From the most basic webinar about the concepts of financial aid to detailed multiday classroom training, there is something out there for any counselor, advisor, or mentor who wants to improve their expertise.
Training Offered by Federal Student Aid
Training Offered by State Agencies and Nongovernment Organizations
Curriculum Materials for Trainers
Additional Resources
Training Offered by Federal Student Aid
Federal Student Aid staff occasionally make presentations at professional development conferences or conduct training on financial aid. When there are such events coming up for school counselors, college access advisors, and similar audiences, we will list them in the table below.
Featured Event: Each year, Federal Student Aid offers a webinar to provide policy updates and general information to counselors and mentors.
Note: To find other archived webinars for counselors and mentors, visit our "Search Tools and Resources" page.
Upcoming Training or Conferences With Participation by Federal Student Aid Staff
There are no trainings currently planned.
Federal Student Aid conducts training for college financial aid administrators (FAAs). Our training takes the form of webinars, classroom training, and an annual conference. Most of the content of the training for FAAs is quite technical and geared toward helping them administer the federal student aid programs at their schools. However, you may find that an occasional topic is of use to you. Browse and view (or listen to) prerecorded training for financial aid administrators.
Training Offered by State Agencies and Nongovernment Organizations
A number of state higher education agencies and national associations offer financial aid training events or webinars. Visit your state's higher education agency site, browse the sites of college access or school counseling associations, or do an internet search for training events you can attend or watch online. Note that some of these entities may charge you to participate in their training or view their videos.
Curriculum Materials for Trainers
Are you providing professional development training for high school counselors, TRIO or GEAR UP staff, or other college access advisors? To find training materials that can be used to conduct professional development workshops for counselors and mentors, visit our "Search Tools and Resources" page.
Additional Resources
Additional resources, such as webinars, online courses, training materials, and self-study guides for counselors, mentors, and financial aid administrators, are available from the following organizations:
- American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
- National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
- National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA)
- National College Access Network (NCAN)
- National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP)
Note: Some of the materials and trainings from the organizations listed may have a fee.