(ANN-09-21) (ANN-09-21) Subject: Training Workshops - Fundamentals of Title IV Administration

Publication Date: August 5, 2009

Subject: Training Workshops - Fundamentals of Title IV Administration

Summary: This letter announces Federal Student Aid’s instructor-led, Fundamentals of Title IV Administration training workshops scheduled for October 2009 through September 2010.

Dear Colleague:

We are pleased to announce our instructor-led, Fundamentals of Title IV Administration training workshops scheduled for October 2009 through September 2010. Each workshop is four and one-half days in length and is conducted at one of the Department of Education’s (the Department’s) regional training facilities.

Through the series of questions and answers below, we provide important information about the Fundamentals of Title IV Administration training workshops.

Note: For the past few years, we have offered a modified version of Fundamentals of Title IV Administration training entitled Financial Aid Basics. This year, we will not offer Financial Aid Basics training. Instead, we have incorporated Financial Aid Basics material into the Fundamentals of Title IV Administration training. Individuals who wish to attend basic training may register for Fundamentals of Title IV Administration training as an individual who is not required to complete the training (see Q&A #2 and Q&A #6 below).

Q1: Who must attend the training workshops?

A1: The CEO (or designee) and Financial Aid Administrator at each school seeking to fulfill the requirements to be certified to participate in the Title IV student financial aid programs must attend Fundamentals of Title IV Administration training. The CEO (or designee) must attend the first two full days of the training. The Financial Aid Administrator must attend all four and one-half days. In some cases, a school undergoing a change of ownership must also attend. Questions about these requirements should be directed to the school’s regional School Participation Team.

Q2: Who may attend the training workshops?

A2: Individuals who are not required to complete Fundamentals of Title IV Administration training as outlined in Q&A #1 but who wish to attend basic training on the Title IV programs may attend Fundamentals of Title IV Administration training provided that seating is available. After ensuring that all attendees who are required to attend have been registered, we will register these individuals.

Q3: What will be covered in the training workshops?

A3: The Fundamentals of Title IV Administration training addresses the following topics:

• What are the Title IV programs?
• How does a school obtain and maintain institutional eligibility?
• What must a school do to request and receive funds from the Department?
• What policies and procedures does a school need to have in place?
• How does a school process aid for its students by determining eligibility, calculating financial need, packaging aid, adjusting aid, and recalculating aid?
• What are the requirements for disbursing aid to students?
• What must a school do in regard to exit interviews and calculating a return of Title IV aid (R2T4)?
• What are the reporting requirements for a school?

Q4: When and where are the training workshops?

A4: Training workshops will be offered October 2009 through September 2010 at one of the Department’s regional training facilities.

The schedule and location information is as follows:

Note: Directions to each training workshop are available through our registration system. To access the directions for each location, click on the hyperlinked location name on the registration page.

Q5: What does a trainee need to bring to the training workshop?

A5: Each trainee will need to bring a pen, a highlighter (or highlighters), and a calculator to the training workshop. We will provide each trainee with paper copies of the participant’s guide and the Federal Student Aid Handbook in a large three-ring binder. Trainees will need to ensure that they have a bag or luggage in which to carry this material when they leave.

Q6: How does an individual register for the training workshop?

A6: An individual registers for the training workshop as follows:

• An individual who is required to attend Fundamentals of Title IV Administration training must contact his or her regional School Participation Team for further information before registering for a training workshop. To access the list of regional School Participation Team phone numbers, click on this link:
  
  http://www.eligcert.ed.gov/

• An individual who is not required to attend Fundamentals of Title IV Administration training may view the workshop schedule and register. To register, click on this link:
  
  http://www.fsaregistration.ed.gov/profile/web/index.cfm?PKwebID=0x11458a0b2&varPage=agenda

Once registered, we will send an e-mail confirmation to the trainee. The trainee should retain this confirmation, as it contains important information about the training workshop, including cancellation information. If unable to attend, we request that the trainee cancel his or her registration so that individuals who wish to attend may do so.

We look forward to your participation in these instructor-led, training workshop opportunities. If you have questions about these training opportunities, please contact Scarlett Brock at scarlett.brock@ed.gov.

Sincerely,

Jana Hernandes
Service Director, Operations
Federal Student Aid