Verification
FAFSA Verification
Verification is the process in which the U.S. Department of Education requires colleges to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA is accurate. It’s not an indication that you’ve done anything wrong; it’s simply a requirement that hundreds of Berea students (and thousands of students nationwide) are selected for each year. If your FAFSA is selected for verification, this process must be completed before your financial aid can be finalized.
Let us know if you have questions anytime. We’re happy to help! You can stop by Student Financial Aid Services, Lincoln Hall 120, anytime between 8am-5pm (closed 12-1 for lunch). No appointment is needed. You can also contact us at 859-985-3310 and finaid@berea.edu.
Policy and Procedure
Berea College students selected for verification are expected to complete verification requirements before registering for Fall courses. These students will not be allowed to complete registration until verification requirements are complete, or determined by Student Financial Aid Services to be adequately and actively in progress.
Incoming freshmen, new transfer, readmitted students, and current students selected for verification after Fall registration has taken place are expected to complete verification requirements before confirmation can be completed at the beginning of the Fall term. These students will not be allowed to complete confirmation until verification requirements are complete or determined by Student Financial Aid Services to be adequately and actively in progress.
If a student does not provide the required verification documentation before the verification deadline published in the Federal Register, the student forfeits their Pell Grant and any other Title IV aid that they may have been awarded for that year. Any payments made to the student for the year must be returned.
When verification results in a need to correct FAFSA information determined to be in error, Student Financial Aid Services will, in most cases, make the necessary correction(s). In some cases, Student Financial Aid Services may contact a student to inform them that they need to log into their FAFSA to correct information (example: if the correction will result in new questions that were previously left unanswered, such as asset information or information for a second parent not previously reported).
When a student’s EFC changes, as the result of verification or any other change to the FAFSA, an email is sent to the student informing them that their financial aid award has been updated and that they may view their updated award letter on MyBerea.
Referral of Fraud Cases
If Berea College suspects that a student, employee, or other individual has misreported information or altered documentation to fraudulently obtain federal funds, the College will make a report and provide any evidence to the Office of Inspector General, in accordance with federal policies.