Verification

Verification is the process in which the Department of Education randomly selects approximately 30% of a school’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application population for review. Verification is used to compare information provided on the student’s FAFSA with Federal tax returns, W2’s, and/or other financial documents. If a student is selected for verification, they will receive notification via their ECU email account listing the additional information required. If a student’s file is selected for verification, the student and/or parent(s) must provide an IRS Tax Transcript or match income data on the FAFSA using the IRS-FA Direct Data Exchange (FA-DDX).

Required Verification Items:

  • Household size (number of people living in your household)
  • Adjusted gross income (AGI)
  • Income earned from work
  • Income taxes paid
  • Sources and amount of untaxed income