The U.S. Department of Education has launched a hiring push inside Federal Student Aid (FSA) about a year after the agency carried out major layoffs. An internal presentation reviewed by POLITICO says FSA is targeting 334 full-time employee hires by 2027, a 45% increase from staffing levels as of last month. FSA oversees programs that touch millions of borrowers and schools, including the federal student loan portfolio and the FAFSA and other federal aid forms. It also oversees companies that service student debt and administer aid for institutions that receive federal funds. The move matters for institutional operations because shifts in FSA staffing can affect turnaround times for systems, compliance, and support—key variables for colleges managing eligibility, verification, and aid processing throughout the enrollment cycle.