NASFAA 2026: 5 Ways Financial Aid Offices Are Adapting to Change

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously said “There is nothing permanent except change.” And at this year’s NASFAA conference, that sentiment certainly struck a chord with attendees. On the heels of FAFSA Simplification, shrinking budgets, increased enrollment pressure, financial aid offices are bracing for yet another round of change as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) goes into effect.

Change has always been a constant in financial aid. But the rate of change today is unprecedented—and shows no signs of slowing down. Yet instead of reeling against it, financial aid professionals are leaning in. They are accepting this rapid rate of change as the new normal and considering how to change the ways in which they work to keep pace.

5 Ways Financial Aid Offices Are Adapting to Change

Nearly 200 attendees crowded the room for Regent Education’s panel session, “Stability in the Chaos: Financial Aid Operations in a Year of Constant Change.” Clearly, finding stability during times of change is top-of-mind for financial aid professionals. During this engaging session, financial aid directors candidly revealed five key strategies they are embracing to navigate—and adapt to—change.

For many institutions, automation has made a radical difference in their ways of working. In fact, many call technology “a game changer” when it comes to managing the volume of work financial aid offices handle on a day-to-day basis. Automating routine tasks such as the packaging and repackaging of financial aid, the collection of verification documents, or the awarding and re-awarding of scholarships helps institutions make the best use of their limited staff, freeing them up to focus on higher-value, more strategic work such as implementing change and interacting with students.

While many changes directly impact the financial aid office, they also cause ripple effects across other parts of the institution. That’s why collaborating across campus is critical in times of change. For example, to remain compliant with the graduate student loan changes included in the OBBB, institutions need to evaluate and potentially change the definition of the number of credits for full-time graduate students. This change requires collaboration between financial aid and enrollment management to ensure the institution is prepared when the changes take effect.

Many financial aid leaders credit the routine assessment of their office structure as a key strategy for coping with change. Staff turnover, evolving mandates, and the dynamic higher education environment all introduce new challenges to financial aid offices. By evaluating roles and responsibilities on a regular basis, financial aid leaders can ensure that they are optimizing staff skills and allocating the right number of resources to specific tasks. This evaluation becomes increasingly important as technology introduces new ways to automate rote, routine tasks, freeing up staff to focus on more strategic initiatives.

Change is overwhelming for many people. And when the change is constant, staff become overwhelmed, frustrated, and burnt out. As leaders, financial aid directors must prioritize listening to staff and supporting them through these tumultuous times. While offering technology training or professional development is a start, these “perks” can feel overwhelming when the volume of work is high. As leaders, it’s imperative to connect with staff on a more personal level so you can listen and understand their perspective. Encourage employees to share their thoughts and frustrations so you can help them navigate ways to manage them and achieve balance, before they become burnt out.

While this strategy may sound hackneyed, it still remains relevant. By putting students at the center of every decision, financial aid offices can ensure that their technology, their processes, and their decisions all work together to better serve the students. After all, serving students and helping them succeed is at the heart of why many financial aid professionals work in this field. Sometimes a gentle prompt is all it takes to refocus overwhelmed staff and remind them of the importance of their work.

2 Surprising Revelations

In addition to the five strategies institutions are implementing to acclimate to constant change, two surprising revelations came to light.

First, a number of attendees shared that the 2024 FAFSA Simplification promoted unintended positive consequences on their campus. While this initiative caused many (many!) headaches for financial aid offices, it did shine light on the fact that financial aid is critical to achieving big institutional goals such as hitting enrollment targets.

Second, many colleges and universities revealed that they are currently evaluating a new solution—or in the midst of implementing a new one. And while technology change can be disruptive, it can also introduce new features and capabilities that make managing change easier and more straightforward. For example, when a financial aid management solution (FAM) can automate the full lifecycle of financial aid and scholarship management, institutions can free up valuable human resources to focus more on students. And when the solution is flexible enough to handle multiple enrollment models, colleges and universities can evaluate new programs that provide the flexibility modern students expect.

And a Little Bit of Fun, Too!

Set against the backdrop of America 250, attendees enjoyed many fun events alongside amazing educational and networking opportunities. This year’s charity 5k, sponsored by Regent Education, raised more than $12,000 for First Generation College Bound. Attendees also enjoyed finding and scanning QR codes and spinning the Capital Wheel at our booth to win fun prizes. And, there was lots of energy and excitement at our social event at Harbor Social where current and prospective customers and Regent Education staff came together for networking, bowling, and lots of laughs.

A Special Thanks

As we reflect on this year’s event, one thing remains clear: change is here to stay. And as evidenced in our sessions and our conversations, the institutions that adapt to change, and, dare we say, embrace it, are the ones who will succeed.

We would like to extend a special thank you to our guest speakers, including Johan Starr from NYU Law, Michelle Hare from Winthrop University, Kevin McShane from Herzing University, Zack Rowe from BYU-Idaho, our partners at Salesforce, and the Regent Education expert staff who led educational and engaging sessions and conversations throughout the event.

Ready to continue the conversation? Let’s schedule a time to chat.