Verification

Verification is a process initiated either by the U.S. Department of Education or by the Financial Aid office requiring you to submit specific documents, usually including a Verification Worksheet. If your application is selected for verification, you will not be eligible for federal aid until this process is finalized. To avoid unnecessary delays, please submit all required documents promptly.

Identity Verification:  If you are selected for verification which includes a request to confirm your identity, you must submit your government-issued photo identification in-person to an Enrollment Services staff member. If you are unable to appear in person, please contact us to discuss your options so we can assist you.  The deadline to submit this in-person is March 10, 2026.  If you are required to submit identity verification documents and do not meet the deadline, your financial aid will be cancelled, even if it has already been disbursed.

Acceptable Documents for Identity Verification: Your government-issued photo identification must not be expired at the time it is presented.  Acceptable documents include:

  • Driver’s License
  • US Passport (signed by the student)
  • Non-driver’s identification card
  • Other state-issued photo ID
  • Permanent Resident or Resident Alien Card (I-551)
  • Certificate of Naturalization with recognizable photo
  • Inmate ID issued by correctional facility
  • State-issued voter ID card

We are NOT able to accept Military IDs, student IDs, or temporary driver’s licenses.

What happens if I am selected for identity verification after my financial aid has already been disbursed?

If your financial aid has already been applied to your student account and you are later selected for identity verification, your aid will be temporarily placed on hold while the verification is completed. During this time, the previously disbursed aid is considered a potential overpayment.

If you do not submit the required identity documentation by the stated deadline (March 10, 2026 for the current academic year), your financial aid will be cancelled. This may result in a balance due on your account, even if your aid had previously covered your tuition and fees.

To prevent delays or cancellation of your financial aid, please submit your identification to Enrollment Services in Green Hall at the Kingston campus as soon as possible.

Income Verification: For 2025-26, if selected for verification, you must provide documentation of income, as requested on the Verification Worksheet.  Either link your(s) and your parent(s) or spouse’s federal tax data directly from the IRS when filing the FAFSA (recommended), submit a 2023 IRS Tax Return Transcript, or submit the signed 2023 income tax form which was filed with the IRS in order to verify your FAFSA information.

Amended Tax Return

Students or parents who filed an amended return (IRS Form 1040X) after previously importing their tax data from the IRS into the student’s FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) will need to submit the following:

  1. An IRS tax return transcript that includes information from the original tax return OR any other IRS tax transcript that includes all income and tax information from the original tax return required for verification (neither of which has to be signed) signed copy of the original tax return that was filed, or a tax return transcript (which does not have to be signed); and
  2. A signed copy of the 1040X form that was filed with the IRS.