Note
New! Four additional Learning Tracks are now available for the 2023–24 award year:
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The FAFSA Process
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Verification
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Professional Judgment and Dependency Status Determinations
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Understanding COA and Need Analysis
Follow the instructions below to log in to the FSA Training Center and navigate to all available Learning Tracks.
Dear Colleague:
We are pleased to announce that the Learning Tracks available in the FSA Training Center will be updated with 2022–23 content on Aug. 1, 2022. Learning Tracks offer short, focused courses on single-item subjects in categories such as Grants, Loans, and Student Withdrawals. For 2022–23, there are eight categories offering 30 different “tracks.”
Learning Tracks are award year specific. You are encouraged to complete Learning Tracks each year to keep your understanding of the topic current. Your Record of Learning will reflect this, and you will be able to download Certificates of Completion for completing the new year’s tracks.
Track Spotlight
We have added a new Learning Track category called Financial Aid Orientation which contains two tracks. Federal Student Aid Overview reviews the purpose, history, and principles of Title IV aid and includes video training outlining the basic steps of the financial aid process. FAA Resources Toolkit contains lessons and activities about Title IV law, regulations, and policy. Video training offers instructions on using key Knowledge Center resources such as the Federal Student Aid Handbook and Dear Colleague Letters.
We are also pleased to announce that the FSA Basic Training for New Staff training course will be updated with 2022–23 content on Aug. 1, 2022. This asynchronous, online course is designed for newly hired, entry-level financial aid administrators (FAAs) as well as school officials from outside the financial aid office who want to learn how to administer the federal student aid programs. It can also be used as a comprehensive refresher course for more experienced staff.
By completing the seven modules in this course, you will gain a basic understanding of the parts and pieces of federal student aid administration. You may complete the modules in any order you wish. The course is self-paced and takes 20–30 hours to complete.
Modules include:
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Federal Student Aid Overview
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FAA Resources
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The Student Aid Application Process
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Packaging Aid/Pell and Loan Concepts
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Managing the Campus-Based Programs
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Cash Management
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Student Departures
Note: We also offer FSA Coach Fundamentals, a training course that provides comprehensive instruction on the administration of the federal student aid programs. While these two courses are similar in content, they are designed for unique audiences and are also unique in course design. To ensure that you are enrolling in the course that is right for you, please view the short video titled “Fundamentals vs Basics: Which FSA Training is Right for You?” that is available from the signpost icon in the center of the FSA Training Center homepage.
To access the updated content on Aug. 1, 2022, log into the FSA Training Center with your username and password:
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To access Learning Tracks, select “Learning Tracks” from the main menu bar. From the drop-down menu, choose a category, such as “Grants and Work Study.” Choose the track you wish to complete from the list of available tracks. Click "Start Here" to launch the track.
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To access FSA Basic Training for New Staff 2022–23, select “Training Courses” from the main menu bar. From the drop-down menu, choose “FSA Basic Training for New Staff” and then select "Start Here" to launch the course.
Note: If you do not have a username and password for the FSA Training Center, scroll to the bottom of the login page and choose "Create new account." Follow the instructions to create a username and password.
We look forward to your participation in these training opportunities. If you have questions, please send an email to helpdesk.fsatraining@ed.gov.
Sincerely,
Federal Student Aid