FAFSA Verification | Undergraduate Students
Eligibility for need-based financial aid will be estimated when a financial aid applicant needs to confirm or correct the information provided on the FAFSA. Some financial aid applicants are asked to provide supporting documentation through a process called verification. The supporting documentation is used by the Financial Aid Office to review the accuracy of FAFSA information and make any required corrections.
There are several reasons why a student’s FAFSA may be selected for verification. A financial aid applicant’s FAFSA can be selected randomly, or for inconsistent, unusual data, or misreported information, by the U.S. Department of Education. Pacific University may be required to verify a financial aid applicant’s FAFSA when conflicting documentation exists or when unusual circumstances are reported. If a student’s FAFSA is selected for verification for any of these reasons, the Financial Aid Office may not disburse federal, state, or institutional need-based financial aid until the verification process is complete.
The verification process must be completed by the last day of classes for the final semester in which the student is enrolled for the academic year. If verification has not been completed by this date, the student will lose eligibility for need-based financial aid and the Financial Aid Office will cancel all need-based federal, state, and institutional financial aid. If federal loan eligibility has not been certified by the last day of class, the student will not be able to receive those loans.
To avoid Business Office holds and/or late charges, the verification process should be completed as soon as possible, preferably before payment is due for the semester.
Information Required for Verification
The following information reflects the verification process for the 2024-25 academic year. If you need assistance with the verification process, contact Jama Kelch.
There are four different verification groups and each group is asked to verify different aspects of the FAFSA. The most common group is asked to verify the following:
Household Size
The household for a dependent student includes the student, their parent(s) as defined by the FAFSA, siblings if the parent(s) provide more than half their financial support, other people residing in the parent(s) home for whom the parent(s) provide more than half the financial support.
The household for an independent student includes the student, spouse, children if the student provides more than half the financial support, and other people residing in the student’s home for whom the student provides more than half the financial support.
Number in College
Household members are considered as being in college if they will attend, at least half time during the upcoming academic year, a program that leads to a college degree or certificate. Parents of dependent students are excluded.
Taxable and Non Taxable Income
Federal regulations require Pacific University to use specific tax documentation provided by the IRS to verify parent, student and spouse income. There are several ways of obtaining tax information:
Identity/High School Completion
Students who are required to confirm their identity must appear in person at the Financial Aid Office on the Forest Grove Campus. Generally, a student’s high school completion status is confirmed using the final high school transcript required by the Admission Office prior to enrollment at Pacific.
Contact Jama Kelch (503) 352-3095 or jama.kelch@pacificu.edu if you have any questions or need assistance with completing the verification process.