What is verification?
Verification is the process by which an educational institution confirms accuracy of the data reported on an individual student's FAFSA. The FAFSA federal processor selects the applications for which the data submitted must be verified.
The federal processor applies a series of edit checks, which are prescribed by federal financial aid regulations, to each FAFSA. The edit checks cause some applications to be selected for verification. In addition, the federal processor randomly selects for verification a small percentage of all financial aid applications.
If your application is selected for verification, you must complete the verification process before your eligibility for financial aid can be determined, and before financial aid can be awarded to you.
If your FAFSA is selected for verification
If the federal processor selects your FAFSA verification, you must:
- Complete and submit a verification worksheet
- Submit income information
If you are a dependent student, you and one of your parents must complete a Dependent Verification Worksheet. In addition, you and your parents must submit copies of your federal income tax returns. If you and/or your parents did not and are not required to file a file federal income return, you and/or your parents, as appropriate, should check the box on the verification worksheet beside the statement indicating non-tax-filer status.
If you are an independent student, you must complete an Independent Verification Worksheet. In addition, you and your spouse, if you are married, must submit a copy of your federal income tax return(s). If you and/or your spouse did not and are not required to file a file federal income return, you and/or your spouse, as appropriate, should check the box on the verification worksheet beside the statement that indicates non-tax-filer status.
Required Documents for the 2009-2010 FAFSA
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If you are a Dependent Student complete the Dependent Verification Worksheet. Plase have both student and at least one parent sign the worksheet before submitting to the office.
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If you are an Independent Student complete the Independent Verification Worksheet. Please make sure you sign the worksheet before submitting to the office.
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A signed copy of you/your parent(s)/your spouse (as appropriate) filed 2008 federal income tax form(s) that was submitted to the IRS: IRS form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ. If a copy of the tax return was not saved, request a copy from the IRS to submit to the Office of Student Financial Aid.
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Each 2008 federal income return submitted to the Office of Student Financial Aid must include a copy of each W-2 form and/or Form 1099, if any, that was sent to the IRS with it.
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Copies of federal tax return transcripts can be requested from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Web site: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=110571,00.html.
How to Avoid Verification Processing Delays
To help diminish the possibility of verification processing delays, please do the following:
- Submit all documents at the same time to:
Wayne State University
Office of Student Financial Aid
The Welcome Center
P.O. Box 2340
Detroit, MI 48202-0340
Remember to make photocopies for your records. We will not accept these documents via fax or email.
- Print your name and 9-digit WSU ID number on each page of the documents that you submit to OSFA.
- Respond to each section of the Verification Worksheet. If a section or part of a section does not apply to you/your parent(s)/your spouse, write “N/A” or “-0-,” as appropriate. Do not leave sections blank.
What Happens after Verification is Completed?
If the accuracy of the data reported on your FAFSA is confirmed, the Office of Student Financial Aid can determine your eligibility for financial aid. OSFA will notify you of your financial aid eligibility status.
If verification indicates differences between the data reported on your FAFSA and the tax documents/income information that you submit with your Verification Worksheet, OSFA may make corrections to the data on your FAFSA and electronically transmit the corrected data to the federal processor. OSFA will notify you on pipeline if corrections are made to the data on your FAFSA.
You can monitor your FAFSA verification status on pipeline. The status cannot be provided via e-mail.
The Verification Deadline
The verification review process can range from 2 - 6 weeks. Students are advised to submit copies of the requested documentation within 14 days of the request made by the Office of Student Financial Aid. For the 2009-2010 academic year, you are strongly encouraged to submit all requested documentation by April 30, 2009 in order to receive a timely financial aid notification.
Federal Pell Grant Recipients: The verification deadline for Federal Pell Grant recipients is 120 days from your last date of enrollment or August 31, whichever comes first. This deadline includes making any necessary corrections, submitting those corrections to the Federal Processor, and submitting the new correct Student Aid Report (SAR) to the institution.
Federal Loan Applicants: WSU requires verification to occur before determining eligibility; a federal loan application cannot be certified for a period of enrollment that has already passed.
Failure to submit all requested documentation will result in the forfeiture of your financial aid eligibility.