Note
Update on July 29, 2024: Effective July 1, 2024, guidance regarding the use of FAFSA data for means-tested benefits outreach and appropriate programs can be found in GENERAL-24-93. State grant agencies will still need to sign and submit the April 2024 SAIG—if they have not done so already—to conduct the activities described in GENERAL-24-93.
Update on April 29, 2024: The revised State Grant Agency SAIG Participation Agreement for the purposes of the FAFSA Completion Initiative and Federal Means-Tested Benefits Outreach is now available on the SAIG Enrollment website. To execute this revised SAIG Participation Agreement, states should follow instructions published in our Sept. 22, 2023 Electronic Announcement, (GENERAL-23-79) Updated SAIG Enrollment Agreement Available Oct. 23, 2023 – Required Steps to Receive 2024–25 ISIRs (Updated Feb. 9, 2024). Reminder: For states to participate in these initiatives they must execute, sign, and submit a modified SAIG Participation Agreement prior to the disclosure and use of FAFSA data outlined below. We have also removed the sample version of the revised agreement published on April 19, 2024. States should go to the SAIG Enrollment website to access the final, executable agreement located under “Print Agency Participation Agreement” on the left sidebar menu.
Update on April 19, 2024: The revised State Grant Agency SAIG Participation Agreement for the purposes of the FAFSA Completion Initiative and Federal Means-Tested Benefits Outreach will be available beginning April 29, 2024. For states to participate in these initiatives they must execute, sign, and submit a modified SAIG Participation Agreement prior to the disclosure and use of FAFSA data outlined below.
The Department has attached a sample version of the revised agreement to this electronic announcement for review and reference only. Note: This sample agreement may not be used to execute the new SAIG Agreement ahead of April 29, 2024. We will post another update to this electronic announcement when revised state grant agency SAIG Participation Agreements are available for signature for those that wish to participate in these important initiatives.
To encourage as many students as possible to complete a FAFSA, this electronic announcement provides updates for state grant agencies to support the FAFSA Completion Initiative for the Better FAFSA. This announcement also provides guidance to state grant agencies to participate in outreach to applicants regarding other federal means-tested benefits programs.
The current Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) Participation Agreement for State Grant Agencies (SAIG Participation Agreement) permits state grant agencies to disclose FAFSA Filing Status Information to school districts and secondary schools. In today’s update, the Department is informing state grant agencies of forthcoming revisions to the 2024–25 SAIG Participation Agreement that will enable them to also disclose FAFSA Filing Status Information to other eligible entities, as described further below. The revised SAIG Participation Agreement will also allow state grant education agencies to use FAFSA data to conduct outreach to applicants about federal means-tested benefits program for which they may be eligible.
Later this month, state grant agencies that wish to take advantage of these optional initiatives will have the opportunity to sign and execute a new SAIG Participation Agreement. The only changes to the SAIG Participation Agreement are those that will permit FAFSA Filing Status Information sharing with eligible entities and federal means-tested benefits outreach.
FAFSA Completion Initiative
State grant agencies that sign the updated SAIG Participation Agreement will be able to share FAFSA Filing Status Information with the following eligible entities for purposes of encouraging FAFSA completion:
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Grantees of the U.S. Department of Education under the TRIO Programs and the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program (GEAR UP)
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American Indian and Alaska Native Educational entities
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Nonprofit college access organizations that may be eligible on a case-by-case basis
This guidance provides notice to our partners of the criteria by which the Secretary has designated the case-by-case nonprofit college access organizations to receive this information from the state grant agency. If the state grant agency determines that a nonprofit college access organization that is not explicitly named in this guidance meets the following criteria, they are permitted to enter into a written agreement with the nonprofit for the FAFSA Completion Initiative. If the state grant agency has an existing agreement with a nonprofit college access organization that no longer meets the criteria or data security and privacy requirements, the state grant agency and nonprofit college access organization must terminate their written agreement and cease sharing FAFSA Filing Status Information.
The criteria a nonprofit college access organization not explicitly named in this guidance must meet to enter into an agreement with the state grant agency for FAFSA completion activities are:
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The organization is, and continues to be, designated as tax-exempt by the Internal Revenue Service under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
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The organization has as part of its mission a stated and demonstrated commitment to promoting college access and a record of legitimacy and reliability.
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The organization provides its services primarily to economically disadvantaged clients.
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The organization does not charge students, families, other clients, or schools for any of its services.
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Neither the organization itself, nor any of its affiliates or its parent organization, if any, has been administratively or judicially formally accused of committing or determined to have committed fraud or any other material violation of law involving Federal, state, or local government funds.
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The organization has submitted a written statement to the state higher education agency certifying that each of the above criteria has been met and that the organization will immediately notify the state higher education agency, in writing, if it does not or cannot continue to meet any of those criteria.
The Department reminds state grant agencies of the following information and requirements when working with the above eligible entities:
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FAFSA Filing Status Information, as defined in the SAIG Participation Agreement, includes only: student’s first name; student’s last name; student’s date of birth; student’s ZIP code; FAFSA submitted date (the date the FAFSA was submitted to the Department); FAFSA processed date (the date the Department processed the FAFSA); a selected for verification flag; and a FAFSA completion flag, as determined by the state grant agency (e.g., FAFSA not submitted, FAFSA complete, or FAFSA incomplete). As a reminder, state grant agencies cannot share students’ Social Security numbers, student and parent financial information (i.e., federal tax information (FTI)), or any other information from the FAFSA form with these eligible entities.
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Additionally, an eligible entity may only receive FAFSA Filing Status Information for a student with whom it has an established relationship, which exists between a student and the organization when a student is enrolled in, has registered with, or has received services in the pursuit of postsecondary education. The eligible entity may not use a third party to perform any of the functions related to the receipt of FAFSA Filing Status Information it receives from a state higher education agency.
Federal Means-Tested Benefits Outreach
The Department is also informing state grant agencies that once the updated SAIG Participation Agreement is signed, agencies can use FAFSA data, such as the Student Aid Index (SAI), Pell Grant status, and the FAFSA applicant’s email address, to outreach to applicants about means-tested benefits for which they may be eligible.
To conduct this outreach, state grant agencies should limit the use of FAFSA data to only communicating to FAFSA applicants about benefits programs for which they may qualify. If state grant agencies wish to go beyond this permitted outreach to the applicants by disclosing FAFSA data to other agencies that handle applications for means-tested Federal benefit programs, they must obtain explicit written consent from applicants or FAFSA contributors, as applicable.
After signing the new SAIG Participation Agreement, state grant agencies can use FAFSA data and FAFSA applicant contact information to conduct this outreach for the following benefits programs only through June 30, 2024, as previously designated by Section 483(a)(3)(E) of the Higher Education Act for institutions of higher education:
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Affordable Care Act
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Affordable Connectivity Program
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Child Tax Credit
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Medicaid
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Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
For more information on the programs receiving designations, see the following previous electronic announcements: GENERAL-22-05 Updated Designation of Entity under Section 483(a)(3)(E) of the Higher Education Act and Institution of Higher Education (IHE) Guidance; GEN-22-02 Use of FAFSA Data to Administer Federal Programs; GENERAL-21-57 Designation of U.S. Department of Treasury under Section 483(a)(3)(E) of the Higher Education Act; GENERAL-21-30 Additional Designations of Entities Under Section 483(a)(3)(E) of the Higher Education Act and Institution of Higher Education; and GENERAL-21-18 Designation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Services under Section 483(a)(3)(e) of the Higher Education Act.
The Department will provide guidance at a later date on the benefits programs that will be covered under this outreach after July 1, 2024. Institutions of higher education that wish to use FAFSA data to conduct outreach to their students about means-tested benefits programs for which they may qualify may continue to do so without having to sign and execute new SAIG agreements. Institutions of higher education are reminded that they should limit the use of FAFSA data to only that which is necessary for this means-tested benefit outreach and should comply with all applicable privacy laws, including FERPA, in conducting this outreach.
The Department will post an update to this electronic announcement when revised state grant agency SAIG Participation Agreements are available for signature for those that wish to participate in these important initiatives. The Department remains committed to ensuring that as many students as possible can complete a FAFSA and that students can access all the benefits available to them that will make college more affordable.