FAFSA Frequently Asked Questions

The Department of Education (DOE) does not provide applicants, colleges, or universities with specific reasoning as to why a FAFSA is selected for verification. The DOE uses a formula to select applicants based upon common data errors to randomly test the accuracy of FAFSA information.

The HU Office of Financial Aid will collect information from students selected for verification based on federal regulations. We will use this information to verify that your FAFSA is correct. If changes are needed, the Office of Financial Aid will make these changes to your FAFSA and will resubmit it to the DOE. Once the DOE has accepted the verified FAFSA, the Office of Financial Aid will finalize your award package based on the corrected FAFSA information.

Once the HU Office of Financial Aid has all of the documentation we need from you and/or your parent(s), we can process the verification in two weeks or less.

If may take 2–3 weeks to receive tax documents from the IRS, so it is important that you start the verification process as soon as you receive a notification from the Office of Financial Aid.

The HU Office of Financial Aid will send an email to your HU email address and any email address listed on the FAFSA (both parent and/or student) requesting that you complete the verification process. You will continue to receive an email from our office weekly until the process is completed, we receive notification that you do not plan to complete the verification process, or that you do not plan to attend HU.

If a student who is selected for verification does not complete the process, any federal and/or need based aid (including, but not limited to, Pell Grant, SEOG, Work Study, Federal Direct Loans, Forester Fund and other need based institutional aid, Indiana Frank O’Bannon Grant, and the Indiana 21st Century Scholarship) will NOT be disbursed for the academic year. Students will be responsible for covering any remaining balance for the year without the assistance of these funds.

The Office of Financial Aid will continue to send you weekly emails to let you know that we are in need of verification documents. Once we have received everything we need, you will no longer receive a request for verification material. If you are unsure, you are always welcome to call or email to ask about the status of your verification.

You will be required to submit a "prior-prior year" federal tax return transcript from the original filing as well as a signed copy of the amended return for the taxpayer who amended his/her federal taxes. If additional forms or information are necessary, HU will notify you by email.

Although we do not have a deadline for completing the verification process, it is highly recommended that you start the process as soon as you are notified that you have been selected for verification.

Remember, you cannot access federal, state, or need-based institutional aid until this process has been completed, but you are still responsible for paying your remaining balance by the established payment deadlines (August 10th for fall and January 10th for spring semester) if verification has not been completed by that time.

Complete verification early so that you do not have the stress of rushing to get this accomplished prior to the deadline.