Process of Verification

Verification is a process that all universities receiving federal aid are required to complete.  The purpose of verification is not to find fraudulent FAFSA applicants, but to find and correct common mistakes made during the filing of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  All need-based aid packaging must be put on hold until a student provides the necessary information requested through the verification process.  Thus, it is important to return the information and requested documentation as soon as possible.  The federal government randomly selects FAFSA applicants for verification.  Though a random process, students may also be flagged for verification if conflicting information is reported on the FAFSA.  If randomly selected for verification, a student must complete the process within the semester selected.  The Office of Financial Aid must receive all required documents two weeks prior to the end of the selected semester.  If the verification process is not completed, a student will not be considered for need-based financial aid.  Also, any federal and/or state need-based aid received will be returned to the appropriate agency (possibly leaving the student with a payable balance).