What is Verification?
Verification is the process by which student Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) information is documented and verified for accuracy.
How did I get selected for Verification?
The Department of Education (ED) or ORU may select students for Verification. Students may be selected:
- At random
- Choosing to forego use of the IRS Data Retrieval System
- Due to conflicting information
- Due to missing information (i.e. incomplete FAFSA submission)
- At ED's or ORU's discretion
Will I be considered an Independent or a Dependent student for the purposes of Verification?
You may visit the FAFSA Dependency Status Worksheet to determine your FAFSA dependency status separately from completing the FAFSA.
Whose documentation is needed?
- Dependent students must submit student, parent, and step-parent information.
- Unmarried Independent students must submit only student information.
- Married Independent students must submit both student and spouse information.
What documentation might be requested in order complete Verification?
- Signed ORU Verification Worksheet
- Copies of all W-2 forms for non-tax filers
- Copies of federal tax transcripts if required to file taxes for the specified year.
- Copies of international tax returns must be received for individuals without a U.S. federal income tax transcripts.
- Non-English documentation must be translated to English and have amounts stated in U.S. dollars. Contact the Financial Aid Office for instructions of how to determine the rate of exchange.
- Receipt of child support paid
- Receipt of SNAP benefits
- Asset information, record of resources and budgeting, or other documentation
- High School Completion Status Documentation
- Other documentation, if requested
How do I view my requirements?
- All outstanding financial aid requirements are available online at http://vision.oru.edu. Log in, click on "Student Services & Financial Aid", and click on "Financial Aid". Then click "My Eligibility", select the aid year, and click "Submit" to list your unsatisfied and satisfied requirements.
What if I do not have copies of my federal tax transcript?
- Contact the IRS at 1.800.829.1040 to request a line-by-line transcript of your federal tax return and a wage summary for the calendar year. If it is determined that you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval System, there is no need to submit tax transcripts after use of this tool, as long as you don't make any changes to the information. Your tax information will be available to use in the IRS Data Retrieval System three weeks after you file your taxes electronically and six weeks after you filed by paper. For detailed instructions on how to obtain a Tax Transcript, please use the website www.irs.gov. NOTE: IRS Form 1722 is NOT acceptable.
What if I filed for a tax return extension and have not filed taxes yet?
- Complete all applicable documents requested on your vision account.
- Submit all Forms W-2 and 1098 Forms if applicable.
- If you are self-employed, you will be required to complete a Self-Employment Tax Extension Statement.
After all required documentation is received, how long will it take to complete Verification?
- During peak processing times of the year, processing documents may take two to three weeks.
- Difficult or complex cases can take longer. Each student's documentation is reviewed for accuracy and consistency.
After Verification is completed, what happens next?
- If there are not any significant differences between the information that you submitted on your FAFSA, as reported to you on your Student Aid Report (SAR), and the information determined through Verification, your SAR will be deemed "valid" or "verified".
- If there are significant differences between your SAR and the information determined through Verification, your current SAR will be deemed "invalid", and the Financial Aid Office will correct the information and submit the corrections to the Department of Education. The correction will be valid when returned to ORU by the Department of Education.
- If your financial aid eligibility is affected by the results of Verification, your financial aid package will be adjusted as appropriate.
What are some of the results of having a "valid" Student Aid Report (SAR)?
- Federal, State, and Institutional financial aid will only pay after a valid SAR is on file.
- Federal PLUS loans and Unsubsidized Stafford loans do not require Verification to be completed to be disbursed to the student's account. You will need to inform the Financial Aid Office if you choose not to complete Verification so that your non need-based financial aid (e.g. PLUS and Unsubsidized Stafford loans) can be disbursed.