The federal government requires many students who submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to verify the information included on the FAFSA. The students requiring verification are chosen by the U.S. Department of Education.
Used to apply for most federal and many state student aid programs, the FAFSA asks detailed questions about the income and financial resources of students.
The parents of dependent students must also provide that information. Students are considered dependent if they are undergraduates under 24 years old, not married, have no dependents, are not veterans, or were not orphans or wards of the court until age 19.
The college or an agency working with the school will let students know if their information is being verified.
Students and parents need to take this process seriously, according to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA). Students chosen for verification cannot receive their financial aid until they complete the verification process. As soon as they are contacted, they should provide any information that is required. Putting it off will only lead to frustration if the process isn’t finished when classes are ready to start.
If students who have been asked for verification decide not to attend a college, they should let the college know so it will stop requesting information.
KHEAA is the state agency that administers Kentucky’s student financial aid programs, including the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES). Its sister agency, the Kentucky Higher Education Student Loan Corporation (KHESLC), offers low-cost Advantage Loans to help students and parents pay for college or refinance student loans. For more information about Advantage Loans, visit www.advantageeducationloan.com.
Many of KHEAA’s student aid programs are funded by Kentucky Lottery revenue.
For more information about Kentucky scholarships and grants, visit http://www.kheaa.com or write KHEAA, P.O. Box 798, Frankfort, KY 40602; or call 800-928-8926, ext. 6-7214.
(provided by Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority for Kentucky)
