USA Funds Expands and Updates Online Training

USA Funds^® has enhanced its online-training program for financial-aid professionals working at medical schools that participate in the MEDLOANS program. The four new online courses, the first of several for medical-school professionals, cover the following subjects:

• General Financial-Aid Eligibility Requirements. This course identifies the basic and specific requirements that affect federal financial-aid eligibility for students seeking medical degrees.
• Understanding the FAFSA. This course prepares medical-school financial-aid professionals to advise applicants about the proper way to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Lesson material includes identifying whose information should be included on the FAFSA, explaining income and assets that must be reported, and determining who is considered a parent for the purposes of completing the application. The course also lists the ways that the application can be filed.
• Types and Sources of Financial Aid. This course describes the types of financial aid available to eligible students seeking medical degrees. Although the course focuses on federal financial-aid programs, the lessons also reference state, institutional and private sources of financial aid.
• Federal Delivery System. This introductory course provides information about the federal delivery system used in the financial-aid process. Course lessons also describe the various players and the steps in the application and correction process.

In February, USA Funds will offer three additional online courses for financial-aid professionals at medical schools. Upcoming courses will cover the Student Aid Report and the Institutional Student Information Record, awarding financial aid, and calculating financial need for students seeking medical degrees.

All courses updated
In addition to the new courses, USA Funds recently updated its entire online-learning catalog. Contents of the 52 courses now reflect information for the 2007-2008 academic year and the most-recent changes in the federal student-loan program. USA Funds updates the course library annually.

Staff members at more than 260 postsecondary institutions have taken one or more of USA Funds’ online courses, and more than 80 percent have demonstrated gains in knowledge after completing the training.

Find additional information about USA Funds' online training.