Office of Student Financial Aid & Student Employment

Verification

What Is Verification and Why Is It So Important?

Verification is the process by which the federal government asks schools to verify the information that students and their parents provide on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

All processing of aid must be halted until such time that the student provides the necessary information to the aid granting school.

If a student (or parent) fails to comply with requests for information, knowingly, or unknowingly, the student will not receive aid until The University of Akron has received the information requested.

A student waiting to comply with these requests may well forfeit some or all of any aid that she may have been eligible for during that semester, so timely response to a request for verification information is vital!

Why was I Selected for Verification?

The federal government randomly selects 30-35% of ALL students who submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for verification. Even if you are selected year after year, it is still generally a random process. One exception to this is if you have provided conflicting information on the FAFSA itself (e.g. marking that you have not yet received your bachelor's degree, but also marking that you are pursuing a graduate or professional degree).

What Type of Documentation is Needed?

Read each form carefully and respond to each question and request for supporting documentation. If you have questions, feel free to contact our office.

Should I Just Send the Information Ahead of Time?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

First of all, you may not even BE selected for verification. Secondly, waiting allows our office to determine exactly which information we need from you. If you send the information ahead of time, you may be sending incomplete or incorrect information. Finally, If we have received the information ahead of our request for it, we may not realize that you've sent it--causing unnecessary delays to the timely processing of your aid!

Should I Send Information with My FAFSA Form?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

The directions on the FAFSA itself explicitly tell students not to send anything except the FAFSA form to the Federal processors. Sending information other than the actual FAFSA form itself to the federal processor can result in delays to your processing!

Further, when the government receives these extra tax returns or forms or letters with the FAFSA they merely shred them. Save a tree, and save yourself some aggravation. Don't do it!

When Can I Expect to be Notififed if I am Selected for Verification?

You can expect to receive notification of your selection for verification within 10-14 business days of receiving your Student Aid Report from the Federal processors.

What If I'm Selected?

You will want to return the information and requested documentation as soon as possible after you receive it. Processing generally takes 2-3 weeks--although it can take up to 5 weeks during the peak processing season between June 1st and October 1st. Thus it is vital to send complete and correct information as quickly as possible. Upon completion of verification, you will receive an Award Notification describing your eligibility for student financial aid.

What If I'm Not Selected?

Even if you are not selected for verification you will receive an Institutional Aid Application (IAA) which you must complete and return to our office as soon as possible in order for your aid to be processed. Upon completion of the processing of your IAA, you will receive an Award Notification describing your eligibility for student financial aid.

If you fail to complete an IAA you will not be awarded aid. This form must be completed before any processing of aid eligibility can begin.

If you have questions about your verification or the status of your verification, don't hesitate to contact the Office of Student Financial Aid and Student Employment at (330) 972-7032 or toll free 1-800-621-3847.

The following links may be helpful for students who have been selected for verification:

VitalChek Network

This service provides information on receiving birth and death certificates from all 50 states. Listing of this link at this site does not constitute an endorsement by the University of Akron, or its Office of Student Financial Aid & Student Employment. All transactions on this site are the responsibility of the individual user.

Selective Service System

This service allows you to look up a man's Selective Service number, as well as the date he registered. Only registrations of men born on or after Janurary 1, 1960, can be verified through this system. Students may also register with selective service through this web site.

NOTE: A print out of your selective service number and date of registration from this site is an acceptable substitute for a photocopy of the selective service card in completion of verification Form 10.

(Note: Women are not currently required to register with the Selective Service System).

National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)

This service allows students to track their student loan indebtedness and grant history. It may also be helpful for Default information.