Financial Aid Tip of the Month, March 2015
The federal government requires colleges to verify the information submitted by many students on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The FAFSA is the form used to apply for most federal and many state student aid programs. It asks detailed questions about the income and resources of students and their parents if the students are considered dependent students. Students are considered dependent if they are undergraduate students under 24 years old, not married, have no dependents of their own, are not veterans or were not orphans or wards of the court until age 19.
The college or, in some cases, an agency working with the college will contact students to let them know if their data is being verified.
Students and parents need to take that process seriously, according to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA). Students chosen for verification cannot receive their financial aid until they have completed the process.
If students have decided not to attend a college that asked them for verification, they should let the college know so it will stop requesting information.
KHEAA is the state agency that administers the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES), need-based grants and other programs to help students pay their higher education expenses.
To find links to other useful education websites, go to www.gotocollege.ky.gov. For more information about Kentucky scholarships and grants, visit www.kheaa.com; write KHEAA, P.O. Box 798, Frankfort, KY 40602; or call 800-928-8926, ext. 6-7372.