Ed Department Changes Reporting Requirements for Online Colleges

The U.S. Department of Education announced final regulations this week requiring colleges to report which students receiving federal financial aid are enrolled in distance education or correspondence courses. The distance rule will go into effect July 1, 2027, a year later than the department originally proposed. The change will give colleges the time needed to comply, the department said. The department’s action Monday notably excluded an expansion of eligibility for some federal TRIO programs to undocumented students. TRIO had been part of the bundle of draft rules along with distance education announced in July.