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Verification Policy (Federal Aid)

I. Policy Statement

Verification is the process of checking the accuracy of the information entered on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). TNS follows the standards as set forth in Federal regulation 34 CFR668.51.

The verification requirements stated in this policy apply to all applicants for federal student aid under the following programs:

  • Federal Pell Grant Program
  • Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program (SEOG)
  • Federal Work-Study (FWS)
  • Federal William D. Ford Direct Loan program

II. Notification of Selection

The U.S. Department of Education randomly selects student FAFSA’s for verification. The Student Aid Report (SAR) which a student receives as a result of applying for federal aid will inform the student that they have been selected for verification.

In addition to this notification from the U.S. Department of Education, The New School’s Office of Financial Aid (OFA) will notify a student of their selection for verification through email communication. This email will direct a student to their MyNewSchool portal where specific documentation will be posted. A student must provide the required documentation before any Federal aid is disbursed.

III. Deadline to Submit Verification Documentation

A student is strongly encouraged to submit all requested documentation to the OFA within 45 days from the date of email notification.

A student who fails to meet the 45-day deadline will not have any Federal aid disbursed to their student account. As a result, a student may be required to pay any outstanding charges including tuition, fees, housing, meals, and late fees that have been assessed to him/her.

IV. Verification Items

Students are classified by the U.S. Department of Education into verification groups. Items to be verified are directed by this classification.

V. Verification Groups

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VI. Step-By-Step Processing of FAFSA Corrections

  1. The OFA will correct data elements that do not match the documentation submitted.
  2. Corrections are electronically transmitted to the U.S. Department of Education for reprocessing.
  3. The U.S. Department of Education will send a corrected SAR to the student.
  4. In many cases, the corrections made to a student’s FAFSA will result in a change in Estimated Family Contribution (EFC).
  5. If the EFC changes, the Office of Financial Aid reviews the new EFC and their financial aid package
  6. If a revision in Federal aid is required, the OFA will revise the amount to reflect the student’s new eligibility.
  7. The OFA will email the student to alert them of any financial aid revisions in MyNewSchool portal.

VII. Results of Conflicting Information

The OFA must resolve all conflicting information found on a student’s FAFSA or other financial aid documentation. If conflicting information is found, the OFA will request specific documentation from the student to resolve the conflicts.

If the OFA suspects that a student, employee, or other individual has misreported information or altered documentation to fraudulently obtain federal funds, the Director of Financial Aid or a FA representative will report the suspicions to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Evidence of their suspicions will be provided to OIG.

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