Registration FAQ
What is the lottery submission form?
The lottery submission form is submitted by a school that wants to attend the in-person 2026 Federal Student Aid Training Conference. We will use the information from the form to confirm registration, if the school is selected in the lottery.
Why is a lottery process being used?
Participation in the 2026 Federal Student Aid Training Conference (FSATC) will be limited to 2,000 attendees, and we are expecting the number of interested participants to exceed this capacity. Therefore, we are using a lottery system to allocate seats to as many schools as possible. To ensure fair representation of our partner schools, each school may submit only one entry for the lottery.
Who should submit a lottery submission form?
One representative from each six-digit OPEID may submit a lottery submission form on behalf of the school. School staff will need to determine who at the school should submit the form. Submission of the form does not guarantee selection for conference registration.
Is attendance limited to Title IV participating schools only?
Yes, only schools with a six-digit OPEID may submit a lottery submission form at this time. We will be able to accommodate a small number of non-school participants, such as nonprofit organizations and associations, through a lottery process, if necessary, with more information to come on that process at the end of January. Software vendors will have focused, online training options and institutions can send a representative from their third-party servicer in their place.
How long will the lottery submission form be open?
The lottery submission form will be open until Jan. 23, 2026.
What happens if I miss the window for submitting the lottery submission form?
Due to scheduling constraints, we cannot accept submissions after the submission window closes.
I tried to submit the lottery submission form but received an error indicating my school’s OPEID had already been submitted. What should I do?
We encourage schools to first check internally to determine whether another individual already submitted the form on behalf of the school. If you are unable to identify the individual who submitted the form, you may contact us at 2026fsatcregistration@ed.gov for assistance.
What happens after the lottery submission form window closes?
If the number of interested schools exceeds available capacity, we will conduct a lottery to select schools at random.
Will certain schools be prioritized in the lottery?
No, all selections will be made randomly to ensure fairness.
When will schools be notified of their selection status?
On or before Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, we will notify both selected and non-selected schools of their status. We will send the notification to the email address that was provided on the lottery submission form.
What happens if my school is selected to attend?
Selected schools will receive a confirmation email with the subject “YOU ARE IN! CONFERENCE ADMISSION CONFIRMATION.” We will send the notification to the email address provided on the lottery submission form.
Can we change our school’s designated participant after selection?
Selected schools may update their designated participant for the conference. Instructions for making this change will be included in the confirmation email.
Can my school designate a third-party servicer to attend as its representative?
If your school wishes to designate a third-party servicer as its representative, the third-party servicer needs to complete the lottery submission form using the school’s OPEID number.
Can a different school representative attend on different days of the conference?
No, only one representative per school is allowed to attend the entire conference.
What if my school is not selected?
If your school is not selected, we will send an email with the subject “UPDATE ON YOUR LOTTERY SUBMISSION.” We will send the notification to the email address provided on the lottery submission form. If additional space becomes available, we will conduct a subsequent lottery and notify schools of their new selection status.
What happens if a selected school cannot attend?
If your school needs to decline its conference spot, please notify us of the decision as soon as possible. The confirmation email includes instructions on how to decline attendance. We will offer the available space to another school through the established lottery process.
As additional spots become available through cancellations, how will they be managed?
If space becomes available through cancellations, we will conduct a second lottery to select additional schools. We will email schools selected through the second lottery no later than Feb. 6, 2026.
Who can I contact with questions?
If you have questions about registration, contact us at 2026fsatcregistration@ed.gov.
If you have additional questions about the 2026 Federal Student Aid Training Conference, contact us at FSAConferences@ed.gov.
Follow us online @FSAConf and join in the conversation by using #FSATC2026.
Please continue to monitor the Knowledge Center website and FSA Training Conference Home for additional information.