[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 235 (Wednesday, December 10, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57186-57190]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22377]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
2025-2026 Award Year Deadline Dates for Reports and Other Records
Associated With the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),
the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program (FSEOG)
Program, the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program, the Federal Pell Grant
(Pell Grant) Program, the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct
Loan) Program, and the Teacher Education Assistance for College and
Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program
AGENCY: Federal Student Aid, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces deadline dates for the receipt of
documents and other information from applicants and institutions
participating in certain Federal student aid programs authorized under
title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), for the
2025-2026 award year. These programs, administered by the Department of
Education (Department), provide financial assistance to students
attending eligible postsecondary educational institutions to help them
pay their educational costs. The Federal student aid programs (title
IV, HEA programs) covered by this deadline date notice are the Pell
Grant, Direct Loan, TEACH Grant, and Campus-Based (FSEOG and FWS)
programs. Assistance Listing Numbers: 84.007 FSEOG Program; 84.033 FWS
Program; 84.063 Pell Grant Program; 84.268 Direct Loan Program; and
84.379 TEACH Grant Program.
DATES: Deadline and Submission Dates: See Tables A and B at the end of
this notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Hall Lewis, U.S. Department of
Education, Federal Student Aid Telephone: (202) 453-6519. Email:
[email protected].
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and
wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Table A--2025-2026 Award Year Deadline Dates
by Which a Student Must Submit the FAFSA Form, by Which the Institution
Must Receive the Student's Institutional Student Information Record
(ISIR) or FAFSA Submission Summary, and by Which the Institution Must
Submit Verification Outcomes for Certain Students.
Table A provides information and deadline dates for receipt of the
FAFSA
[[Page 57187]]
form, corrections to and signatures for the FAFSA form, ISIRs, and
FAFSA Submission Summary, and verification documents.
The deadline date for the receipt of a FAFSA form by the
Department's FAFSA Processing System (FPS) is June 30, 2026, regardless
of the method that the applicant uses to submit the FAFSA form. The
deadline date for the receipt of corrections, notices of change of
address or institution, or requests for a duplicate FAFSA Submission
Summary is September 12, 2026.
For all title IV, HEA programs, an ISIR or FAFSA Submission Summary
for the student must be received by the institution no later than the
student's last date of enrollment for the 2025-2026 award year or
September 19, 2026, whichever is earlier. Note that a FAFSA form must
be submitted and an ISIR or FAFSA Submission Summary received for the
dependent student for whom a parent is applying for a Direct PLUS Loan.
Except for students selected for Verification Tracking Groups V4
and V5, verification documents must be received by the institution no
later than 120 days after the student's last date of enrollment for the
2025-2026 award year or September 19, 2026, whichever is earlier. For
students selected for Verification Tracking Groups V4 and V5,
institutions must submit identity verification results no later than 60
days following the institution's first request to the student to submit
the documentation or October 28, 2025 (60 days after the release of the
Verification of Identity functionality in the FAFSA Partner Portal) for
the 2025-2026 Award Year, whichever is later.
For all title IV, HEA programs except for (1) Direct PLUS Loans
that will be made to parent borrowers, and (2) Direct Unsubsidized
Loans that will be made to dependent students who have been determined
by the institution, pursuant to section 479A(a) of the HEA, to be
eligible for such a loan without providing parental information on the
FAFSA, the ISIR or FAFSA Submission Summary must have an official
Student Aid Index (SAI) and the ISIR or FAFSA Submission Summary must
be received by the institution no later than the earlier of the
student's last date of enrollment for the 2025-2026 award year or
September 19, 2026. For the two exceptions mentioned above, the ISIR or
FAFSA Submission Summary must be received by the institution by the
same dates noted in this paragraph, but the ISIR or FAFSA Submission
Summary is not required to have an official SAI.
For a student who is requesting aid through the Pell Grant, FSEOG,
or FWS programs or for a student requesting Direct Subsidized Loans,
who does not meet the conditions for a late disbursement under 34 CFR
668.164(j), a valid ISIR or valid FAFSA Submission Summary must be
received by the institution by the student's last date of enrollment
for the 2025-2026 award year or September 19, 2026, whichever is
earlier.
In accordance with 34 CFR 668.164(j)(4)(i), an institution may not
make a late disbursement of title IV, HEA program funds later than 180
days after the date of the institution's determination that the student
was no longer enrolled. Table A provides that, to make a late
disbursement of title IV, HEA program funds, an institution must
receive a valid ISIR or valid FAFSA Submission Summary no later than
180 days after its determination that the student was no longer
enrolled, but not later than September 19, 2026.
Table B--2025-2026 Award Year Deadline Dates by Which an
Institution Must Submit Disbursement Information for the Pell Grant,
Direct Loan, and TEACH Grant Programs.
For the Pell Grant, Direct Loan, and TEACH Grant programs, Table B
provides the earliest disbursement date, the earliest dates for
institutions to submit disbursement records to the Department's Common
Origination and Disbursement (COD) System, and deadline dates by which
institutions must submit disbursement and origination records.
For the 2025-2026 Award Year, an institution must submit Pell
Grant, Direct Loan, and TEACH Grant disbursement records to COD, no
later than November 30, 2026 or 15 days after making the disbursement
or becoming aware of the need to adjust a previously reported
disbursement, whichever is later. In accordance with 34 CFR 668.164(a),
title IV, HEA program funds are disbursed on the date that the
institution: (a) credits those funds to a student's account in the
institution's general ledger or any subledger of the general ledger; or
(b) pays those funds to a student directly. Title IV, HEA program funds
are disbursed even if an institution uses its own funds in advance of
receiving program funds from the Department.
An institution's failure to submit disbursement records within the
required timeframe may result in the Department rejecting all or part
of the reported disbursement. Such failure may also result in an audit
or program review finding or the initiation of an adverse action, such
as a fine or other penalty for such failure, in accordance with subpart
G of the General Provisions regulations in 34 CFR part 668.
Deadline Dates for Enrollment Reporting by Institutions.
In accordance with 34 CFR 674.19(f), 682.610(c), 685.309(b), and
690.83(b)(2), upon receipt of an enrollment report from the Secretary,
institutions must update all information included in the report and
return the report to the Secretary in a manner and format prescribed by
the Secretary and within the timeframe prescribed by the Secretary.
Consistent with the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)
Enrollment Reporting Guide, the Secretary has determined that
institutions must report at least every two months. Institutions may
find the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide in the ``Knowledge Center''
via Federal Student Aid's (FSA) Partner Connect website at: https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center.
Other Sources for Detailed Information.
We publish a detailed discussion of the FAFSA application process
in the Application and Verification Guide volume of the 2025-2026
Federal Student Aid Handbook and in Volume 6 of the 2025-2026 FAFSA
Specifications Guide.
Information on the institutional reporting requirements for the
Pell Grant, Direct Loan, Federal Work-Study, and TEACH Grant programs
is included in the 2025-2026 Common Origination and Disbursement (COD)
Technical Reference. Also, see the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide.
You may access these publications by visiting the ``Knowledge
Center'' via FSA's Partner Connect website at: https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center.
Additionally, the 2025-2026 award year reporting deadline dates for
the Federal Perkins Loan, FWS, and FSEOG programs were published in the
Federal Register on May 22, 2025 (90 FR 21909).
Applicable Regulations: The following regulations apply:
(1) Student Assistance General Provisions, 34 CFR part 668.
(2) Federal Pell Grant Program, 34 CFR part 690.
(3) William D. Ford Direct Loan Program, 34 CFR part 685.
(4) Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
Grant Program, 34 CFR part 686.
(5) Federal Work-Study Programs, 34 CFR part 675.
(6) Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant Program, 34
CFR part 676.
Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed
under FOR
[[Page 57188]]
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities can obtain
this document in an accessible format. The Department will provide the
requestor with an accessible format that may include Rich Text Format
(RTF) or text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large
print, audiotape, or compact disc, or other accessible format.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this
document, as well as all other Department documents published in the
Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access Department documents published in the Federal
Register by using the article search feature at
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a, 1070b-1070b-4, 1070g, 1070h,
1087a-1087j, 1087aa-1087ii, and 1087-51-1087-58.
Richard Lucas,
Acting Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid.
Table A--2025-2026 Award Year Deadline Dates by Which a Student Must Submit the FAFSA Form, by Which the
Institution Must Receive the Student's Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) or FAFSA Submission
Summary, and by Which the Institution Must Submit Verification Outcomes for Certain Students
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What is the deadline
Who submits? What is submitted? Where is it submitted? date for receipt?
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Student.............................. FAFSA--fafsa.gov Electronically to the June 30, 2026.
(original or renewal). Department's FAFSA
Processing System
(FPS).
Student.............................. A paper original FAFSA. To the address printed June 30, 2026.
on the FAFSA.
Student.............................. Electronic corrections Electronically to the September 12, 2026.\1\
to the FAFSA using Department's FPS.
fafsa.gov.
Student through an Institution....... Electronic corrections Electronically to the September 12, 2026.\1\
to the FAFSA. Department's FPS using
the FAFSA Partner
Portal.
Student.............................. Paper corrections to To the address printed September 12, 2026.
the FAFSA using a on the FAFSA
FAFSA Submission Submission Summary.
Summary, including
change of mailing and
email addresses and
change of institutions.
Student.............................. A FAFSA Submission To the institution..... The earlier of:
Summary with an --The student's last
official SAI date of enrollment for
calculated by the the 2025-2026 award
Department's FPS, year; or
except for Parent PLUS --September 19,
Loans and Direct 2026.\2\
Unsubsidized Loans
made to a dependent
student under HEA
section 479A(a), for
which the FAFSA
Submission Summary
does not need to have
an official SAI.
Student through FPS.................. An ISIR with an To the institution from
official SAI the Department's FPS.
calculated by the
Department's FPS,
except for Parent PLUS
Loans and Direct
Unsubsidized Loans
made to a dependent
student under HEA
section 479A(a), for
which the ISIR does
not need to have an
official SAI.
Student.............................. Valid FAFSA Submission To the institution..... Except for a student
Summary (Pell Grant, meeting the conditions
FSEOG, FWS, and Direct for a late
Subsidized Loans). disbursement under 34
CFR 668.164(j), the
earlier of:
--The student's last
date of enrollment for
the 2025-2026 award
year; or
--September 19,
2026.\2\
Student through FPS.................. Valid ISIR (Pell Grant, To the institution from
FSEOG, FWS, and Direct the Department's FPS.
Subsidized Loans).
Student.............................. Valid FAFSA Submission To the institution..... For a student receiving
Summary (Pell Grant, a late disbursement
FSEOG, FWS, and Direct under 34 CFR
Subsidized Loans). 668.164(j)(4)(i), the
earlier of:
--180 days after the
date of the
institution's
determination that the
student withdrew or
otherwise became
ineligible; or
--September 19,
2026.\2\
Student through FPS.................. Valid ISIR (Pell Grant, To the institution from
FSEOG, FWS, and Direct the Department's FPS.
Subsidized Loans).
Student.............................. Verification documents. To the institution..... The earlier of: \3\
--120 days after the
student's last date of
enrollment for the
2025-2026 award year;
or
--September 19,
2026.\2\
[[Page 57189]]
Institution.......................... Identity verification Electronically to the The later of:
results for a student Department's FPS using --60 days following the
selected for the FAFSA Partner institution's first
verification by the Portal. request to the student
Department and placed to submit the required
in Verification V4 or V5 identity
Tracking Group V4 or documentation; or
V5. --when the FAFSA
Partner Portal
Verification of
Identity function is
made available for the
2025-2026. Award
Year.\4\
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\1\ The deadline for electronic transactions is 11:59 p.m. (Central Time) on the deadline date. Transmissions
must be completed and accepted before 12:00 midnight to meet the deadline. If transmissions are started before
12:00 midnight but are not completed until after 12:00 midnight, those transmissions do not meet the deadline.
In addition, any transmission submitted on or just prior to the deadline date that is rejected may not be
reprocessed because the deadline will have passed by the time the user gets the information notifying them of
the rejection.
\2\ The date the ISIR/FAFSA Submission Summary transaction was processed by FPS is considered to be the date the
institution received the ISIR or FAFSA Submission Summary regardless of whether the institution has downloaded
the ISIR from its Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) mailbox or when the student submits the FAFSA Submission
Summary to the institution.
\3\ Although the Secretary has set this deadline date for the submission of verification documents, if
corrections are required, deadline dates for submission of paper or electronic corrections and, for Pell Grant
applicants and applicants selected for verification, deadline dates for the submission of a valid FAFSA
Submission Summary or valid ISIR to the institution must still be met. An institution may establish an earlier
deadline for the submission of verification documents for purposes of the Campus-Based programs and the Direct
Loan Program, but it cannot be later than this deadline date.
\4\ Note that changes to previously submitted identity verification results must be updated within 30 days of
the institution becoming aware that a change has occurred.
Table B--2025-2026 Award Year Deadline Dates by Which an Institution Must Submit Disbursement Information for
the Pell Grant, Direct Loan and TEACH Grant Programs \1\
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What are the
deadlines for
What is Under what Where is it disbursement and for
Which program? submitted? circumstances is it submitted? submission of
submitted? records and
information?
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Pell Grant, Direct Loan, and An origination The institution has To the Common The earliest
TEACH Grant Programs. or made or intends to Origination and disbursement date
disbursement make a disbursement. Disbursement (COD) for the Pell Grant
record. System using the is January 31,
Student Aid 2025.
Internet Gateway The earliest
(SAIG); or to the disbursement date
COD System using for Direct Loan
the COD website at: Program is October
https://cod.ed.gov. 1, 2024.
The earliest
disbursement date
for TEACH Grant
Program is January
1, 2025.
The earliest
submission date for
anticipated
disbursement
information is
March 23, 2025.
The earliest
submission date for
actual disbursement
information is
March 23, 2025, but
no earlier than:
(a) 7 calendar days
prior to the
disbursement date
under the advance
payment method or
the Heightened Cash
Monitoring Payment
Method 1 (HCM1); or
(b) The disbursement
date under the
reimbursement or
the Heightened Cash
Monitoring Payment
Method 2 (HCM2).
Pell Grant and TEACH Grant An origination The institution has To COD using SAIG; The deadline
Programs. or made a disbursement or to COD using the submission date \2\
disbursement and will submit COD website at: is the later of:
record. records on or https://cod.ed.gov. (a) November 30,
before the deadline 2025;
submission date. (b) 15 calendar days
after the
institution makes a
disbursement.
Submission of Pell
Grant and TEACH
Grant disbursement
information must
occur no later than
September 30, 2026.
Direct Loan Program.......... An origination The institution has To COD using SAIG; The deadline
or made a disbursement or to COD using the submission date \2\
disbursement and will submit COD website at: is the later of:
record. records on or https://cod.ed.gov. (a) November 30,
before the deadline 2025; or
submission date. (b) 15 calendar days
after the
institution makes a
disbursement.
Submission of Direct
Loan disbursement
information must
occur no later than
July 30, 2027
[[Page 57190]]
Pell Grant Program........... A downward It is after the To COD using SAIG; No later than the
(decrease) deadline submission or to COD using the earlier of:
adjustment to date. COD website at: (a) 15 calendar days
an origination https://cod.ed.gov. after the
or institution becomes
disbursement aware of the need
record. to make an
adjustment to
previously reported
data; or
(b) September 30,
2031.\2\
No request for
extension to the
deadline submission
date is required.
TEACH Grant and Direct Loan A downward It is after the To COD using SAIG; No later than 15
Programs. (decrease) deadline submission or to COD using the calendar days after
adjustment to date. COD website at the institution
an origination https://cod.ed.gov. becomes aware of
or the need to make an
disbursement adjustment to
record. previously reported
data.
No request for
extension to the
deadline submission
date is required.
Pell Grant Program........... An upward It is after the Via the COD website No later than the
(increase) deadline submission at: https:// earlier of:
adjustment to date and the cod.ed.gov. (a) 15 calendar days
an origination institution has after the
or received approval institution becomes
disbursement of its request for aware of the need
record. an extension to the to make an
deadline submission adjustment to
date. previously reported
Requests for data; or
extensions to the (b) When the
established institution is
submission fully reconciled
deadlines may be and is ready to
made for reasons submit all
including, but not additional data for
limited to:. the program and the
(a) A program review award year; or
or initial audit (c) September 30,
finding under 34 2031.
CFR 690.83;.
(b) A late
disbursement under
34 CFR 668.164(j);
or.
(c) Disbursements
previously blocked
as a result of
another institution
failing to post a
downward adjustment.
TEACH Grant and Direct Loan An upward No later than the
Programs. (increase) earlier of:
adjustment or (a) 15 calendar days
a new after the
origination or institution becomes
disbursement aware of the need
record. to make an
adjustment to
previously reported
data; or
(b) When the
institution is
fully reconciled
and is ready to
submit all
additional data for
the program and the
award year.
Pell Grant Program........... An origination It is after the Via the COD website The earlier of:
or deadline submission at: https:// (a) A date
disbursement date and the cod.ed.gov. designated by the
record. institution has Secretary after
received approval consultation with
of its request for the institution; or
an extension to the (b) February 1,
deadline submission 2027.
date based on a
natural disaster,
other unusual
circumstances, or
an administrative
error made by the
Department.
Pell Grant Program........... An origination It is after the Via the COD website The earlier of:
or deadline submission at: https:// (a) 15 days after
disbursement date and the cod.ed.gov. the student
record. institution has reenrolls; or
received approval (b) May 3, 2027.
of its request for
administrative
relief to extend
the deadline
submission date
based on a
student's reentry
to the institution
within 180 days
after initially
withdrawing.\3\.
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\1\ A COD Processing Year is a period of time in which institutions are permitted to submit Direct Loan records
to the COD System that are related to a given award year. For a Direct Loan, the period of time includes loans
that have a loan period covering any day in the 2025-2026 award year.
\2\ Transmissions must be completed and accepted before the designated processing time on the deadline
submission date. The designated processing time is published annually via an electronic announcement posted to
the Knowledge Center via FSA's Partner Connect website at: https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center. If
transmissions are started at the designated time, but are not completed until after the designated time, those
transmissions will not meet the deadline. In addition, any transmission submitted on or just prior to the
deadline date that is rejected may not be reprocessed because the deadline will have passed by the time the
user gets the information notifying him or her of the rejection.
\3\ Applies only to students enrolled in clock-hour and nonterm credit-hour educational programs.
Note: The COD System must accept origination data for a student from an institution before it accepts
disbursement information from the institution for that student. Institutions may submit origination and
disbursement data for a student in the same transmission. However, if the origination data is rejected, the
disbursement data is rejected.
[FR Doc. 2025-22377 Filed 12-9-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P