Each award year a percentage of financial aid applications are selected by the United States Department of Education for verification. If a student is selected for verification, the Financial Aid Office will verify the application information submitted on the student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and will adhere to the procedures explained below.
The verification process entails the review of tax documents and household information to ensure the accuracy of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application. Most applications are selected upon a set of common edits developed by the U.S. Department of Education which check data for consistency and logic. Other applications are selected by the Financial Assistance Department after the application was checked against prior year applications that students have submitted resulting in conflicting information.
Students selected for verification will be notified via email (if an email address is available) or by their campus representative. The notification will indicate the documents required for verification, the deadline for completing the process, and the consequences of missing the deadlines.
Documentation Needed To Complete Verification:
- Full completion of a Verification Worksheet. A Worksheet will also be sent via email with the notification letter. Be sure to follow all instructions on the form and make sure all signatures and dates are present.
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax return transcripts, for the student applicant and his/her parent(s). Independent students need not submit parental information; however spousal information is required. * Please note that the tax information required is for the prior prior tax year preceding the academic year.
- Additional documentation may be requested at the discretion of the Financial Assistance Department.
Verification Worksheets: Please contact your school representative.
Financial Aid Offer: Upon receipt, review, and approval of your required verification documents by the Financial Assistance Department, you will be emailed a Financial Aid Offer. If your aid ever changes for any reason, you will be emailed a revised Financial Aid Offer as soon as the Financial Assistance Department becomes aware of the change.
Links To Request Supporting Documentation:
- Social Security Administration: Application to apply for a replacement Social Security Card.
- Internal Revenue Service: Request a transcript of your federal tax return.
