Hampton University Financial Aid Verification Policy

Each year, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) selects Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submissions for verification, a process in which the school’s Financial Aid Office must verify the information submitted on the FAFSA. In addition to the accounts selected by ED, by law, permits the Financial Aid Office the right to select an account for verification at its discretion. This discretionary selection may be generated randomly, due to conflicting information, or due to concerns that data may not be accurate or complete. The following policies and procedures for verifying information are implemented in accordance with federal regulations.

Notification and Communication

The last day to submit verification documents to our office is March 11, 2022.

Students selected for verification must submit documentation for the process of verification in order for official financial aid eligibility to be determined. When a student is selected for verification, the student will be notified as follows:

1. ED will notify the student on their Student Aid Report (SAR). Students should go back into the FAFSA and use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool if it is available and they have not done so already.
2. The Financial Aid Office will notify the student, identifying the documents required for the verification process. This notification will be sent to the student by the Financial Aid Office within three weeks from the time the Financial Aid Office receives official notification from ED that the student was selected for verification.
3. The Financial Aid Office also provides secure access to information showing verification document requests for each student at https://mycampus.hamptonu.edu/web/mycampus/home. Required forms are also accessible from our financial aid website at: http://www.hamptonu.edu/studentservices/financialaid/fa_forms.cfm

4. Verification may require the submission of IRS transcripts, tax documents, and other additional information. As a courtesy, the Financial Aid Office may use a variety of methods in order to contact students about what documents are needed to be submitted for verification. These methods may include electronic messages on the student’s HUNet account, emails, and phone calls, if applicable.

Document Submission

You must mail in your required documents. FAXES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Verification documents should be submitted at the student’s earliest convenience, but no later than 14 days prior to the planned term of enrollment. This will ensure the Financial Aid Office has the amount of time necessary to review the information, make corrections (if needed), and award aid.

Failure to submit the required documents (or to submit them in a timely manner) will delay or possibly eliminate the disbursement of federal Title IV funds.

Families who file federal tax extensions must forward a copy of the federal request for extension, form 4868, to the Financial Aid Office along with copies of all W2’s. Additional documentation may be requested. A temporary review may allow for aid disbursements, but aid may be rescinded if the family does not provide a complete IRS Tax Return Transcript and any other necessary documents within the required timeframe as determined by the Financial Aid Office.

Loss of Aid Eligibility

Verification must be completed before most financial aid will be disbursed. If financial aid has already been disbursed and the student is subsequently selected for verification, further disbursements will be placed on hold until verification is complete. Failure to submit the required documentation (or submit it in a timely manner) may eliminate the eligibility for federal, state, and/or institutional financial aid funds. Balances resulting from elimination of eligibility for federal, state and/or institutional financial aid funds will be the responsibility of the student.

Graduate Student Exemption

Verification encompasses applications for most federal student aid programs, but it is not required if the student will only receive a graduate PLUS Loan or a Direct Unsubsidized Loan. If a graduate student is receiving need-based aid (i.e. Federal Work Study) and is selected for verification, the student will be required to complete Verification before aid is awarded. However, if a graduate student is not receiving need-based aid, then in most cases the student will not be required to complete verification before the student is awarded aid. Conflicting information or documents voluntarily submitted by the student will be reviewed through verification even if the student is not receiving need-based aid.

Conflicting Information

The Financial Aid Office exercises its right to seek additional information whenever there is conflicting information in a student’s file. Conflicting information must be resolved before financial aid funds can be processed and/or disbursed. Failure to reach resolution within the enrollment period (which requires written documentation for the student’s financial aid file) could eliminate aid eligibility. In some cases, resolution of conflicting information within 30 days of the end of the enrollment period may not provide sufficient time to process financial aid for that enrollment period. Therefore, aid eligibility could be eliminated.

The Financial Aid Office will notify the student if there is a need for further documentation to satisfy verification requirements via their Hampton University email address and/or in HUNet. The student and/or parent must respond within two weeks of the date of the notification. Overpayments of federal aid, if they occur, are resolved when the Financial Aid Office makes subsequent adjustments to the student’s account. In the event that an adjustment cannot be made to the student’s account, the Financial Aid Office will refer the overpayment to the proper federal agency in accordance to applicable program regulations.

The Financial Aid Office will also review any documentation voluntarily submitted to the office for conflict. Students who choose to submit documentation that was not requested may prolong their verification or subsequently be selected for verification.

Correction of Information

The Financial Aid Office will submit the verified corrections to ED electronically. This will ensure that corrections are made known to all parties and that the needs analysis will be updated accurately and according to federal standards. Additionally, the student is required to update any subsequent or related applications, such as state grant information, private scholarship forms, and other related institutional applications.

Completing Verification

Once the Financial Aid Office has received and reviewed for accuracy all the requested items for the verification process, the student will receive notification that his/her award package is available to view and/or accept online. This will include the types and amounts of aid offered and instructions for acceptance.

If a student has not received any correspondence from the Financial Aid Office within 14 business days from the receipt date of all requirements satisfied (as displayed on HUNet), please do not hesitate to contact our office at (toll free) 1-800-624-3341 (local) 757-727-5635.

The Financial Aid Office strongly recommends that you do not attempt to change data on the FAFSA, while your documentation is under review, without first contacting our office.

Misuse Of Financial Aid And Referral Process

The Financial Aid Office will report any potential fraud or falsified information (on the part of the student, the parent, preparer of financial aid applications, or related parties) to ED and all other related parties for immediate action. Anyone who suspects fraud or abuse may submit a confidential report by contacting the Office of Inspector General at 1-800-MIS-USED (1-800-647-8733).

Email Award Change Notification

The Financial Aid Office will notify a student of the results of verification if, as a result of verification, the student’s financial aid award amounts change due to a change in the student’s expected family contribution (EFC).If changes to a student’s account are made prior to the student receiving an Email Award Notification, the student will be notified of any corrections from the verification process by receiving a new Student Aid Report (SAR) from ED. If changes are made after the student has received an Email Award Notification and those changes affect financial aid, in addition to receiving an updated SAR, the Financial Aid Office will notify the student by email no later than 30 days after verification is complete. The Financial Aid Office also uses electronic means via the student’s HUNet account to ensure that the student is notified of changes to financial aid awards.

Please direct all questions and inquiries to your assigned Financial Aid Advisor, as posted on the Financial Aid Office website (*see Additional Contact Information for listing of Advisors): http://www.hamptonu.edu/studentservices/financialaid/contact/.