Sources of Assistance for Schools

Description: This link will redirect you to the Federal Student Aid Customer Service Center's web site for Schools page which contains all communication references previously found in the Sources of Assistance document posted on FSAdownload. These references include helpful contact information for all Student Financial Assistance programs including frequently called help lines, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, Web site addresses, etc., and have brief explanations of the entry's purpose.

COD Technical Reference
2008-2009
2007-2008
2006-2007

Description: The Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) Technical Reference provides technical specifications and record layouts for transmitting Pell Grant and Direct Loan data to the COD System.  This document is an accurate reflection of the COD System at the time of the document's publication.

CPS Test System
2008-2009
2007-2008

Description: The CPS Test System is designed to allow schools to test electronic application and/or correction data from their system with the CPS. This testing is done outside the normal CPS production environment. The CPS will provide test files of application records and matching ISIRs to be used for the tests. As an alternative, schools can submit application and renewal records they have created to match the school's expected results. To submit test correction records that have been created by the CPS, the school will need to call CPS/SAIG Technical Support for record IDs that will process successfully in the CPS Test System. The CPS Test System also has demos for FAFSA on the Web, Spanish FAFSA on the Web, Corrections on the Web, Renewal FAFSA on the Web, and FAA Access to CPS Online. For questions regarding the CPS Test System, please contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support at 800/330-5947, or via email at CPSSAIG@ed.gov.

EDExpress Packaging Technical Reference
2008-2009
2007-2008

Description: The EDExpress Packaging Technical Reference provides instructions and record layouts for schools or other organizations that need to interface their own software with EDExpress for packaging. Record layouts are included for all imports from external systems, such as Packaging Import External Add, Packaging Import External Change, and Packaging Import Add Funds. Packaging module setup guidance and setup worksheets are also provided.

Electronic Data Exchange Technical Reference
2008-2009
2007-2008

Description: The Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) Technical Reference provides sufficient programmer specifications and information to design or build your own software to complement or take the place of the EDExpress software provided by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for sending and receiving Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data. The EDE Technical Reference includes information about record layouts, required edits, print assistance, and reject messages that are applicable for electronic FAFSAs, Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs), electronic corrections, signature records, and the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG).

Guaranty Agency TEF File

Description: The ISIR Guide assists Financial Aid Administrators (FAAs) in interpreting student information on the Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR). The term ISIR refers to all processed student information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), as well as key processing results and National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) financial aid history information, and is sent electronically to institutions by the Central Processing System (CPS).

Perkins TEF File

Description: The Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) Host Communication Guide for Mainframe and Midrange Users, Version 2.1, serves as a reference for programmers and data processing staff who utilize SAIG’s TDClient product. TDClient is the mainframe/midrange software used to send and receive FTP (File Transfer Protocol) Title IV data transmissions securely over the Internet using SSL 3.0 and the Diffie-Hellman Dynamic Key Exchange algorithm. Compression software is contained within TDClient. The Initialization file that works in conjunction with TDClient is also provided with the documentation.

Renewal FAFSA Process Guide
2007-2008
2006-2007

Description: The Renewal FAFSA Process Guide provides useful information to financial aid administrators (FAAs) regarding the renewal application process, including a summary of major changes and enhancements, a schedule of important dates, and samples of Renewal Reminders.

SAR Comment Codes and Text
2008-2009
2007-2008

Description: The SAR Comment Codes and Text document serves as a standalone guide, as well as a companion to the Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) Technical Reference.  Refer to this document for information on the Student Aid Report (SAR) comment codes and text.
A text file of the SAR comments can be found under the CPS Test System.  

School Electronic Process Guide
2008-2009
2007-2008

Description: The School Electronic Process Guide describes the following topics and products, including updates and enhancements: product release schedules, message classes, FAA Access to CPS Online, Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) on the Web, the ISIR Analysis Tool, EDExpress for Windows (Global, Application Processing, Packaging, Pell [including Academic Competitiveness Grant, or ACG, and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant, or National SMART Grant and Direct Loan functionality], Direct Loan (DL) Tools for Windows, and Student Status Confirmation Report (SSCR) for Windows.

Description: The Student Web Application Products Process Guide provides financial aid administrators (FAAs) with detailed information about cyclical changes we are making to Federal Student Aid’s 2008-2009 Web application products for students including FAFSA4caster (fafsa4caster.ed.gov), the Federal Student Aid PIN Web site (pin.ed.gov), and FAFSA on the Web (fafsa.ed.gov).  We also provide information about the Demonstration Site and a sample of the Eligibility Estimate Notification.

Summary of Changes for the Application Processing System
2008-2009
2007-2008

Description:The Summary of Changes for the Application Processing System guide is designed to meet the reference needs of financial aid administrators (FAAs), programmers, and data processing staff. This guide describes the updates and enhancements for the application processing system including:

• Major Changes to the Application Processing System
• Schedule for the Application Processing System
• Changes to the FAFSA, including information about ordering and distribution of paper FAFSAs and FAFSA on the Web Worksheets
• Changes to the Renewal FAFSA Process.
• Changes to the Central Processing System (CPS) including database matches, edits, need analysis, and application output sent to students (such as Student Aid Report [SAR] and Institutional Student Information Records [ISIRs]).
• Changes to Supplemental information such as the PIN, SAR Comment Codes, and Federal School Code.

This guide includes an Appendix, which includes sample Renewal Reminder text and important information and tips about e-mail processing.