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What is Verification?

Students who submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) may be randomly selected by the federal government’s Central Processing System (CPS) for a review known as “Verification.” This review requires staff in a financial aid office to compare the information submitted on the FAFSA with information on documents submitted by the student (upon request) to their school’s financial aid office.  Each required verification item will be reviewed by a financial aid staff member according to regulations provided in the Federal Student Aid Handbook.  If there are differences found between the FAFSA and the documents submitted, staff will make needed corrections to the FAFSA and send it to the CPS to be updated. The student will be notified via email if there are corrections the student must make themselves.

Submission of additional documentation is not optional for students who are selected for verification. A federal award cannot be determined or awarded until verification has been completed. 

A student’s FAFSA, if selected, will be assigned to 1 of 3 current verification tracking groups by the CPS.  Each group has a requirement for specific documents to be submitted to the school.

 These groups are as follows:

 1. Standard Verification Group (V1)

 2. Custom Verification Group   (V4)

 3. Aggregate Verification Group (V5)

Depending on the student’s verification tracking group the following documents will be needed:

1. Verification Worksheet for the appropriate academic year (V1 and V5)
2. High School Completion/Identity/Statement of Educational Purpose Verification Worksheet for the appropriate academic year (V4 and V5)
3. Documentation for IRS income-related questions for the student (and the student’s spouse, or parent as applicable.) (V1 and V5)

Specific requests for the needed documents are on the Financial Aid Checklist and Golden Gateway.   Other documents may be requested once verification gets underway.  Any conflicting information found during the review process must be resolved before verification can be completed.

Required Verification Documents

The deadline to submit documents (provided all needed information is included and correct) to ensure timely packaging of awards prior to the University’s first day of class is July 1^st   for the Fall semester; November 1^st for the Spring semester and May 1 for Summer.

It is recommended that documents are submitted as soon as possible after the request for documents is received. Documents not received and conflicts not resolved at least 14 days prior to the student’s last day of enrollment in a semester, may prevent the student from being awarded all aid for which the student may be eligible.    Verification cannot be completed more than 120 days after a student’s last day of enrollment in a semester or after the processing deadline published in the Federal Register (which is a date in September each year), whichever is earlier.

Students are notified (via email) to review their offers when offers have been made subsequent to verification. Newly admitted students will receive an offer notification via U. S. Mail.

*Examples of Tax Year needed: Verifying for 2019-20 Academic Year = 2017 Tax Year Documents; 2020-21 Academic Year = 2018 Tax Year Documents

Verification Policies of the U. S. Department of Education, as mandated under Title 34 > Subtitle B > Chapter VI > Part 668 > Subpart E are followed.