(GENERAL-25-23) May 2025 Update: Maintaining Access to FSA Systems for Professional Users

Author
Federal Student Aid
Electronic Announcement ID
GENERAL-25-23
Subject
May 2025 Update: Maintaining Access to FSA Systems for Professional Users

On May 18, 2025, we will implement several changes that will impact users of our Access and Identity Management System (AIMS). AIMS provides the authentication (log-in) process for many systems used by our partners, including the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) website, Electronic Cohort Default Rate Appeals (eCDR Appeals), the 2024–25 FAFSA Partner Portal and 2025–26 FAFSA Partner Portal, National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS®) Professional Access, Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) Enrollment, and the EDconnect software.  

We provide more information about the upcoming changes in the sections below. 

System Access Disabled after 30 Days of Inactivity 

Currently, if a user does not access a specific system behind AIMS for 90 calendar days, we disable the user’s access to that system. The number of days of inactivity is unique to each system the user is authorized to access. 

On May 18, 2025, the period of inactivity will be reduced to 30 calendar days for many of FSA’s systems for partners, including the COD website, the FAFSA Partner Portal, NSLDS Professional Access, and SAIG Enrollment.  

If a user has not logged in to one of these systems for 30 calendar days, the user’s access to that system will be disabled. Upon their next log-in attempt, the user will receive an error message directing them to contact customer support. The user should first try to use a new self-service option to restore access; please refer to the section below for further information. If the self-service attempt fails, the user should call customer support.  

This change will ensure our systems that contain sensitive information remain as secure as possible. 

New Self-Service Options to Restore Access

To assist users with restoring system access as soon as possible, we are adding several new self-service features to AIMS– 

  1. Option to reactivate system access that has been disabled due to inactivity: A new self-service feature will allow a user to reactivate their access in a few simple steps and will eliminate the need to contact customer support. After a user with disabled access attempts to log in, a dialog box will display with the option to “Activate” their access. The user should follow the screen prompts to complete the process; they may then proceed to log in.

    If a user’s access has been disabled to multiple systems due to inactivity, they should select “Edit Account” from the log-in page. After selecting the option “To enable disabled account access,” all roles available in the user’s account will display along with the role’s status (active or disabled). The user can then select a checkbox next to each disabled role to re-enable it. 

  2. Option to re-enable access after three failed log-in attempts: A new option, “Re-Enable Log-in,” will appear after a user has failed to enter the correct username or password three times. When the option is selected, the user will verify their identity by answering their established challenge questions. If the user does not have challenge questions established, they will need to enter other identifying information. Once the user’s identity is verified, they must enter a security code from their token. The user will be returned to the log-in page and a temporary password will be sent to their email.

In some specific situations, a user with disabled access may be required to contact customer support for assistance. However, most users will be able to restore their access quickly and efficiently with these new self-service features. 

Reminder: After 365 calendar days of inactivity in a specific system, a user’s access is permanently deactivated. Deactivated system access cannot be restored by calling customer service. If the user still requires access to that particular system, the user must be re-enrolled by the institution’s Primary Destination Point Administrator (DPA) via the SAIG Enrollment website. 

Contact Information

If you have questions about this information, please contact the customer service center for the specific system or website you need to access. Contact information is available on the FSA Customer Service Center page on FSA Partner Connect or is provided on the specific system website. 

Last Modified: 05/14/2025