4 Updates Coming to Access Plans in 2025

Since we launched College Board Access Plans, we’ve been listening closely to the needs and preferences of our users. We’ve heard the call for functionality improvements, an increased ease of use, and products that align better with internal processes on campus. We’re addressing these requests in our 2025-26 Access Plan and beyond.

#1. The Access Plan Year Is Aligning With the Higher Education Fiscal Year

• What’s Changing: The 2025-26 subscription plan year will begin as usual on September 1, 2025, and end early on June 30, 2026, marking a one-time, 10-month plan term. Beginning in July 2026, the Access Plan will resume its 12-month cadence, this time synchronizing with the fiscal year of most higher education institutions and running July through June.
• Why It’s Changing: We received feedback from our member institutions asking for ways to make it easier to budget and plan for the Access Plan year. This change will allow us to implement related member requests, including multi-year agreements that we’re piloting as an incentive offer beginning this fall.

#2. Search Output Downloads Are Getting Easier

• What’s Changing: We’re making Secure File Transfer Procotol (SFTP) enhancements that will allow Search and Connections™ to integrate directly with partnering customer relation management (CRM) systems. This will make downloading records easier than ever and eliminate repeated manual intervention. As a result, the Living Record feature will be paused for future reimagination as we invest in automation and ease of use.
• Why It’s Changing: This integration addresses a long-standing request from our member organizations for a more streamlined transfer process from Search into campus CRMs. These enhancements will help member institutions reach students earlier in high school by making it easier to manage a year-round ordering strategy.

#3. More Connections Audiences Included at Base Level

• What’s Changing: In the past, we’ve offered additional Connections audiences as a renewal incentive. This year, we’re increasing the baseline number of Connections audiences for Access Plans A−G. Take a look at the 2025-26 Pricing Guide to see how many audiences are included in your plan of choice.
• Why It’s Changing: We’ve heard from our members that Connections audiences are an essential part of their recruitment plans, and we intend to provide an expected number of base audiences per plan. This increased reach coincides with exciting enhancements to the Connections experience for students and higher education coming this fall.

#4. Tailoring Our Solutions for Community Colleges and Scholarship Organizations

• What’s Changing: Beginning in 2025-26, we’ll formalize a new Access Plan aligned to the goals of community colleges and technical schools. In addition, we’re working to expand partnerships with nonprofit scholarship organizations to bring more opportunities for students into Search and Connections.
• Why It’s Changing: These expansions are designed to support a broader set of educational institutions and scholarship organizations. This strengthens our commitment to help students discover a range of postsecondary opportunities.