What Is Considered FAFSA Data For Purposes Of Data Sharing?

FAFSA Data: According to the U.S. Department of Education's (ED), FAFSA data include the following:

• The fact that the FAFSA was filed in and of itself;
• Applicant and contributor information provided on the FAFSA, Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR), and FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS), including:
  • Personally identifiable information (PII),
  • Demographic information,
  • Student eligibility information, and
  • The list of colleges receiving the FAFSA;
• Manually entered/provided income and asset information;
• Student aid index (SAI); and
• Federal Pell Grant eligibility (Yes/No).

Not FAFSA Data: The following are not considered FAFSA data:

• Title IV aid amounts, such as the Federal Pell Grant award amount and Federal Work-Study (FWS) awards and pay dates;
• Unmet need amounts;
• Loan disbursement records;
• Student admission records (e.g., admission application); and
• Other financial aid data and information, including the student’s financial aid history as reflected in the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).

Per ED, these items are not implicated by data sharing restrictions under Section 483 [20 USC 1090] and Section 494 [20 USC 1098h] of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended. However, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and HEA Section 485B [20 USC 1098B for NSLDS data] restrictions may apply.

Federal Tax Information (FTI): FTI retrieved using the FUTURE Act Direct Data Exchange (FA-DDX) is not considered FAFSA data. Be sure to see AskRegs Knowledgebase Q&A, What Is Federal Tax Information (FTI)?, as different and more restrictive rules apply.

More Information: See NASFAA's FAFSA Data and Federal Tax Information (FTI) webinar, ED's FAFSA Data Use in 2024-15 webinar, and the Data Use and FAFSA Simplification session at the 2023 FSA Training Conference.