Certified FAFSA Specialist Training 2025-26
Being the go-to resource for students on financial aid can be an overwhelming, high-stakes task with momentous implications for each student's future. New changes to the financial aid process highlight the urgency and opportunity for high-quality training. uAspire and MCAN are excited to offer, for the third year, best in class training, support, and tools to better position practitioners to meet the unique needs of all Michigan students.
Due to being able to complete the FAFSA Specialist certification via watching recordings, you may register for this training throughout the year. If you register after Sept. 1, 2025, you will be added in batches on a monthly basis. If you don't care about earning the certification, you can still view all individual session recordings for the information and SCECH credit. Recordings will be posted on this page after they occur.
This certification opportunity is open to school counselors, college advisers, success coaches, and other college access and success providers. Seats in this training are reserved exclusively for college access professionals in the state of Michigan.
Logistics:
To earn the certification and be recognized as a Certified FAFSA Specialist, registrants will participate in a series of 6 virtual training sessions, and complete quizzes about financial aid and the FAFSA completion process.
What does it mean to earn the certification? Upon successful completion of all training components, participants will receive a certificate of completion, social media assets, and other elements of recognition in addition to earning SCECHs. You will also be regarded as a FAFSA specialist to support the training of others, when needed.
There are six virtual training sessions that must be attended to complete the certification, each being up to 1.5 hours long. These sessions will only be offered live once each, but the recordings will be made available to registrants through a Canvas course to watch and review for credit along, with a quiz if they cannot attend live. All participants looking to earn the badge must complete the quizzes, even if they attend live. Topic and session information required to earn the Certified FAFSA Specialist badge is as follows:
Introduction to Financial Aid: Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025
FAFSA Completion: Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 (Part A) and Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025 (Part B)
FAFSA Follow Up and Verification: Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026
*FAFSA Updates and Q+A: Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026
Financial Aid Offer Review: Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026
All meetings will occur 10:30 a.m.-noon ET.
There is an additional session on Financial Aid Renewal for College Success, offered Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, for practitioners working with current college students. This session is not required to earn the certification.
Virtual meeting information for each session will be provided to registrants via email and a Canvas course. All sessions will be recorded and available to view at a later time if none of the live times work for your schedule. For each topic, whether the session is attended live or viewed via recording, participants must pass a quiz on Canvas to demonstrate content mastery.
You will receive an email from Kiersten Nolan (kiersten@micollegeaccess.org) with information on joining Canvas within a week of registering if you register by Sept. 1, 2025. After that date, you will be added in batches at the beginning of a new month.
Please complete the form linked below to formally state your interest in participating in the Certified FAFSA Specialist training. The cost for this training will be covered by MCAN, meaning it is provided at no cost to registrants.
Each individual training session will be available for 1.5 SCECHs in college preparation and selection.
*FAFSA Updates and Q+A will only be for 1 SCECH, as it is only 1 hour long.
Questions?
Contact Kiersten Nolan, MCAN Strategy Assistant for High School Innovation, at kiersten@micollegeaccess.org or 517-896-1678.