Kirkman building on campus in Fall

FAFSA Verification Process

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Verification is a process to confirm the information that you provided on the FAFSA. This process ensures that the information students and parents report is accurate. Verification prevents ineligible students from receiving aid by reporting false information and ensures that eligible students receive all of the aid for which they are qualified.

Barton's Financial Aid Office will verify any FAFSA that the U.S. Department of Education selects for verification. Barton will also select FAFSA's for verification if there appears to be discrepancies in the data provided.

These are the main reasons for being selected:

  • You were chosen randomly.
  • The FAFSA you submitted was incomplete.
  • Your FAFSA contains estimated information.
  • The data you provided on the FAFSA is inconsistent.

If you are selected for FAFSA verification, you must provide specific documentation. Not all students selected for verification have to submit the same documents. Save the records and materials that you used to complete the FAFSA.

Any documents that our office needs from you will appear on your MyBarton Portal, in addition we will notify you via your Cougar email of the documents that are required. Some of the documents you may be asked to provide include:

  • Independent or Dependent Verification Worksheet
  • Tax Return Transcript(s) / Signed 1040(s) for tax year used on the FAFSA
  • W-2 Forms (student and/or parent's, spouse)
  • Copy of student's Social Security card
  • Documentation verifying student's independent status
  • Cured Default documentation
  • Bankruptcy Documentation
  • Copy of student's birth certificate
  • INS documentation
  • Proof of U.S. citizenship
  • Professional judgment application
  • Any other document deemed necessary by the FAO

If selected for verification, Barton's Financial Aid Office will not award your federal aid until after verification is complete to ensure accuracy of the estimated award.

The sooner our office receives your information, the sooner you'll be able to receive financial aid if you are eligible. If the requested documents are not received by the Financial Aid Office within six weeks of the original request date, the students file will be closed. If the documents are not submitted within 30 days of the close of the term that the student was attending then financial aid will not be calculated and awarded.

Barton's Financial Aid Office does not accept faxed or emailed documents.