Verification Process
What is 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. 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.
How will I know if I am selected for verification?
You may be selected for verification either by the federal processor or by the WPI Office of Financial Aid. If you are selected for verification by the federal processor, there will be an asterisk next to your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) on your Student Aid Report (SAR). You will also be informed of having been selected for verification in the SAR Acknowledgement letter, which will be included with your SAR documents. You can view your SAR online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ under Step 3, View and Print Your Student Aid Report. To view a sample SAR, click here. If you are selected for verification by the WPI Office of Financial Aid, the office will send you a letter informing you of this selection and instructing you of any additional documentation that is required.
Why was I selected for verification?
The main reasons for being selected for verification include that you were chosen randomly, the FAFSA you submitted was incomplete, your FAFSA contains estimated information, or the data you provided on the FAFSA is inconsistent. Verification is a federal regulation. Students who are selected for verification are not being punished; rather verification prevents ineligible students from receiving aid by reporting false information and ensures that eligible students receive all of the aid for which they are qualified.
How will I know what additional documentation is required for verification, where to send it, or when to send it by?
If your SAR indicates you were selected for verification or if the WPI Office of Financial Aid determines that your application needs to be verified, you and your parent(s) will be required to provide supporting documents to the WPI Office of Financial Aid. In most cases, this documentation includes the following information from the tax year prior to the current aid year:
1). Signed copies of student and parent federal income tax returns, including all schedules
2). Student and parent W-2 statements
3). Documentation of student and parent untaxed income received during the calendar year
Please note that additional documents may be requested at the WPI Office of Financial Aid's discretion.
If the federal processor selects your application for verification, do not wait for the Office of Financial Aid to request additional documentation from you. It is your responsibility to review your SAR to determine if you are selected and submit additional documentation to the Office of Financial Aid no later than April 15th (of the current calendar year). If the WPI Office of Financial Aid selects your application for verification, the office will contact you in writing to let you know both that you have been selected and what additional documentation is required. This communication will include our office's mailing address and fax number, as both are acceptable forms of document submission for most items, and will include a deadline. Please be sure to respond to requests for documentation in a timely manner to avoid delays in applying your financial aid as a credit to your bill.
If I am selected for verification, am I required to send additional documentation?
Yes. Participation in the verification process is not optional. If a student who is selected does not submit the required documentation in a timely manner, the student will not be eligible to receive federal financial aid as a WPI student. Should the verified financial information differ significantly from the original information provided on the FAFSA, your aid may be adjusted.
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: October 27, 2009 11:00:35