Publication Date: January 31, 2005
Author: General Manager, FSA Application, School Eligibility and Delivery Services
Summary: E-mail Messages Not Reaching Some Applicants
Posted on 01-31-2005
You have told us that some financial aid applicants, after providing an e-mail address on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Personal Identification Number (PIN) application, are not receiving e-mail correspondence from us. We have researched the issue and found that although the Student Aid Report (SAR) and PIN e-mail messages are being sent to the applicants as they should be, there are several reasons why an e-mail might not reach the inbox of an applicant:
- Bulk Mail Folders: Some e-mail accounts include a "bulk mail folder" or a "junk mail folder." The SAR or PIN e-mail is sometimes perceived as unsolicited mail and directed into these folders.
Solution: Check all folders in the e-mail account to determine if this has happened. Some e-mail providers (for example, AOL, Earthlink, or Hotmail) may require an e-mail address to be listed in the e-mail address book before allowing delivery to the user's inbox. To ensure that the SAR or PIN e-mail is delivered to the inbox, enter the following originating e-mail address into the address book: cpsnotify@cpsemail.ed.gov.
- Delivery Failure: Some e-mail does not reach its intended destination. This could be due to a failure on the Internet or heavy e-mail traffic that exceeds an e-mail provider's bandwidth. In addition, because the SAR and PIN e-mail messages contain a hyperlink, the message may be perceived as unwanted e-mail or "spam," and the user's personal e-mail account settings may filter it out.
Solution: The user may wish to contact their e-mail provider if they continue to encounter e-mail delivery problems.
- Exceeded Mailbox Size Limit: Most e-mail providers limit the amount of space available for e-mail storage. If the user has exceeded the limit, the SAR or PIN e-mail will not be delivered.
Solution: Verify that the mailbox has available storage space.
- Incorrect E-mail Address: If the user's e-mail address has changed or was typed incorrectly, the SAR or PIN e-mail will not be delivered. E-mail addresses have a strict format that must be adhered to. An e-mail address must have a domain (.com, .edu, .gov, etc.) and cannot begin with "www."
Solution: Ensure that the e-mail address is current and that it is typed correctly.
Applicants who need a copy of their SAR should access the FAFSA on the Web site at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov and choose the "View and Print Your Student Aid Report" link under the FAFSA Follow-up section.
Applicants who need a copy of their PIN should follow the steps below:
1. Access the PIN Web site at www.pin.ed.gov.
2. If the PIN has not yet been activated, first choose the option "Activate My PIN" on the Welcome page and follow the instructions to activate the PIN. After the PIN has been activated, proceed with the next step to request a duplicate PIN.
3. At the Welcome page, click "Request a Duplicate PIN."
4. Answer the questions confirming your identity and then click "Submit Request."
5. If you would like your PIN to be e-mailed to you, please verify your e-mail address before you select "Yes." If you do not wish to have your PIN e-mailed to you, select "Postal Mail" and click "Yes." If you would like to change your e-mail address, select "No." On the following page select "Change My Address." Re-enter your personal information and follow the directions from there.
6. Print and save the confirmation of your request.
Applicants will receive their PIN by postal mail within 7-10 days or by e-mail within 3 days. We have worked hard to ensure that applicants receive their PIN in the quickest way possible without compromising necessary security standards.
Applicants may check the status of their PIN at any time by following these steps:
1. Go to www.pin.ed.gov and select "Check PIN Status."
2. Fill in the required information and select "Submit Request."
3. This will show the last date a PIN was sent and also the address or e-mail address to which that PIN was sent.
Please note that a PIN is not required to submit an electronic FAFSA. The regular, non-renewal, FAFSA on the Web application may be filled out by all applicants and is available at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Applicants without a PIN may choose to print, sign, and mail the signature page after submitting the online application.
One enhancement we have made to our Web sites for 2005-06 is to add the following text: "Some e-mail providers may require an e-mail address to be listed in your e-mail address book before allowing delivery of messages to your inbox from that e-mail address. To ensure that your e-mail notification is delivered to your inbox, please enter our originating e-mail address, cpsnotify@cpsemail.ed.gov, into your address book." This suggestion should help reduce the number of e-mails that are not received by applicants.