Aid Fraud Oversight and Accountability Act. Learn more: https://ow.ly/ZzLG50Z2Oob

A coalition of 25 states sued the Department of Education over its final rule implementing new student loan limits, claiming that this rule will price many students out of entering the healthcare workforce and harm public higher education institutions. Learn more: https://ow.ly/lOEL50Z2MgC

Only about a third of Americans now believe a four-year degree is worth the cost. As many colleges face shrinking enrollment, some are offering students a faster path to graduation. https://to.pbs.org/4eRDxCp

NASFAA's comments to the Department of Education on the proposed regulations for changes related to the institutional accountability framework address data quality concerns, authority to impose institution-wide Title IV eligibility loss, and more. Read our comments: https://ow.ly/a1e450Z2Gx6

The Department of Education released its final rule covering the Pell Grant changes made in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. NASFAA policy experts break down what financial aid professionals need to know: https://ow.ly/zamH50Z2c8S