Verification

Verification is the confirmation through documentation that the information provided on a student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is correct. The federal government requires colleges and universities to verify or confirm the data reported by students and their parent(s) on the FAFSA. Federal regulations 34 C.F.R Part 668, subpart E, dated March 14, 1986 April 29, 1994, November 29, 1994 – executing legislation 20 U.S.C. 1094 governing the Title IV programs require schools to be sure of certain applicant-reported data. The verification process ensures that eligible students receive all the financial aid to which they are entitled and prevents ineligible students from receiving financial aid to which they are not entitled. The school is requiring making these policies available to all applicants for financial aid, as well as prospective students upon request. This procedure is part of the Admissions process. To follow the regulation and achieve consistency governing this process, the following verification policies apply to all applicants for Title IV programs. Under the regulations, the school may not disburse PEL grant until completion of verification.

Presbyterian Theological Seminary in America shall verify 100% of those students selected by the CPS system for verification.

Verification Exclusions

A selected application may be exempt from some or all of the verification requirements due to certain unusual circumstances. Except in the case of the student’s death, however, none of these verification exclusions excuses the school from the requirement to resolve conflicting information.

-Incarceration.  A selected application does not have to be verified if the student is in jail or prison at the time of verification.

-Recent immigrant.  A selected application does not have to be verified if the student is an immigrant who arrived in the United States in certain year.

-Spouse unavailable.  A school isn’t required to verify spouse information (or to obtain the appropriate signature for verification purposes) if any of the following conditions apply:

  • The spouse is deceased or mentally or physically incapacitated.
  • The spouse is residing in a country other than the United States and can’t be contacted by normal means.
  • The spouse can’t be located because his or her address is unknown, and the student can’t obtain it.

Applicant verified by another school

If the student completed verification for the current award year at another school before transferring, to document a student’s eligibility for this exclusion, all the following documents are provided by a letter from that school. The letter must include:

  • a statement that the student’s application data have been verified,
  • the transaction number of the verified application, and
  • if relevant, the reasons why the school was not required to recalculate the student’s EFC (for example, the application errors may have been within the allowable tolerance..

Required Verification Documents: Examine the data items listed in 34 C.F.R 668.56. Different data items apply to different applicants depending upon student dependency status and the Title IV programs used.  Data items include:

  • household size
  • number enrolled in college
  • adjusted gross income (AGI)
  • U.S. income tax paid, and
  • certain untaxed income and benefits

Documentation Required

Tax filer student, spouse and/or parents (as applicable) IRS Tax Return Transcript and Copy of tax return. Non tax filler student, spouse and/or parents (as applicable) form W-2, form 4868, Signed statement, or agency documentation for SNAP (food stamps) benefits. Applicants shall complete the appropriate sections of the Verification Worksheet.

There are two different worksheets: One for dependent students and one for independent students. Use the worksheets to update and for verification of data. Applicants shall follow the instructions in the Verification Worksheet. The school’s financial aid office may require/provide other appropriate forms.

Time Period for Providing Documentation

Applicants must provide the required documentation within 14 days from the request of FAO. PTSA may not disburse FSA funds until the student has completed required verification.

Applicant Responsibilities

To be eligible to receive Title IV funds, we require applicants to provide requested information during the time-period(s) specified in these policies.

Applicants must certify that the following data items are correct as listed on the original application; or, if not correct, must update the data items, as of the date verification:

  • Number of family members in the household
  • Number of family members in the household now enrolled as at least half-time students on postsecondary institutions
  • Change in dependency status
  • Federal PELL Grant applicants whose dependency status changes during the Award Year must file a correction application.
  • This process does not apply if the change occurs due to marriage
  • Campus-based applicants whose dependency status changes during the Award Year must have their FC re-calculated. This process does not apply if the change occurs due to marriage.
  • The applicant must repay any over award, or any award, discovered during verification, for which he/she was not eligible.

Consequences of Failure to provide documenting within the specified time period(S)

If the student cannot provide all require documentation, the school cannot complete the verification process within 14 days from the date of the request. The school must then advise applicants that they are not eligible for financial aid funds. The school then gives the applicants the following option.:  The student may continue training on a cash payment basis • The student may withdraw, and re-enroll at no additional charge. There will be no loss of units earned when the student provides all proof, and verification is complete. The applicant must repay any over award or any award for which he/she was no eligible, discovered during verification.

If there are non-dollar errors and if the error in the dollar items total is less than $25.00 there is no requirement to recalculate the students EFC.

Referral Procedure

The school shall forward to the Secretary of Education, referral of fraud cases.