VERIFICATION PROCESS
Federal verification is a process used to confirm that the data you reported on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is accurate. If you are selected by the U.S. Department of Education, Lakewood University is required to obtain documentation, such as a verification worksheet and federal tax data, to verify the information you reported on the FAFSA.
If you are selected for verification, you can ease the process by utilizing the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to fulfill your federal tax data requirement. You may use the tool to transfer your 2022 federal tax data into your 2024-2025 FAFSA during your initial application or log back on any time to update your application using the tool.
Selected for Verification?
Step 1 – Complete the Verification Worksheet:
Verification Worksheet must be submitted for all students selected for verification. If the student is Dependent, the worksheet must also be signed by a parent.
You may also be required to submit additional forms, including the IRS Tax Return Transcript (TRT) or a signed copy of your Federal Tax Return (1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ). We encourage you to check your email account often as we will use this to send important information relating to your verification status and required documents.
Step 2 – Request and Submit an IRS Tax Return Transcript (TRT) or Signed Copy of Federal Tax Return:
If you or your parent(s) (if dependent) are not eligible to use the IRS DRT mentioned above, then an IRS tax return transcript (TRT) must be requested and submitted to Lakewood University.
If you or your parent(s) (if dependent) filed a joint return, AND are now separated, divorced, widowed, or remarried, you/they must submit an IRS TRT or signed Federal return, as well as all W2 forms.
If you or your parent(s) (if dependent) filed an amended tax return, you/they must submit both an IRS TRT or signed Federal return AND a signed copy of the amended tax return (1040X).
IF YOU DID NOT FILE AN IRS 2022 TAX RETURN (FOR 2024-2025 FAFSA):
As a dependent student, if your parent(s) did not file a 2021 federal tax return and you receive notice that you have been selected for verification, they must obtain documentation from the IRS that they did not file. As an independent student, if you did not file a 2021 federal tax return and you receive notice that you have been selected for verification, you must obtain documentation from the IRS that you did not file.
Helpful Link:
IRS Get Transcripts FAQ
UNUSUAL ENROLLMENT HISTORY
The U.S. Department of Education reviews and monitors all federal programs to ensure program integrity.
Definition of Unusual Enrollment History
Unusual enrollment history is the specific pattern the Department of Education uses to select students who have received a Federal Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Student Loans at multiple institutions during the past four academic years. Students are required to have earned academic credit during the award year in which they received Pell Grant or Federal Direct Loan funds at each previously attended institution.
The Department of Education has established regulations to address possible fraud and abuse in the Title IV student aid programs by identifying students with unusual enrollment histories. These students are identified by the Department of Education through the submission of the FAFSA. Some students who have an unusual enrollment history have legitimate reasons for their enrollment at multiple institutions. However, such an enrollment history requires the Office of Financial Aid to review the student’s enrollment history to determine future federal financial aid eligibility.
At times, students are selected for unusual enrollment history review after their financial aid has already been awarded. In these cases, future financial aid disbursements will be canceled until the issue has been resolved. No aid can be awarded or disbursed until our office has reviewed the student’s academic history and the issue has been resolved. If you are selected for a review of your enrollment history, the Office of Financial Aid will notify you of what is required.
Student Responsibility
To review your enrollment history, we will need transcripts to complete the review. These transcripts should be sent to the Office of Financial Aid. No federal aid can be awarded until all required documentation has been received. As part of the review, our office will verify that academic credit was earned at each institution during the previous four years. If you did not earn academic credit at any institution where you received a Federal Pell Grant or Federal Direct Loans during the relevant award years, we cannot award federal financial aid to you.
If you were denied federal student aid because you did not earn academic credits at any or all institutions attended, you may appeal the decision.
- Submit a signed (handwritten signature), a detailed statement explaining why you were unable to successfully earn the credits at the previous institution attended to the Office of Financial Aid.
- Provide supporting documentation as to why you did not successfully earn the credits at the previous institutions.
- Our office will notify you of the results of the appeal
If a student chooses not to appeal based on extenuating circumstances, that student also has the option to regain financial aid eligibility after he/she has completed one academic term consisting of a minimum of six credit hours without financial aid assistance at Lakewood or at another institution. The coursework must be completed with passing grades (successful completion is defined as earning a grade of A, B, C, D ).
