Have you been selected for Federal Verification? If so, you are not alone. In fact, 22% of students nationwide were selected last year. We at Arizona want to make this process as seamless as possible so you can get back to focusing on what really matters - getting an exceptional education and gaining skills to launch your career.
A student is selected for verification by the Department of Education (ED) to ensure the accuracy of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) information provided. The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) is required to collect additional documentation from you in order to complete this ED requirement.
Please note: OSFA may be required to correct a student’s federal financial aid offer as a result of verification. This corrected aid offer may differ from the student’s initial financial aid offer. Verification must be completed before a student can receive federal financial aid.
For information on Federal Verification flexibilities and regulation updates in terms of special circumstances surrounding COVID-19, please visit the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid’s COVID-19 Information page or contact our office.
For the 2020-2021 academic year, you must submit all required documents to complete the verification process by whichever date is sooner:
within 120 days of your (the student’s) last date of enrollment
by September 3, 2021
There are numerous ways you will be contacted if you are required to complete verification:
At the time you are initially selected for verification:
An email is sent directly to your CatMail with instructions on how to proceed.
Additionally, an item is added on your To Do List in the UAccess Student Center.
After initial selection and communication:
OSFA sends a monthly reminder email to all students that have been selected for verification and have not completed their requirements.
The To Do List item referenced above remains incomplete and in your UAccess Student Center To Do List.
You will be directed to create an account on Verify my FAFSA. On this page, there is a helpful instructional video to help you navigate this site.
You will submit all required documentation online via the Verify my FAFSA portal.
Your login credentials to access Verify my FAFSA are your NetID and password.
If applicable, your parent will need to create a separate account with a unique username. Parents are only given access to review and sign the documentation you have already submitted. Parents cannot make any changes or upload any additional documentation.
Within Verify my FAFSA, you will see specific “Tasks” that provide detailed instructions. You may be asked to complete various online forms within Verify My FAFSA and/or be asked to submit specific documents. All documents will need to be uploaded directly into the Verify My FAFSA portal through the student’s account and will not be able to be uploaded through the parent’s account. Examples of documents that you might be asked to submit include (but are not limited to):
Student’s signed tax return (Form 1040)
Student’s W-2 form
Parent(s)’ signed tax return (Form 1040)
Parent(s)’ W-2 form
Dependent/Independent Verification Web Form
Signed statement
Utility bills
Leases
IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter
IRS Tax Return Transcript
IRS Wage and Income Transcript
Completing Federal Verification involves many different steps and a number of parties. In partnership with you (the student), the University of Arizona communicates with the Department of Education to verify and/or correct any FAFSA information initially provided. For a more detailed explanation, read through the following table:
|
Step |
What Happens |
Timeline |
|
1 |
OSFA is notified that you have been selected for verification upon the receipt of the FAFSA. |
This typically takes three to five weeks from the date on which the FAFSA was filed. |
|
2 |
OSFA notifies you that you have been selected to complete Federal Verification. |
This can take at least one week after the FAFSA is received by OSFA. |
|
3 |
You will create an account in Verify my FAFSA and submit all required documentation. |
This can happen immediately after you have been notified by our office of the verification requirement. |
|
4 |
OSFA reviews submitted documentation and either requests additional items or removes the To Do List item from your UAccess Student Center. |
From the time we receive all required documentation, the review may take at least three weeks. |
|
5 |
OSFA will notify you via email if changes to your financial aid offer occur based on any corrections made to your FAFSA during verification. Changes to your aid can be reviewed directly in your UAccess Student Center. |
You can review helpful FAQ’s regarding both of these topics at the following links:
Verification: https://financialaid.arizona.edu/faqs#term-192
