ED Clarification: SAI and Pell Status Not Federal Tax Information

On April 18, 2024, the Office of Federal Student Aid clarified that information derived from Federal Tax Information (FTI), such as a student's Pell status and Student Aid Index (SAI), is not considered FTI.

This distinction is significant because previous guidance had led institutions to interpret that any data derived from FTI had to be treated with the same privacy protections, limiting their ability to use such information for student support programs.

Read the announcement here.