In a letter sent to all staff today, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona outlined comprehensive steps the Department is taking to improve Federal Student Aid (FSA) for students, families, borrowers, and schools. These efforts will ensure FSA works better and addresses ongoing management and operational challenges. Specifically, the Department is taking the following steps: Continue Reading The post Secretary Cardona Outlines Steps to Modernizing the Office of Federal Student Aid appeared first on ED.gov Blog ..read more

Update about federal student aid Next week, FSA will begin the next phase in years long work to improve the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. These improvements have been in the making for years and are an exciting and necessary step in transitioning key aspects of the PSLF program, including customer service, to the Continue Reading The post PSLF Processing Improvements: What Borrowers Can Expect appeared first on ED.gov Blog ..read more

By: Richard Cordray, Chief Operating Office, Federal Student Aid, U.S. Department of Education This spring, Federal Student Aid (FSA) will begin improving how individual borrowers manage and repay their federal student loans. Through multiple phases, we will bring online an entirely new federal student loan servicing environment – a goal we have pursued for more Continue Reading The post Modernizing Federal Student Loan Servicing appeared first on ED.gov Blog ..read more

Borrowers Have More Time to Consolidate Loans to Benefit from the Adjustment By: Federal Student Aid Chief Operating Officer Richard Cordray Since this summer, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) has approved almost $44 billion in debt relief for more than 900,000 borrowers as part of the payment count adjustment. This is a one-time initiative Continue Reading The post Seven Things to Know About the Student Loan Payment Count Adjustment appeared first on ED.gov Blog ..read more

By: U.S. Undersecretary of Education James Kvaal After more than three years, in June 2023, Congress ended the student loan payment pause, which suspended payments and interest for the duration of the pandemic. This fall, more than 28 million borrowers are returning to repayment, an unprecedented challenge for both borrowers and the Department of Education. Continue Reading The post A First Look at Student Loan Repayment After the Payment Pause appeared first on ED.gov Blog ..read more

By: James Kvaal, Under Secretary of Education  For millions of students like you, federal student loans and grants open the doors to a college education. That critical federal aid must be used at a school that is (among other things) given the seal of approval by an “accrediting agency” or “accreditor” recognized by the U.S. Continue Reading The post What College Accreditation Changes Mean for Students appeared first on ED.gov Blog ..read more

By: Richard Cordray, Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid For many, summer is a time for family trips and backyard BBQs, but it is not all fun and games. Before we know it, many students will be rushing to complete summer assignments before heading back to school. Here at Continue Reading The post Federal Student Aid’s Summer Assignment: Modernize the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS®) appeared first on ED.gov Blog ..read more

By: Richard Cordray, Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid Today, I’m pleased to announce that Federal Student Aid (FSA) posted the solicitation for what we’re calling the Unified Servicing and Data Solution (USDS). The USDS is the long-term loan servicing solution designed to provide federal student loan borrowers with Continue Reading The post Announcing the Next Generation of Federal Student Loan Servicing appeared first on ED.gov Blog ..read more

By: Damian Archer As one of the first recipients in Maine of a Pell Grant through the Second Chance Pell Experimental Sites Initiative, I cherish these opportunities to represent education’s potential for rehabilitating the imprisoned. My education while incarcerated and my release to the “real world” holds perspective which I offer gratefully to provide more Continue Reading The post Fighting Chances appeared first on ED.gov Blog ..read more

By: Richard Cordray, Chief, U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid Ten years ago this week, President Barack Obama issued an executive order that established guiding principles to protect veterans, service members, and their families who pursue higher education. These are known formally as the Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service Continue Reading The post Through the Principles of Excellence, ED Continues to Protect Military-Connected Students appeared first on ED.gov Blog ..read more