September 9, 2010

Title IV Aid for Disaster Victims

Updated information about the impact of a major disaster on the administration of Title IV student assistance programs was provided in DCL GEN-10-16 on Aug. 23, 2010. The information supplements the FSA Handbook and supersedes guidance included in previous DCLs.

The regulatory relief described in the letter applies to all recipients of Title IV aid and their families who were attending an institution in, residing in, employed in or located in a federally-declared disaster area in the U.S. at the time of a disaster. An institution that experiences a more localized disaster, or an institution with a large number of eligible non-citizens who are from a country that experiences a significant natural disaster (e.g., Haiti or Pakistan), may seek relief from the institution’s School Participation Team at FSA. The regulatory relief also applies to institutions, lenders, guaranty agencies and servicers located in such areas.

If you have questions or need more information, contact your School Participation Team representative or your regional Financial Partners representative. In the event of an emergency or instance that impacts the ability of your institution to operate routinely, contact FSA at 800.433.7327 or fsa.customer.support@ed.gov.