2026-27 Award Year COD File Updates

Oracle Student Financial Aid now supports the processing of COD (Common Origination and Disbursement) files for the 2026–27 award year, in accordance with the Department of Education’s March 12, 2026 Common Record XML Schema Version 5.0d. These enhancements ensure that your institution can generate, transmit, and receive data for all Title IV programs using the latest technical standards.

  • The system now supports origination and disbursement for 2026–27 using the COD XML Schema 5.0d (reference schema), including namespace and data structure updates required by the Department of Education.
  • All required new elements have been added to both outbound (sent to COD) and inbound (received from COD) XML files, with backward compatibility for prior award years.

File Formats and Layouts

  • All 2026-27 award year file layouts are supported and available for enablement within DOE File Management.
File Description Notes

CRCS27OP

Credit Status Response (PLUS Loans): Returned when a Direct PLUS Loan applicant’s credit check is completed (declined, endorser required, or appeal). Used by financial aid officers to determine whether the applicant is eligible for a PLUS loan, or if alternative action (such as endorser or PLUS credit counseling) is required.

A Credit Status Response is used in addition to the PLUS Application to award and disburse a PLUS or GPLUS Loan.

CRIB27OP

Direct Loan Informed Borrower Response: System-generated response file sent to institutions to indicate that a borrower has completed the required Informed Borrowing acknowledgment on StudentAid.gov for Direct Loans which is required before loan disbursement. The file includes acknowledgment status, completion date, and a unique confirmation ID for the borrower.

You don't need to enable this file as it is no longer used. The file contained information required for disbursing before the 2022 award year but is no longer required by regulations.

CRPN27OP

MPN (Master Promissory Note) Status Response: System-generated response file reporting the processing status of electronic or paper Master Promissory Notes (MPNs) for Direct Loans (including acceptance, signature verification, expiration). Used by schools to monitor which students/parents have valid loan authorizations for disbursement and compliance.

A notification to complete their MPN will be triggered on the student/parent self service portal and is required to disburse Title IV Direct Loans.

PGLE27OP

Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) Report: Monthly or periodic file provided to institutions listing students' Pell LEU status, including percent used across all schools and all years. Used by schools to determine if a student is nearing or has exceeded their Pell Grant limit, affecting eligibility for additional Pell awards. Used for packaging and compliance monitoring.

You don't need to enable this file as this file is no longer used to package a student. Currently data from NSLDS and COD (after the first origination) are used to determine Pell LEU.

CRSP27OP

PLUS Application Status Response: Direct PLUS Loan application processing notification, sent when a borrower (parent or graduate/professional student) files a PLUS application electronically. Details acceptance, pending, or denial status; also includes credit decision and might signal if more documentation or counseling is needed for approval or disbursement.

An PLUS Application is required to award and disburse a PLUS or GPLUS Loan.

Before receiving a PLUS Application, SFA will project PLUS/GPLUS to inform the student that they could be eligible to receive PLUS and a notification will be triggered on the student/parent self service portal.

CRAT27OP

TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve Acknowledgment: Status response for the TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve or Repay. Sent after a student electronically signs or submits their required service agreement. Used by schools to confirm completion and file is required for disbursement of TEACH Grant funds.

An ATS is required to award and disburse a TEACH Grant.

Note that TEACH is currently required to be manually added to package.

CRAC27OP

TEACH Grant Counseling Response: File confirming a student has completed required TEACH Grant counseling (initial, subsequent, or exit). Sent to schools so they can confirm students have met the counseling requirement before receiving or after completing TEACH Grant funds; required for institutional compliance checks and student records.

A TEACH Grant Counseling Response is required to award and disburse a TEACH Grant.

Note that TEACH is currently required to be manually added to package.

Common Record Schema Updates

  • All outbound COD files now use the 5.0d schema and namespace: xmlns:cod="http://www.ed.gov/FSA/COD/2025/v5.0d"
  • Common record Outbound and Inbound files have been updated to support new and updated fields for the new 2026-27 award year.
Field Data Type XML Location Outbount/Inbound Business Context System Sourcing & Usage

WorkforcePellTuitionAndFees

SmallCurrencyType of 0-999999999.99. Maximum 12 total characters including decimal

Student/Award/CIP/Disbursement

Outbound

Supports new Pell Grant disbursement reporting for workforce programs.

Value will be sent if set by user within FAS_FUND_CONFIG.csv, Awarding_Override configuration script or within Packaging UI when packaging Workforce Pell.

EnrollmentIntensity

Integer (0-100)

Student/Award/Disbursement/DLDisbursementType

Outbound

Required for proper awarding/disbursement using new intensity-based federal eligibility for loans.

Calculated and set within FAS_FUND_CONFIG.csv, OB3_Criteria configuration

  • Value can be overridden via Packaging UI. 
  • System logic aligns with Pell Enrollment Intensity where the values are sourced from the most recent accepted disbursement or fund packaging output.

InstitutionalLimitApplied

Boolean

Student/Award/Disbursement/DLDisbursementType

Outbound

Indicates if institutional limit (not just federal) was applied when determining loan eligibility.

Calculated and set within FAS_FUND_CONFIG, OB3_Criteria or Award_Overriding_Criteria configuration

  • Value can be overridden via Packaging UI.

ProgramAttendanceBeginDate

Date (YYYY-MM-DD)

Student/Award/Disbursement/DLDisbursementType

Outbound

Used for undergrad attendance tracking for schools with accepted articulation agreements.

Calculated and set within FAS_FUND_CONFIG, OB3_Criteria

  • Value can be overridden via Packaging UI.

WorkforcePellEligible

Boolean

Student/AwardResponse/GrantAwardResponseType

Inbound

New indicator showing student’s eligibility for workforce-focused Pell initiatives.

Viewable within the Common Record UI.

LoanLimitException

Boolean

Student/PersonResponse/StudentResponseType

Inbound

Records whether COD flags the student as qualifying for a loan limit exception.

Stored and can be used within FAS_FUND_CONFIG, Award_Override_Criteria configuration to package Direct Loans.

StudentLevelCode (updated)

String (length 2)

Student/StudentLevelCode

Both

Required to communicate grade level including new 8-13 codes.

Calculated and set within PKGSCHEDATTRIB, Grade_Level_Progression configuration

System and Configuration Adjustments

  • Predefined date of July 1, 2026 has been set for the COD_Origination_Disbursement_Start_Date_TIV_Grants_Loans value within the REGULATORY_DEADLINES.csv for the new 2026-27 award year, and can be adjusted as needed.
  • Updated SAIG Message Class File to align with the latest Department of Education release (updated March 2026), which ensures that system generated outbound files align with ED's list of valid file formats. The SAIG Message Class File also designates whether a file format is FTI or not. 
  • Backward compatibility: 2025–26 and prior years continue existing logic, without new schema elements.

Business Value

These enhancements ensure that your institution remains compliant with Department of Education regulations for the 2026–27 award year, supports timely and accurate origination/disbursement of Federal Title IV aid, and receive unsolicited file formats (i.e. MPN, EC files, etc.) which are used in packaging and disbursing. 

Here's the demo of these capabilities:

Steps to enable and configure

Use the Opt In UI to enable this feature. For instructions, refer to the Optional Uptake of New Features section of this document.

Offering: Student Financial Aid

Update Configuration Scripts:

  • Review baseline configuration for packaging and awarding posted on Cloud Customer Connect, and update your configuration as needed.
    • To get started, ensure that "Configuration Administration" Permission is enabled and download your existing configuration from Oracle Student Financial Aid within Administration > Configuration Administration > Download.
      • This configuration will include the pre-populated system data relevant to the new year, which you can then update as needed.
      • Within REGULATORY_DEADLINES.csv, ensure your COD_Origination_Disbursement_Start_Date_TIV_Grants_Loans aligns to when you would like to begin originating funds with COD.
        • If you updated your configuration, navigate to Administration > Configuration Administration, and upload your zipped configuration

Repackage Students:

  • After successful testing in non production, you will need to load in your updated configuration to production, then repackage your students to to ensure that new fields added for the 2026-27 award year have been added.
    • Divide your bulk repackaging operation into manageable groups, taking into consideration processing windows, communication needs, and the availability of supporting resources. This approach will ensure you are well-equipped to assist students whose inquiries arise as a result of the repackaging process.

Enable ED Files:

  • Enable each Department of Education file format that can be received from FAFSA Processing System (FPS) that you want SFA to process. 
    • Ensure the "DOE File Management" Permission is enabled
    • Navigate to Administration > FAS Management > DOE File Management
      • Choose Award Year 2026-2027
      • Select the file names that you want Student Financial Aid to process (CRPN27OP, CRSP27OP, CRCS27OP, CRAC27OP, CRAT27OP, PGLE27OP, and CRIB27OP)
      • Add the date and time you wish to enable these files

Tips and considerations

  • Supporting Prior Award Years: All new fields are optional for 2026–27 and will not appear in 2025–26 or prior years, preserving compatibility with older file structures.
  • Potential Logic Customization Needed: We do not expect that you will need make customization from our delivered baseline configuration, however if you would like to begin COD processing for the 2026-27 before or after July 1, 2026 you can update the start date accordingly.

Key resources