What happens if I don't complete my FAFSA verification?

What happens if I do not complete verification? If a student who is selected for verification does not complete the verification process, then any Federal and/or need-based aid (Pell grant, SEOG, Work-Study, Federal Direct loans, certain Scholarships, and institutional aid) will NOT be awarded or disbursed.

What happens if I don't verify my FAFSA?

If you can't or don't provide this information to the school when asked, the student may not receive federal student aid. If the student receives federal student aid based on incorrect or fraudulent information, they'll have to pay it back. You may also have to pay fines and fees.

What if I miss the FAFSA verification deadline?

If you miss the deadline to submit your information, it will delay the disbursement of your financial aid. In some cases, you might even lose your aid. Respond as quickly as you can! Make sure you submit the documents in the way the college asks for them (such as by mail, a secure portal or even email).

What happens if I don't complete the FAFSA?

If you don't complete the FAFSA, you won't be able to receive federal financial aid. You may also be ineligible for certain types of college scholarships and state aid. If you can't complete the FAFSA due to missing information or difficulty with the form, contact your college financial aid office for additional help.

Is it bad to be selected for FAFSA verification?

Don't panic. Schools use FAFSA verification to ensure that all the personal and financial information on your FAFSA is correct. The U.S. Department of Education selects around 25 percent of all filers for verification. Your FAFSA being selected for verification may not be a problem.

FAFSA Verification: What to Do if You're Selected

What triggers FAFSA verification?

Some FAFSA applications are selected because of inconsistent information, and others are chosen randomly. The Office of Financial Aid will request copies of your (and if a dependent student, your parents') IRS tax return transcript(s) and W-2s, as well as a verification worksheet if you are selected.

Why do people get selected for FAFSA verification?

It's a process to confirm that the information on the FAFSA you submitted is an accurate snapshot of your finances. You were probably chosen at random, like the vast majority of those selected, or your school may have asked to have your information verified.

Why students don t complete the FAFSA?

One quarter of high school students don't fill out the federal form they need to get financial aid, according to a new study. And the biggest reason they don't is that many think their families can afford college without that support.

Can I skip FAFSA for a year?

You must submit the FAFSA every year you're in college if you want to receive aid. Anna Helhoski is a senior writer covering economic news and trends in consumer finance at NerdWallet.

Is FAFSA form mandatory?

Gavin Newsom signed into law in 2021, mandates that school districts, charter schools and county offices of education require high school seniors to complete the FAFSA or Dream Act application. It allows, however, for parents and students over age 18 to complete an opt-out form so they can skip the FAFSA.

How long does it take a college to verify FAFSA?

How long does the verification process take? Verification processing time is generally two to three weeks during peak season (June-October), and one to two weeks during non-peak season (November-May). Therefore, students should start the process as soon as possible.

Is it too late to do FAFSA for spring 2024?

The FAFSA for the 2024-25 school year opened in December 2023 and closes on June 30, 2025. If you still need financial aid for the 2023-2024 school year, you can apply until June 30, 2024.

Why should you not delay filling out the FAFSA as soon as you are eligible?

If you want to get the most financial aid possible, fill out the FAFSA form right away. Many states have limited funds, so they may have early FAFSA deadlines. The FAFSA form doesn't take too much time to complete, and it includes help text for each question. Be sure to sign and submit!

Is lying on FAFSA a felony?

If someone purposefully lies on the FAFSA^®, they're committing student fraud . Intentionally lying on the FAFSA^® is a serious crime that the U.S. government can punish with fines of up to $20,000, a prison sentence, or both, according to Federal Student Aid .

How many students get selected for FAFSA verification?

After you submit your FAFSA or CA DREAM ACT APPLICATION, you may be asked to submit more documents. This process is verification and 20% of students get selected, so you are not alone! Check your MyUCLA portal to see the status of any document requests.

Does FAFSA check bank accounts?

Students selected for verification of their FAFSA form may wonder, “Does FAFSA check your bank accounts?” FAFSA does not directly view the student's or parent's bank accounts.

Can I use FAFSA after 4 years?

You'll also need to complete the FAFSA form every year you want to receive aid. Once you've earned your bachelor's degree, or you have used up the 12 semesters (about six years) of eligibility, you will not be able to receive a Federal Pell Grant.

Can you lose FAFSA eligibility?

Some of the most common ways to lose student aid eligibility include defaulting on a federal student loan or not maintaining satisfactory academic progress.

Can you take a break from FAFSA?

The FAFSA is completed each year, so if you take a semester or year off for a high-earning opportunity, this could affect how much aid you receive in future years. Private scholarships and grants might require different things, so to be safe, ensure there are no stipulations to your prize money.

How many people don't fill out the FAFSA?

Specifically, 28 percent of males did not complete the FAFSA compared to 19 percent of females; larger percentages of White (25 percent) or Hispanic (25 percent) students did not complete the FAFSA compared to Black students (19 percent) or Asian students (16 percent); and 29 percent of students in the lowest SES ...

How many students don't fill out FAFSA?

1 in 5 students don't plan to fill out the FAFSA this year

Of that group, 33% believe they won't qualify for any financial aid. As mentioned above, the FAFSA determines eligibility for both need-based and non-need-based aid — there's no income cutoff, so it's worth it for every student to fill it out.

What is the top reason families skip completion of the FAFSA?

For low-income and first generation students, non-completion of the FAFSA is more often caused by a lack of awareness or a lack of access to information about financial aid.

What happens during FAFSA verification?

During verification, the college financial aid administrator will ask the applicant to supply copies of documentation, such as income tax returns, W-2 statements and 1099 forms, to verify the data that was submitted on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

What happens during FAFSA verification process?

Verification is the process your school uses to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA form is accurate. If you're selected for verification, your school will request additional documentation that supports the information you reported. Don't assume you're being accused of doing anything wrong.

Does FAFSA verify your income?

Some types of information that might be verified include income, taxes, education tax credits, child support, high school completion status or number of members in your household. You can reduce the chances of a verification by importing information from your FAFSA directly from the IRS's data retrieval tool.