Federal Student Aid (FSA) has released its Wednesday Webinar Series schedule for Winter 2026, offering live online sessions designed to help financial aid professionals stay current with federal Title IV guidance and operational practices. These webinars are part of the ongoing series that addresses critical topics for the higher education financial aid community and include interactive Q&A with FSA experts.
What to Expect:
- No Registration Required: Webinars are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis for up to 5,000 participants.
- Live Format: Sessions begin at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) and are delivered via Zoom.
Verification for 2025–26 and 2026–27
Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, 1–2:30 p.m. ET
This session will include a discussion of the verification requirements for the 2025–26 and 2026–27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) cycle. FSA will discuss acceptable documentation for the various verification groups, guidance on verification tracking in the FAFSA Partner Portal, and unique situations such as verification of non-filing, identity theft, and amended returns.
- Zoom Link for Verification for 2025–26 and 2026–27 Webinar
- Webinar ID: 161 419 5763
- Passcode: 177980
Cohort Default Rate (CDR) and Default Prevention Strategies
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, 1–2:30 p.m. ET
This webinar will equip institutions with the knowledge and tools they need to proactively reduce student loan defaults and ensure compliance with federal requirements. FSA will explain how CDRs are calculated, outline effective data-driven prevention strategies, and reinforce the critical role schools play in borrower success and program integrity.
- Zoom Link for Cohort Default Rate (CDR) and Default Prevention Strategies Webinar
- Webinar ID: 160 843 3690
- Passcode: 225364
Additional Information:
You may download a PDF version of the presentation the day before the live webinar in the “Upcoming Webinars” section of the FSA Training Center. After logging in, select the “Upcoming Webinars” icon on the home page and locate the webinar in the table to download the presentation materials.
FSA will post a recording and a transcript of the webinar on the FSA Training Center the week following the live webinar. After logging in, go to “Recorded Webinars and Training” on the main menu bar, select “Webinars and Training Videos,” and locate the recording and transcript in the “Application Process and Student Eligibility” category (for the Verification for 2025–26 and 2026–27 webinar) and the “School Eligibility” category (for the Cohort Default Rate (CDR) and Default Prevention Strategies webinar).
SOURCE: (ANN-26-02) Live Internet Webinars – Wednesday Webinar Series, Winter 2026