The U.S. Department of Education has officially released the agenda for the 2026 Federal Student Aid (FSA) Training Conference for Financial Aid Professionals, taking place March 4–6, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
This annual conference is one of the most important training and policy update events for financial aid administrators. With significant regulatory, systems, and policy updates continuing across the Title IV landscape, this year’s sessions are particularly important for maintaining compliance and operational readiness.
Registration for the 2026 Federal Student Aid Training Conference was conducted through a lottery process and the conference is now full.
For those unable to attend in person, conference sessions will be recorded and made available on the FSA Training Conference website shortly after the conclusion of the conference. We encourage institutions to watch for the recorded sessions and share them with appropriate staff members to stay informed on the latest federal student aid developments.
Below is a snapshot of the main session topics by date:
Day 1 – Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Day one focuses heavily on legislative updates, loan limit changes, and implementation guidance, along with important FAFSA and institutional eligibility updates.
- Opening Remarks – U.S. Department of Education Leadership
- Loan Changes: Professional Student Definition, Loan Limits and Exceptions
- Part 1: Legislation and Provisions
- Part 2: FSA Systems Solution and Implementation
- School Eligibility Changes
- FAFSA Updates
Day 2 – Thursday, March 5, 2026
Thursday’s sessions highlight workforce Pell expansion, cybersecurity compliance expectations, and the evolving federal loan servicing environment.
- Keynote Address – U.S. Under Secretary of Education
- Pell Eligibility for Workforce Programs
- The Financial Cybersecurity and Liability Benefits of NIST SP 800-171
- The Future of Federal Loan Repayment: Servicing and System Impacts
- Birds of a Feather
Day 3 – Friday, March 6, 2026
The final day brings critical federal updates, compliance guidance on foreign gift reporting, default prevention strategies, and insight into emerging institutional risk areas.
- Keynote Address – FSA Chief Operating Officer
- Federal Update
- Foreign Gifts and Contracts Reporting: What It Requires and Why It Matters (Presented by OGC)
- Interactive Session – Default Prevention or FAFSA Listening
- Potential Threats Facing Institutions of Higher Education (Presented by OIG)