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Students Should Take FAFSA Verification Seriously
College Graduation

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 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 a public, non-profit agency established in 1966 to improve students’ access to college. It provides information about financial aid and financial literacy at no cost to students and parents.

KHEAA also helps colleges manage their student loan default rates and verify information submitted on the FAFSA. For more information about those services, visit www.kheaa.com.

In addition, KHEAA disburses private Advantage Education Loans for its sister agency, KHESLC. For more information about Advantage Education Loans, visit www.advantageeducationloan.com.