Trends and Issues

Partner Resources: ED's FSA COACH teaches fundamentals of financial aid

FSA COACH, a free training program offered by ED, can serve as a resource for new student financial aid professionals. The program is designed to be an introductory course on school requirements for administering postsecondary federal student aid (FSA) programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act.

Located online at www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/fsacoach/index.html, FSA COACH, which stands for Federal Student Aid Computer Orientation on Aid Concepts, can help professional financial aid administrators, students, and parents seeking financial aid develop their understanding of basic concepts and procedures in FSA management. The entire course consists of about 40 hours of self-paced instruction, including 36 lessons that are organized into the following nine modules:

• Introduction to Federal Student Aid
• The FSA Ecosystem
• Student/Family Responsibilities
• School Responsibilities: Communication
• School Responsibilities: Awarding Aid
• School Responsibilities: Fiscal and Records Management
• Determining Student Eligibility for FSA
• School Responsibilities for Enrolled and Former Students
• Evaluation of Title IV Program Management

Interactive exercises, review questions, and quizzes provide immediate feedback on the user's mastery of the information presented. At the end of each lesson the user can print a certificate of completion.

Lessons in the 2004-05 edition of FSA COACH have been field-tested by financial aid administrators representing a variety of school participants in Title IV programs. An updated edition of FSA COACH will be released each summer for the new award year.

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