| Non-personal information we record.
If you do nothing during your visit but browse through the Web site, read pages, or download information, our Web site's operating system will automatically record some general information about your visit. During your visit, our Web operating system will record: | | 1. The Internet domain for your Internet service, such as "xcompany.com" or "xcompany.net" if you use a private Internet access account, or "yourschool.edu" if you connect from a college or university domain. | | | | 2. The type of browser (such as "Netscape version X" or "Internet Explorer version X") that you are using. | | | | 3. The type of operating system that you use (such as Macintosh, Unix, or Windows). | | | | 4. The date and time you visit our site, and the Web pages that you visit on our site. | | | | 5. The address of the previous Web site you were visiting, if you linked to us from another Web site. | | We use this information for statistical analysis, to help us make our site more useful to visitors. This tracking system does not record information about individual visitors. | | |
| | | | Cookies
On certain FSA web pages, we use "cookies" to help you use our web sites interactively. A cookie is a small file that a Web site transfers to your computer's hard disk, usually to keep track of you while you are connected to that site. The cookies on FSA Web pages do not collect information about you, but only about your browser "session." The cookie makes it easier for you to use the dynamic features of these Web pages, without having to provide the same information again as you move from one page to another. The cookie and the information about your session will be destroyed automatically shortly after you close your browser--it is not permanently stored on your computer. To protect your privacy, be sure to close your browser completely after you have finished conducting business with a web site that uses cookies. If you are concerned about the potential use of information gathered from your computer by cookies, you can set your browser to prompt you before it accepts a cookie. Most Internet browsers have settings that let you identify and/or reject cookies. | | |
| | | | Security and Intrusion Detection
For security purposes and to make sure this service remains available to all users, we use special software programs for monitoring network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise to cause damage to this government computer system. These programs collect no personally identifiable information, but they do collect information that could help us identify someone attempting to tamper with this Web site. Except for authorized law enforcement investigations, we make no other attempts to identify individual users or their usage habits. We only use raw monitoring data logs for determining trends in usage patterns and in diagnosing system problems. | | |
| | | | Information from e-mail you send to us
If you decide to send us an electronic mail message (e-mail), the message will usually contain your return e-mail address. If you include personally-identifying information in your e-mail because you want us to help you with a specific problem, we may use that information in contacting other federal agencies or our partners (such as colleges, lenders, or state agencies about your student aid. In other limited circumstances, including requests from Congress or limited other parties, we may be required by law to disclose information that you submit. Also, e-mail is not necessarily secure against interception. If your communication is very sensitive, or includes personal information such as data from your tax return or student loan account, you may prefer to send it by postal mail to: | | Federal Student Aid
P.O. Box 84
Washington, DC 20044-0084 | | |
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| | | Information collected if you complete a form on our Web sites
On some of our Web pages, we offer interactive forms that allow you estimate your college expenses or loan repayments. We do not collect and store this information, nor can we identify who is filling out the form. On those Web pages where we collect and store information that you submit, such as FAFSA on the Web, we will provide a privacy warning before you begin submitting personal information. | | | | | | Information Collected from Interactive Forms
On some of our Web pages we offer interactive forms that let you voluntarily submit personal information (such as your e-mail address, name, or organization). This occurs when you are registering for various conferences, workshops, or training sessions offered by ED, taking student aid counseling quizzes, ordering publications from ED Pubs, or submitting comments to various web discussion forums. In those cases, all submitted information is used only for the expressed purposes for which it is intended and is not made available to any third party. However, when you submit a comment to an ED web discussion forum, if you supply your name, e-mail address, or other personal information, that information is posted along with your comment.
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| | | | More about privacy and your student aid records
If you have applied for federal student aid or have received a federal student loan, Federal Student Aid is authorized to maintain a record of all transactions related to your application or loan. Click here to review the System of Records notices, which list the authorized disclosures and the safeguards for Federal Student Aid systems under the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. If you have authorized us to share your financial aid information with the colleges that you are thinking of attending, they will also store that information (often in electronic form). The privacy of financial aid records (and admission, enrollment, and other records) kept by an educational institution is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
Click here to read the FERPA regulations. | | | |
Privacy Note
Privacy Note (continued)