Education Department launches hiring spree in key office after 2025's mass layoffs

Lawmakers Introduce Resolution to Rescind OBBBA Student Loan Rule Here's what financial aid professionals need to know: ow.ly/LQOX50YXRwz

This week on "Off The Cuff," 🎙️ we're joined by Blue Icon Advisors to discuss how schools are sorting through the latest guidance and condensed implementation timeline for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 🎧 Listen now: https://ow.ly/rfve50YWCl2

Families still see college as a good investment — figuring out how to pay for it is the challenge

‘Everyone’s Going to Experience a Shock’ From New Federal Policies A new study from Daniel Greenstein, a former state system leader, breaks down how many colleges were already on shaky financial ground before Trump’s new loan limits and earnings tests have even taken effect. https://bit.ly/4cUdycb

Opinion | The Trust Problem in College Pricing Is Real We need to move beyond the back-and-forth about whether trust is as low as it seems and instead focus on providing what students and families say they want: clarity and predictability. https://bit.ly/4dunAzV #EDUSky #HigherEd #AcademicSky

Student Success | Why Students Take on Debt—and What It Reveals A new Trellis Strategies report finds that many students are using loans to cover rising living costs while juggling work, caregiving and financial uncertainty. https://bit.ly/49veD7W #EDUSky #HigherEd #AcademicSky

NASFAA spoke with several financial aid professionals to share their concerns about the tight timeline and lack of guidance from the Department of Education, as many One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) provisions are weeks away from enactment: https://ow.ly/ImMz50YVBCG

Because colleges training future rabbis typically offer only one or two formal undergraduate degrees, they are in danger of losing access to Pell Grants — which more than half of their students rely on. https://chroni.cl/4dlBxkt

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) recently introduced the Improving Financial Aid Offers for Students Act. The legislation, endorsed by NASFAA, would represent a comprehensive federal effort to standardize the information included in financial aid offers. Learn more: https://ow.ly/T00Q50YUBQh

#NASFAAinTheNews: "...on a recent edition of [NASFAA's] podcast, Off the Cuff, NASFAA president Melanie Storey said she would be remiss if she 'didn’t push a little bit.' She asked the department to quantify the volume of in-person verification that will remain..."

This week on "Off the Cuff,"🎙️David Tolman and Maria are joined by Tonya and David Downing to discuss the new Return of Title IV funds (R2T4) regulations, which will take effect this July. 🎧Listen to the new episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and on our website: https://ow.ly/YTxG50YTwTO

The Department of Education issued its final rule detailing changes to the federal student loan programs under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with few changes to the regulatory language agreed upon during the fall 2025 negotiated rulemaking session. Learn more: https://ow.ly/aLCh50YTcXR

🚨 Breaking News | The Trump administration finalized regulations Thursday that will put in place new loan limits for postbaccalaureate degrees as well as make changes to how students repay their loans. Read the full story ➡️ https://bit.ly/4d1XG6l

Colleges lobbied to kill a requirement that they use a uniform financial aid offer letter to help families easily compare costs, @merkolodner.bsky.social of the @hechingerreport.org writes.

Financial aid professionals are approaching AI with caution. A new survey findings report from NASFAA's Use of AI in the Financial Aid Office Task Force highlights concerns around compliance, data privacy, and limited guidance. Learn more: https://ow.ly/K1b150YSwYo

A new Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce report finds California could gain up to $4.4 trillion by 2035 if 70% of adults earn postsecondary credentials.

The Board of Immigration decision comes at a time when the administration continues to make it more difficult for international students to obtain the visas they need to study in the U.S.

We're 60 days out from NASFAA's 60th anniversary celebration at the #NASFAA2026 National Conference in National Harbor, MD! Today, April 30, is your last day to take advantage of early bird pricing. Register today to save up to $100: https://ow.ly/I8B650YSqfa

Education Secretary McMahon defended President Trump’s FY 2027 budget request at a Senate appropriations hearing, receiving pressing questions about why the administration is requesting to severely cut funding for campus-based aid & federal TRIO programs. Read our recap: https://ow.ly/bELB50YRIJz

Student Success | Why Students Stop Out—and What Brings Them Back New research from Trellis Strategies finds that most stopped-out students believe degrees pay off, but financial strain, life demands and weak institutional ties keep them from returning. https://bit.ly/4mTIAUE #AcademicSky #EDUSky

Trump's latest budget proposal would cut $354 million from grants for minority-serving institutions. Students and advocates rallied on Capitol Hill this week as the debate over the grants intensifies. https://chroni.cl/4sTzJnC

Treasury’s first bite of a $1.7T student loan headache

A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration from enforcing any kind of Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS) reporting deadline for additional institutions. Learn more: https://ow.ly/Msc250YR8Kn

Federal Student Aid Implements Series of System Updates During Weekend Specific updates to the #FAFSA can be found in the FAFSA Product Section of FAFSA Central. NASFAA is monitoring this situation and will notify members of any updates.

ED reversed its position — Graduate PLUS loans WILL count toward the new $257,500 OBBBA lifetime borrowing limit starting July 1, 2026. Parent PLUS remains exempt. #StudentLoans #HigherEd #GradSchool

Senate Democrats led by Merkley, Kaine, Warren, and Whitehouse want Sec. McMahon to extend the 90-day SAVE Plan transition window. #StudentLoans #SAVEPlan

Jill, Sarah, and Maria discuss the breaking news this week that, in a reversal of guidance, the Department of Education is now including Graduate PLUS loans in the new $257,500 lifetime borrowing limit established through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act: https://ow.ly/Q51W50YP3Om

Amid DOJ Lawsuit, Nebraska Poised to End In-State Tuition for Noncitizens https://bit.ly/3OYAduy

Democratic Senators Call on ED to Extend Timeline for SAVE Borrowers to Enroll in a New Repayment Plan The letter expresses concern over ED’s effort to move over 7 million borrowers to another repayment plan, which could lead to higher monthly student loan payments: https://ow.ly/9Gqc50YOCNq

Registration for the NASFAA 2026 Virtual Summit is now open! Join us July 13-16 online for a curated lineup of timely sessions focused on delivering the policy updates, insights, and resources financial aid professionals need most — all for the same low institutional price: https://ow.ly/jmSP50YOypC

#NASFAAinTheNews: "The U.S. Department of Education is providing conflicting information about the upcoming federal student loan borrowing limits that will take effect this summer, according to The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators." ...

We're about two months out from the #NASFAA2026 National Conference in National Harbor, MD! If you've been on the fence about attending, the full schedule of sessions descriptions is now available to view: https://ow.ly/yGUw50YO0kT#NASFAA2026 Register by May 1 to save up to $100 with the early bird discount!

NASFAA endorses a series of bills aimed at providing a “clean slate” by removing default records from the credit history of borrowers who have acted to rectify their defaulted federal student loans https://ow.ly/P9r850YOblE Congresswoman Nikema Williams Rep. Haley Stevens Representative Deborah Ross

The Department of Education released its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) with proposed regulations on the new Student Tuition and Transparency System and Earnings Accountability (STATS) framework. Comments are due May 20. Learn more: https://ow.ly/uv5B50YNyiO

A new accountability system by the U.S. Department of Education says institutions will have to show that graduates from their undergraduate degree programs earn more per year than a typical high school graduate.

In a Reversal, ED Says Graduate PLUS Loans Will Count Toward New Lifetime Borrowing Limit NASFAA calls on ED to immediately issue clear, formal guidance regarding this reversal & to prioritize timely, transparent communication moving forward. Learn more: https://ow.ly/Noyt50YNsva

JUST IN 🚨 The Department of Education on Monday revised its previous guidance, now stating that Graduate PLUS loans will be included in the new $257,500 lifetime borrowing limit established through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, NASFAA has learned: https://ow.ly/bZ4L50YNaer

#NASFAAinTheNews: "Karen McCarthy, vice president of public policy and federal relations at [NASFAA], said that, when the legislation first passed last year, numerous institutions asked NASFAA if they could move their start dates up..."

Federal Student Aid announced a webinar on May 1 from 1-2 p.m. ET about the new real-time FAFSA fraud prevention measures. A recording and transcript of the webinar will be posted on the FSA Training Center the week following. How to join the webinar: https://ow.ly/p74w50YMIkM

Congressional Democrats Rep. Joe Courtney & Senator Tim Kaine have unveiled an effort to rescind the Department of Education’s final rule concerning changes to the administration of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Learn more: https://ow.ly/TiOY50YLe0V

In January, Undersecretary Kent told accreditors, “it’s better to be at the table than on the menu.” So what does it mean when fewer colleges and accreditors are at the table for #negreg? Story by @jessicablake.bsky.social www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Today on "Off The Cuff," Melanie & Karen are joined by Aaron Lemon-Strauss, the U.S. Department of Education's FAFSA program executive director, to discuss new #FAFSA fraud prevention measures announced this week. Listen on Spotify, Apple, YouTube or at: https://ow.ly/3P1b50YLbbv

Happy National Volunteer Month! NASFAA depends on the talents and energy of individuals at member institutions to carry out many association activities. No matter how big or small the project, we are incredibly grateful to all of our volunteers! 🫶

#NASFAAinTheNews: “'I would say it immediately raises lots of questions about how exactly this will happen. You know, the devil is always in the details, and there are lots of moving pieces to this,' Karen McCarthy, the vice president of public policy and federal relations at [NASFAA], told NOTUS."

The Department of Education on Wednesday unveiled details of its new identity fraud prevention measures, which will be part of the FAFSA starting April 26, along with a one-time identity fraud screen of all previously submitted 2026-27 FAFSAs. Learn more: https://ow.ly/lOkr50YKrcT

Federal Student Aid on Wednesday released updated student-facing information regarding new changes to loan limits and repayment plans made under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act: https://ow.ly/9f1F50YKpVB

In this first round of 2027-28 #FAFSA comments, NASFAA expressed support for many of the proposed changes and offered recommendations for further improvement and reiterated areas of concern raised in prior years’ comments. Read our comments: https://ow.ly/BYsF50YJVSa

Enrollment outpaced public higher ed funding in 2025 LEARN MORE: bit.ly/4voyPC5