Note
Oct. 19, 2023 Update
We are pleased to announce the addition of a 12th webinar to this series, StudentAid.gov Account Creation Process for Users Without an SSN, scheduled for Nov. 2, 2023. Refer to the schedule below for a complete description of the webinar, including the link to join on the day of the event.
Dear Colleague:
Delivering on the commitment outlined in our Better FAFSA Better Future Roadmap, we are pleased to announce the Better FAFSA® Better Future Webinar Series. This series of live webinars will cover the most recent guidance from the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) and the office of Federal Student Aid on implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act, the FUTURE Act, and what your school needs to know about upcoming changes for the 2024–25 award year. Participants are encouraged to ask questions by typing them into the chat during the webinar and a live Q&A session follows each presentation.
Federal Student Aid staff will present the 11 webinars in this series in June–July 2023.
You do not need to register for these webinars. Participation will be available on a first come, first-served basis and we can accommodate up to 10,000 attendees in each session. A video recording and transcript of the Q&A portion of the webinar will be available the week following each live session.
Refer to the sections below for more information about each webinar, including instructions to add reminders to your calendar for the sessions that you would like to attend.
Better FAFSA® Better Future Webinar Series Schedule and Links, June–July 2023
All sessions are scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Eastern time (ET). There may be a difference between your local time and Eastern time. To determine local time and its Eastern time zone equivalent, go to time.gov.
See below for complete details about each webinar, including the link to join on the day of the event.
Better FAFSA® Better Future Overview and Timeline
Date/Time: Tuesday, June 6, 2023, 1–2 p.m. ET
Big changes for a Better FAFSA Better Future! This session will focus on the Department’s implementation of the FUTURE Act and the FAFSA Simplification Act. We will review the legislation and discuss the phased implementation from 2023–24 through 2024–25. The session will conclude with additional resources, upcoming training dates, and an opportunity to ask questions.
Link to Join Webinar:
Microsoft Teams Link for Better FAFSA® Better Future Overview and Timeline Webinar June 6, 2023
Protecting Federal Tax Information (FTI) at Your Institution
Date/Time: Thursday, June 8, 2023, 1–2 p.m. ET
The IRS DRT is being replaced by the Future Act Direct Data Exchange (FADDX). The session will cover your responsibilities in protecting FTI beginning with the 2024–25 FAFSA form. We will also cover the consent process for students and parents and the impact of failure to consent.
Link to Join Webinar:
ISIR vs. ISIR
Date/Time: Tuesday, June 13, 2023, 1–2 p.m. ET
Stop scrolling! You need this! In 2024–25, you will note multiple changes to the Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) that are the result of updates to FAFSA questions and processing changes. Discover how the layout of the ISIR has changed so you can identify the fields that have been added or removed. Images of the 2024–25 ISIR will be featured.
Link to Join Webinar:
Microsoft Teams Link for ISIR vs. ISIR Webinar June 13, 2023
Professional Judgment, Dependency Status, and Verification
Date/Time: Thursday, June 15, 2023, 1–2 p.m. ET
Learn about changes to professional judgment for both the 2023–24 and 2024–25 award years, including changes related to unaccompanied homeless youth and foster care youth determinations. We will also discuss 2024–25 verification changes.
Link to Join Webinar:
Better FAFSA® Better Future Q&A – Session 1
Date/Time: Tuesday, June 20, 2023, 1–2 p.m. ET
Need answers? FSA will respond to questions from previous sessions and field additional questions about Better FAFSA Better Future.
Link to Join Webinar:
Microsoft Teams Link for Better FAFSA® Better Future Q&A – Session 1 Webinar June 20, 2023
Student Aid Index (SAI) – Part 1
Date/Time: Thursday, June 22, 2023, 1–2:30 p.m. ET
Goodbye EFC! Hello SAI! Join us as we spotlight the differences between the SAI and EFC formulas and navigate through the world of SAI calculations. Part 1 of this training focuses on SAI formulas for dependent students.
Link to Join Webinar:
Microsoft Teams Link for Student Aid Index (SAI) – Part 1 Webinar June 22, 2023
Student Aid Index (SAI) – Part 2
Date/Time: Tuesday, June 27, 2023, 1–2:30 p.m. ET
Goodbye EFC! Hello SAI! Join us as we spotlight the differences between the SAI and EFC formulas and navigate through the world of SAI calculations. Part 2 of this training focuses on SAI formulas for independent students.
Link to Join Webinar:
Microsoft Teams Link for Student Aid Index (SAI) – Part 2 Webinar June 27, 2023
Pell Grant Minimums, Maximums, and In Between
Date/Time: Thursday, July 6, 2023, 1–2 p.m. ET
Get ready to learn about Pell Grant minimums and maximums and examine the new methodologies used to calculate a student’s scheduled award in between the minimum and maximum Pell Grant. This session also includes case studies of the different measures used to assess a family’s ability to pay for college.
Link to Join Webinar:
Microsoft Teams Link for Pell Grant Minimums, Maximums, and In Between Webinar July 6, 2023
The FAA's Role in FAFSA® Simplification
Date/Time: Tuesday, July 11, 2023, 1–2:30 p.m. ET
Financial Aid Administrators (FAAs) have a significant role to play in the successful implementation of Better FAFSA Better Future. What will the aid applicant experience look like, and how will you assist? How do you identify and work with partners, both internal and external to your campus, during implementation? How will your policies, procedures, and operations be updated to align with all the changes? This session will highlight items for you to consider as you answer each of these important questions.
Link to Join Webinar:
Microsoft Teams Link for The FAA’s Role in FAFSA® Simplification Webinar July 11, 2023
Better FAFSA® Better Future Q&A – Session 2
Date/Time: Thursday, July 13, 2023, 1–2 p.m. ET
Need answers? FSA will respond to questions from previous sessions and field additional questions about Better FAFSA Better Future.
Link to Join Webinar:
Microsoft Teams Link for Better FAFSA® Better Future Q&A – Session 2 Webinar July 13, 2023
2024–25 FAFSA® Demonstration
Date/Time: Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, 1–2:30 p.m. ET
Big changes are coming to the 2024–25 FAFSA form! Join us as we tour new features and discuss important updates to the FAFSA experience. Our demonstration will include a look at the new roles page, inviting contributors, new question order, student demographic questions, the parent wizard, and other exciting features. We will also view how to provide consent to retrieve and disclose Federal Tax Information (FTI).
Link to Join Webinar:
Microsoft Teams Link for 2024–25 FAFSA® Demonstration Webinar Aug. 17, 2023
StudentAid.gov Account Creation Process for Users Without an SSN
Date/Time: Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, 1–2 p.m. ET
Starting in the 2024–25 award year, each student and contributor must create their own StudentAid.gov account to complete the FAFSA form online. Join us for a preview of the new account creation process for users without a Social Security number (SSN), which will be available in December 2023. We will discuss changes to the user experience and provide a walkthrough of the knowledge-based identity verification process with TransUnion. The session will conclude with an opportunity to ask questions. Please note: This webinar is not designed to be a step-by-step guide for students and contributors.
Link to Join Webinar:
Adding a Webinar Invitation to Your Calendar
To add an iCalendar invitation to your calendar now, to remind you of the webinar details, follow the instructions below:
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Log into the FSA Training Center (fsatraining.ed.gov).
Note: If you do not have a username and password for the FSA Training Center, select "Create new account" at the bottom of the login page and follow the instructions to create a username and password.
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Select the “Upcoming Webinars” icon on the home page.
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Locate a webinar in the table and select the iCalendar file to download and save the invitation to your calendar. The invitation includes the webinar link. If Outlook is not your default calendar, you may download the iCalendar (.ics) file and then upload it to your system calendar. The table on the Upcoming Webinars page also includes a link to the webinar.
Additional Webinar Resources: Handouts, Recordings, and Q&A Transcripts
A PDF handout will be available for download the day before the live webinar in the “Upcoming Webinars” section of the FSA Training Center. Leave behinds, if any, will also be available for download. Once you log in, select the “Upcoming Webinars” icon on the home page and locate the webinar in the table to download the presentation materials.
A video recording and a transcript of the Q&A portion of the webinar will be posted the week following each session. Once you log in to the FSA Training Center, select the “FAFSA® Simplification Training and Resources” icon on the home page to locate the recordings and transcripts.
We look forward to your participation in this webinar series. If you have questions, please contact us at helpdesk.fsatraining@ed.gov.
Sincerely,
Federal Student Aid