Verification is a process used to review information on the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to ensure that it was
completed accurately. Some students are selected for verification by
the U.S. Department of Education while others are selected by the
school. Usually only a certain percentage of students are selected
for verification.
Why is your FAFSA being verified?
There are several possibilities for being selected for
verification. Keep in mind that other possibilities exist, but the
following are the main reasons that your application is selected:
- Randomly selected
- The submitted FAFSA has incomplete data
- The data on the FAFSA appears to contradict itself
- The FAFSA has estimated information on it
If you are selected for FAFSA verification, you need to return
our signed and dated verification worksheet and requested
documentation as soon as possible. Verification processing usually
takes two to three weeks, but it can take longer during the peak
season. Because verification must be completed in advance of
offering and disbursing financial aid to you, it is vital to send
complete and correct information as quickly as possible. This
process is required by the federal government of all schools who
award and disburse Title IV federal financial aid.
Verification ensures that the information which students and
parents report on their FAFSA is accurate. Verification prevents
ineligible students from receiving aid that they are not entitled to
and ensures that eligible students receive all of the aid for which
they are qualified. The sooner you verify your FAFSA information,
the sooner you will be able to receive your financial aid.
What needs to be done after your FAFSA is selected for
verification?
After you receive notification from us that you have been
selected for verification, download and print our verification
worksheet from the link sent to you via email. Individuals who are
unable to access the form online may contact the Office of Student
Financial Aid via email at
finaid@uwsp.edu or telephone at
715-346-4771 for an alternative format that would better meet their
needs. Next, you need to collect copies of documents requested by
our office. These documents may include signed federal tax forms,
Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statement(s), Form 1099-R Distributions from
Pensions, Annuities, Retirement, or Profit-sharing Plans, IRAs,
Insurance Contracts, etc., and other documentation. The type of
documents required will vary from student to student, and not all
students selected for FAFSA verification will have to submit the
same documents. Submit all of the required documentation to our
financial aid office.
What happens if there are discrepancies in the FAFSA
application and the requested documentation?
After you turn in all required documents, our financial aid
office will compare them with your Student Aid Report (SAR). If
errors are found, corrections will be made by our office based on
the documentation that you have provided to us. If the errors are
significant enough to change the amount of financial aid that you
were awarded, our financial aid office will notify you with a
revised award notification showing increased or decreased amounts.
Click
HERE to login and print your verification worksheet.
