Yes, it seems that 2013-2014 has just begun, but it is already time to be planning for 2014-2015. ED has provided several items that schools should be aware of in anticipation of the start of 2014-2015 processing in January.
First, schools will want to review the initial 2014-2015 Federal School Code (FSC) List of Participating Schools. This list contains the codes that students use to select your institution to receive the results of their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FSC list must be kept current and correct with up-to-date school addresses and six-digit OPE codes to ensure you receive your students’ FAFSA results. Schools may access the list to review it at Initial 2014-2015 Federal School Code (FSC) List of Participating Schools. (Alternatively, you may find it on IFAP under “ILibrary” in the “Publications by Document Type”.) Any corrections that may be needed must be made on the E-App Web site utilizing the “Update your Federal School Code Addresses which are used by the FAFSA”, located on the left side of the page under the “Other Features” section. It is important to remember that this feature only updates the school address for the FSC list. If the school needs to update its name or address officially with ED for all other databases and purposes, the school must do this by completing an “Update” application through the E-App Web site. (If a school so chooses, they may request FAME to assist in any necessary updates to their E-App.)
Next in preparation for 2014-2015, students should have their correct e-mail addresses on their FAFSA record. ED has reminded schools to update 2013-2014 Student Aid Report (SAR) and Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) transactions for their students with a current e-mail address by January 13, 2014. Students who are eligible to receive a 2014-2015 renewal FAFSA will be sent an e-mail Renewal Reminder between January 16 and January 22, 2014. Schools are encouraged to work with students to ensure that their current and correct e-mail address is on their 2013-2014 ISIR/SAR records and to also submit any pending corrections that may prevent a student from being renewal-eligible for 2014-2015. In order for a student to be renewal-eligible for 2014-2015, the student must have a good match with the Social Security Administration (SSA). This occurs when a student has submitted a 2013-2014 FAFSA and the SSA matched the student’s name, Social Security Number (SSN), and date of birth. This match will indicate that the student will have received a Federal Student Aid PIN, which is required in order to access the renewal data on FAFSA on the Web.
Finally, ED has released the Draft 2014-2015 FAFSA form and instructions. It will be important to review this document as it contains some significant changes from past years in regard to, among other things, instructions related to student marital status, parental information, etc., and the impact from the Supreme Court decision regarding the Defense of Marriage Act. Schools are invited to provide their comments about this draft version of the 2014-2015 FAFSA not later than November 21, 2013. To comment on the draft of the FAFSA, individuals should go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov and select Docket ID number ED–2013–ICCD–0061. You may also access it directly at https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=ED-2013-ICCD-0061.
(EA10312013 EA10302013 EA10242013)
