NASFAA to Launch Certified Financial Aid Administrator Program

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) announces the new Certified Financial Aid Administrator (CFAA) program, a first-in-the-industry effort that validates the skills and knowledge of financial aid professionals at higher education institutions across state, regional, and national levels.

Created in response to increasing demand from NASFAA's members, the CFAA program provides a foundation upon which financial aid administrators can continue to develop their expertise and earn valuable leadership skills necessary for career advancement. “We see this program as a pathway for advancement,” says NASFAA National Chair Billie Jo Hamilton, “providing the clear technical and ethical know-how essential to our profession.” 

In launching this voluntary program, NASFAA and its Board of Directors recognize the unique role financial aid administrators play in ensuring that every qualified student has access to a postsecondary education. 

“Financial aid administrators are entrusted with protecting the integrity of federal financial aid programs, a vital role in any college or university,” says NASFAA President Justin Draeger. “We seek to bolster the success of aid administrators, and their respective institutions, by offering additional, formally-accredited and recognized training.”

The CFAA program, which will launch during the 2019-20 academic year, is part of NASFAA’s ongoing commitment to helping further the careers of financial aid professionals nationwide. “In 2012, we developed a credentialing program to measure competencies within specific financial aid-related topics,” Draeger explains. “Since then, NASFAA credentials have grown in popularity, with more than 10,000 already conferred—this is the next natural step in our efforts.”  

NASFAA currently offers 17 topic-based credentials, as well as professional development and services for financial aid administrators. NASFAA also advocates for public policies that increase student access and success, serves as a forum on student financial aid issues and is committed to diversity throughout all activities. 

About NASFAA
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) is a nonprofit membership organization that represents more than 20,000 financial aid professionals at nearly 3,000 colleges, universities, and career schools across the country. NASFAA member institutions serve nine out of every ten undergraduates in the United States. Based in Washington, DC, NASFAA is the only national association with a primary focus on student aid legislation, regulatory analysis, and training for financial aid administrators. For more information, visit www.nasfaa.org.

Featured

  • Aims Community College to Build Workforce Innovation Center

    Aims Community College in Greeley, Colo., recently announced that it has broken ground on its new Aims Workforce Innovation Center (AWIC), according to a news release. The facility for workforce development, entrepreneurship, and education has a scheduled opening date of fall 2026.

  • dormitory with green roofs, solar panels, balconies, and labeled architectural annotations

    2025 Residence Hall Design Trends Focus on Sustainability, Flexibility, Community, Technology, and Well-Being

    With the most technically advanced Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) at the helm, residence hall design trends for 2025 look to focus on flexible spaces, health and wellness, sustainability, community, and digital technology.

  • Designing School Spaces for A++ Performance

    In recent years, the educational world has gained greater appreciation for the ways a space’s aesthetics, just like its acoustics, can positively impact educational outcomes. Consequently, engineering, designing, and constructing a school environment demands acoustics to be equally an art and a science, requiring architects and designers to see with their ears, while acousticians must hear with their eyes.

  • MiEN Releases White Paper on Community College Space Innovation

    MiEN Company recently released a new white paper called “Designing New Innovative Spaces for Community Colleges” to address the needs of community colleges post-pandemic, according to a news release. The eight-page guide by Dr. Christina Counts, MiEN Company VP of Education and Marketing, covers topics like the enrollment drop that these schools have seen since COVID-19, the roles they play in higher education and local workforces, and five suggested key changes that can improve students’ experiences.

Digital Edition