Verification
The IRS Data Retrieval Tool should be used to import your tax information into the FAFSA. This method of completing your FAFSA will reduce errors and prevent students and parents from the requirement to submit tax transcripts to Ohio University to complete the verification process.
If you do need to submit documents to complete the verification process, we recommend you use our Secure Upload Portal (see our Troubleshooting Guide for assistance). This is a secure method to transmit your documents to our office. When using this portal, we recommend that you do not use a Safari browser. You can also drop documents off at our office in Chubb Hall, room 020, or place them in the drop box located inside the south entrance doors on the ground floor of Chubb Hall (Court Street side of the building). You can submit documents by fax (740.593.4140) or by mail to:
Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships
1 Ohio University
Chubb Hall 020
Athens, OH 45701
Verification Selection Criteria and Procedures
Ohio University will review the results of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for all admitted students. This review process, called Verification, will decide if additional documents are needed. Verification parameters may vary from year to year. Parameters are determined by the U.S. Department of Education.
If incorrect information is found during a normal review of your FAFSA, you will be manually selected for verification. This can occur if a FAFSA item appears to be wrong or you provide information that shows discrepant data.
Students selected for verification will be informed by letter or email each month until all items are received. Students must visit their OHIO Student Center and submit the needed items on the To-Do List to the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. Tax return transcript or a signed copy of the federal tax return are required for selected students and parents, if applicable, when the IRS Data Retrieval Tool is not used. Students and parents can acquire the tax return transcript through one or more of the following options. DO NOT request the Account Transcript. This will not be accepted. If both students and parents are selected, each will provide their Tax Return Transcript separately.
1. Online Tax Return Transcript Request: Visit https://www.irs.gov/ and select "Get your tax record." Then select either "Get Transcript ONLINE" or "Get Transcript by MAIL".
2. Phone Request: Students/parents can call 1-800-908-9943 to request a transcript be sent by mail.
3. Paper Request: Students/parents who had an address change after filing taxes, can make a request in writing by completing the federal 4506-T form located at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506t.pdf. This method is best for individuals who have changed their address since filing taxes.
Once all verification items have been received, they are compared with the data reported on the FAFSA. If discrepancies are found, changes are made to the FAFSA. These changes are typically processed by the U.S. Department of Education within five to seven days.
Offering and Disbursing of Aid
Freshmen students with a valid, non-rejected FAFSA may be offered financial aid before they complete verification through mid-March. If chosen for verification, they will receive a tentative Financial Aid Offer until the process is complete. Once verification is complete, changes in the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) may result in changes to financial aid offered. All students awarded after mid-March must complete verification before they are offered financial aid. Verification must be completed before financial aid funds will disburse or pay toward student accounts.
If a student was chosen for verification after being offered aid, no aid will disburse until verification is complete. Failure to submit all verification items will delay aid from being offered and disbursed to a student's account.
Deadline
Students may receive a Federal Pell Grant if Ohio University receives a valid FAFSA prior to the end of the academic year. Students must complete verification no later than 120 days after the last day they are enrolled or August 30. Students with Campus-based aid or Direct Loan eligibility must provide all needed items for verification two weeks prior to the last day of enrollment. If a student does not complete verification by the deadlines listed, they forfeit their financial aid. Eligibility for aid during or after the semester has ended is based on enrollment. If a student is selected for verification after one of the above deadlines has passed, in general, verification is canceled. For 399 verification, which is required after enrollment periods have ceased, students must return documents within 30 days.
Verification Exclusion
The U.S. Department of Education's Application and Verification Guide does provide several exclusions that permit students to bypass verification. Ohio University does not grant these exclusions, in general, but uses them on a case-by-case basis. At any time, if questionable data is found, it must be verified and corrected.
For more information, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarship or review Ohio University's
For specific verification questions, please email financial.aid.verification@ohio.edu.