Verification Policy

Introduction

UCCS selects some financial aid applications for review in a process called “Verification.” In this process, UCCS will be comparing information from your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with signed copies of your (and your parent(s)' or spouse's if applicable) Federal tax forms, W-2 forms and other financial documents. The law says we have the right to ask you for this information before disbursing aid, and requires it under some circumstances. UCCS must review the requested information, under the financial aid program rules (34 CFR, Part 668).

Documents required for verification

The following documents are required:

• Your (and your parent(s)' or spouse's if applicable) 2008 federal tax return is needed and it must be signed
• All 2008 W-2s.
• The verification worksheet that is mailed to you, or you can get it off the UCCS Financial Aid forms page.

We may request additional documentation after the evaluation of your file.

Submit all above bulleted items as a Complete Packet. Incomplete packets will not be reviewed. Anything turned in incomplete will be placed in a secure location and will not be evaluated until you complete out your packet.

Student Responsibilities

If there are discrepancies between your FAFSA data and your verification documents, UCCS will send corrections to your FAFSA which will generate a new Student Aid Report (SAR) to you. If your aid is affected due to any corrections made by UCCS from verification, you will receive an e-mail at your UCCS e-mail address as soon as these changes have been processed. This is your notification that your awards have been changed and to go to the Student Online Center for the corrected award information.

We recommend that you complete verification as soon as possible so you will know your final aid package. If you have a work-study award you will not be able to work until your file is complete. The deadline for verification for most aid is the census date of the semester in which you are applying for aid. If verification is not completed by census, we will cancel all state and institutional grants, federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Perkins loans and work-study awards for both the fall and spring semesters. If you complete verification after census, you may still retain your Pell grant, ACG and SMART grants (if eligible) and you may still apply for Stafford student loans and PLUS loans. Scholarships are examined on a case by case basis as some are subject to verification and some are not.