The U.S. Department of Education has launched a hiring blitz in Federal Student Aid, according to an internal presentation reviewed by POLITICO. FSA aims to add 334 full-time employees by 2027—about a 45% increase from staffing levels as of last month. The same office that administers the federal student loan portfolio and key financial-aid forms previously absorbed major staffing cuts in March during a government-wide reduction in force. For colleges and universities, the shift could affect turnaround times for audits, program reviews, and oversight of the companies that service student debt and the institutions that receive federal aid—particularly during peak compliance cycles.