Federal Verification
If your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) was selected for Federal Verification by the U.S. Department of Education, you will need to complete a Verification Form(s) and tax documents to the Office of Financial Aid. You will be notified on your Student Aid Report (emailed to you by the U.S. Department of Education) and by Delaware State University email if your FAFSA is selected.
Incoming students can receive an estimated financial aid offer without submitting the required information. However, the financial aid offer will not be finalized and funds will not be disbursed until we complete the verification review.
You must have your verification review completed at least 30 days prior to the end of the session or academic year/period during which you are enrolled. This allows sufficient time for the Office of Student Financial Aid to process and disburse the financial aid within the timeframe permitted under Title IV regulations and University policy. The deadline for you to submit verification documentation may be extended up to your last day of enrollment during the academic year/period on a case-by-case basis and is processed to the extent that is administratively possible.
Verification Requirements
Verification uses documentation to confirm that the information provided on a student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is accurate. The Federal Government requires colleges and universities to verify, or confirm, the data reported by students and their parent(s) on the FAFSA.
The main reasons for being selected for verification include: you were chosen randomly, the FAFSA you submitted was incomplete, your FAFSA contains estimated information, or the data you provided on the FAFSA is inconsistent or conflicting. Verification is a Federal regulation. Students who are selected for verification are not being punished; rather, verification prevents ineligible students from receiving aid by reporting false information and ensures that eligible students receive all of the aid for which they qualify.
The items to be reviewed include:
- Household Size
- Number of People of Household in College
- Adjusted Gross Income
- Untaxed Income, e.g., IRA Deductions and Payments
- Income Tax Paid
- Education Credits
How do I complete, sign and submit required documents for financial aid?
Delaware State University Office of Financial Aid has moved to a new self-service mobile financial aid process called CampusLogic.
Are you a New User?
Follow the steps below to set up your CampusLogic account from any mobile device or computer. This is one-time account creation. You will be asked for some basic information when creating your account. This information is used to validate your identity so that electronic signatures can be used on future forms.
Four Easy Steps:
- Go to https://desu.verifymyfafsa.com/account/registerstudent
- Click ‘Create Account’ link
- Enter/confirm your student information
- Click ‘Create Account’ button
Once your account is created, any required tasks you need to complete will become available. Your success is our top priority. Providing the best student experience is important to us, and we heard your feedback loud and clear. You wanted to be able to complete financial aid processes on your own time, on the device of your preference. We’re proud to say that now you can!
If you have already created a CL account, scan the following QR Code:
Or visit desu.verifymyfafsa.com
How will I know if my application is selected for verification?
You may be selected for Verification either by the Federal processor or by the Office of Financial Aid.
If you are selected by the Federal processor, there will be an asterisk next to your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) on your Student Aid Report (SAR). You will also be informed of having been selected for verification in the SAR Acknowledgement letter, which will be included with your SAR documents. You can view your SAR online by logging in at studentaid.gov and selecting “View or Print Your Student Aid Report (SAR)”. You should also receive a copy of your SAR at the email address you provided on your FAFSA approximately 3-4 days after you submit your application.
- If you are selected for verification by the Office of Financial Aid, we will inform you of this selection in writing and instruct you of any additional documents that are required.
How will I know what additional documentation is required for verification?
If your SAR indicates you were selected for verification, or if the Office of Financial Aid determines that your application needs to be verified, you and your parent(s) will be required to provide supporting documents to the Office of Financial Aid, such as:
- Copies of student’s/ parents’ Federal income tax return (IRS Form 1040) or IRS Tax Return Transcripts, which can be ordered directly from the IRS web site
- Student and parent(s) W-2 statements
- Verification Worksheet, listing members of household
What do I do if I have been selected for verification but I have not yet filed my taxes?
Students/parents will report PRIOR-PRIOR tax year information, which in most cases should be complete by now. For example, you will submit 2019 tax information in the 2021-2022 award year.
What is the deadline for submitted verification documents?
If the U.S. Department of Education selects your application for Verification, do not wait for the Office of Financial Aid to request additional documentation from you. It is your responsibility to review your SAR to determine if you are selected for verification. You should submit additional documentation to the Office of Financial Aid within ten days of the date of notification.
The Office of Financial Aid cannot guarantee a student’s financial aid will be awarded in time to satisfy his or her Fall bill by the due date if verification documents are submitted after April 30th.
Even if the Department of Education does not select your FAFSA for verification, Federal law allows the financial aid office to institutionally-select your application if they have reason to believe your information is inaccurate, inconsistent, or incomplete. If this happens, we will contact you and let you know what additional documentation is required. Be sure to respond to requests for documentation within 10 days, to avoid delays in processing your financial aid.
Remember: participation in the Verification process is not optional! If you are selected, you must comply to be eligible for financial aid.
How soon after I submit my documents will verification be completed?
Normal processing time is 2-3 weeks, but it could take 4-5 weeks during peak processing periods (July-September).
You should submit all of your documentation together and ensure that the information is complete and accurate. If the Office of Financial Aid reviews your file and then asks for missing or incomplete information, you will be subject to another processing time cycle upon receipt of the new documents.
I still have additional questions about verification and financial aid. How can I get answers to my questions?
For a comprehensive overview of the financial aid process at Delaware State University, please familiarize yourself with our New Student Checklist. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with this information before contacting the Office of Financial Aid.