Video: What does it mean to be selected for verification?

What is Verification?

It’s possible that you may be selected for a process called verification. This is a formal process initiated by the federal government or by De Anza’s Financial Aid Office. If your application is selected for verification, you will not be eligible to receive federal or state aid until this process is completed.

You may be selected  because

  • The federal government randomly selects three out of 10 applications for verification.

  • There may be discrepancies on your application.

  • There may be substantial differences in the data you have submitted in prior years.

You may be asked to provide

  • A federal tax transcript, which you must obtain from the IRS.

  • A completed verification worksheet

  • Other supporting documents, such as W-2 income forms, IRS letters, birth certificate, social security card or unemployment records. 

When to provide

  • Submit all requested information as soon as possible

  • Files are reviewed and processed in the order received.

  • Documents with blanks and missing signatures will not be reviewed and may be returned.

Once you have submitted

  • We may request additional information. We will send you an email and post a notice on your MyPortal account. Please check these regularly.

  • You may be required to correct or re-submit your FAFSA. If these changes affect your eligibility, you will receive a revised Student Aid Report. 

Required Documents

You will receive an email notification asking you to create a financial aid management account at https://deanza.student forms.com You will see a list of documentation required to complete the verification process. Students are responsible for providing this documentation, which may include completed verification worksheets

V1 – Standard Verification

V4 – Custom Verification Group

V5 – Aggregate Verification Group

You will be able to fill out and sign the forms on-line or download, complete/sign and upload to your account.

We recommend students use the IRS data retrieval tool which they will find when they complete or update their FAFSA information online. Otherwise, a tax transcript from the IRS for student and parents will be required for tax filers.

Students who report income but don’t file tax returns will be required to provide a copy of their W2, unless self-employed.

Students may be required to provide a signed statement concerning untaxed income or benefits. This can include information regarding child support or SNAP benefits

If the Financial Aid Office determines that a student is attempting to perpetrate fraud, the office will notify federal authorities.

Unusual Enrollment History

If you received a Pell Grant or Federal Direct Loan at multiple institutions in recent academic years, your FAFSA application for student aid will be flagged for Unusual Enrollment History (UEH).

You will be notified by a flag numbered 2 or 3 on your Student Aid Report. De Anza's Financial Aid Office will then be required to review your enrollment history and determine whether you are enrolling only long enough to receive cash from federal student aid.

If you received the Pell Grant or Federal Direct Loan, and you did not earn credit hours by receiving a passing grade of A, B, C or D, you may be ruled ineligible for federal aid.

The Financial Aid Office will determine if you had a valid reason for an unusual enrollment history at multiple institutions. You may be asked to provide valid documentation, including transcripts, to explain your enrollment history.

If documentation is needed, the Financial Aid Department will contact you by email or letter detailing the appropriate documentation needed.

Unusual enrollment history must be resolved before you can receive federal financial aid.

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