Verification
What is Verification?
The Department of Education or the California Student Aid Commission may select you for verification. The verification process is an audit of your FAFSA or CADAA, comparing household and income information from documents we request with the information submitted on the FAFSA or CADAA. The Department of Education and California Student Aid Commission require that we resolve all conflicting information.
If your file is selected for verification, all sources of aid, including loans, will be held until you submit all required documents and the review of these documents is complete.
Our staff will review information including the following essential areas:
- Household size
- High school completion status
- Adjusted gross income (AGI)
- Income earned from work
- U.S. income tax paid
- Untaxed income and benefits
- IRA deductions and payments
- Tax-exempt interest income
- Education credits
- Identity/Statement of purpose and Educational Purpose
- Conflicting information
Deadline to Submit Verification Documents
Verification forms are submitted through your Financial Aid Account. The priority deadline to submit verification documentation is June 1 for fall term and November 1 for students enrolled in the spring term only. We cannot guarantee a disbursement of aid at the beginning of the semester for students who submit documentation after the priority deadline. Students who submit required documentation after the priority deadline will receive disbursements after their file is verified. Verification may take up to eight weeks to process after all documentation is submitted.
All verification items must be submitted within 120 days after the last date of enrollment or the published federal award year deadline. Failure to provide required verification documents and all other supporting documents will result in forfeiture of aid for that award period.
Required Corrections Resulting From Verification and Notification of Award Changes
Chico State will review all verification documents and make all the necessary corrections when there are discrepancies between verification documents you submit and the FAFSA or CADAA information you filed. Your FAFSA or CADAA will be updated and you will be notified about corrections by the Central Processing System. If there are changes to your award as a result of verification, you will be notified by email from the Chico State Financial Aid and Scholarship Office.
Verification Tips
- Follow directions when completing the FAFSA or CADAA. Read the instructions thoroughly. Carefully review the application and provide accurate information.
- FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) or CA Aid Report (CAR). After the Department of Education or California Student Aid Commission receives and processes your FAFSA or CADAA, you will be emailed a link to your FSS/CAR. The FSS/CAR is a summary of your responses from the FAFSA or CADAA. The FSS/CAR also notifies you if there was an error in processing your FAFSA or CADAA. Review your FSS/CAR for accuracy and follow the instructions to make corrections, as needed. If you did not receive your FSS/CAR within three weeks of submitting your FAFSA or CADAA, go to studentaid.gov or dream.csac.ca.gov to check on your status.
- Check your Student Center To-Do list to see what financial aid documents are needed from you and what requirements you must meet. A full explanation for all requests is available by clicking on “more” and then opening the link to each requested item and by reviewing the information in your Financial Aid Account.
- If you are attending fall semester, submit all required items on your To-Do list by June 1 in order to have your file complete before the first fall disbursement. The summer and early fall are our busiest times for file review and verification. We make every effort to complete as many files as possible in time to meet the first fall disbursement.
- Monitor your Student Center. Continue to check your To-Do list and Financial Aid Account for additional documents that may be requested. We will send an email if additional items are needed. Submit your required items electronically via your Financial Aid Account.
- Follow through on all requests promptly. If you have questions call us at 530-898-6451, email us at finaid@csuchico.edu, or stop by our office in Student Services Center 250.
Reminder
Offers are estimated based on full-time enrollment. If you are not enrolled full-time, or drop below full-time, you may be eligible for prorated financial aid based on the number of units in which you are enrolled at the University census date. Please view Enrollment Requirements for financial aid full-time status.