FSA has published an updated NSLDS Reaffirmation User Guide.
Reaffirmation is when a student who has inadvertently exceeded an annual or aggregate loan limit for a William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program or Federal Family Education Loan Program loan agrees, in writing, to repay the excess amount according to the terms and conditions of the promissory note that supported the loan.
The student works with the servicer of the loan to make these arrangements, and the servicer enters the reaffirmation information into the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS®). Schools can use both the information included in the Institutional Student Information Record and the data available through the NSLDS Professional Access website, including reaffirmation data, to determine eligibility for additional Title IV aid. However, only lenders, lender servicers, and federal loan servicers are authorized to add, update, or delete reaffirmations.
This updated guide, dated June 2026, replaces the December 2022 version. This guide is intended to help users understand the available system functionality related to the reaffirmation process, submit reaffirmation information, and interpret the data provided. Refer to the “What’s New” section for a description of the recent changes to the guide.
NSLDS Reaffirmation User Guide (June 2026) in PDF Format