Verification
Federal Verification Process
Federal Verification is the process of confirming the accuracy of the information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Schools must verify the data on applications that the FAFSA federal processor selects.
Students selected for verification are required to submit supporting documentation to enable the financial aid office to complete the review. Selected students will be contacted via e-mail regarding the required documents to complete the verification process. Required documents will also be added to the MyDU Student Portal. Students who do not have their financial aid file completed prior to the start of the semester will be responsible for any late charges/fees that may be added to their student account.
Required Documentation
Verification documents may include verification worksheets, tax transcripts or any other supporting materials. Be sure that all documents are signed, all required sections of forms are completed, and that any relevant tax or alternative documents are submitted. Copies are acceptable and a signature on a copy is as valid as an original signature (i.e., a handwritten or “wet” signature). If a copy of the tax return is used, the filer (or at least one of the filers of a joint return) must sign it or the tax preparer must provide his name and SSN, EIN, or PTIN.
Please Note: All documentation must be submitted in, or translated into, English. We cannot accept documentation written in another language without accompanying English translation.
If an applicant is selected for verification and the student and/or contributor has given consent to transfer their federal tax information they will not be required to submit tax transcripts. If tax transcripts or verification of non-filing letters are required, the Office of Financial Aid will notify you. Download the IRS Tax Transcript Request Process (pdf) document for information on how to request your transcripts.
If you have been a victim of identity theft, you cannot obtain an IRS Tax Return Transcript until the issue has been resolved by the IRS. Since resolution can take a significant amount of time, please provide a copy of the Transcript Database View (TRDBV) tax transcript to our office along with a signed and dated statement by the tax filer indicating you were a victim of IRS tax-related identity theft and the IRS has been made aware of the tax-related identity theft. You may obtain a copy of the TRDBV from the IRS by calling 1(800) 908-4490.
Please note that if a student’s application is selected for verification, they must complete the verification process or forfeit their federal and state student aid eligibility. Financial aid administrators will ask for documentation that is necessary to complete verification. In addition, the Department of Education requires that a student have a valid Student Aid Index (SAI) on their FAFSA to process a financial aid award package. If your documentation is submitted too close to the end of the semester, and changes your aid eligibility, the school may not be able to disburse any federal or state aid for you. For this reason, all documentation must be submitted no later than two weeks prior to the last day of the semester.