FAQs - Request for Designation as an Eligible Institution and Waiver of the Non-Federal Cost Share Requirement

GENERAL QUESTIONS:
Q: Where can I find the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for being designated an eligible institution for Titles III and V?
A: The Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) is available at Federal Register :: Eligibility Designations and Applications for Waiving Eligibility Requirements; Programs Under Parts A and F of Title III and Programs Under Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as Amended (HEA).

Q: When are applications available for being deemed eligible for Titles III and V?
A: For FY 2024, the eligibility application opens on January 22 and closes on February 27, 2024.

Q: Why should I apply for eligibility?
A: An institution must be deemed an eligible institution of higher education (IHE) to be considered for funding under the Titles III and V programs. You MUST apply for eligibility even if you have a current Titles III, V, or VII grant. An institution that submits an application, and is designated as an eligible institution, will also be eligible to receive a waiver of certain non-Federal cost-share requirements for one year or for the duration of their Titles III or V grant, if awarded, under the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) and the Federal Work Study program (FWS).

Q: Do institutions that have their letter of eligibility need to submit an application/waiver request?
A: No, institutions that have their letter of eligibility for Titles III and V for FY 2024 are not required to submit an application/waiver request for eligibility.

Q: Do we have to apply annually if we submit the same information each year?
A: Yes, campuses that aren’t deemed eligible based on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data must submit an application annually.

Q: How do I check to see if I am eligible for Titles III and V?
A: Visit the HEPIS system HTTPS://HEPIS.ed.gov/ and follow the instructions to login. If you do not have an account, you may request access by emailing HEPIS.HelpDesk@thetactilegroup.com. Accounts can only be created for emails whose domain end with “.edu.”

Q: Where do I find our campus’ eligibility information when I login to the HEPIS website?
A: You should see the general eligibility application (GEA) information on the side of your screen. If you do not see it, you may not have access to the GEA subsystem yet. Send an email to HEPIS.HelpDesk@thetactilegroup.com and request access for your HEPIS account.

Q: What do I need to do to apply for eligibility?
A: The eligibility process is set forth in the statutory and regulatory requirements for Titles III and V. You can review the application booklet available under the GEA link in the help section at https://hepis.ed.gov/main/help. Additionally, you may review the eligibility infographic available at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/eligibility-infographic.pdf. The Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) is available at Federal Register :: Eligibility Designations and Applications for Waiving Eligibility Requirements; Programs Under Parts A and F of Title III and Programs Under Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as Amended (HEA).

Q: What are the eligibility thresholds for this year?
A: The thresholds are published in the federal register NIA (Federal Register :: Eligibility Designations and Applications for Waiving Eligibility Requirements; Programs Under Parts A and F of Title III and Programs Under Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as Amended (HEA)). These vary based on the institutions control (public/private) and type (2-year/4-year).

Q: Can I have access to multiple branch campuses in the system?
A: Yes, you can email HEPIS.HelpDesk@thetactilegroup.com and provide them with the OPEID for each campus for which you need to check the status.

Q: Who at my institution should complete the eligibility application?
A: The eligibility process is different on each campus. Various entities will have the required data you may need. It is recommended that more than one person work together on the application to ensure it is completed annually as required.

Q: What is the actual eligibility year?
A: Eligibility is for FY 2024. This is from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. Grants awarded during this period would begin on October 1, 2024. For the Federal Cost-Share Waiver, the dates are July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.

Q: If our campus has more than 25% Hispanic population, are there additional steps necessary to apply to be an HSI?
A: Yes, each institution needs to be deemed eligible based on the additional requirements for Titles III and V eligibility as instructed in the in the Notice Inviting Applications Federal Register :: Eligibility Designations and Applications for Waiving Eligibility Requirements; Programs Under Parts A and F of Title III and Programs Under Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as Amended (HEA).

Q: What is the difference between the eligibility matrix using IPEDS data and the eligibility application?
A: The application is for schools that do not meet the requirements for the eligibility matrix based on the data that the Department of Education has and provides the opportunity for them to submit updated data or, in the case of the Needy Student requirement, uses a different variable that the Department is not able to calculate with data that are available to us.

Q: Can an institution be designated an AANAPISI and HSI?
A: Yes, an institution can be deemed eligible for multiple programs. However, each grant program has specific regulations and that may mean they aren’t eligible to receive funds in every program for which they are eligible. Contact the program specialist(s) for the program(s) you are interested in.

Q: Are Tribal Colleges and HBCUs required to apply for eligibility?
A: No, HBCUs and TCCUs are not required to apply for eligibility.

Q: Are there waivers for programmatic level requirements such as the demographic requirements?
A: There are no waivers/exemptions on programmatic requirements.

Q: How do you define the various demographic groups for each Titles III and V program?
A: We use the federal definitions set forth in the Higher Education Act.

Q: If an institution is deemed eligible for that fiscal year, do they need to do anything for approval for the waiver of matching funds (Title IV Federal cost-share waiver)?
A: We provide the final Eligibility Matrix to Federal Student Aid in the spring. All questions regarding the match should be directed to Federal Student Aid at CODSupport@ed.gov.

DATA USED TO MAKE DETERMINATIONS:
Q: What data are used to determine eligibility?
A: For FY 2024, we use the 2021-2022 dataset from IPEDS and PEPS (Federal Student Aid).

Q: Can you define "half-time" student?
A: Half-time is dependent on the institution’s definition of half-time.

Q: Can we use the IPEDS core expense calculation for the core expense portion of the application?
A: Yes, you can use the same core expense calculation from IPEDS.

Q: Are the data we are asked to enter into the application different from the data that the system automatically pulls from IPEDS for us for the initial determination?
A: It could be. Institutions may have data that are different from what was reported to IPEDS. You must review the application booklet and determine how to respond to each question.

Q: Are we able to apply for the Federal cost-share waiver if we only meet one of the eligibility requirements?
A: No, you would need to submit an application/exemption in the system for the eligibility requirements if you are seeking the Federal cost-share waiver.

Q: How do we know whether we are classified as a 2-year or 4-year institution when applying to be an eligible institution?
A: This would be based on whatever your designation is in IPEDS for your campus during the base year.

Q: Are there samples of successful and unsuccessful applications and/or exemption requests? And, if so, how can an institution obtain these for guidance?
A: There are not. Every institution has unique circumstances that may make them eligible for a waiver request. However, we can assist where campuses have questions. Please contact Nemeka Mason-Clercin at Nemeka.Mason@ed.gov.

Q: What are appropriate examples of supporting documentation?
A: This is going to be based on the campus’ processes. Each campus may have different data supporting the various waiver requests. Please do not include personally identifiable information (PII).

Q: How are high school and international students counted in the calculations for the eligibility requirements?
A: High school and international students can be counted in the core expenses per FTE number. However, they cannot be counted in the needy student number.

Q: Can we use internal data to complete the application?
A: Yes, you may have data that is different than what IPEDS has. If those data are accurate and can provide support for your request, you may submit it in the waiver request. For example, we use two different calculations for the needy student requirement. Pre-eligibility is based on Pell percentage. The application allows institutions to provide additional information for a different calculation that includes other need-based financial aid.

Q: Why are graduate students included in the needy student percentage calculation?
A: Graduate students are eligible for Federal Work Study, and Federal Work Study is included in the needy student criterion.

WAIVER REQUESTS/EXEMPTIONS:
Q: Do we have to apply annually for an exemption if we submit the same information each year?
A: Yes, campuses seeking a waiver/exemption must submit an application and request annually.

Q: If an institution applies for needy student Waiver Option #6, are there associated reporting requirements to demonstrate achievement of the stated program implementation and student enrollment objectives?
A: No.

Q: Does the exemption qualify an institution for designation as an eligible institution under Titles III and V programs or just the non-federal cost share waiver?
A: It qualifies them for both.

COVID RELATED:
Q: How do COVID-related variables (enrollment/funding/expenses) affect data and decisions?
A: All institutions are still subject to the same measures and thresholds from the same base year. If the campus believes that COVID affects one or both criteria, they are eligible to submit an application and exemption as described in the regulations and application booklet that are published in the Notice Inviting Applications (Federal Register :: Eligibility Designations and Applications for Waiving Eligibility Requirements; Programs Under Parts A and F of Title III and Programs Under Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as Amended (HEA)).

Q: Will COVID related enrollment declines be considered evidence for exemptions under core expenses Waiver Option #1?
A: Yes.

ELIGIBILITY MATRIX AVAILABILITY:
Q: When will you post the Eligibility Matrix on your website?
A: The Eligibility Matrix will be publicly available later this spring.

Q: Why isn’t the Eligibility Matrix available now?
A: Each institution can look up their information in the HEPIS system. As institutions apply for eligibility and exemptions are approved/denied, the Eligibility Matrix will change so we post when it is complete.

RECORDING/SLIDES AVAILABILITY:
Q: Will the webinar recording be available?
A: Yes, it will be made available under the Help link on the HEPIS system at https://hepis.ed.gov/main/help.