Federal verification is the process that ensures the information submitted on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is accurate. If your FAFSA is selected for verification by the Department of Education, the financial aid office will email you to request documentation and compare this information to your FAFSA. Documentation may include a verification worksheet, tax information, Statement of Education Purpose Form, government-issued ID, etc. If discrepancies are found, our office will need to process a FAFSA correction. This may result in a change to your federal financial aid amount. You will receive an email if a correction is needed or if there is a change to your financial aid amounts.
If your FAFSA is selected for verification, please respond to the financial aid administrator in a timely manner. Students are encouraged to submit documentation through their student portal within two weeks of the request. Delays in documentation can result in ineligibility for federal aid. Please contact our office at faoffice@princeton.edu for verification questions.
If there is reason to believe a student, employee, or other individual has misreported information or altered documentation to fraudulently obtain federal aid, suspicions will be reported to the Office of Inspector General (OIG), along with the any related evidence.