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(Application Processing) Subject: Upcoming MyStudentData Download Functionality on 2013-2014 FAFSA on the Web and Draft File Layout

Posted Date:November 13, 2012

Author: Michele Brown, Acting Director, Student Experience Group, Federal Student Aid

Subject: Upcoming MyStudentData Download Functionality on 2013-2014 FAFSA on the Web and Draft File Layout

We are pleased to announce that in April 2013, the new MyStudentData Download functionality will be available on the 2013-2014 FAFSA on the Web site. The MyStudentData Download function will allow students to download processed results from their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) into a machine-readable, plain text file.

The MyStudentData Download function was developed as part of the Education Data Initiative, which is designed to make education-related data available, machine-readable, and accessible while protecting personal privacy. A primary goal of this initiative is to empower students with their own data and assist them in making informed decisions about higher education—such as where to enroll, how to pay for an education, and how to manage debt if they use loans to fund their education.

With the implementation of the MyStudentData Download function on FAFSA on the Web, students will be able to download their processed FAFSA data in a simple, portable format text file.

The following content provides important information regarding the implementation of the MyStudentData Download function on FAFSA on the Web, including the following:

  • Using the MyStudentData Download Function
  • Implementation Schedule
  • MyStudentData Download Record Layout
  • Contact Information

Using the MyStudentData Download Function

The MyStudentData Download function will be available to students with a valid Federal Student Aid PIN for whom a FAFSA has been processed.

To access the MyStudentData Download function, the student must first log in to the FAFSA on the Web site (www.fafsa.ed.gov) using his or her identifiers.

After logging into FAFSA on the Web, the student can access the MyStudentData Download function from the “My FAFSA” page. After clicking the MyStudentData Download option, students will be taken to a page that describes the new function and allows the student to select a specific processed transaction to download. After choosing whether to download the file in English or Spanish, the student will be prompted to provide his or her PIN and then designate a file location for downloading. A warning will display, alerting the student that he or she should not download the file to a public computer. The file will download to the specified location as a Comma Separated Values (CSV) file.

CSV formatted files can be opened easily in a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel for further viewing, sorting, and printing. The downloaded file will contain specific FAFSA field labels and the corresponding values for each field on the selected transaction.

Implementation Schedule

We will implement MyStudentData Download functionality on the 2013-2014 FAFSA on the Web site in late April 2013. In the spring of 2013, an electronic announcement will be posted to the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Web site to remind schools of the availability of the MyStudentData Download function.

MyStudentData Download Record Layout

In addition to providing students with access to their data in a simple, downloadable format, a goal of the Education Data Initiative is to collaborate with partners in the private sector to encourage the creation of consumer-facing tools, products, and services—such as mobile apps and online tools—that may be used in conjunction with the student data and improve student decision-making and success.

To assist software vendors with designing new tools for students to maximize the usefulness of the data, we have attached theMyStudentData Download file layout in Portable Document Format. This document defines the layout of the file that students will be able to download from FAFSA on the Web.

Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding the MyStudentData Download file layout, contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support at 800/330-5947 (TDD/TTY 800/511-5806) or by e-mail at CPSSAIG@ed.gov.